Masked Booby - profile

Indicative distribution

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Key:

known

predicted

The areas shown in pink and/purple are the sub-regions where the species or community is known or predicted to occur. They may not occur thoughout the sub-region but may be restricted to certain areas. ( click here to see geographic restrictions). The information presented in this map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions.

Scientific name: Sula dactylatra

Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable

Commonwealth status: Not listed

Profile last updated: 08 Mar 2018

Description

A large, white seabird with black tips to the flight feathers and a black mask on the face. The bill is yellow with a black base. The Lord Howe Island population has brownish eyes, compared to birds at most other locations which have yellow eyes, and is known as a separate sub-species (Sula dactylatra tasmani).

Distribution

Widely distributed through the tropical and subtropical seas of the world. The breeding population on Lord Howe Island is the most southerly breeding colony in the world.

Habitat and ecology

Marine
Remain at Lord Howe Island year round but range widely for food and some juveniles wander before returning to breed. Young birds banded on Lord Howe Island have been recovered as far away as the Solomon Islands.
Breed on high open areas where they can take off directly into the wind. Breeding sites on Lord Howe Island include King Point and Muttonbird Point on the main Island and also Ball's Pyramid, Muttonbird Island and the Admiralty Islets.
The nest is a rough platform of trodden grass.

Regional distribution and habitat

Click on a region below to view detailed distribution, habitat and vegetation information.

Threats

Taking of Masked Booby as a by-catch by Long-line fishing vessels.
Predation of eggs and young by rodents at the nesting grounds.
Introduction of pest species to the island (e.g. Green and Brown Tree snakes, possums, ferrets).
Big headed ants - aggravating adults to the point where they abandon nests. As soon as chick hatches and it is wet, they are vulnerable to ant predation.

Recovery strategies

Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological community. The Office of Environment and Heritage has identified 4 priority actions to help recover the Masked Booby in New South Wales.

Activities to assist this species

Control and eradicate introduced rodents.
Monitor status of breeding population on Lord Howe Island.
Support measures to prevent the detrimental threats of long-line fishing on seabirds.

Information sources

Hutton, I. (1991) Birds of Lord Howe Island Past and Present.
Schodde, R. and Mason, I.J. (1999) The Directory of Australian Birds. (CSIRO Publishing, Melbourne)

IBRA Bioregion	IBRA Subregion	Known or predicted	Geographic restrictions region

Ocean	Batemans Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	Hawkesbury Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	Manning Shelf	Known	None
Ocean	South Pacific Ocean	Known	None
Ocean	Tweed-Moreton	Known	None
Ocean	Twofold Shelf	Predicted	None
Ocean - Other State	Northern Australian Coastal Waters	Known	None
Ocean - Other State	Southern Australian Coastal Waters	Known	None
Other State	QLD	Known	None
Pacific Subtropical Islands	Lord Howe Island	Known	None

Images

Masked Booby Image 1 of 3.
View slideshow.

Nature conservation

Threatened species