This dataset contains the results from surveys of Wandering Albatrosses (Diomedea exulans) on Macquarie Island. The majority of the surveys were conducted at the Caroline Cove colony which contains 59% of the Wandering Albatrosses found on Macquarie Island. Observations were made for 41 consecutive days between 5 December 1975 and 14 January 1976, and for 103 consecutive days between 25 November 1976 and 7 March 1977. Occasional observations were made of birds at other locations on Macquarie Island. Each bird in the colony was banded for identification, sexed and had its plumage scored. The times of arrival and departure, numbers present, interaction and behaviour were observed, and weather conditions were noted irregularly throughout the day. The results are listed in the documentation.

This data set contains the results from a study of the behaviour of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddelli) at the Vestfold Hills, Prydz Bay, Antarctica. Three satellite transmitters were deployed on tagged female Weddell seals at the Vestfold Hills mid-winter (June) 1999. The transmitters were recovered in December, late in the pupping season. In total, the three transmitters were deployed and active 170 days, 175 days and 180 days. I used the first two classes of data to get fixes with a standard deviation less than 1 km. Most seal holes were more that 1 km apart (see Entry: wed_survey) so at this resolution we can distinguish between haul-out sites. We examine the number and range of locations used by the individual seals. We use all data collectively to look at diurnal and seasonal changes in haul-out bouts. None of the seals were located at sites outside the area of fast ice at the Vestfold Hills, although one seal was sighted on new fast-ice (20 - 40 cm thick). Considering the long bouts in the water, and that we only tracked haul-out locations, the results do not eliminate the possibility that the seals made long trips at sea. The original data are stored by the Australian Antarctic Division in the ARGOS system on the mainframe Alpha. The transmitter numbers are 23453, 7074 and 7075.

The only work that went ahead as part of this ASAC project was to look at Penguins restraint and stress level (see the referenced paper below). From the paper: During most research on penguins it is necessary to temporarily immobilise the birds at some time (to weigh, mark, or attach instruments). Although many penguin species seem unconcerned about a human's presence, a single approaching person has been shown to increase the birds heart rate, suggesting that the animal is aware and may be stressed. Corticosterone is one of the hormones regulating the stress reaction in birds, and in turn regulates that stress caused by immobilisation. As captured and bag restrained Adelie penguins show a three fold increase in heart rate, we can presume that this is a very stressful immobilisation technique. Restricting the stress reaction is particularly important during the breeding season to avoid nest desertion, or loss of eggs and chicks. The subject of this paper is to present a less stressful method for restraining penguins. 38 mature, male Gentoo penguins in good physical condition were used to test bag restraint methods. Resting animals were caught on the Macquarie Island Isthmus. 59 animals were used to test the effect of hood restraint methods. There was a significant increase in corticosterone concentrations in the blood of bag restrained penguins within 10 minutes of restraint. Between 10 and 15 minutes, further changes were not significant. After 20 minutes, however, there was a second significant increase, when compared to the levels at 15 minutes. Upon release all birds were unconscious; they then showed symptoms of hysteria, such as disorientation and shaking of the head. Corticosterone levels in the blood of hooded penguins rose significantly after 5 minutes. After 10 minutes, the mean concentration showed a tendency to decrease, when compared to the 5 minute levels. This, however, did not differ significantly to concentrations immediately after restraint. After 20 minutes concentrations rose again, and were again significantly higher than at the same time of restraint and after 15 minutes. Both groups showed the same levels of corticosterone upon restraint. Hood restraint led overall to a lower increase in corticosterone levels than restraint with a bag. After 5, 10, 15 and 20 minutes, statistically significant lower levels in the blood were detected in hood restrained birds. The penguin's reaction to both restraint methods was identical in two respects: There was no significant increase in corticsterone concentration between 10 and 15 minutes. Secondly, concentrations were significantly higher after 20 minutes than at 15 minutes.

This dataset contains the results from studies of the Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonina) at Macquarie Island. Results from branding surveys and photographs between 1950 and 1965 are reported. Numbers, life stage, sex, moult stage and migration patterns have been reported.

Antarctic Petrels Bibliography compiled by Jan Van Franeker of the SCAR Bird Biology Subgroup contains 176 records. The fields in this dataset are: year author title journal petrel

This dataset contains the results from satellite tracking the movements of Adelie Penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) from Bechervaise Island near Mawson Station, Antarctica. By the use of satellite fixes the foraging locations of the penguins were determined. This metadata record covers data from 1991 to 2004, before tracking data were collected under a different project. This work was completed as part of ASAC project 2205 (ASAC_2205), Adelie penguin research and monitoring in support of the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Project.

Recordings were made of adult male and female Weddell seals on the ice during the breeding seasons of 1990 and 1997. The recordings were made near Davis, Antarctica in the Vestfold Hills. The vocalisations made with both the mouth and nostrils closed were classified into call types. These call types are also produced by the seals when underwater. The call classifications were based on those described by Thomas, J.A. and Kuechle,, V.B. (1982, J. Acoust. Soc. Amer. 72: 1730-1738) and Pahl, B.C., Terhune, J.M. and Burton, H.R. (1997, Aus. J. Zool. 45: 171-187). Nineteen call types were identified. Of these, males made 18 and females made 15. Trills are only made by males and it is likely that a stepped ascending whistle is only made by females. A roar and mew are also potential male-only call types. The data suggest that the Trill vocalisations can be used to indicate the presence of males. This will be useful when recording underwater where the calling seals cannot be observed directly. A description of the types of calls made by Weddell Seals is listed below. SymbolNameDescription OToneConstant-frequency, predominantly sinusoidal call. LGrowlConstant-frequency, broad bandwidth, long call. QWhoopConstant-frequency call with a terminal upsweep. SSqueakBrief call with constant frequency or rising frequency and an irregular waveform. WAWhistle AscendingAscending frequency, sinusoidal waveform. TCTrill Constant-FrequencyNarrow bandwidth trill with a constant-frequency beginning, sinusoidal or frequency-modulated waveform. TTrillNarrow to broad bandwidth, containing a frequency downsweep, greater than 2 seconds. WDWhistle DescendingDescending frequency, sinusoidal waveform (less than 2 seconds). MMewAbruptly descending frequency followed by a long constant-frequency ending. CChugAbruptly descending frequency followed by a brief constant-frequency ending. GGuttural Glug (Grunt)Descending-frequency call that was lower than a Chug and had a brief duration. WAGWhistle Ascending - GruntBrief Ascending Whistle followed by a Guttural Glug (Grunt), the two types alternate in a regular pattern. KKnockAbrupt, brief-duration broadband sound

Metadata record for data from ASAC Project 106 See the link below for public details on this project. From the abstracts of some of the referenced papers: This paper reports the results of the first aerial photographic survey of Adelie penguin colonies in the Prydz Bay region. The area surveyed extended from the northern Vestfold Hills to the Publications Ice Shelf. More than 325,000 pairs of Adelie penguins were estimated to be breeding in this region in 1981/82. The great majority of breeding Adelie penguins occurred in the northern half of the region surveyed, in the Vestfold hills and Rauer Islands, where most colonies were located. This is probably due to the typical pattern of summer sea-ice dispersal, which usually results in sea-ice leaving the northern areas of the coast first. Prydz Bay supports nine seabird species that breed on the Princess Elizabeth Land coast: two penguins, six Procellariiformes and one skua. Information on their diet is reviewed. Apart from the scavenging South Polar Skua Catharacta maccormicki and Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus, three diet types were distinguished. First, the Emperor Penguin Aptenodytes forsteri ate almost exclusively fish; secondly the Adelie Penguin Pygoscelis adeliae, Cape Petrel Daption capense, and Wilson's Storm Petrel Oceanites oceanicus consumed at least 60% euphausiid, the remainder largely fish; and thirdly, a diet of greater than 60% fish, the rest euphausiids, was taken by the Southern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialoides, Antarctic Petrel Thalassoica antarctica and Snow Petrel Pagodroma nivea. Seasonal fluctuation in composition of Adelie Penguin, Cape Petrel and Southern Fulmar diet suggested either fluctuating foraging ranges or movement of Euphausia superba inshore during summer months. Annual fluctuation in diet composition was correlated with seabird reproductive success. When E. crystallorophias dominated the euphausiid component of Adelie Penguin diet, reproductive success was high; when E. superba was scarce in Prydz Bay, Antarctic Petrel and Southern Fulmar productivity was low. Breeding phenology, success and nest attendance of Antarctic Petrels Thalassoica antarctica and Southern Fulmars Fulmarus glacialoides at the Rauer Group, East Antarctica, are discussed. Most data were collected on Hop Island in January and February 1988, and from December 1988 to March 1989. Observations extended from the late stages of incubation to post-guard or fledging periods. Some annual breeding indices collected from 1983 onwards at census sites are compared with meteorological data and the extent of fast ice for the nearby Davis Station. Both species had a restricted hatching period, reflecting a brief and synchronised egg-laying period, reflecting a brief and synchronised egg-laying period, typical of other southern fulmarine petrels. Antarctic Petrel chicks hatched from 4 January (1989) and c. 90% appeared by 16 January (both years). Southern Fulmar hatching began on 21 January (1988) and almost all chicks appeared by 6 February (both years). Adult attendance at nests declined with increasing chick age. For Antarctic Petrels, this was most marked at about 11 days; no chicks had continuously attendant adults after 24 days, although adults returned to feed them. Incubation shifts following hatching and the post-guard period started, on average, 13 days after hatching. Egg and chick losses varied between years and sites. The South Polar Skua Catharacta maccormicki was apparently involved in the majority of losses. Nest sites of both species resemble those elsewhere: Southern Fulmars may require steeper sites, allowing a fall away from colonies. Antarctic Petrels are less affected by accumulation of snow or ice and shelter from katabatic winds may be important. Although weather may modify breeding success locally, annual success must depend on the ability of parents to produce eggs and feed chicks: this may be moderated by the extent and persistence of pack ice. Annual chick productivity and breeding success, recorded at four Adelie penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae, colonies at Magnetic Island in eastern Prydz Bay, are presented for the seven breeding seasons 1981/82 to 1987/88. The adult breeding population remained relatively stable during the first 4 years of the study, and increased in hte last 2 years. Substantial annual variation in breeding success occurred over the study period, ranging between an estimated 0.69 and 1.33 chicks surviving until late creche stage per nest for seasons 1985/86 and 1982/83 respectively. Annual patterns of chick productivity in southern fulmar, Fulmarus glacialoides, and Antarctic petrel, Thalassoica antarctica, populations within Prydz Bay were synchronous with those of Adelie penguins. In the years of highest and lowest reproductive performance, prey abundance within the likely foraging areas was correspondingly high and low. Reproductive performance was greatest in years when fast-ice breakout occurred before the end of December (1981/82, 1982/83. 1986/87 and 1987/88) and lowest when the breakout was after (1983/84, 1984/85 and 1985/86) and pack-ice cover persisted within the foraging range of the birds during the chick-rearing period.

This dataset contains the results from satellite tracking the movements of Adelie Penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) from Magnetic Island near Davis Station, Antarctica. By the use of satellite fixes the foraging locations of the penguins were determined. Monitoring occurred during the 1993-94 and 1994-95 summer seasons. This work was completed as part of ASAC project 2205 (ASAC_2205), 'Adelie penguin research and monitoring in support of the CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring Project'. Further work in the Davis area was completed under other projects.

Southern Ocean Seabirds Bibliography compiled by SCAR Bird Biology Subgroup contains 1,112 records. The fields in this dataset are: year author title journal