Batianoff and Cornelius, 2005:

"Annual seabird population counts taken between 1979-1993 and 1994-2003 are reported. Comparisons of bird populations between the two periods suggest population decline in 13 of the 16 species over the last 24 years. There is no evidence of significant human disturbance, no habitat loss and/or deterioration of nesting habitat conditions on the island over the period in which the population has declined.

The Raine Island bird population census presented in Table 1 was collated from all available data collected between 1979 and 2003. The annual bird population counts taken between 1979-1993 and 1994-2003 are the mean values of available bird data estimates listed in Table 1.

The comparisons between yearly population estimates of free-flying, breeding and non-breeding bird species for the two periods taken over the last 24 years suggest population decline, in 13 species, no change in one species, and population increases in two species of terns. The combined averages for all 16 species indicate population reduction between the two periods by 16 347 birds or a 69.7 per cent reduction in the total size of the Raine Island rookery. The five species with >60 per cent reductions in mean population numbers are: Red-footed Booby (67.9%), Lesser Frigatebird (67.6%), Bridled Tern (69.1%), Sooty Tern (84.4%) and Common Noddy (95.5%).

Raine Island has been a nesting site for seabirds for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.  During the last quarter of the twentieth century, Raine Island was recognised as one of the most important tropical seabird breeding sites on the Great Barrier Reef. Some 14 of the 24 seabird species recorded as breeding on Queensland islands breed on this cay; by far Australia’s largest assembly. Published reports on seabird observations carried out at Raine Island since 1843 have been used as case studies for general ornithological knowledge in the Pacific Ocean.

The comparisons between yearly estimates of breeding bird species between the two periods taken over the last 24 years suggest significant population decline in at least 10 of the 16 species. The species listed in the descending order of reduction are: Common Noddy (95.5%), Sooty Tern (84.4%), Bridled Tern (69.1%), Red-footed Booby (67.9%), Lesser Frigatebird (67.6%), Brown Booby (40.4%), Red-tailed Tropicbird (38.5%), Nankeen Night Heron (33.3%), Masked Booby (26.9%) and Wedge-tailed Shearwater (18.6%)."

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Citation and/or URL

Batianoff, G.N. & Cornelius, N.J. 2005, Birds of Raine Island: population trends, breeding behaviour and nesting habitats, Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland, 112: 1-29.

Spatial Coverage

 Raine Island

Temporal Coverage

 1979 - 2003

Update Frequency

 Not applicable 

Other Information

None