Dobbs, 2005:

"Between 1979 and 1987, 7080 birds, representing 17 species, were banded at Raine Island, and from 1979 to 1985, 849 birds, representing three species, were banded at Moulter Cay, MacLennan Cay, Sandbank No. 7 and Sandbank No. 8.

Seven of 17 species banded at Raine Island and two of three species banded at Moulter Cay, MacLennan Cay, and Sandbank No. 8 have been recovered at sites other than the banding locations (Table 6).

Of the 7929 birds banded, 107 (1.3%) have been recovered away from their banding place, most (n =87) in Papua New Guinea (Table 6). The elapsed time between sightings has ranged from 12 days to 15.5 years. The general trend of movements has been for the banded birds to travel north and east from their banding location, with distances covered ranging from 100 kilometres (Common Noddy recovered at Wallace Island) to 4000 kilometres (Brown Booby recovered in Tuvalu) (Table 6). Two of the recoveries have been the longest movements recorded for the species: Brown Booby recovered in Tuvalu (4000 km), Red-footed Booby recovered on South Island in the Willis Island Group (829 km), Coral Sea Islands Territory. Generally, Brown Boobies moved farther than the other species recovered.

Raine Island is one the most significant seabird-breeding sites within the Great Barrier Reef (King 1986, 1993; Ogilvie and King 1990; Taplin and Blaber 1993; Batianoff and Cornelius 2005), especially in terms of number of breeding seabird species (n =14) at one location.

The purpose and timing of field surveys to Raine Island, Moulter Cay, MacLennan Cay, Sandbank No. 7 and Sandbank No. 8 have not been consistent over time.  As a result, effort to band and recover banded birds has not been consistent over the study years and may have influenced the results reported here. Because there was no consistent effort to recapture banded birds at any of the locations, comparing recapture rates among or within species is problematic.

Green Turtles tagged on Raine Island (Limpus et al. 1992) have been recovered from the same countries as the seabirds reported here. This further links management of the northern Great Barrier Reef natural resources with south-western Pacific Ocean countries. These results emphasize the need for conservation agreements with neighbouring countries, such as those between Japan (Japan/Australia Migratory Bird Agreement) and China (China/Australia Migratory Bird Agreement), to protect migratory birds. All nations need to appreciate the migratory and dispersive behaviour of birds and to work cooperatively for their management.

The information collected about the bird life on Raine Island, Moulter Cay, MacLennan Cay, Sandbank No. 7 and Sandbank No. 8 has proven useful to managers and scientists alike. The waters adjacent to Raine Island, Moulter Cay, MacLennan Cay, Sandbank No. 7 and Sandbank No. 8 are declared a Marine National Park Zone of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the Queensland Great Barrier Reef Coast Marine Park and as such, extractive uses are controlled. Access to the waters around Raine Island is restricted except for non-tourist commercial charter for research, filming, photography, sound recording and management purposes (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 2003). The justification for such strict management controls stem from the area's significance for seabird and Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) nesting (Limpus et al. 2003).

Further analyses of seabird monitoring data collected at Raine Island contained within the unpublished departmental reports could provide information on the abundance and changes in population parameters, and could provide a basis for future monitoring including whether banding should be re-instated as part of the program."

 

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Citation and/or URL

Dobbs, K.A. (2005). Recoveries of seabirds banded between 1978 and 1987 at Raine Island, MacLennan and Moulter Cays and Sandbanks No. 7 and 8, Northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Corella, 29: 65-72

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Spatial Coverage

Raine Island, MacLennan and Moulter Cays and Sandbanks No. 7 and 8, northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Also international.  

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Temporal Coverage

1978-1987

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Update Frequency

Not applicable 

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Other Information

None