Long-term decline in fledging body condition of Flesh-footed Shearwaters ( Ardenna carneipes )

A long-term decline in the fledging body condition of Flesh-footed Shearwaters (Ardenna carneipes) on Lord Howe Island has been documented, with significant implications for survival. Between 2010 and 2022, chick body mass, wing length, culmen length, and head + bill length all showed consistent declines, particularly in beach-washed birds. Body mass decreased by 16.1 grams per year, while culmen and head + bill lengths declined by 0.17 mm and 0.23 mm annually, respectively. This decline has resulted in an increasing number of chicks fledging at less than 400 grams, a threshold below which survival is unlikely. The study highlights a growing division within the shearwater population, with some adults successfully provisioning their offspring while others fail to meet nutritional demands. These findings suggest that anthropogenic pressures on marine systems may have reached a critical point, with severe consequences for seabird populations.

Lavers, J. L., & Bond, A. L. (2023). Long-term decline in fledging body condition of Flesh-footed Shearwaters ( Ardenna carneipes ). ICES Journal of Marine Science, 80(4), 1113–1119. https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsad048