New Breeding Record for White-Capped Seabirds on Remote Islands

Jim Crocker
9th June, 2024

New Breeding Record for White-Capped Seabirds on Remote Islands

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • Researchers from Justus Liebig University Giessen documented the first breeding of a White-capped Albatross outside its native range on the Diego Ramírez Islands, Chile
  • This event challenges the long-held belief that albatrosses strictly return to their birthplace to breed
  • The discovery suggests that White-capped Albatrosses may have more flexibility in their breeding behavior, which could impact conservation strategies
Albatrosses are known for their strong tendency to return to their birthplace to breed, a behavior known as philopatry. This trait has been considered a major barrier to their dispersal and interbreeding with other albatross species. However, a recent study by researchers from Justus Liebig University Giessen has documented an unprecedented event that challenges this understanding: the first recorded breeding of a White-capped Albatross (Thalassarche steadi) outside its native range, specifically on the Diego Ramírez Islands, Chile[1]. The White-capped Albatross is typically found in the Auckland Islands of New Zealand, approximately 7000 kilometers away from the Diego Ramírez Islands. The discovery of a nesting pair during the austral summer of 2022 was confirmed through molecular analysis, marking a significant deviation from the species' known breeding behavior. This finding has important implications for our understanding of albatross dispersal and the conservation of these seabirds. Previous research has explored the genetic relationships and population structures of various albatross species. For instance, a study examining the evolutionary relationship between the shy (Thalassarche cauta) and white-capped (T. steadi) albatrosses found low genetic divergence between these species, suggesting a close evolutionary relationship[2]. Despite this close relationship, the study confirmed demographic isolation between the two species, indicating that they do not typically interbreed[2]. This makes the recent discovery on the Diego Ramírez Islands particularly noteworthy, as it represents a rare instance of a White-capped Albatross establishing a breeding site far from its usual range. The phenomenon of philopatry as an intrinsic barrier to gene flow has been well-documented in other seabird species as well. For example, a study on Barau's Petrels (Pterodroma baraui) identified distinct genetic clusters corresponding to breeding colonies separated by just 5 kilometers, highlighting the strong philopatric tendencies of these birds[3]. The loss of a single colony could result in significant genetic variation loss, emphasizing the importance of maintaining multiple breeding sites for conservation[3]. The recent discovery of a White-capped Albatross breeding on the Diego Ramírez Islands suggests that these birds may have more flexibility in their breeding behavior than previously thought. This could have significant implications for conservation strategies, as it highlights the potential for albatrosses to colonize new areas, possibly in response to environmental changes or habitat availability. The methods used in the recent study included land-based monitoring and molecular analysis to confirm the species identity of the nesting pair. This approach ensured accurate identification and provided robust evidence for this unprecedented breeding event. The findings underscore the importance of the Diego Ramírez Islands and surrounding waters as critical areas for global albatross conservation. In summary, the discovery of a White-capped Albatross breeding outside its native range challenges the long-held belief in the strict philopatry of albatrosses and opens new avenues for understanding their dispersal and breeding behaviors. This finding, supported by molecular evidence, emphasizes the need for flexible and adaptive conservation strategies to protect these remarkable seabirds in a changing world.

EnvironmentWildlifeEcology

References

Main Study

1) The white-capped albatross: a new breeding record for the Diego Ramírez Islands, Chile

Published 8th June, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-024-03269-2

Related Studies

2) Phylogeography of shy and white-capped albatrosses inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences: implications for population history and taxonomy.

Journal: Molecular ecology, Issue: Vol 12, Issue 10, Oct 2003

3) Extreme philopatry and genetic diversification at unprecedented scales in a seabird.

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-86406-9


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