Abbott's Boobies
Gannets
The Abbott’s Booby (Papasula abbotti) is a large endangered seabird of the gannet family, Sulidae. Found normally only on and around Christmas Island (an Australian territory in the eastern Indian Ocean), it is the sole member of the genus Papasula. This species is named for William Louis Abbott who discovered it on Assumption Island in 1892.
Description
The Abbott’s Booby has a length of about 79 cm and a weight of about 1460 g. Its black and white plumage is distinct from that of other sulids in the region. Parent birds may only be able to breed from about eight years old, with successful breeding no more frequently than once every two years, and a potential lifespan of 40 years.
Distribution and habitat
The Abbott's Booby now breeds only on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean, although formerly it bred on other Indian Ocean islands. At sea it is mainly seen in the waters around Christmas Island. There is fossil evidence of its presence in the South Pacific. In April 2007 an individual of this species was photographed at a booby colony on Rota in the Pacific Ocean.
Breeding
The species nests in emergent trees in rainforest, with pairs laying a single egg, mainly in June or July. Growth of the chick is slow, with most making their first flight in December or January, and remaining dependent on the parent birds for food for about the next 230 days.
Diet
Adult birds feed on fish and squid and feed the chicks by regurgitation
Conservation
Much of the breeding habitat of the Abbott’s Booby was destroyed by phosphate mining in the 1960s and 1970s[4] and it is classified as Endangered. The population is estimated to be about 3000 birds and decreasing. On Christmas Island, threats include cyclones, degradation of breeding habitat and Yellow Crazy Ants. Offshore potential threats are overfishing and marine pollution.[5][6]
References
- BirdLife International (2006). Papasula abbotti. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 19 Jan 2008. Database entry includes a range map and justification for why the species is listed as endangered
- Marchant, S.; & Higgins, P.J. (Eds). (1990). Handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Volume 1: Ratites to Ducks. Oxford University Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0-19-553068-3
- Nelson, J. Bryan. (1978). The Sulidae. Gannets and Boobies. Oxford University Press: Oxford. ISBN 0-19-714104-8
- Nelson JB (1977) report and recommedations on the status and prospects of Abbott's Booby in relation to the British Phosphate Commissioner's mining and conservation policy. Unpublished report. British Phosphate Commission
- Garnett, S. (1993) Threatened and Extinct Birds Of Australia. RAOU. National Library, Canberra. ISSN 0812-8014
- BirdLife International (2006) Species factsheet: Papasula abbotti. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 17/10/2006
Copyright: Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia.org.
Photo, Video and/or Article contributions are welcome! Please click here for info
The Avianweb strives to maintain accurate and up-to-date information; however, mistakes do happen. If you would like to correct or update any of the information, please send us an e-mail. THANK YOU!
