Wedge-tailed Shearwater burrows were surveyed at Rocky Islet, northern Great Barrier Reef,
opportunistically during 1994, and systematically in 1995. The burrow estimate for the island was
5 785 ± 840 for the first year and 4 646 ± 302 during the second survey. The size of the breeding
population is estimated to be 2 950 and 2 369 for 1994 and 1995 respectively. Burrow occupancy
status was established during 1995 using a burrowscope, and a fledgling occupancy rate of 0.33
found. Chick development was quite advanced compared with birds from southern populations at the
same time.
To document long-term and seasonal changes in the composition of the avian community, longevity of individuals within a species, numbers of sedentary and migratory species, and site fidelity among migrants in a private reserve on Booringa Downs....
