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WEDGE-TAILED SHEARWATERS ON MUDJIMBA ISLAND, QUEENSLAND: NUMBERS AND BREEDING SUCCESS


Mudjimba Island has recently been included in the Maroochy River Conservation Park. One of the factors influencing the decision was that the island's Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus pacificus colony may be the only viable colony remaining in south-east Queensland and one of only two colonies that inhabit mainland islands in Queensland. The colony was first described by Lane and Battam (1984, 1985) after they visited the island in February 1984. They estimated a breeding population of between 1 500 and 2 000 breeding pairs. This paper presents an estimate of approximately 2 700 burrows for the 1997/98 season; breeding rates of approximately 37 per cent for the 1996/97 and 1997/98 seasons; and a breeding success rate of about 84 per cent at fledgling stage for the 1997/98 season.

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