Africa Wild

927. Magellanic Penguin Spheniscus magellanicus Magellaanse Pikkewyn
Order: Sphenisciformes. Family: Spheniscidae



Description
70-76 cm. Similar to African Penguin, but note double band on breast (beware that some African Penguins also show a double band). Larger than African, with less pink around the eye and a white line below the bill.

Distribution
During the breeding season, colonies of Magellanic penguins can be found along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern South America, as far north as Golfo San Matías in Argentina and Puerto Montt in Chile. Colonies also occur on several offshore islands, including the Falklands. Outside the breeding season, the Magellanic penguin takes to the ocean, migrating north as far as Peru and Southern Brazil. It is a rare vagrant to the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, Tristan da Cunha, southern Australia, New Zealand and southern Africa. Here it has been recorded once at Cape Town harbour, Western Cape in 1998, probably because it hitched a ride with a ship that docked there.

Habitat
Oceanic, coming ashore only to breed and moult.

Diet
It mainly eats pelagic schooling fish, supplemented with crustaceans and squid, diving up to a depth of about 100m, usually less than 70 m.

Breeding
The nests of Magellanic penguins comprise either a simple scrape, often hidden under vegetation, or, where soil conditions permit, a burrow in soft soil or peat. After mating, a clutch of two eggs is usually laid, which are incubated by both adult birds, with each taking an initial long shift of just over two weeks, while the other forages in the ocean. Towards the end of the 39 to 42 day incubation period, the incubation shifts become much shorter. Once hatched, the young are brooded for 24 to 29 days, during which time they grow a rudimentary layer of feathers that helps them to maintain their body temperature. The adults then leave the young unattended and only return to feed them every one to three days. After 40 to 70 days the chicks fledge, usually between January and March, and the adults moult their feathers in preparation for returning to the sea.

Call
Listen to Bird Call.

Status
A very rare vagrant to the region, probably involving a ship assisted bird.

927. Magellanic Penguin Spheniscus magellanicus Magellaanse Pikkewyn


Adult

Links:
Ian Sinclair. SASOL VOELS VAN SUIDER AFRICA (3de UIT)
Oiseaux net
More photos by Dewi: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... t=70#p3635

ORDER PROCELLARIIFORMES
Procellariiformes is an order of seabirds that comprises four families: the albatrosses, procellariids, storm-petrels and diving petrels. Formerly called Tubinares and still called tubenoses in English, they are often referred to collectively as the petrels, a term that has been applied to all Procellariiformes or more commonly all the families except the albatrosses. They are almost exclusively pelagic (feeding in the open ocean). They have a cosmopolitan distribution across the world's oceans, with the highest diversity being around New Zealand.
Procellariiformes are colonial, mostly nesting on remote predator-free islands. The larger species nest on the surface, while most smaller species nest in natural cavities and burrows. They exhibit strong philopatry, returning to their natal colony to breed and returning to the same nesting site over many years. Procellariiformes are monogamous and form long-term pair bonds which are formed over several years and may last for the life of the pair. Only a single egg is laid per nesting attempt, and usually only a single nesting attempt is made per year, although the larger albatrosses may only nest once every two years. Both parents participate in incubation and chick rearing. Incubation times are long compared to other birds, as are fledgling periods. Once a chick has fledged there is no further parental care.
The Procellariiformes range in size from the Least Storm-Petrel to the giant Wandering Albatross. Their bills are always hooked, and are divided into plates, which are separated by grooves. There is a salt gland in the eye socket that concentrates salt and excretes it in drops that travel down the grooves, to drip off of the tip of the bill.
The most distinguishing feature of Procellariiformes, however, is their nostrils, which form raised tubes, as can be seen in the picture below of the Galapagos Waved Albatross. The portion of the brain that is associated with smell is enlarged in Procellariiformes, and it has been suggested that they are able to smell their prey. It is not known, however, whether their tube-like nostrils are an aid in olfaction. A second function of the tubular nostrils may be in the spreading of stomach oil over the feathers.In addition to the oil formed in the uropygial, or preen gland at the base of the tail, Procellariiformes form a foul-smelling oil in their stomachs that are also spread on their feathers. It may be that the tubular nostrils are the conduit for the oil. This stomach oil is responsible for the characteristic musty odor of Procellariiformes, and is squirted by young and old alike, at intruders.

Family Diomedeidae (Albatrosses)
Family Procellariidae (Petrels, Shearwaters)
Family Hydrobatidae (Storm-petrels)
Family Pelecanoididae (Diving-petrels)

Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large seabirds allied to the procellariids, storm petrels and diving petrels in the order Procellariiformes (the tubenoses). They range widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific. They are absent from the North Atlantic, although fossil remains show they once occurred there too and occasional vagrants are found. Albatrosses are among the largest of flying birds, and the great albatrosses (genus Diomedea) have the largest wingspans of any extant birds, reaching up to 3.7 m. The albatrosses are usually regarded as falling into four genera, but there is disagreement over the number of species.
Albatrosses are highly efficient in the air, using dynamic soaring and slope soaring to cover great distances with little exertion. They feed on squid, fish and krill by either scavenging, surface seizing or diving. Albatrosses are colonial, nesting for the most part on remote oceanic islands, often with several species nesting together. Pair bonds between males and females form over several years, with the use of 'ritualised dances', and will last for the life of the pair. A breeding season can take over a year from laying to fledging, with a single egg laid in each breeding attempt. A Laysan albatross, named "Wisdom" on Midway Island is recognized as the oldest wild bird in the world; she was first banded in 1956 by Chandler Robbins.
Of the 21 species of albatrosses recognised by the IUCN, 19 have been threatened with extinction. Numbers of albatrosses have declined in the past due to harvesting for feathers, but today the albatrosses are threatened by introduced species, such as rats and feral cats that attack eggs, chicks and nesting adults; by pollution; by a serious decline in fish stocks in many regions largely due to overfishing; and by long-line fishing. Long-line fisheries pose the greatest threat, as feeding birds are attracted to the bait, become hooked on the lines, and drown. Identified stakeholders such as governments, conservation organisations and people in the fishing industry are all working toward reducing this bycatch.

Species indigenous to southern Africa:

Family Diomedeidae (Albatrosses)
Diomedea dabbenena Tristan Albatross
Diomedea epomophora Southern Royal Albatross (Royal Albatross) 009
Diomedea exulans Wandering Albatross 010
Diomedea sanfordi Northern Royal Albatross
Phoebetria fusca Sooty Albatross (Dark-mantled Sooty Albatross) 015
Phoebastria immutabilis Laysan Albatross 905
Phoebetria palpebrata Light-mantled Albatross (Light-mantled Sooty Albatross) 016
Thalassarche bulleri Buller's Albatross
Thalassarche carteri Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross 014a
Thalassarche cauta Shy Albatross 011
Thalassarche chlororhynchos Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross (Yellow-nosed Albatross) 014
Thalassarche chrysostoma Grey-headed Albatross 013
Thalassarche eremita Chatham Albatross
Thalassarche melanophris Black-browed Albatross 012
Thalassarche salvini Salvin's Albatross

009. Southern Royal Albatross Diomedea epomophora (Witvlerkkoningalbatross)
Order: Procellariiformes. Family: Diomedeidae

Description
Size 115 cm. Wingspan 350 cm.
Mostly white, with black tips to the wings and tail, and have a faintly pinkish bill with black edging on the upper beak.
Similar species: Similar to Wandering Albatross, but told from latter by progression of whitening on the wing. Royals whiten from the leading edge inwards, whereas Wanderers whiten from the mid-wing outwards as they age. Royal also shows a distinctive dark cutting edge to the bill. Royal also has whiter tail than Wanderer, except in very old birds.

Distribution
Circumpolar in the Southern Oceans. Breeds on Campbell and Auckland Island, south of New Zealand, dispersing to the ocean surrounding southern South America and New Zealand in the non-breeding season, sometimes passing through southern African waters on its way, although there have only been a few records since 2000 off the coast of Cape Town, best seen from a Cape Pelagic cruise.

Habitat
The Southern Royal Albatross is a pelagic species and spends most of its time soaring over the open oceans, and only comes to land to breed.

Diet
The Southern Royal Albatross feeds mainly on surface shoaling fish and squid, supplemented by crustaceans and carrion, which are mostly hunted at night.

Breeding
The Southern Royal Albatross usually pairs for life. Breeding occurs every two years, if successful, with breeding birds returning to their nesting grounds from late October to mid-November. Previously mated pairs usually use the same nest site from season to season. The male arrives at the nest-site a few days before the female to defend the territory from other males and rebuild or start building a new nest. One egg is laid in November to December and incubated by both parents for 79 days. Chicks hatch in February to March and usually fledge eight months later from October to December.

Call
Mostly silent at sea.
Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Rare vagrant. Classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List.

009. Southern Royal Albatross Diomedea epomophora (Witvlerkkoningalbatross)
Order: Procellariiformes. Family: Diomedeidae



Links:
Sasol
NEWMAN'S VOELS VAN SA (8ste UIT)
Trevor Hardaker Photos

010. Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans (Grootalbatros)
Order: Procellariiformes. Family: Diomedeidae

© Michele Nel

Description
The largest of the great albatrosses. Wingspan exceeds 3m in some birds. Range from 2.5 to 3.5m.
Juveniles are dark chocolate brown apart from the underwing and around the face. Birds get gradually paler as they age. The great albatross group whiten through various recognised stages, with some species missing one or more stages as they age. Females are more heavily marked than males, especially in older birds, with fine vermiculationsr on the upper back, head and breast. Males whiten with age and are sometimes called "Snowy" Albatross, especially the South Georgia population.
Adult: Plumage entirely white except for black primaries and narrow black tips to secondaries although head may be stained pinkish when breeding. Bill fleshy-pink or whitish with horn-coloured nail, legs pinkish to bluish-white.

Distribution
Southern Oceans, circumpolar.
Breeds on sub-Antarctic islands, including South Georgia, Prince Edward, Crozet, Kerguelen, Macquarie and occasionally Heard Island. In the non-breeding season it disperses across the southern oceans, occuring across much of southern African waters excluding the area east of Mozambique, while most common below 30° South. It is a rare vagrant further north, as it has occasionally been recorded further north to the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans.

Habitat
Breeds colonially on grassy clifftops and plateaux on islands but spends most of the year at sea. Frequently follows ships.

Movements and migrations
Present year-round off southern Africa, although it is by far the most common in Winter. After breeding it heads north, typically covering 6000-8000 km in just 6-10 days at an average speed of 35-38 km/hr.

Diet
Squid and fish, sometimes refuse from ships. It mainly scavenges dead food on the surface of the sea, soaring across the oceans, flying in loops to cover large areas or alternatively landing in the water regularly and searching more intently (usually in areas where food is more abundant). It is primarily a diurnal feeder, occasionally hunting at night by using a sit-and-wait technique, sitting on water and grabbing prey on the water surface.

Breeding
Begins in September, nest is a large bowl made of mud and vegetable matter. One egg laid in mid-November, white, sometimes speckled with red-brown (131 x 78mm). Incubated for 66-77 days and young fed daily by both parents for first 20 days. Feeding gradually takes place less often but with larger amounts of food per visit. Fledges in September and takes at least ten years to reach full adult plumage.

Call
Clatters bill or croaks at food sources. Listen to Bird Call.

Status
Uncommon in offshore waters. Vulnerable, with a population of of approximately 9000 breeding pairs.

010. Wandering Albatross Diomedea exulans (Grootalbatros)

Egg.


Month old chick.


Almost fledged chick.


Plumage A.


Plumage B.


Plumage E


Plumage F.


Plumage G.


Plumage G upperwing.


Plumage H.


Links:
Sasol
NEWMAN'S VOELS VAN SA (8ste UIT)
Ryan, P.G. 1997. The Wandering Albatross: icon of the oceans. Africa - Birds & Birding 2(1):28-34.
ARKive: http://www.arkive.org/wandering-albatro ... a-exulans/
More photos by Dewi: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.p ... t=10#p2662

Northern Royal Albatross Diomedea sanfordi (Swartvlerkkoningalbatross)
Order: Procellariiformes. Family: Diomedeidae



Description
The Northern Royal Albatross is a large seabird from the albatross family. It is typically about 115 cm, weighs 6.2–8.2 kg and has a wingspan from 270–305 cm.
The plumage is white with completely black upperwings, and juveniles have some black flecking on the upperparts. The bill is pale pink with a diagnostic black edge to the upper beak.
The juvenile has a white head, neck, upper mantle, rump, and underparts. There is dark speckling on the crown and rump. Its lower mantle and back are white with more black speckling than the crown, and it has dark black-brown upper wings with white flecks on its covert. Its tail is white with a black-brown tip, as are its underwings. There is a black ban behind the leading edge of its wings between the carpal joint and the tip. As they age, its head, back, rump, tail, and scapular region whiten. All ages have a pink bill with a black cutting edge on the upper mandible, along with flesh colored legs.
Similar species: The Northern Royal Albatross can be distinguished from the Southern Royal Albatross at sea by its upper wings, the plumage of which are all dark compared to the large areas of white on the Southern.

Taxonomy
The Northern Royal Albatross was split from the closely related Southern Royal Albatross as recently as 1998, though not all scientists support that conclusion and consider both of them to be subspecies of the Royal Albatross.

Distribution and habitat
It breeds on islands off the coast of New Zealand, dispersing in the non-breeding season to the waters surrounding South America. It is generally scarce in southern African waters, while most common over the continental shelf edge between the Orange River, Northern Cape and Cape Agulhas, Western Cape but also rarely occurring further south.

Movements and migrations
It arrives at its breeding colonies in October, breeding before dispersing about a year later across the southern oceans.

Diet
The Northern Royal Albatross feeds on fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, salps, and carrion. Squid is an important part of their diet and can make up 85% of it

Breeding
They will perform a very extensive mutual or group display, sometimes in the air or on the water. Once they form a bond, the displays lose extravagance. Breeding starts at 8 years. They nest biennially, and will build their nests on flat summits of the islands that they frequent. They prefer to be in grass or herbs, and their nest is a low mound of vegetation, mud, and feathers. A single egg is laid, in October or November, in a nest which takes both parents around 80 days to incubate. The chick is brooded for a month, and is ready to fledge after around 240 days. Their colonies are denser than those of any other great albatross
Northern Royal Albatrosses nest on the Chatham Islands, (Forty-fours Island, Big Sister Island, and Little Sister Island), Enderby Island in the Auckland Islands, and at Taiaroa Head on the Otago Peninsula, New Zealand. The Taiaroa Head colony is the only albatross colony of any species found on a human-inhabited mainland. When they are not breeding Northern Royal Albatrosses undertake circumpolar flights in the southern oceans, and in particular like the Humboldt Current and the Patagonian Shelf.

Status
Rare vagrant.
Northern Royal Albatrosses are listed as an endangered species by the IUCN, and they have an occurrence range of 64,300,000 km2, with a breeding range of 8 km2. 6,500 to 7,000 pairs breed on the Chatham Islands annually along with 60 pairs at Taiaroa Head, for an estimated total of 20,000 birds, although this is a 2012 estimate. In 1985 their main breeding grounds on the Chatham Islands have been badly damaged by a series of intense storms and the resulting lack of nesting material has lowered their breeding success. Chicks and eggs of birds breeding on the South Island have also been preyed upon by introduced species, such as cats, bottle flies, and stoats. Finally, longline fishing is the biggest threat to this bird, even though it has been reduced.
To help in the survival of this species, bird banding is underway, Taiaroa Head has predator control in effect during breeding season, as well as the Chatham Islands having no predators. Enderby Island and Taiaroa Head are nature preserves, and the Department of Conservation eradicated feral cattle, rabbits and mice from Enderby Island by 1993.

Northern Royal Albatross Diomedea sanfordi (Swartvlerkkoningalbatross)


Photo taken at Taiaroa Head on the Otago Peninsula, New Zealand - through a glass window of the viewing platform.

Links:
Wikipedia
Newman's Birds of Southern Africa
Trevor Hardaker Photos