Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285:reg:13:p49
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 13 (pt 49/98)
Character Range: 358802–362404

Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth): Vulnerable
Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (Western Australia): Endangered
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (South Australia): not listed
Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Victoria): not listed
Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 (Tasmania): Endangered
Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (New South Wales): Vulnerable
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland): Least Concern
IUCN Red list of Threatened Species: Least Concern
Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020: breeding population Least Concern, population visiting Australia Least Concern

Species description

A small-medium albatross, the Black-browed Albatross is approximately 80-95 cm in length, 2.8-4.3 kg in weight, with a wing length of 51-56 cm, and bill length of 114-122 mm (ACAP 2015, Menkhorst et al. 2017). Tubenosed; separate nostrils on a large, mostly orange plated bill, with reddish tip. Combination of black and white plumage, with white head and body, with black eyebrow and dark iris, with black upper wings and back, and tail, and extensive leading edge of underwings and wing tips (Onley & Scofield 2007, BirdLife International 2018u).

Life history

Breeding locality                                                                                                      Jurisdiction

Heard Island, McDonald Islands, Macquarie Island                                                                       Australia

Isla Diego de Almagro, Islas Diego Ramirez, Islas Ildefonso, Isolete Albatross, Isloete Leonard, Islotes Evangelistas  Chile

Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands                                                                                      France

Antipodes Islands, Campbell Islands                                                                                    New Zealand

Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas, South Georgia/Islas Georgias del Sur                                                  Other

There are 69 breeding sites for the Black-browed Albatross that occur on island groups of Australia (Heard Island, McDonald Islands, Macquarie Island), Chile (Isla Diego de Almagro, Islas Diego Ramirez, Islas Ildefonso, Isolete Albatross, Isloete Leonard, Islotes Evangelistas) France (Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands), New Zealand (Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Campbell Islands), and other (Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas, South Georgia/Islas Georgias del Sur) (ACAP 2012d). The Black-browed Albatross is an annual breeder when successful, with a significant level of non-breeding in the subsequent year for successful (25%) and unsuccessful breeders (23%) (Croxall et al. 1998). The breeding cycle varies by location. For example, adults arrive at Macquarie Island from early September, with females laying a single egg from late September/October that hatches after incubation period of 9-10 weeks in December/January, with fledging of chicks occurring after approximately 4 months in April/May (Terauds et al. 2005). Mean annual breeding success varies by location from 27-66%, depending on location (ACAP 2012d). The Black-browed Albatross has a wide circumpolar range across the southern oceans. Juveniles return to breeding colonies after at least two years with breeding commencing when birds are 8-10 years of age (Prince et al. 1994b). Generation length is estimated at 23.6 years (Bird et al. 2020).
Black-browed Albatross take most prey by surface-seizing and surface-plunging and pursuit diving, and are frequent fishing vessel followers. Some individuals are capable of remaining submerged for over 50 seconds in pursuit