Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285:reg:13:p60
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L01285
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 13 (pt 60/98)
Character Range: 392527–395555

during daylight and return to their burrows at night. Adult birds usually depart burrows before dawn and return at dusk, with a few birds return to breeding colonies during the day (Bell et al. 2013). Grey Petrel diet is comprised mostly of cephalopods and fish and crustaceans and includes offal and discards from fishing vessels (Ridoux 1994).
Grey petrels range widely throughout the southern oceans with foraging areas demonstrating sexual segregation. During the breeding season females forage further north than males, in waters north of the Subtropical Convergence, over 1400 km from breeding sites (Bartle 1990). Grey Petrel re-established a breeding population on Macquarie Island after an 80-year absence (Schultz et al. 2005). After the breeding season, birds disperse widely.

Species distribution in Australia

The Grey Petrel breeds at Macquarie Island. An indicative distribution map is not available for this non-threatened species. Tracking studies indicate that dispersal is predominantly circumpolar between 32-58°S, extending to 18°S on the west coast of South America, and including southern and sub-Antarctic Australia (Marchant & Higgins 1990, BirdLife International 2004, ACAP 2012i).
The size of the breeding population of Grey Petrel on Macquarie Island before human visitation is unknown with the current population based on recolonization after an absence of some 80 years (to 2000) (Schultz et al. 2005). The extirpation was believed to be due to predation of this burrowing petrel species by feral cat (Felis catus) (Jones 1980). Grey Petrel monitoring has recommenced on Macquarie Island with an island-wide census of the breeding population undertaken in 2018, however population demographics are not yet available (DPIPWE 2021a). The latest population estimate, derived from an island-wide survey in 2018, is 252 (95% CI 227-302) breeding pairs (Bird et al. 2021a, 2021b, DPIPWE 2021a).

Population estimates and trends

While there is no population trend information available for the species over three generations due to a lack of data, the global population is suspected to be moderately rapidly declining (BirdLife International 2018k). There were an estimated 86,900 breeding pairs in 2018, however this estimate did not including the population on the Prince Edward Islands (ACAP 2022).

Habitat critical to survival of species

Macquarie Island is subject to a management plan that protects this listed world heritage site and adjacent marine reserves (Parks and Wildlife Service 2006). The breeding population of Grey Petrel in Australia's jurisdiction is likely to be important for the long-term persistence of the species within Australia. The species is limited to 17 breeding sites on island groups of Australia (Macquarie Island), France (Amsterdam Island, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands), New Zealand (Antipodes Islands, Campbell Island), South Africa (Prince Edward Islands), and United Kingdom (Gough Island, Tristan da Cunha), with the largest population at Antipodes Island