FIRST RECORDS OF THE NORTHERN GIANT PETREL MACRONECTES HALLI ASHORE ON GOUGH ISLAND

摘要

The Northern Giant Petrel Macronectes halli (NOP) and Southern Giant Petrel M. giganteus (SGP) are two distinct species differing in breeding schedules, morphology and genetics (Bourne & Warham 1966, Hunter 1987, Kennedy & Page 2002, Nunn & Stanley 1998, Techow etal. 2010). Their breeding locations are also geographically separated: NGPs breed on sub-Antarctic islands between 44°S (Chatham Island) and 55°S (Macquarie Island), while SGPs breed both further north (40°S, Gough Island) and further south (>60°S, South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula region and continental Antarctica; Patterson et al. 2008, Techow et al. 2010). However, overlap does exist: both species breed sympatrically and occasionally hybridize at South Georgia, the Prince Edward Islands, Macquarie Island and Crozet Islands (Burger 1978, Johnstone 1978, Hunter 1982, Cooper et al. 2001, Techow et al. 2010).