United States

**Abstract:**

Mercury is a toxic, bioaccumulating trace metal whose emissions have recently been increasing and impacting even remote environments. Seabirds integrate bio-accumulative mercury via food intake. This is mainly deposited during the molting period in which the feathers are replaced annually, and the concentrations reflect the uptake and storage of mercury between molts. Here, we examine variation in marine mercury concentrations in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, by using seabirds&#39; feathers. We collected primary, rectrix and breast feathers from three auk species with similar body masses (Rhinoceros Auklets Cerorhinca monocerata, Tufted Puffins Fratercula cirrhata, Atlantic Puffins Fratercula arctica) each may be subjected to different levels of mercury emissions in the Pacific (Middleton Island, USA; Teuri Island, Japan) and Atlantic (Skomer Island, UK), and tracked birds with light-level geolocators to obtain information about their non-breeding habitat. We measured mercury concentrations, then compared these concentrations with the birds&#39; distribution obtained by geolocators, to test mercury contamination at individual levels. We discuss potential factors affecting the levels of mercury concentration among different species and locations.

**Authors:**

Chinatsu Nakajima¹, Kyle Elliott², Scott Hatch³, Shannon Whelan², Annette Fayet⁴, Yasuaki Niizuma⁵, Jumpei Okado⁶, Akiko Shoji¹

¹University of Tsukuba, ²McGill University, ³Institute for Seabird Research and Monitoring, ⁴Oxford University, ⁵Meijo University, ⁶Hokkaido University

3rd World Seabird Conference

Mercury contaminations and at-sea areas of three auk species, breeding across the Pacific and Atlantic oceans

Welcome Seabirders!  

Welcome to Virtual World Seabird Conference 3 - vWSC3! Whether you are in your office or lab, at home, in a coffee shop or bar poaching some wifi, or at a remote field site or research vessel – we are very excited to welcome you to the third ever World Seabird Conference. 

We would like to thank ALL of you for being so patient as WSC3 was scheduled, postponed, rescheduled, revised to virtual, and scheduled again. Throughout all those iterations there was one message that remained perfectly clear – seabirders were eager to meet and share their science. If we could not meet in person then virtual it would have to be, but a 3rd WSC was something everyone wanted. That support and commitment helped the WSU Board of Directors and Member Societies sort through all of the challenges they faced to plan and hold this conference. 

The list of those that need to be thanked is long and, while we plan on recognizing many during the live closing plenary, it is important to do so here in writing as well. 

The Australasian Seabird Group was our Local Host for our plan to meet in Hobart, Tasmania. They invested substantial time and effort to find venues and plan events that we unfortunately were not able to visit. Nonetheless we appreciate their work on behalf of WSC3 and encourage all of you to thank them when you see their members in Gathertown or elsewhere during our virtual meeting. Their willingness to host created the initial excitement for WSC3 and without that our vWSC would not have been possible.

We also wish to thank the Science Program Committee, the Virtual Committee, and the Early Career Scientist Committee for their hard work planning the logistics, events, and schedule for vWSC3. These committees also had to deal with changing parameters and short timelines that made what is always a challenging task even more challenging. The Travel Awards Committee also invested time and effort in developing procedures for awarding travel funds that ultimately would not be implemented. 

Our ability to shift from an in-person to a virtual meeting, and to do so in a way that would be financially feasible, was due to the effective efforts of The International Fundraising Committee and to our financial sponsors. The IFC raised funds to support WSC3 and then, through the good relationships they built with sponsors, ensured we could re-envision how those funds could be used to support a virtual conference that would be affordable and high-quality.

We all owe the WSU Board of Directors and the Representatives of the Member Societies a great deal of thanks. They are the ones who manage the WSU and, for the past 18 months, have had to have a series of challenging meetings and conversations, have had to make a series of difficult choices, have had to do all of that while considering the short- and long-term health of WSU and the World Seabird Conferences, and did this while also managing their own challenges at their day jobs. We are grateful for their diligence, patience, foresight, and throughout all of the meetings, their collegiality. Also – a 6-year term is quite a commitment!

There would not be a WSC3 without a successful WSC1 and WSC2. Thanks go to the Pacific Seabird Group for their support of WSC1 in Victoria, Canada, and to the African Seabird Group for their support of WSC2 in Cape Town, South Africa. In each of these endeavors and for our current conference we were fortunate to work with a dependable and trustworthy partner in Podium Conferences. Michelle Smith and Marischal de Armond have become valued members of our team and have not only helped us plan conferences but have assisted and advised the WSU Chairs and Board on issues above and beyond conference planning. 

As we embark on our vWSC3 week we extend to all of you our thanks for showing up, for being patient, and most importantly for the work you do with seabirds. We are all part of a unique, global community that shares an interest, a fascination, and a passion for birds that make a living in our world’s oceans. We have advanced the science, conservation, and management of seabirds as well the ecosystems they inhabit. We are consistently impressed and motivated by the work you do. 

The WSU formed in 2010 because we saw the need for a global organization to address challenges at a global level. Over the past 11 years WSU has grown, adapted, and evolved to become the community that this week is making vWSC3 a reality. Enjoy the week, appreciate and support the friends and colleagues you have made in the community, and if you see us in a virtual hallway please stop and say hello! 

Thank you for the opportunity to serve all of you and the WSU over the past few years,

Nicholas Carlile, Interim Chair, WSU<br>
Patrick Jodice, 2nd Chair of the WSU<br><br>

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Join us for four days of science, networking and virtual engagement with delegates from around the world!

**Abstract:**

Mercury is a toxic, bioaccumulating trace metal whose emissions have recently been increasing and impacting even remote environments. Seabirds integrate bio-accumulative mercury via food intake. This is mainly deposited during the molting period in which the feathers are replaced annually, and the concentrations reflect the uptake and storage of mercury between molts. Here, we examine variation in marine mercury concentrations in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, by using seabirds' feathers. We collected primary, rectrix and breast feathers from three auk species with similar body masses (Rhinoceros Auklets Cerorhinca monocerata, Tufted Puffins Fratercula cirrhata, Atlantic Puffins Fratercula arctica) each may be subjected to different levels of mercury emissions in the Pacific (Middleton Island, USA; Teuri Island, Japan) and Atlantic (Skomer Island, UK), and tracked birds with light-level geolocators to obtain information about their non-breeding habitat. We measured mercury concentrations, then compared these concentrations with the birds' distribution obtained by geolocators, to test mercury contamination at individual levels. We discuss potential factors affecting the levels of mercury concentration among different species and locations.

**Authors:**

Chinatsu Nakajima¹, Kyle Elliott², Scott Hatch³, Shannon Whelan², Annette Fayet⁴, Yasuaki Niizuma⁵, Jumpei Okado⁶, Akiko Shoji¹

¹University of Tsukuba, ²McGill University, ³Institute for Seabird Research and Monitoring, ⁴Oxford University, ⁵Meijo University, ⁶Hokkaido University

technical paper

**Abstract:**

Light pollution, and the potential risks it poses to all living things, is emerging as an issue of concern worldwide. In Australia, the draft National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife aims to provide theoretical, technical and practical information required to assess if a lighting project is likely to affect wildlife and outline potential management tools to minimise and mitigate that affect. Offshore oil and gas facilities present a year-round source of artificial light at sea, potentially disrupting critical behaviours in both nocturnal and diurnal wildlife, including birds. Negative responses of birds to artificial light may include collision, entrapment, stranding, grounding, disorientation or interference with navigation, potentially resulting in reduced fitness, injury and/or death. However, the degree of impact can vary between species, depending on their habitat use and adaptations, and within species, depending on the life stage of the individual and the behaviour being undertaken at the time. Birds, like most vertebrates, have an eye that is well adapted to see colour. However, adaptation of sensitivity to different wavelengths can vary between species. We present a case study applying the draft Light Pollution Guidelines to develop an impact assessment that considered the conservation status, distribution, habitat use and relative density of species in the region, with reported interactions with artificial light at sea, to determine the vulnerability of different seabird species to the proposed facility. By applying knowledge of light type and wavelength sensitivity of the most vulnerable species, we were able to develop project-specific best practice lighting design guidance outlining mitigation measures to be implemented during both design and operation of the facility that are tailored to the location for maximum benefit.

**Authors:**

Annabel Knipe¹, Kellie Pendoley¹

¹Pendoley Environmental

Applying the Australian National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife to develop best practice lighting design guidance for a proposed offshore oil and gas facility

**Abstract:**

Seabirds are apex predators in the marine environment and well-known ecosystem engineers, capable of changing their habitats by introducing marine-derived nutrients via the deposition of their guano and other allochthonous inputs. However, with the health of the world's oceans under threat due to anthropogenic pressures such as organic, inorganic, and physical pollutants, seabirds are also introducing such pollutants to their breeding and roosting grounds. Here, we examine how the Flesh-footed Shearwater (Ardenna carneipes) has inadvertently introduced physical pollutants to their colonies on Lord Howe Island, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Tasman Sea and their largest breeding colony, through a mix of bolus deposition and carcasses containing plastic debris. The density of plastics within the shearwater colonies ranged between 1.32 and 3.66 pieces/m2 (mean ± SE: 2.18 ± 0.32), and a total of 688,480 (95% CI: 582,409e800,877) pieces are deposited on the island each year. Our research demonstrates that seabirds are a transfer mechanism for marine-derived plastics, reintroducing items back into the terrestrial environment, thus making seabird colonies a sink for plastic debris. This phenomenon is likely occurring in seabird colonies across the globe and will increase in severity as global plastic production and marine plastic pollution accelerates without adequate mitigation strategies.

**Authors:**

Megan Grant¹, Jennifer Lavers¹, Ian Hutton², Alexander Bond³

¹University of Tasmania, ²Lord Howe Island Museum, ³Natural History Museum

Seabird colonies are a minor sink for plastics

**Abstract:**

Coral reefs cover less than 0.2% of the Ocean surface but represent major biodiversity reservoirs. They contribute to the economic development of many countries through tourism and fishing activities and play an essential role in protecting coastal areas. However, 70-90% of coral reefs could disappear by the end of the century if the temperature increases by only 1.5°C. As recent studies suggested a potential cross relationship between the health of coral reefs and those of island seabirds, we explored seasonal variations in the across-taxa pattern of nutrient enrichment along the coasts of two remote islets hosting dense seabird colonies. Our two sites lie in the Entrecasteaux reefs, in the Coral Sea Natural Park which host seabird colonies of world significance. At each site, we sampled seawater nutrients, macroalgae and corals along a coast-sea transect and at a reference reef distant from 9km. We repeated this sampling twice in 2017 (in austral winter and summer) to identify potential seasonal variations. Nitrogen isotopic values (δ15N) of the different samples were measured as a proxy of guano-derived nutrient assimilation. A consistent spatial pattern of increasing NOx concentrations and δ15N values near the islet (25m of the shore) compared to more distant stations (200m of the shore) was observed at both reef sites and sampling seasons. The δ15N enrichment ranged from 2.5 to 5? in the coral Pocillopora damicornis and from 4 to 7? in the macroalgae Halimeda sp. This study thus demonstrates that land-originated nitrogen reaches both primary producers and consumers in coastal reefs no matter the season. Results are discussed in light with the isotopic signature of seabirds' guano and the mechanisms underlying the transport of nutrients from guano to coastal reefs, providing an ecosystem view of the cross relationship between seabirds and reefs' health.

**Authors:**

Martin THIBAULT¹, Fanny Houlbreque¹, Eric Vidal¹, Anne Lorrain²

¹ENTROPIE (IRD), ²LEMAR (IRD)

Healthy seabirds, healthy reefs? Enrichment patterns in coral ecosystems by guano-derived nutrients

**Abstract:**

Species that inhabit spatially-distinct regions at different stages of their lifecycle pose challenges to conservation managers, particularly when distributions span international or jurisdictional boundaries. Despite the importance of non-breeding habitat to the persistence of individuals and species, there remains limited information on the habitat requirements of many species during the non-breeding period. We used global positioning system tracking devices to determine the non-breeding movements of Great Frigatebirds, Fregata minor, and Lesser Frigatebirds, F. ariel, across much of Southeast Asia. These data were analysed with MaxEnt modelling to identify important habitat features for non-breeding frigatebirds and inform priorities for addition to the marine protected area (MPA) network. Models with the greatest predictive performance were influenced strongly by bathymetry. Predicted habitat suitability was greatest in shallow waters. Similarly, warmer waters had greater predicted suitability during the wet season. The existing protected area network contains only a small proportion of habitat identified as suitable or optimum for non-breeding frigatebirds. This is of particular concern given that some parts of the region's marine environment are among the most heavily human-impacted in the world. Currently proposed additions to the MPA network will likely provide negligible benefits to non-breeding frigatebirds due to their small extent relative to suitable habitat and their limited or complete lack of overlap with areas predicted to represent optimum habitat. Our findings can be used to make targeted additions to the MPA network to efficiently increase the representation of suitable and optimum habitat for non-breeding frigatebirds in the MPA network. Such an approach will likely provide benefits to frigatebird populations tracked in the present study as well as those dispersing to the study region from other ocean basins.

**Authors:**

Rowan Mott¹, Ashley Herrod², Rohan Clarke¹

¹School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, ²Moonlit Sanctuary

Transboundary priorities for protection of frigatebird non-breeding habitat in a heavily impacted region

**Abstract:**

Low-level islands around the globe are predicted to face a "range of coastal hazards" driven by sea level change throughout the 21st century. These risks include the permanent submergence of land areas due to higher sea level, accelerated coastal erosion and the rise in frequency and intensity of flooding events, all of which threaten the future biodiversity and functioning of insular ecosystems. On tropical coral reef islands (CRI, low-level islands formed through reef construction and the accumulation of coral debris), sea level change will likely reduce breeding habitat availability for multiple seabird species, adding to the effects of long-known ecological disruptions (species invasions, reef decline, decrease in prey availability). However, the extent to which seabird populations in CRI might be affected by sea level change remains broadly uncharacterized due to limited understanding of the large-scale demography and behavioral adaptability of tropical seabird species, along with overall poor knowledge of the geomorphology dynamics of islands threatened by submersion and/or coastal erosion. Here, we present an overview of current information gaps in the assessment of global distribution and vulnerability of seabirds breeding on CRI. Using New Caledonia (South-West Pacific) as a baseline example, we then discuss a prospective research framework for (1) aggregating monitoring data on CRI seabird populations, (2) assessing natural and anthropogenic drivers of colony distribution and (3) identifying long-term conservation and restoration targets in a context of future sea level change. This talk aims to highlight the need for more comprehensive, multiscale and collaborative seabird monitoring on vulnerable, low-lying islands as a tool to prioritize key conservation sites in the inter-tropical region and shape relevant mitigation strategies.

**Authors:**

Tristan Berr¹, Alexandre Millon², Poetea Guehenneuc³, Matthieu Le Corre⁴, Éric Vidal⁵

¹Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Université de Nouvelle-Calédonie, ²Aix Marseille Université, Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Écologie, ³Université de Bordeaux, ⁴Université de la Réunion, ⁵Institut de Recherche pour le Développement

Seabird conservation priorities: the case of coral reef islands

**Abstract:**

Human disturbance of seabird colonies is increasing globally, activities such as development can have direct negative effects on the breeding grounds. Being flightless, penguins are at higher risk of vehicle collisions in developed areas. Mitigation of these impacts need to be adapted to individual species and situations. Phillip Island, Australia is a successful story of conservation of Little penguins Eudyptula minor. Conservation initiatives are funded by ecotourism to the Penguin Parade®, which attracts over 800,000 paid visitors per year. The carpark built to accommodate around 600 vehicles per night also had Little penguin breeding burrows amongst the parking bays. This unwanted interaction resulted in 21 vehicle collisions with Little penguins within the parking areas between 2012 and 2017. As part of the redevelopment of the visitor centre in 2018, penguins were excluded from the future parking areas to mitigate this risk. While fencing is an effective deterrent to keep Little penguins out, gates across entry/exit roads to allow cars and buses through were not a practical option. Here we investigated the efficacy of modified cattle grids, fauna grids, to restrict the movement of Little penguins. Automated camera-traps were used to observe the animals' behaviour when interacting with the fauna grids. Little penguins approaching the grids were classified into: refusing to cross, unsuccessful crossing attempt, or successful crossing. Initial analysis showed most penguin approaches were unsuccessful crossing attempts, with a smaller proportion refusing to cross, and no successful crossings observed. Our results suggest that fauna grids can be used to effectively restrict the movements of Little penguins and exclude them from unwanted areas. We propose the use of fauna grids as an effective tool to help mitigate road mortality of Little penguins, which may be applicable for other flightless bird species.

**Authors:**

Leanne Renwick¹, Andre Chiaradia¹, Ross Holmberg¹, Damian Prendergast¹

¹Phillip Island Nature Parks

Using fauna grids to prevent penguin mortality

**Abstract:**

Tītī, sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus) breed in New Zealand, the majority now confined to offshore islands with limited introduced predators. Outside the breeding season they migrate to the North Pacific. While abundant, P. griseus are classified under the NZ Threat Classification System as nationally At Risk, In Decline and are threatened at their breeding sites by introduced mammal predation and land use change and at sea by bycatch from the fishing industry and changes to food source from climate change and fisheries competition. Otago has the largest remaining colonies of P. griseus on mainland New Zealand, however these colonies are declining and remain threatened by introduced species predation. Forest & Bird is attempting to maintain a colony at Sandfly Bay Wildlife Reserve, we present results from five seasons of colony monitoring where predator control initiated in 2017. A trained conservation dog was used to identify active burrows at early incubation and again at late chick stage. These burrows were monitored by trail camera and in years with successful fledging, chicks were banded and PIT tagged prior to fledging. In all years an estimated 150 burrows showed activity, but in four of the five years only a small percentage of these had breeding pairs. This is uniform across the remnant colonies we have studied, highlighting the potential for conservation dog monitoring of burrowing seabird colonies with low breeding occupancy. Seven predatory introduced mammals have been recorded and while the trap network has caught a range of these, cameras show that tītī chicks were still predated and in three consecutive seasons no chicks fledged. Successful fledging was recorded for the first time in season four, and with greater success in season five, resulting in 81 chicks banded in two seasons. Despite breeding failure in three out of five seasons, low mortality of adults has been recorded. Our results show the challenges associated with effectively protecting P. griseus breeding colonies from introduced mammal predation and that an expanded range of ethically approved predator control tools, that avoid catching other valued native species, are required. The persistence of P. griseus colonies at mainland sites calls for establishing effective management and monitoring techniques which can be used further afield. Furthermore, New Zealand has an aspirational goal of being "Predator Free by 2050"; our results demonstrate the ambition of this aspiration.

**Authors:**

Francesca Cunninghame¹, Graeme Loh¹, Paul Gasson², David Bowden¹

¹Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society, ²Independent

Challenges associated with introduced predator control to protect a remnant mainland colony of titi, sooty shearwater (Puffinus griseus) in Otago, Aotearoa New Zealand

**Abstract:**

Ecosystem monitoring programs that aim to support the maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem function require a sound knowledge of species composition and food web linkages. This information provides a foundation for assessing ecosystem changes. Seals and seabirds respond to changes in the availability of lower trophic levels, making these predators ideal indicator species to monitor change. Dietary studies provide a mechanism to assess these ecosystem changes as well as the marine biodiversity of a region. DNA metabarcoding of predator scats is a non-invasive tool that allows the simultaneous investigation of the diet of different predator species, increasing our understanding of ecosystem connectivity and food web structure. However, the success of these programs relies on careful selection of candidate species, utilisation of appropriate molecular markers, availability of reference sequences and incorporation of DNA data into food web networks. By simultaneously studying the diet of various predators on Macquarie Island, we aim to develop a marine ecosystem monitoring framework using scat DNA to assess biodiversity of prey species in the sub-Antarctic. Through the collation of baseline and new dietary data, we will provide a sound foundation for future monitoring programs measuring change in marine species diversity.

**Authors:**

Julie McInnes¹, Bruce Deagle², Andrea Polanowski³, Ben Raymond³, Sam Thalmann⁴, Rowan Trebilco², Barbara Wienecke³, Mary-Anne Lea¹

¹University of Tasmania, ²CSIRO, ³Australian Antarctic Division, ⁴Department of Primary Industries Parks Water and Environment

DNA-based diet analysis of sub-Antarctic predators to assess food-web linkages and ecosystem change

**Abstract:**

Both professional and citizen-science field work often generate uncertain sample measurements. Definitive age and sex determinations can be notoriously difficult and/or costly to ascertain for specific individuals in the field, and even correct species identification can be problematic in citizen-science endeavours. While a variety of statistical techniques exist for quantifying such uncertainty at the population or sample level, when this uncertainty exists at the level of the individual datum, analysts are either forced to treat the unit-level information as definitive or discard it altogether. Either approach can introduce bias into subsequent sample estimates and necessarily mischaracterizes their associated measures of uncertainty. In this presentation, we will discuss random-variable-valued measurements, a new approach that we have developed to directly incorporate the sample-unit-level uncertainty of measurements into traditional data analysis, and introduce software for easy implementation. Our approach allows analysts to properly utilize field measurements on individuals that are both definitive and tentative (e.g. partial/uncertain sex or age measurements), improving the accuracy and reliability of resulting inferences that are crucial for the quantification of seabird population demographics.

**Authors:**

Edward Kroc¹, Louise Blight²

¹University of British Columbia, ²Procellaria Research & Consulting

Methodological improvements in uncertain classification of individual-level demographic measurements: Improving reliability of inferences from citizen-science and field data

**Abstract:**

Identification of species assemblages is an essential step in understanding how the distributions of seabirds relate to their environment. Identification can support the generation of ecological hypotheses and inform the basis for conservation and management efforts. Australia supports a high diversity of seabirds, yet no large-scale assessment of seabird assemblages has been attempted. This study examines data from 1193 at-sea counts undertaken by the Australasian Seabird Group (ASG) in 2018 and 2019 during 6 trips off southeast Australia, and presents preliminary analyses of seabird assemblages and their relationships with environmental variables. Multivariate mixture models known as Region of Common Profiles (RCPs) were developed that identify environmental spaces ('regions') in which the probability of observing a set of species ('profiles') is constant within that region and different from others. Allocation of RCPs for a particular environmental space would permit the prediction of which set of species would have the highest probability of occurrence therein. We recorded 15640 individuals belonging to 53 species (34 used in RCP models, based on 3 or more occurrences). The model with three RCPs best fitted the survey data, although RCP 2 did not have a high probability for any predicted grid. These preliminary results identified coastal/near-shore (RCP 1) and oceanic/off-shore (RCP 3) assemblages. The oceanic RCP showed higher probabilities of membership for gadfly and Procellaria petrels and all Diomedea albatrosses. The coastal RCP had high membership probabilities for typical coastal taxa such as gulls, terns and gannets. The next steps will be to run RCP models to identify and describe seabird assemblages all the entire Australian coast, using more than 10,000 counts from the ASG database from 2016 to 2021.

**Authors:**

Nicholas Winterle Daudt¹, Eric Woehler², Matthew Schofield¹, Robert Smith¹, Leandro Bugoni³, Will Rayment¹

¹University of Otago, ²University of Tasmania, ³Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG

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Next from 3rd World Seabird Conference

Applying the Australian National Light Pollution Guidelines for Wildlife to develop best practice lighting design guidance for a proposed offshore oil and gas facility

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