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Chick Development and Foraging Ecology of the Providence Petrel

The project will examine chick development and foraging ecology of the Providence Petrel (Pterodroma solandri), a seabird that lives almost exclusively on Lord Howe Island and is listed as Vulnerable under 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The study aims to monitor chick development in order to set criteria for the possible future translocation of the species to Norfolk Island, from where they were previously extirpated. Timing of emergence from the burrow will be recorded, as it is when chicks begin to imprint upon their natal site. Providence Petrels are highly philopatric and will return to their natal site to breed. If future translocation is to be successful, chicks need to be relocated before they emerge from their burrow. This study aims to find the stage of growth when chicks can be successfully translocated.

In addition, the project will investigate where adult Providence Petrels forage during the breeding season and how this relates to the provisioning of their chicks. This information is invaluable in understanding the species' role in the functioning of marine ecosystems and allows us to identify any threatening processes occurring due to overlaps with fishing zones. The project will also look at the efficiency of sampling methods used and will monitor the effects of daily handling on growth rate and timing of emergence of chicks.