Habitat critical to the survival of albatrosses and giant petrels

Breeding Habitat

Albatrosses and giant petrels breed at only six localities under Australian jurisdiction. These are:

• Macquarie Island (including Bishop and Clerk Islets);
• Albatross Island;
• Pedra Branca;
• the Mewstone;
• Heard and McDonald Islands; and
• the Australian Antarctic Territory (Giganteus Island, Hawker Island and the Frazier Islands).

These remote islands constitute the only suitable breeding habitat under Australian jurisdiction and should be regarded as habitat that is critical to the survival of albatrosses and giant petrels in Australian waters. Shy albatrosses breed only within Australia, and hence the breeding habitats of this species (Albatross Island, Pedra Branca and the Mewstone) comprise its entire breeding habitat. Macquarie Island, Heard and McDonald Islands and the Australian Antarctic Territory (AAT) host several species of albatrosses and giant petrels. There are no other islands within areas under Australian jurisdiction that are considered to be potential or former breeding habitat for albatrosses or giant petrels.

Foraging Habitat

Albatross and giant petrel species exhibit a broad range of diets and foraging behaviours, and hence their at-sea distributions are diverse. Combined with their ability to cover vast oceanic distances, all waters within Australian jurisdiction can be considered foraging habitat, however the most critical foraging habitat is considered to be those waters south of 25 degrees where most species spend the majority of their foraging time. This assessment is supported by a range of research, including extensive albatross tracking studies (see summary map at Appendix B).