Taiaroa Head/Pukekura albatross colony

The Royal Albatross Colony at Taiaroa Head, on the tip of the Otago Peninsula, is the only mainland, albatross breeding colony in the southern hemisphere. The first Taiaroa Head-reared albatross chick fledged in 1938 and from those beginnings the well protected nature reserve now has an established colony of over 140 birds.

500th royal albatross chick

Toroa - the 500th royal albatross chick

Seventy years after legendary Otago naturalist, Lance Richdale, began observing and protecting northern royals at Taiaroa Head a major milestone was reached. On 26 January 2007 the 500th royal chick to hatch on the headland emerged from its shell. Mother, father and chick were all well and DOC Head Ranger, Lyndon Perriman, thrilled that this very special symbol of the only mainland albatross colony in the southern hemisphere had finally arrived.

At a special ceremony to celebrate this major milestone the then Minister of Conservation, the Hon Chris Carter announced that, unlike any others in the colony, this bird will have an official name, Toroa, Māori for albatross.

Toroa and parents

Toroa’s lineage goes back to the beginnings of successful breeding at Taiaroa Head. The chick’s father was Grandma’s last hatching; she of the award-winning television documentary of the same name. Grandma was in the colony when Richdale started observing royal albatross in 1937 and was in her 60s when she died. The hope is that her grandchild, will be able to make a similar contribution to the species’ survival. 

Toroa was initially guarded by one of its parents, each swapping every two days to cruise the oceans gathering food. At around five weeks of age Toroa was left alone while both parents began a feeding pattern that was to last for nearly seven more months.

At eight months of age Toroa, by then thought to be a male, fledged and took off to spend four to five years at sea. He was carrying a satellite transmitter that tracked his his course to the Pacific's eastern corner, off the southern Chile coast. He stayed in that region, including a return trip around Cape Horn, until the transmitter ceased to function. After his years at sea Toroa will return to Taiaroa Head and become part of the breeding colony. 

Ranger at Taiaroa Head with day
old chick

Threats

The royal's nesting  area on the headland is a 'hot spot' - a sheltered area where summer ground temperatures can reach 50 degrees celsius. Certainly not ideal conditions for a genus that's far better adapted to sub-Antarctic conditions, but they chose this place.

In earlier times both adults and chicks could die from heat exhaustion. There is now a sprinkler system that on hot days sprays water over the nest to cool the bird.

Hot conditions during hatching is a major problem as adults will stand up to cool themselves, leaving the egg exposed to risk of fly strike . Albatross chicks can take 6 days to complete the hatch. Any fly eggs or live maggots laid in the egg during this period will often result in a dead chick.

Staff now place a cottonwool ball soaked in peppermint essence in the nest - the herb's strong aroma masks the hatching chick's smell and acts as a fly deterrent. This has reduced fly-strike.

Predator traps for feral cats and mustelids are used for what is probably the longest running predator control programme in New Zealand.  

Other species at Tairaroa Head

A few of the 3,000-strong red-billed gull
colony on Taiaroa Head/Pukekura

Taiaroa Head is a breeding site for many other sea and shore birds. Currently 10,000 seabirds use the headland as a breeding site and though albatross have the largest profile, they make up just 1% of all the seabirds found there.

There are significant colonies of spotted and Stewart Island shags, blue penguins/kororā, the only mainland breeding site for sooty shearwater/tītī; along with royal spoonbill/kōtuku ngutapapa, gulls and waders. Fences excluding people and predator control are key factors that have enabled these important seabird colonies to thrive. 

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