The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is a globally significant seabird biodiversity hotspot. Seabird biology is heavily influenced by food-related ecological processes. Research into the diet, foraging and community ecology of seabirds, along with assessment of seabird population dynamics and physiological responses to environmental conditions, shows promise as a cost-effective method for assessing long-term changes to the Gulf’s marine ecosystem across broad geographical areas.

This three-year research programme is a combination of several complementary research projects - see https://www.haurakigulfseabirds.co.nz/projects for more information about each project. The projects are focused on:

• Seabird foraging and diet - researchers observed the foraging behaviour of several seabird species and examined samples of regurgitated stomach contents. The aim was to get a better understanding of all the species to assess the variability in foraging distribution, behaviour, diet and breeding success.

• Seabird tracking - GPS loggers were attached to Australasian gannets, Buller’s shearwaters, fairy prions and fluttering shearwaters and foraging locations were tracked.

• Ecophysiology – this is a world-first integrative project across multiple species, combining tracking of foraging activity, computer modelling and physiological responses to environmental conditions. This approach allows the research team to describe the responses of seabirds living with different levels of environmental stress and to identify tipping points which may lead to chick stress or abandonment. Kerry Lukies studied little blue penguins for her Master’s degree (completed) and Edin Whitehead is studying Buller’s, fluttering and little shearwaters, and fairy prions for her PhD (University of Auckland). Brendon Dunphy is continuing work with diving petrels. 

• Restoring resilience—a community liaison coordinator (Kerry Lukies) has been contracted through funding from Auckland Council’s Community Coordination and Facilitation scheme to work with community groups. A central task is to get the message out that seabirds have a key role as ecological engineers in restoring resilience to island and coastal habitats.

Support from G.I.F.T enabled the project team to secure matched funding from the University of Auckland and the Department of Conversation, plus additional support from the Hauraki Gulf Forum, Auckland Council and Birds New Zealand Research Fund.

A key product from the first year of the G.I.F.T. funded research programme was the release of a comprehensive review of the threats to northern seabirds Threats to Northern Seabirds, which was reported across multiple media platforms.

The team has delivered public seminars to disseminate research insights and to increase public interest and engagement in seabird protection. The team is initiating a programme where it provides practical advice, surveys sites, and assists with the implementation of seabird restoration and protection. The belief is that establishing restoration plans will fuel community engagement in projects and build awareness of seabirds and the threats they face. A cartoonist was contracted (with support from Foundation North) to prepare artwork for a resource pack on threats to seabirds. These posters have been translated into Te Reo Māori and will be released this year in electronic and printed form.

Insights and learning

Insights and learning from the three-year Northern Seabirds programme include:

• Greater understanding of the considerable variety in the way seabirds feed within the Hauraki Gulf. The studies suggest that some seabird species that associate strongly with schooling fish may have the ability to switch prey, which may buffer any potential impacts of climate change on changing prey amounts and distribution.

• Identification of prey types for seabirds and food web interactions. The team is working towards a complementary analysis of diversity, quantity and nutritional quality of zooplankton, fish and squid diversity within the Gulf. Based on this, the team should be able to address how many more seabirds the Gulf can support currently and under different climate change scenarios.

• The benefits of combining high resolution GPS tracking with research into diet and breeding success for key indicator species across multiple years. This allows the team to illustrate key foraging habitats within the wider Gulf region and support marine protection proposals and conservation.

• The identification of the feeding interactions supporting seabirds, should allow assessment of potential indirect impacts from fisheries and other human-induced factors on seabirds and the marine ecosystems that support them. This will further contribute to marine conservation and ecosystem-based management and sustainability of the Gulf and its resources.

COVID-19 delays

As a result of COVID-19 lockdowns, the team was unable to conduct tracking and diet studies through critical breeding stages of Buller shearwater chick rearing in March and April 2020, putting that project one year behind. Some of the late season at-sea work had to be cancelled and there were issues getting access to university and NIWA labs, which was key for some of the analytical work required. Much of this work is now being completed which will result in reports, publication in scientific journals, and theses.

Looking ahead

The research team continues to explore the relationship between foraging activity and fish schooling behaviour and plans to extend this approach to other species. Seabird tracking continues.

The Northern New Zealand Seabird Trust and the Hauraki Gulf Forum will produce a ‘State of our Gulf Seabirds 2021’ report, bringing together key learnings from the research programme about innovation and marine ecosystem change, including an assessment of how the Gulf’s seabirds are doing. The report will be a series of authored sections from all collaborators as well as other researchers working on seabirds within the region.

The Northern New Zealand Seabird Trust and the research team are committed to developing reciprocal relationships with mana whenua regarding this kaupapa and to working with mauri as a concept more explicitly.