Breeding of Procellariidae before and after eradication of feral cats at Marion Island

Cooper, J. Marais, A.V.N., Bloomer, J.P. & Bester, M.N. 1995. A success story: breeding of burrowing petrels (Procellariidae) before and after eradication of feral cats Felis catus at sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Marine Ornithology 23: 33-37.

Greatwinged Petrels Pterodroma macroptera and Blue Petrels, Halobaena caerulea bred more successfully alter the eradication in 1991 of feral domestic cats Felis catus at subantarctic Marion Island. The larger Whitechinned Petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis did not show such improvement, although percentage burrow occupancy in the late breeding season increased significantly between 1982/83 and 1988/89 for that species, suggesting decreased cat predation during this period of cat control. Breeding success and burrow density of selected species of burrowing petrels should be monitored to ascertain the rate of recovery of their populations now that Marion Island is cat-free.