Wedge-tailed Shearwater fledglings at Rocky Islet, Great Barrier Reef: burrow densities and breeding cycle

Wedge-tailed Shearwater burrows were surveyed at Rocky Islet, northern Great Barrier Reef, opportunistically during 1994, and systematically in 1995. The burrow estimate for the island was 5 785 ± 840 for the first year and 4 646 ± 302 during the second survey. The size of the breeding population is estimated to be 2 950 and 2 369 for 1994 and 1 995 respectively. Burrow occupancy status was established during 1995 using a burrowscope, and a fledgling occupancy rate of 0.33 found. Chick development was quite advanced compared with birds from southern populations at the same time