THE STATUS OF GOULD PETREL, PTERODROMA-LEUCOPTERA-LEUCOPTERA, ON CABBAGE-TREE-ISLAND, NEW-SOUTH-WALES

Gould's petrel, Pterodroma leucoprera leucoptera, breeds only on Cabba ge Tree Island, New South Wales. Annual surveys to estimate the size o f the breeding population and the reproductive output were conducted b etween 1989 and 1992. Annual estimates of the total number of pairs br eeding in the two gullies containing the main population were between 122 +/- 20 (s.e.) and 202 +/- 26. Breeding success was less than 20% b etween 1989 and 1991, but rose to 24.7% in 1992. This marginal improve ment may be the result of management action undertaken to reduce morta lity of breeding adults and fledglings. The total population is estima ted to have declined from 2004 (95% confidence limits: 1464, 3185) in 1970 to 1479 (1250, 1815) in 1992, a decline of 26% in 22 years. The r easons for this decline are unclear.