Diomedea cauta
Length: 90-100 cm
Wingspan: 212-256
Distribution: Circumpolar. White-capped at Auckland Is. Chatham Is. Mollymawk at the Chathams. Salvins Mollymawk on the Bounty Islands and at the Snares.
Food: Cephalopods and fish.
Voice: Croaks and cackles.
Breeding: Poorly known. One egg incubated for about 72 days. Precise fledging time unknown.
Shy Mollymawks are divided into three distinct subspecies; White-capped, Salvin’s and Chatham Island Mollymawks. This largest of the mollymawks is usually identified to sub-species level by birdwatchers and some scientists believe they should be separate species.
The Chatham Island variety has a dark grey head and bright yellow bill with a black spot at the tip. It is rarely seen outside Chatham Island waters although one was reported off the Peruvian coast in July 1988.
Surprisingly little is known about Shy Mollymawks. They feed on cephalopods and fish and take offal from fishing boats. Breeding pairs arrive at nest sites about August and eggs are laid during September and October. Both sexes incubate the single egg for about 72 days. Fledging time is not precisely known but once fledged juveniles are independent of their parents. White-capped Mollymawks breed at the Auckland Islands, about 64,000 pairs, and islands near Tasmania. Immatures have been found in South African seas.
Salvin’s Mollymawks breed mainly on the Bounty Islands 70,000 pairs with about 650 pairs at the Snares. A few have recently been found breeding at the Crozet Islands. They migrate to the Atlantic off South America. About 4,000 pairs of Chatham Island Mollymawks breed at the Pyramid. Some have been seen in the central Pacific and others as far west as Bass Strait but they are rarely seen in New Zealand coastal waters.
Surprisingly little is known about Shy Mollymawks. They feed on cephalopods and fish and take offal from fishing boats. Breeding pairs arrive at nest sites about August and eggs are laid during September and October. Both sexes incubate the single egg for about 72 days. Fledging time is not precisely known but once fledged juveniles are independent of their parents. White-capped Mollymawks breed at the Auckland Islands, about 64,000 pairs, and islands near Tasmania. Immatures have been found in South African seas.
Salvin’s Mollymawks breed mainly on the Bounty Islands 70,000 pairs with about 650 pairs at the Snares. A few have recently been found breeding at the Crozet Islands. They migrate to the Atlantic off South America. About 4,000 pairs of Chatham Island Mollymawks breed at the Pyramid. Some have been seen in the central Pacific and others as far west as Bass Strait but they are rarely seen in New Zealand coastal waters.