Movements and Patterns of Mortality at Sea of Little Penguins Eudyptula minor From Phillip Island, Victoria

Abstract

Between 1967 and 1988, almost 16 000 young and adult Little Penguins were banded on Phillip Island; 413 of these have been recovered away from the Island. Most first-year and adult birds were recovered west (95.3% and 92.6% respectively) of the colony. Significant concentrations of first-year recoveries came from between Phillip Island and Cape Otway in Victoria and from between Warrnambool, Victoria, and Port MacDonnell, South Australia. Few birds have been recovered in their second year away from Phillip Island. The distributional pattern of recoveries of second-year birds was intermediate between that of the first-year birds and adults. Two noticeable differences between the distributions of adults and first-year birds were: the much greater importance of Port Phillip Bay for the older birds (64.8% of recoveries compared to 4.3%) and the less widespread range of adult recoveries. Most first-year mortality at sea occurred between summer and winter whereas adult mortality increased in autumn and early spring. Possible reasons for these differences are discussed.