Data Zone
Taxonomic source(s)
Brooke, M. de L. 2004. Albatrosses and Petrels Across the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
Robertson, C. J. R.; Nunn, G. B. 1998. Towards a new taxonomy for albatrosses. In: Robertson, G.; Gales, R. (ed.), Albatross biology and conservation, pp. 13-19. Surrey Beatty & Sons, Chipping Norton, Australia.
| Critically Endangered | Endangered | Vulnerable |
|---|---|---|
| - | A4bc; B2ab(iii,v) | A4bc; B2ab(iii,v); D2 |
| Year | Category | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Endangered | A4bc; B2ab(iii,v) |
| 2016 | Endangered | A4bc; B2ab(iii,v) |
| 2013 | Endangered | A4bc;B2ab(iii,v) |
| 2012 | Endangered | A4bc;B2ab(iii,v) |
| 2010 | Endangered | A4b,c; B2a+b(iii,v) |
| 2008 | Endangered | A4b,c,d; B2a+b(iii,v) |
| 2007 | Endangered | |
| 2005 | Endangered | |
| 2004 | Endangered | |
| 2003 | Endangered | |
| 2000 | Endangered | |
| 1994 | Not Recognised | |
| 1988 | Not Recognised |
| Migratory status | full migrant | Forest dependency | does not normally occur in forest |
| Land-mass type | Average mass | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | |
|---|---|---|
| Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) | 115,000,000 km2 | medium |
| Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) | 56,500,000 km2 | medium |
| Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident) | 8 km2 | medium |
| Number of locations | 3-5 | - |
| Severely fragmented? | no | - |
| Estimate | Data quality | Derivation | Year of estimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population size | 17000 mature individuals | medium | estimated | 1991 |
| Population trend | decreasing | medium | estimated | 1985-2069 |
| Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) | 50-79% | - | - | - |
| Generation length | 27 years | - | - | - |
| Number of subpopulations | 3 | - | - | - |
| Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation | 95-99% | - | - | - |
Population justification:
The largest population (99%) is on the Chatham Islands, with 1% of the population on Taiaroa Head, on the mainland of South Island, New Zealand. There has not been a successful run of annual photographs over the past 8 years to enable updated estimates of the breeding population of this biennial breeder (C. J. R. Robertson in litt. 2008). However, air photographic counts on the Chatham Islands in the 1970s (1972-1975) and 1990s (1989-1991) recorded a total of 6,500-7,000 total breeding pairs. The number of pairs breeding each year was estimated as 5,200 pairs, based on a count in 1995. This is equivalent to a total population of 17,000 mature individuals. A count in 2002 recorded 5,800 pairs on the Chatham Islands (counted at the end of egg laying), with a probable 1,700 pairs on sabbatical after breeding in the previous season (C. J. R. Robertson in litt. 2008). However, since the estimate of 17,000 mature individuals is based on data from multiple years, this is the estimate used here. It roughly equates to 25,000-26,000 individuals in total. Around 35 pairs breed each year at Taiaroa Head, including five hybrids (descended from cross with female Southern Royal Albatross D. epomophora). Two individuals of D. sanfordi, both breeding with D. epomophora partners, have been recorded on Enderby Island.
Trend justification: Low annual productivity produces a projected population decline in this species. More recent data, from 1995 and 2003, point to a possible recent increase in population, but methods are not sufficiently comparable for any meaningful interpretation regarding population trends, and a very rapid ongoing population decline is precautionarily retained here.
| Country/Territory | Presence | Origin | Resident | Breeding visitor | Non-breeding visitor | Passage migrant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antarctica | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Argentina | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Australia | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Bouvet Island (to Norway) | extant | uncertain | ||||
| Brazil | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Chile | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| French Southern Territories | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| Heard Island and McDonald Islands (to Australia) | extant | native | yes | |||
| New Zealand | extant | native | yes | |||
| South Africa | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands | extant | native | yes | yes | ||
| St Helena (to UK) | extant | native | yes | |||
| Uruguay | extant | native | yes |
| Country/Territory | IBA Name |
|---|---|
| New Zealand | Forty Fours Motuhara |
| New Zealand | Fiordland - West Coast South Island (South) (offshore) |
| New Zealand | Chatham (offshore) |
| New Zealand | Taiaroa Head |
| New Zealand | Cook Strait |
| New Zealand | East Coast South Island (offshore) |
| New Zealand | Canterbury (offshore) |
| New Zealand | Dunedin Coast (offshore) |
| Argentina | Talud Patagonia Norte |
| New Zealand | Southern South Island (offshore) |
| New Zealand | Rakiura (offshore) |
| New Zealand | Chatham Islands (nearshore) |
| Argentina | Talud Agujero Azul |
| Habitat (level 1) | Habitat (level 2) | Importance | Occurrence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grassland | Subantarctic | major | breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Pelagic | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Neritic | Pelagic | major | breeding |
| Marine Oceanic | Epipelagic (0-200m) | major | non-breeding |
| Marine Oceanic | Epipelagic (0-200m) | major | breeding |
| Altitude | Occasional altitudinal limits |
| Threat (level 1) | Threat (level 2) | Impact and Stresses | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biological resource use | Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - Unintentional effects: (large scale) [harvest] | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Majority (50-90%) | Negligible declines | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
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| Biological resource use | Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Intentional use (species is the target) | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Past, Unlikely to Return | Majority (50-90%) | Negligible declines | Past Impact | ||||||
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| Climate change & severe weather | Storms & flooding | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Past, Likely to Return | Majority (50-90%) | Rapid Declines | Past Impact | ||||||
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Felis catus | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Past, Unlikely to Return | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Past Impact | ||||||
|
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Lucilia sericata | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Ongoing | Minority (<50%) | Causing/Could cause fluctuations | Low Impact: 5 | ||||||
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| Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Mustela erminea | Timing | Scope | Severity | Impact | ||||
| Past, Unlikely to Return | Minority (<50%) | Negligible declines | Past Impact | ||||||
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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Species factsheet: Diomedea sanfordi. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/northern-royal-albatross-diomedea-sanfordi on 08/12/2023.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2023) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
http://datazone.birdlife.org on 08/12/2023.
