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Abbott's Booby (Papasula abbotti)

Abbott's booby is a large, long-lived seabird that breeds only on Christmas Island. The tall rainforest of the island's plateau and upper terraces is important nesting habitat.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Endangered.

Northern Territory, Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1976: Endangered.

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Listed marine. A listed marine species under Part 13 of the EPBC Act. Killing, injuring, taking or moving it in a Commonwealth area needs a permit.

Seasonal planning

Abbott’s Boobies on Christmas Island may lay eggs from April to October, with most laying from mid-May to mid-July.

Seasonal evidence: From published sources for this species.

Timing varies between sites and years.

  • Egg-laying season: Abbott’s Boobies on Christmas Island may lay eggs from April to October, with most laying from mid-May to mid-July.

Identification: Appearance

It is a large black-and-white booby with a large head and a distinctive hooked bill. It has lanky wings, a black tail and a pink bill with a black tip.

It is a large black-and-white booby with a large head and a distinctive hooked bill. It has lanky wings, a black tail and a pink bill with a black tip.

Identification: Confirming identity

Confirm the identity of any suspected record with a specialist and a photograph or voucher, as required by the relevant permit.

Distribution: Known range

The only known extant nesting colony is on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. Birds forage over open ocean and may range to Indonesia, while vagrants have been recorded as far as mainland Australia.

The only known extant nesting colony is on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean. Birds forage over open ocean and may range to Indonesia, while vagrants have been recorded as far as mainland Australia.

Distribution: National mapping

The Commonwealth species distribution model (SNES) maps where the species or its habitat is known, likely or may occur. Use it with local records and site inspection.

Habitat: Habitat

It nests in tall emergent trees in rainforest on Christmas Island, mainly in the central and western plateau forests and the upper terrace forest on the north coast. Nest sites are mostly above 150 metres and are often associated with uneven terrain, gullies and slopes.

It nests in tall emergent trees in rainforest on Christmas Island, mainly in the central and western plateau forests and the upper terrace forest on the north coast. Nest sites are mostly above 150 metres and are often associated with uneven terrain, gullies and slopes.

Foraging habitat: Diet

It is thought to feed on squid and fish in warm, low-salinity waters. It also forages around nutrient-rich ocean upwellings.

It is thought to feed on squid and fish in warm, low-salinity waters. It also forages around nutrient-rich ocean upwellings.

Breeding habitat: Breeding

Pairs mate for life and nest high in emergent rainforest trees. They raise one chick every two or three years.

Pairs mate for life and nest high in emergent rainforest trees. They raise one chick every two or three years.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter

Not documented in the published sources used for this profile.

Not documented in the published sources used for this profile.

Threats: Threats

Loss and degradation of rainforest habitat from mining and road building are identified threats.

Loss and degradation of rainforest habitat from mining and road building are identified threats.

Threats: Works risk

Land clearing and construction associated with mining or road building could remove or degrade rainforest nesting habitat.

Survey methodology: 1. Commonwealth guidance

Use methods consistent with the Commonwealth survey guidelines and engage a specialist with the right permits.

For EPBC Act referrals, survey effort and methods should be consistent with the survey guidelines for Australia's threatened birds, read with the Significant impact guidelines 1.1.

Survey methodology: 2. Limits

A non-detection is not proof of absence. Match survey timing to the species and season, and record effort.

Vegetation associations: Rainforest or vine thicket

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

It nests in tall emergent trees in rainforest on Christmas Island, mainly in the central and western plateau forests and the upper terrace forest on the north coast.

Automatically indexed from existing profile text. Not a verified preference, mapped occurrence or habitat requirement. Check the original source and regional qualifiers before use.

Evidence: Unreviewed profile-derived candidate

Confidence: Not independently verified

Region: Scope as described in the quoted profile text; not independently verified. Profile states: NT, WA.

Habitat use: general

Ecosystem associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific ecosystem association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Soil and substrate associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific soil association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Water and wetland associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific water association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Fauna records and mapped habitat: Not yet analysed

Record locations can be overlaid with mapping, but record frequency alone does not measure habitat preference. No species is excluded from desktop assessments by this analysis.

No quality-controlled record-to-map analysis has been completed for this species. The existing generalised distribution dots and indicative range polygons have not been treated as precise occurrence coordinates.

A defensible run needs dated, independently attributable records, coordinate uncertainty, duplicate and captive-record checks, layer versions and regional scope. Preference and absence require additional survey-effort and detection evidence.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: No supported exclusion recorded

Not recorded is not the same as cannot occur. Low suitability, resident habitat, breeding habitat and occasional movement are different conclusions.

This library has not established a vegetation, ecosystem or soil-type exclusion for this species. This does not mean all habitat is suitable; the evidence needed to justify an exclusion has not been assembled.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: Before using a negative association

  • Confirm the taxon, geographic region, life stage and habitat function covered by the evidence.
  • Check survey methods, season, repeated effort and detectability before interpreting non-detection.
  • Investigate credible contradictory records and microhabitats absent from broad mapping.
  • Do not convert a missing map class, low record count or failed data request into species absence.

Before disturbance: 1. Desktop and approvals

Confirm whether the project could affect the species before works begin.

Check national mapping, state records and recent surveys for the site. An action likely to have a significant impact on this nationally listed species needs EPBC Act referral, and state permits apply where it is state listed.

Before disturbance: 2. Plan to avoid

Plan in-water works, vessel movements and lighting to avoid known habitat and sensitive periods, and set observer and shutdown procedures before works start.

During disturbance: 1. Controls

Keep works inside the approved footprint and conditions.

Use spotters and exclusion zones for in-water works and vessels, and pause works if the species is seen within the zone.

During disturbance: 2. Stop and report

If the species is found unexpectedly, stop work at that spot and contact the project ecologist and the relevant agency.

After disturbance: 1. Records

Record outcomes.

Record sightings, habitat lost or retained and any injury or death, and report them under the approval conditions.

Rehabilitation: 1. Restore

Restore disturbed habitat where possible.

Remove temporary structures, restore natural flow and substrate, and monitor water quality until it returns to baseline.

Sources