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Sooty Albatross (Phoebetria fusca)

The Sooty Albatross is a pelagic seabird recorded in Australian waters mainly in winter, from Tasmania to Western Australia, with occasional sightings off New South Wales. It forages mainly over deep oceanic waters and, south of Australia, over the continental slope and submarine rises.

Conservation status

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Vulnerable.

New South Wales, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Vulnerable.

Victoria, Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: Critically endangered.

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Vulnerable.

South Australia, National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972: Endangered.

Western Australia, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Endangered.

Tasmania, Threatened Species Protection Act 1995: Rare.

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Listed migratory. Listed migratory species are a matter of national environmental significance, so a significant impact needs referral.

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

Generally recorded in Australian waters off the southern coast from Tasmania to Western Australia during winter, with occasional sightings off New South Wales.

Seasonal evidence: From published sources for this species.

Timing varies between sites and years.

  • Winter: Generally recorded in Australian waters off the southern coast from Tasmania to Western Australia during winter, with occasional sightings off New South Wales.

Identification: Appearance

This medium-sized albatross has sooty-brown to sooty-black plumage, often with a darker head, and is about 85 cm long with a wingspan of around 2 m. A white ring or crescents around the eye and a yellow-orange line along the lower jaw help distinguish it.

This medium-sized albatross has sooty-brown to sooty-black plumage, often with a darker head, and is about 85 cm long with a wingspan of around 2 m. A white ring or crescents around the eye and a yellow-orange line along the lower jaw help distinguish it.

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 species breeds on islands in the South Atlantic and southern Indian Ocean and forages across those oceans. In Australian waters it is generally recorded in winter off the southern coast from Tasmania to Western Australia, with occasional records off New South Wales.

The species breeds on islands in the South Atlantic and southern Indian Ocean and forages across those oceans. In Australian waters it is generally recorded in winter off the southern coast from Tasmania to Western Australia, with occasional records off New South Wales.

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

At sea, Sooty Albatrosses are pelagic and forage mainly over deep oceanic waters; south of Australia they also use the continental slope and submarine rises. They rarely occur in continental shelf waters.

At sea, Sooty Albatrosses are pelagic and forage mainly over deep oceanic waters; south of Australia they also use the continental slope and submarine rises. They rarely occur in continental shelf waters.

Foraging habitat: Diet

The diet includes squid and other cephalopods, fish, crustaceans, other seabirds and carrion. The birds take prey mainly from the water’s surface.

The diet includes squid and other cephalopods, fish, crustaceans, other seabirds and carrion. The birds take prey mainly from the water’s surface.

Breeding habitat: Breeding

Pairs bond for life and breed every other year, laying a single egg. Both parents incubate the egg and care for the chick; the young fledge after about five months.

Pairs bond for life and breed every other year, laying a single egg. Both parents incubate the egg and care for the chick; the young fledge after about five months.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter

Nests are built on sheltered cliff edges or among vegetation on steep cliffs. They are mound-like structures made from mud and plant material and lined with grass.

Nests are built on sheltered cliff edges or among vegetation on steep cliffs. They are mound-like structures made from mud and plant material and lined with grass.

Threats: Threats

Reported pressures include disturbance on breeding islands, longline fishing and pollution. Predation of young by rats and frequent fires on breeding islands are also noted.

Reported pressures include disturbance on breeding islands, longline fishing and pollution. Predation of young by rats and frequent fires on breeding islands are also noted.

Threats: Works risk

Works that disturb nesting areas on breeding islands could affect the birds or their nests. Vessel activity associated with longline fishing and pollution are also identified as potential harms.

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

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

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

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