| Case Summary for:
Submission No 388: Chinstrap Penguin Pygoscelis antarctica; Sandy Bay Isthmus, Macquarie Island, TAS. 21 January 2003. Submitted by: Rohan Clarke.
Verdict: Accepted This submission concerns a single Chinstrap Penguin seen and photographed on the isthmus at Sandy Bay on the east coast of Macquarie Island on the 21st January 2003. The bird was located associating with nearby King and Royal Penguins. Given the species is so distinctive field notes were not taken. However, photographs serve to verify the record and these have been presented to the committee along with a full account of the circumstances behind the sighting. The photographs clearly depict the diagnostic 'chinstrap', blue-black upperparts and white underparts. Committee members resolved to accept the record unanimously. The submission
goes on to point out that this species has been reported with some frequency
on Macquarie Island since the 1950's. In fact ANARE log books and reports
on the island reveal over 60 sightings, none of which have been presented
to BARC. Further submissions are therefore required before the species
can be removed from the Macquarie Island review list.
· Marchant, S. & Higgins, P.J. (Eds) 1990: Handbook of
Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds. Vol. 1, Ratites to
Ducks, Oxford University Press, Melbourne. Tony Palliser
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