New Island is one of the finest wildlife areas in the Falklands. This is largely because of the variety and density of bird life which lives there. More than 2 million seabirds inhabit New Island and its surrounding smaller islands, with large numbers of breeding Rockhopper, Gentoo and Magellanic penguins, and more than 10,000 adult breeding Black Browed Albatross pairs on New Island South itself (Strange, 2005).

Perhaps one of the most significant figures to be confirmed on New Island South is that of the small burrowing Petrel - the Thin Billed Prion. Prolonged scientific studies of these birds have confirmed 4 million breeding adults inhabit New Island, making it one of the most important breeding grounds in the world for this species.

The importance of New Island as a breeding ground, along with a number of other islands in this part of the archipelago can be attributed to the Falkland Current. A main stream of this current flows to the west side of New Island creating one of the richest marine resources and feeding grounds for wildlife to be found around the Falkland Islands.

Formidable sea cliffs on its western coastline rise to 600 feet presenting one of the most scenic landscapes in the Falklands. Along this coast large numbers of sea birds and fur seal form breeding colonies.

On its eastern approaches the island falls fairly steeply to a generally low lying coast embracing several sheltered harbours. On this relatively sheltered lee side with its sand beaches accessing lush coastal greens and coastal heath formations, large numbers of geese, penguins and other species breed.

 



Rockhopper Penguins ashore at
sunset after feeding at sea

A Gentoo Penguin
on the nest with
two young chicks


Pied Oystercatchers (shown here)
and Black Oystercatchers breed
along much of the lowland shoreline
of New Island




Young Dolphin Gulls hover over their
breeding ground which they share
with the larger Dominican Gull

Shorebirds such as the Pied Oystercatcher and the Two-banded Plover are regularly spotted on the sheltered shores of the Island's eastern side, and large numbers of Upland Geese graze the grassy slopes and gather on the large sandy beaches to moult (a count of these birds conducted in November 2003 resulted in a total of 2,200 geese). The Ruddy Headed Goose and Kelp Goose are not as abundant on the Island, but small numbers do breed every season.

New Island is also an important area for passerines; the Falkland Pipit, Long-Tailed Meadowlark and Dark Faced Ground Tyrant are just a few of the common and breeding small birds found on New Island South.



Significant colonies of Black-browed
Albatross nest on the sea cliffs bordering New Island's western side
Visiting Species
New Island is occasionally visited by bird and mammal species not usually found in the Falkland Islands. A couple of the most recent visitors include this Leopard Seal (right), and a sub-species of Rockhopper penguin from Goth Island near Tristan da Cuhna.
Although non-breeding, the New Island South rookery is currently home to a single Macaroni Penguin (right), and now and then species from further South are spotted passing by, such as Fulmars and Sooty Albatross.



A Striated Caracara investigates my camera bag. These birds of prey are unfortunately a threatened species in the Falkland Islands - New Island provides an important breeding site for a significant number of these birds.

For further information...

The 2007 New Island Management Plan, published in July 2007, contains extensive information and photographs about every breeding species of bird and mammal on New Island, including current and future conservation projects. For a preview of this document, please click here

For detailed information on the wildlife of New Island and the Falkland Islands, 'A Field Guide to the Wildlife of The Falkland Islands and South Georgia', by Ian J. Strange, contains full species coverage, colour illustrations and photographs of the region.

'A Field Guide to the Wildlife of The Falkland Islands and South Georgia', Harper Collins Publishers, London, 1992.

 

 


All photographs on this page © G. Strange . Design In Nature . 2007 .
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Breeding birds that may be found on New Island South:

Gentoo Penguin - Pygoscelis papua
Rockhopper Penguin - Eudyptes chrysocome
Magellanic Penguin - Spheniscus magellanicus
Black Browed Albatross - Diomedea melanophris
Slender-Billed or Thin-Billed Prion - Pachyptila belcheri
White-chinned Petrel - Procellaria aequinoctialis
Imperial or King Cormorant - Phalacrocorax atriceps albiventer
Rock Shag - Phalacrocorax magellanicus
Black-crowned Night Heron - Nycticorax n. cyanocephalus
Ruddy-headed Goose - Chloephaga rubidiceps
Upland Goose - Chloephaga leucoptera
Kelp Goose - Chloephaga hybrida malvinarum
Patagonian Crested Duck - Lophonetta s. specularioides
Falklands Flightless Steamer Duck - Tachyeres brachypterus
Yellow-billed Teal - Anas flavirostris
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura falklandica
Red-backed Buzzard - Buteo polyosoma
Striated Caracara - Phalcoboenus australis
Crested Caracara - Polyborus p. plancus
Peregrine (Cassin's) Falcon - Falco peregrinus cassini
Pied or Magellanic Oystercatcher - Haemantopus leucopodus
Black Oystercatcher - Haemantopus ater
Two-banded Plover - Charadrius falklandicus
Falkland Skua - Catharacta skua antarctica
Dominican Gull - Larus dominicanus
Dolphin Gull - Larus scoresbii
South American Tern - Sterna hirundinacae
Short-eared Owl - Asio flammeus sanfordi
Tussac Bird - Cinclodes antarcticus antarcticus
Dark-faced Ground Tyrant - Muscisaxicola macloviana macloviana
Falkland Thrush - Turdus falcklandii falcklandii
Falkland Pipit - Anthus correndera grayi
Grass Wren - Cistothorus platensis falklandicus
Long-tailed Meadowlark - Sturnella loyca falklandica
Black-throated Finch - Melanodera m. melanodera
Black-chinned Siskin - Carduelis barbata