Nesting Seabirds On The Kaikue-Lagartija Island Nature Sanctuary, Calbuco Archipelago, Southern Chile

Kaikue-Lagartija Island, one of the few sites in the Calbuco Archipelago (southern Chile) that is still in its natural state, has been declared a Nature Sanctuary. However, little has been published regarding the island's natural history. Here we describe the assemblage of nesting seabirds on Kaikue-Lagartija Island, including estimates of abundance, during the breeding seasons of 2012/13, 2014/15, and 2015/16 for eight species found nesting. The Magellanic Penguin Spheniscus magellanicus is the most abundant seabird on this island, with a breeding population of around 200 pairs. The number of nesting pairs of Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus increased from 17 to 23 active nests during the study. Only one pair of Red-legged Cormorant Phalacrocorax gaimardi and five pairs of Rock Shag Phalacrocorax magellanicus nested on the island. In the 2012/13 season, five pairs of the Imperial Shag Leucocarbo atriceps nested, but the area was subsequently colonized by roosting Peruvian Pelicans Pelecanus thagus. Also observed were Fuegian Steamer Ducks Tachyeres pteneres, Dark-bellied Cinclodes Cinclodes patagonicus, and Snowy Egrets Egretta thula. Clearly, the Kaikue-Lagartija Island Nature Sanctuary, though small, is of high value for the conservation of seabirds endemic to Patagonia. Future lines of research for the conservation of nesting seabirds on the island were identified.