Life Cycle

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July-August-September
• Re-establishing pair bonds
• Nest building & Mating
• Egg laying

August – September – October
Incubating eggs — 35 days
Guarding and feeding chicks 2 – 3 weeks

October – November – December
Both parents returning daily to feed chicks 5-6 weeks
Chicks banded at 5 weeks
8 weeks chicks fully grown
Parents abandon fledglings - 2 weeks at sea
Fledglings leave nest go to sea for 6 months to a year
Early season breeders start the process again

December – January – February
2nd clutches started
Or adult birds come and go, doubling body weight in preparation for moulting

March – April
Moulting
Adult and juvenile birds return to nest boxes for 2 – 3 weeks whilst old feathers fall out and new ones grow. It is a very stressful time as birds are unable to go to sea. Fasting, body's puff up and they get very dehydrated and grumpy.

May – June
Birds return to sea for 2 -3 weeks to re-establish body weight 1000 – 1200g.
Come and go from colony depending on availability of food close to shore. Prepare for another busy breeding season.

Growth of chicks 40g to 1kg in 4-5 weeks; this is equivalent a 2.5kg baby growing to 75kg in 2 years.