First Record of Black Noddy Nesting at Kure Atoll--During 13-15 July 1982 I Visitedgreen Island,Kurc Atoll, to Assistwith a Surveyon Wildlifestatus and Distribution

Home , Necker Island (Hawaii)

66] GeneralNotes J.Field WinterOrnithol. 1985 was$6.$øC (35.0-37.5, n -- 9) or only 10% lessthan the meanbody temperature $9.4øC ($8.6-40.0, n = 6) of incubatingfemales on the studytract; a situationsimilar to that in youngGreat-Horned Owls when they becomeefficient thermoregulators (Turner and McClanahan1981). Nestlingplumage developments that might affectthermoregulation abilityare the unfurlingof the prepennaceousdown over muchof the bodybeginning at aboutage 7 daysand the unfurlingof the tipsof the contourfeather quills, especially on the wings,scapulars, and dorsaltract, beginningat aboutage 14 days. When FloridaScreech-Owls achieve temperature regulation at about 14-16 daysof age at a meanweight of 72-84 g (n -- 15, Lohrer, unpublisheddata), they are similarin certainaspects of developmentto CaliforniaGreat HornedOwls that achievetemperature regulationat 28 daysof age at a weightof about 700 (88)or 1000 (•) g (Turner and McClanahan1981). Both speciesbecome efficient thermoregulators at about halfway throughtheir respectivenestling periods. In addition,both speciesare closeto or have just reachedpeak nestlingweights (Otus 80-93%, sexescombined; Bubo 95% 88, 100% •), and both are about sAof adult weight(Otus 66-75% of 109 g, O. a. floridanus,sexes combined,Lohrer, unpublisheddata; Bubo70% of 991 g c•, 76% of 1312 g •, B. v. pacificus,Earhart and Johnson 1970, Condor72:251-264). The developmentof ther- moregulationability at aboutthe samenestling stage in these2 speciesof greatlydifferent sizesuggests that this maybe a generalpattern for owls.However, more data are needed from intermediate-sizedowl speciesto confirm thisSUggestion.--FRzD E. LOVIRER,Archbold BiologicalStation, P.O. Box 2057, LakePlacid, Florida 33852. Received6 July 1983;accepted 5 Nov. 1984.

First Record of Black Noddy Nesting at Kure AtolL--During 13-15 July 1982 I visitedGreen Island,Kurc Atoll, to assistwith a surveyon wildlifestatus and distribution. I recordedBlack Noddies(Anous minutus) nesting; this is the first recordednesting of BlackNoddies at Kurc Atoll, althoughthey breed on mostisland groups in the tropical Pacificand neston mostof the leewardHawaiian Archipelago islands (Berger 1981). Background.--KurcAtoll is the farthestnorthwest atoll in the HawaiianArchipelago. Green Islandis the only inhabitableisland in Kurc Atoll; the other islandsof the Atoll are little more than sandbarswhich vary in sizeand shapeover the years. Green Islandis dominatedby the U.S. CoastGuard LORAN Station,built in 1960- 1961 and continuouslyoccupied since 1961. The stationincludes an airplanerunway, a 191 m antennatower, and a varietyof supportfacilities and crew quarters.Prior to this, the only major disturbanceby humanswas in 1955 when a radar reflectorwas built on Green Island. Before 1957, there were only two populationestimates for BlackNoddies on Green Island;neither reportednesting birds (Woodward 1972). In June 1957, Kenyonand Rice (1958) found "no indicationof nesting"although 44 adultswere seen. The mostcomprehensive seabird inventory at Kurcoccurred from 1963 to 1969during the PacificOcean Biological Survey Program (POBSP). Black Noddies were then recorded asvisitors in all monthsof the year,although generally absent from late Decemberthrough mid-March.Peak numbers occurred from May to September,with a maximumestimate of 2000 in June andJuly of 1967. Although iramaturesas well as adultswere recorded roostingon GreenIsland, and at least3 adultswere seen molting with bare brood patches in 1967, Woodward(1972) said"No indicationthat this speciesbred at Kurc wasnoted duringPOBSP studies." He further speculatedthat the BlackNoddies at Kurc werepost- breedingbirds from MidwayAtoll, where "thousandsbreed," mainlyin the winter. Various biologistsrepresenting the Hawaii State Divisionof Forestryand Wildlife (DOFAW) havevisited Kurc Atoll. Nine trip reportsand one letter in the filesof DOFAW in Honolulu summarize seabird observations from short visits which occurred from 1967 to 1982. No visitswere reported from the monthsof January,August, October, or No- vemberduring those years. In one or more of the years,Black Noddies were seenin the other months,except for May 1973 whenthe biologiststated that no BlackNoddies were seen.The reportsfrom March 1967, April 1978, and December1977 (Walker 1977) specificallystate that chicksand/or eggsand/or nestswere notnoticed. Vol.56, I•o. 1 GeneralNotes [67

On 14 July 1982, I sawapproximately 80 adult or fully-featheredBlack Noddies; somewere on nestsand chicks.Nests were in tree heliotrope(Tournefortia argentata) south of the runwayand in ironwoodtrees (Casuarinaspp.) behind the pumphousenear the Northwest Beach. In June 1983, another Divisionwildlife biologistreported someBlack Noddieson nestsin tree heliotrope south of the airport runway, but no nestswere noticed in the ironwoodtrees aroundthe buildings(Ralph Saito, DOFAW, pers.comm.). Elsewherein the HawaiianArchipelago, Black Noddies are reportedto neston "shrubs, trees,on rock ledges,in cleftsof rocks,or holesin cliffs"(Berger 1981). They build a nestwith grass,twigs, leaves, and/or seaweed.On Midway,Laysan, and Lisianskiislands in the northwestchain, they are reportedto neston ironwoodbranches; on Laysanthey also nest on naupakabushes (Scaevola), Pluchea, clumps of bunchgrass(Eragrostis), and coconuttrees (Cocos nucifera) (Ely and Clapp 1973). The nestingseason in other parts of the northwestchain is apparentlyprolonged and/or variable.Black Noddies are reportedas nesting from January to Juneon Lisianski (Clappand Wirtz 1975), from Novemberto July on Laysan(Ely and Clapp 1973) and on NeckerIsland in everymonth of the year,although not in all monthsevery year (Clapp and Kridler 1977). Therefore, July nestswith chickson Kure are consistentwith obser- vationsfrom other nearbyislands. Discussion.--GreenIsland, Kure Atoll, is a flat coral islandwith no rocky cliffsor ledgeswhich could be usedas nest sitesby Black Noddies.The commonnative shrub naupakaevidently does not providesufficiently attractive nest sites, although it is usedfor BlackNoddy nestingon other nearbyislands. Visitingbotanists have documented significant vegetative changes on Green Island, Kure Atoll, coincident with the advent of man-caused habitat alterations. Green Island receiveda largeinflux of non-nativeplants: especially accidentally introduced weed species anddeliberately introduced ornamentals, beginning in the mid-1950's during construction andhuman habitation. Some weedy species were probablybrought in asseed on construction equipmentor in soilof pottedplants. Lamoureux (1961) reported22 speciesof newly introducedweeds and cultivatedplants present immediately after the LORAN Station wasconstructed. Among thesenewly recorded plants were shadeand ornamentaltrees or tree-like species:hala (Pandanusodoratissimus), coconut trees, and someof the iron- woods.Other ironwoodsevidentally were introducedaround 1955 when the radar re- flector wasbuilt (Woodward1972, Clay 1961). The tree heliotrope,which occursas a shrubbytree just behind the beach,was first recordedin October of 1959 (Clay 1961, Christophersenand Caum 1931). It is the only tree specieson Green Islandwhich may haveestablished itself there without the aidof man(Carolyn Corn, DOFAW, pers.comm.). Another three tree specieshave been planted on Green Island sincethe early 1970's: Norfolk Islandpine (Araucariaheterophylla), Madagascar olive (Noronhiaemarginata), and seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera) (Carolyn Corn, DOFAW, pers. comm.). Of the sevenintroduced tree or tree-likespecies on Green Island,the tree heliotrope and ironwoodtrees apparently represent new nestinghabitat into whichBlack Noddies have lately expandedtheir breedingrange, althoughnesting habitat which is adequate on other islands(e.g., naupaka bushes) has been available for manyyears. Summary.--BlackNoddies (Anous minutus) were first noticedand reported as nesting on Green Island,Kure Atoll, on 14 July 1982; the nestswere situatedin tree heliotrope and ironwoodtrees. Seven tree or tree-likespecies, none of whichoccurred there in 1923, nowoccur on Green Island.All of thesespecies, except possibly the tree heliotrope,were brought to the islandon or after 1955 as intentionalor accidentalintroductions. This habitat alteration has apparentlycreated new nestinghabitat on this fiat coral island; althoughthe nativenaupaka bush is usedon other islandsfor nestingBlack Noddies, it hasnot yet been recordedas a nestsite substrateon Green Island. Acknowledgments.--Ithank R. L. Walker, M. Naughton, R. Clapp, and C. Corn for their reviews,and my employer,the Hawaii Div. of Forestryand Wildlife, for sendingme to Kure. I alsothank Derral Herbstand CharlesLamoureux for developing,along with C. Corn, the 1979 plant list for Green Island, Kure Atoll. 68] GeneralNotes J.Field Ornithol. Winter 1985

LITERATURE CITED BERGER,A.J. 1981. Hawaiianbirdlife. UniversityPress of Hawaii, Honolulu,Hawaii. CHRISTOPHERSEN,E., ANr• E. L. CAUM. 1931. Vascularplants of the Leeward Islands, Hawaii. BerniceP. BishopMus. Bull. 81:1-41. CLAPP,R. B., ANDE. KRIDLER.1977. The naturalhistory of NeckerIsland, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Atoll Res. Bull. No. 206. •, ANr•W. O. WIRTZ,II. 1975. The naturalhistory of LisianskiIsland, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Atoll Res. Bull. No. 186. CLAY,H. F. 1961. Narrative report of botanicalfield work on Kure Island, 3 October 1959 to 9 October 1959. Atoll Res. Bull. No. 78:1-4. ELY,C. A., ANDR. B. CLAPP.1973. The naturalhistory of LaysanIsland, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Atoll Res. Bull. No. 171. KENYON, K. W., AND D. W. RICE. 1958. Birds of Kure Atoll, Hawaii. Condor 60:188- 190. LAMOUREUX,C. H. 1961. Botanical observations on Leeward Hawaiian atolls. Atoll Res. Bull. No. 79:1-10. WALKER,R. L. 1977. A trip to Kure Atoll, December21-22, 1977. 'Elepaio39(11):132- 138. WOOOWARO,P. W. 1972. The natural historyof Kure Atoll, NorthwesternHawaiian Islands. Atoll Res. Bull. No. 164. MARIEMORIN, Division of Forestryand Wildlife,Department of Land and Natural Resources, 1151 PunchbowlSt., Honolulu,Hawaii 96813. Received13 Jan. 1984; accepted31 Oct. 1984.

Mirrored Windowsfor Use in Blinds.--In field studiesthe activityof one species often interfereswith the studyof another.The presenceof 6000 Glaucous-wingedGulls (Larusglaucescens) on ClelandIsland, British Columbia (7.7 ha) causedproblems during my studyof AmericanBlack Oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani). At my slightestmove- ment within the blind the gullsflew into the air, callingand alerting the oystercatchers closeby. I usedmirrored windows in my blindsto avoidthis disturbance. Thesewindows are similarto 1-waymirrors and functionas windows from insidethe blind and as mirrors from outside.The windowspermit unrestricteduse of binoculars and large windows.canbe usedwithout the birdsdetecting movements inside the blind. Although commerciallyproduced 1-waymirrors are available,the mirrored windows describedhere are lessexpensive, unbreakable and can be easilycut to neededsizes. Windowswere constructed from 6 mm thicksheet acrylic (Plexiglas, Rohm and Hass Co., Philadelphia,Pennsylvania) with a reflectiveself-adhesive film (SolarWindow Film, SpartanPlastics Inc., Holt, Michigan)applied to the inner surface.This film is available at auto supplystores as van ownersoften apply it to windowsto limit visibilityto the interior.A 50 x 300 cm sheetwas purchased locally for $22.30. I usedsilver-colored film althoughother colorsincluding gold, green, red, blue,and graywere also available. The acrylicsheet was purchased for $45.80/m:, givingan overallcost of $2.40 to $14.40 for windowsranging in sizefrom about200 cm: to 1575 cmL Larger windowswere especiallyenjoyed during long watchesand when it wasnec- essaryto havea viewof a wide area. It is particularlyimportant with the big windowsto ensurethat the surfaceof the blind behindthe observerbe darkened.My blindswere constructedwith dark fabric or lined with black plastic.In cloth blinds the mirrored windowswere suspended in front of the viewingholes with stringfrom the frame or were mountedinto pocketssewn onto the fabric aroundthe viewinghole. This filmdoes reduce visibility slightly under poor lighting conditions but theproblem can be reducedby usinglarger windowsor by cutting a smallopening in the film for observationin poor light. Rain and salt sprayon the surface,and scratcheson the film and acrylicalso decrease visibility. Substituting glass for acrylicmay eliminatethe latter problem,although this would reduce the portabilityof the windows.The advantagesof