Annotated List of Birds Observed on Christmas Island, October to December 1953 JOSEPH E. KINd IN OCTOBER 1953, the Pacific Oceanic Fishery low, averaging about 10 feet or less in eleva­ Investigations of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife tion, except along the southern shore of the Service landed a small field party (the author Bay of Wrecks where there are scattered sand and Mr. Richard Shomura) on Christmas Is­ dunes which may reach 40 feet in height. land for the purpose of installing weather The rainfall is quite variable but averages instruments and sea thermographs, and to 25 to 35 inches a year (Bryan, 1942). Frag­ conduct a tuna bait-fish survey of the lagoon. mentary records show an annual range from We were on the island from October 23 to 10 inches to as much as 100 inches. The air December 9, 1953, and although our time temperature varies from a minimum of 68° was generally occupied with the duties men­ or 70° F. to a maximum of 106° F. (Went­ tioned above, we had many opportunities to worth, 1931). observe the interesting bird life of the island. Christophersen (1927) records 24 species As Christmas and other islands of the Line of vascular plants as growing naturally on Island group (Fanning, Washington, and Christmas Island. These include Tournefortia Palmyra) are rarely visited by ornithologists, argentea trees, clumps ofScaevola frutescens and we thought it worthwhile to report our ob­ other low shrubs, grasses, and herbs. Al­ servations. though all the coconut palms now seen on the The author is indebted to Dr. Frank Rich­ island have been planted, there were a few ardson for his helpful review of the manu­ palm trees present at the time of Captain script. Cook's visit in 1777. There are now extensive coconut groves in the northwestern, northern, Christmas Island (Fig. 1), lies in the equa­ southwestern, and southern parts of the torial Pacific about 1,200 miles south of Ha­ island. waii at 2° N. latitude, 157° W. longitude. It The vertebrate fauna of the island consists is about 35 miles in length, in a northwest­ mainly ofthe fishes that abound in the lagoon southeast direction, and about 17 miles in and coastal waters and the abundant bird life width. The island is a large coral atoll with that forms the subject of this report. In addi­ a perimeter of about 105 miles. Enclosed tion there are lizards, rats, and cats; many of within the outer coast is an area estimated at the latter roam in a wild state, and while they 382 square miles, ofwhich approximately 250 may help keep down the rat population, they are land and 107 are lagoon; about 25· square also without doubt prey on the ground­ miles are occupied by numerous salt lakes nesting birds. (Wentworth, 1931). The island is generally Great Britain claims sovereignty over the island and has brought in natives from the 1 Fishery Research Biologist, U. S. Fish and Wild­ life Service, Honolulu. Gilbert and Ellice Colony to provide a labor 42 Birds of Christmas Island - KING 43 MOTU UPOU MOTU TABU 2° 11I------------- ;::----------------IlI 2°N FIELD POLAND 50' ·50' v .' {:>" 1 l~ 40' ~A b,IF lie ole JA'N \r\, 40' ~f\ '. .C r----. i;)CHRISTMAS I. .~ " FIG. 1. Chrisrmas Island, showing locations referred to in the t~xt and the island's general position in the central Pacific (inset). (Drawn with modifications from USN Hydrographic Office Chart No, 1839,) force for the plantation. There. is no indi­ land." The vessels stayed at anchor several genous population, days to permit the men to refresh themselves A review of the literature describing the and to observe an eclipse of the sun. Cook avifauna of Christmas Island begins with the reports that there were no traces of human account ofits discoverer, CaptainJames Cook. beings having been there before and that the On the afternoon ofDecember 24, 1777, Cap­ number of coconut trees did not exceed 30. tain Cook brought his ships the "Resolution" He had the following to say about the animal and the "Discovery" to anchor off the west life ibid" p. 188-189): shore of the island, On the next day-Christ­ Under the low trees above-mentioned, sat infinite numbers of a new species of tern, or, egg-bird. These mas Day-he and his men went ashore at are black above, and white below, and with a white Cook Island (Fig. 1), a small patch of coral arch in the forehead [apparently sooty terns]; and are and sand separated from the main island. He rather larger than the common noddy. Most of them had lately hatched their young, which lay under old states (Cook, 1784), "As we kept our Christ­ ones, upon the bare ground. The rest had eggs; of mas here, I call this discovery Christmas Is- which they only lay one, larger than that of a pigeon, 44 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. IX, January, 1955 bluish and speckled with black. There was also a good Christmas Island. Specimens of the kokiko­ many common boobies; a sort that are almost like a gannet [most likely the blue-faced booby]; and a SOOty kiko, Conopoderas aequinoctialis aequinoctialis or chocolate-coloured one, with a white belly [the (Latham), collected at this time have been brown booby]. To this list we must add men-of-war described by Murphy and Mathews (1929). birds; tropic-bitds; curlews; sand-pipers; a small land­ bird like a hedge sparrow [the kokikokiko, as named The following is a list, with a few life­ by the Gilbertese]; land crabs; small lizards; and rats. history notes, of the birds seen by the author The whaling ship "Tuscan" stopped at during his stay on Christmas Island from Christmas Island in May, 1835. Bennett October 23 to December 9, 1953. In general, (1840) gives an interesting account of the Peters (1931, 1934) has been followed in re­ visit and states that, "Here and there among spect to scientific names. the low thicket scrubs are vast rookeries of aquatic birds, whose clamour is deafening." Puffinus nativitatus Streets, Christmas Shear­ He mentions "sooty terns," "red-tailed tropic water. Abundant. Observed nesting with birds," "pure snow white petrels," probably eggs and young on the islets ofMotu Tabu white terns, "boobies," blue-faced boobies and Motu Upou within the lagoon. Nests from the description, other "terns," probably were in shallow tunnels or depressions over­ noddies, "frigate birds," "petrels," "curlews," hung with grass or low shrubs. bristle-thighed curlews, "quail," probably Pterodroma alba (Gmelin), Phoenix Petrel. golden plover, and a "sparrow-like land bird," Abundant. Observed nesting with eggs the kokikokiko. (Fig. 2d) and young on the islets of Motu Streets (1877) visited Christmas Island in Tabu and Motu Upou. This petrel could the vessel "Portsmouth'; during the course of be seen throughout the day, flying low the United States North Pacific Surveying over the land and lagoon, and was more Expedition of 1873-75. Nine species of birds commonly seen over land than was the were reported and a collection was made. Christmas shearwater. Nesting habits were Father Emmanuel Rougier (1914), who at one the same as for that species. ' time held a lease on the island, has published Nesofregetta albigularis (Finsch), White-throat­ one of the most complete descriptions of ed Storm Petrel. Uncommon. Observed Christmas Island, including its flora and fauna. near shore (October 22) when we were ap­ He lists the following birds: frigate bird, proaching the island from the north, and sooty tern, grey-backed tern, Necker Island seen on several occasions flying over the tern, Hawaiian tern, noddy tern, white tern, lagoon and outer beach. One bird of this Christmas Island shearwater, red-tailed tropic species was found nesting, with one egg, bird, blue-faced booby, red-footed booby, on the islet of Motu Tabu. The egg was in and the kokikokiko (a small land bird), a a shallow depression over-hung by a thick total of 12 species. Kirby (1925) reports 11 cover of grass. species of sea and shore birds (including the Phaethon rubricauda melanorhynchos Gmelin, bristle-thighed curlew, wandering tattler, and Red-tailed Tropic Bird. Abundant. Ob­ golden plover) plus several kinds of migra­ served nesting with eggs and young (Fig. tory ducks (which he does not name) as oc­ 2c) throughout the island: Egg usually was curring on the island. He states that birds placed under the low shrubs of Scaevola or have been greatly reduced in number (prior the larger Tournefortia. to 1925) throughout the Line Islands as a Sula sula rubripes Gould, Red-footed Booby. result of land clearing and other disturbances Abundant and generally distributed by man. In 1921 the Whitney Expedition of throughout the island. Nests with eggs the American Museum of Natural History and young (Fig. 2e) were observed princi­ carried on an investigation of the birds of pally in Tournefortia trees. Birds of Christmas Island - KING 45 FIG. 2. Some of the birds ofChristmas Island; photographed by the author. a, Young white tern on the remains of a nest of the white-capped noddy; b, young white-capped noddy on the nest; c, red-tailed tropic bird with young; d, Phoenix petrel with egg; e, red-footed booby with young; f, blue-faced booby with eggs. 46 PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. IX, January, 1955 Sula dactylatra personata Gould, Blue-faced almost barren of vegetation. Booby. Common but considerably less so Anous minutus minutus Boie, White-capped than S. s. rubripes. Eggs and young were ob­ Noddy. Common. Was nesting with eggs served principally in the less visited areas.