Annotated List of 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. 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 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 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 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 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 , or, -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 ]; 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 ; 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." nativitatus Streets, Christmas Shear­ He mentions "sooty terns," "red-tailed tropic water. Abundant. Observed nesting with birds," "pure snow white ," 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 . 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 . 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 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 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. and young on Cook Island, Motu Tabu The eggs are deposited on the ground in a and Motu Dpou (Fig. 2b). The nest was slight depression with no nesting materials constructed of leaves, twigs, and grass and (Fig. 2f). A booby ofthis species was seen placed in the Tournefortia trees. setting on two eggs on October 28, one of Gygis alba candida (Gmelin), White Tern. which hatched on December 8 indicating Abundant. Observed with eggs and young that the incubation period exceeds 42 days. (Fig. 2a) on Cook Island, Motu Tabu, and Sula leucogaster plotus Forster, Brown Boody. Motu Dpou. The egg is deposited on a Common in certain areas, such as the Bay bare horizontal trunk or limb of the larger of Wrecks and Benson Point. No eggs or shrubs or trees. The eggs are easily dislodged young were seen. and the writer returned many eggs, which Fregata minorpalmerstoni Gmelin, Frigate Bird. had fallen to the ground, to their former Abundant, but not observed ro be nesting. location after flushing the incubating adult These birds seemed to make their living bird. These terns were observed returning primarily at the expense of the boobies, to their young with what appeared to be which they would attack by diving from a four to six small fish lined up in their . considerable height and continually tor­ This feat has been noted many times and ment until the unfortunate booby sur­ while it is thought that the tongue may rendered its food. Specimens in immature assist in the operation, the details of the were common. phenomenon still remain a mystery. Sterna fuscata oahuensis Bloxham, Sooty Tern. Anas acuta tzitzihoa Vieillot, Pintail Duck. The most abundant bird on the island. Was One or two ducks of this species were present in large numbers in October but occasionally sighted in the ponds near the appeared in huge congregations in the lat­ airfield. From the shore of the Bay of ter part of November and started to nest in Wrecks, on November 18, a flock of about the first week'bfDecember. The main nest­ 20 birds thought to be pintails, were seen ing areas were located in the northwestern flying in off the ocean from the northeast. part of the island, between Poland and Pluvialis dominica fulva (Gmelin), Pacific Paris, on Cook Island, and on parts of the Golden Plover. Abundant. Occurrin,g gen­ large southeastern peninsula. erally throughout the island even in the Thalasseus bergii cristatus Stephens, Crested streets ofthe native village. In fact it seemed Tern. Common; not observed to be nest­ more abundant in the dry areas with little ing. This is the largest tern of the Pacific vegetation than along the beaches and mud and not previously reported for Christmas flats. During the period of our visit birds Island. were seen in a variety of plumage patterns Anous stolidus pdeatus (Scopoli), Common from the dark-breasted breeding plumage Noddy. Common but found with eggs only to the light-breasted winter condition. on Cook Island during our visit. Eggs were Numenius tahitiensis (Gmelin), Bristle-thighed deposited on the ground under Scaevola Curlew. Common to abundant. Observed shrubs. in many different habitats on the island, Procelsterna cerulea cerulea (F. D. Bennett), from the dry interior areas to the ocean and Blue-grey Noddy. Abundant. Observed lagoon beaches. with eggs and young on Cook Island and Heteroscelus icanus (Gmelin), Wandering Tat­ Motu Tabu. The eggs were found in areas tler. Probably the most abundant shore Birds of Christmas Island - KING 47

. bird on the island, occurring almost every­ ews) has been observed by the author on where near water. Fanning and Washington islands but not on Arenaria interpres interpres (Linnaeus), Turn­ Christmas, and according to Kirby (1925) it stone. Small flocks of these birds were seen does not occur there. The author has also on three occasions at the ponds near the admired the brightly colored parakeets, Vini airport. kuhlii (Vigors), on Fanning and Washington Crocethia alba Pallos, Sanderling. One bird of islands but did not find them on Christmas this species was seen near London Village and probably they have never become estab­ on the morning of November 7. lished there (Tristram, 1883). The black­ Larus delawarensis Ord, Ring-billed Gull. An footed albatross (Diomedea nigripes Audubon) immature specimen of this species was is common in the temperate and subtropical sighted in the lagoon behind London Vil­ North Pacific and has been observed by the lage on November 15. It was examined at author as far south as 7° N. latitude (on close range twice that day arid again the December 14, 1953). It may occasionally visit next two days, but not seen thereafter. This the Line Islands area, but as yet we have not bird is certainly a rare visitor to the central encountered it there on any of the several Pacific and the author is not aware of any POFI cruises from 1950 to 1954. previous record of the species for the Line Except for the golden plover, tattler, and Island group. curlew, there was a general lack of shore birds Conopoderas aequinoctialis aequinoctialis (Lath­ on the island during the period of our stay. am), Kokikokiko. Common in the higher Ducks also were scarce. About the middle of and more dense growths of Tournefortia. November, Mr. Phil Palmer of Fanning Is­ Old nests were found but none containing land, which is about 150 miles northwest of eggs or young. This species is flycatcher­ Christmas, reported that a large number of like in appearance and is the only native ducks had just arrived on that island during land bird on the island. These birds stayed a rainstorm. Apparently none of these birds close to cover and were rarely seen in flight. reached Christmas. Some information ofinterest and value was Although the author was in the field every obtained from Latia, the "old man" of the day during the 7-week stay and covered the island. He reported that on Christmas Island island rather thoroughly several times, except the sooty terns have two nesting periods: a for the long peninsula extending to the south­ mid-winter period from December to March, east, it is very probable that the above list and a mid-summer period from June to Au­ is not complete for the period of our visit. gust. About equal numbers of birds take part For example, the wedge-tailed shearwater in each nesting. The red-tailed tropic birds (Pujjinus pacificus chlororhynchus Lesson), one nest from June to January and the frigate of the most abundant of the birds from December to June. There are some in the mid-Pacific, is reported to nest on the and petrels nesting throughout island (Alexander, 1928; Murphy, 1951) but the year. The boobies have eggs; and young was not seen there during our visit. The gray­ over a good part of the year, particularly dur­ back tern (Sterna lunata Peale) is supposed to ing the fall and winter months. Usually a few occur throughout Oceania (Alexander, 1928) ducks show up each winter but never in great and has been observed on Christmas Island numbers. Mr. Richard Cooper, British Officer (Rougier, 1914). We believe we sighted this for the Line Islands, reported that the small bird on a few occasions but were not able to land bird, called the "kokikokiko" by the identify it with certainty. The white-tailed Gilbertese, lays its eggs in the summermonths. tropic bird (Phaethon lepturtts dorotheae Math- In summary, 22 species of birds were iden- PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. IX, January, 1955 tified on Christmas Island during the period 395 pp. Richard Bentley, London. October 23-December 9, 1953. Of this num­ BRYAN, E. H. 1942. American Polynesia and ber, 11 species were observed with eggs or the Hawaiian Chain. 253 pp. Tongg Pub­ with eggs and young. The author believes lishing Co., Honolulu. this to be the first report of the occurrence CHRISTOPHERSEN, ERLING. 1927. Vegetation of the crested tern and the ring-billed gull on of Pacific equatorial islands. Bernice P. Christmas Island or for the Line Island area. Bishop Mus. Bul. 44: 1-79. COOK, JAMES. 1784. A voyage to the Pacific ADDENDUM Ocean undertaken by the Command of His Majesty for making discoveries in the Northern Since the submission of this manuscript Hemisphere. Vol. 2, 549 pp. W. and A. the author has made another visit to Christ­ Strahan, London. mas Island, June 5 and 6, 1954. Other duties KIRBY, HAROLD, JR. 1925. The birds of Fan­ prevented a thorough survey of the Island, ning Island, central Pacific Ocean. Condor but through the courtesy of British District 27(5): 185-196. Officer Percival Roberts, a short trip was MURPHY, R. C. 1951. The populations of the made to the islet of Motu Tabu. Species ob­ wedge-tailed shearwater (Puffinus pacificus). served nesting with eggs and young were the Amer. Mus. Novitates No. 1512: 1-21. Christmas shearwater, white-capped noddy, MURPHY, R. c., and G. M. MATHEWS. 1929. common noddy, white tern, and red-tailed Birds collected during the Whitney South tropic bird. The Phoenix petrel was brooding Sea Expedition. VI. (Sylviidae). Amer. Mus. eggs, but no young were seen. The blue-grey Novitates No. 350: 1-21. noddy was quite abundant on the islet, but PETERS, J. 1. 1931. Check-list of birds of the no eggs or young could be found. Sooty world. Vol. 1. xviii 345 pp. Harvard terns, crested terns, frigate birds, and red­ + University Press, Cambridge. footed boobies were observed flying over the -- 1934. Check-list of birds of the world. lagoon. Some of the Gilbertese plantation Vol. 2. xvii 401 pp. Harvard University staff informed us that the sooty terns had not + Press, Cambridge. yet started to nest but had already begun to ROUGIER, EMMANUEL. 1914. lIe Christmas, congregate on the main island for their sum­ South Seas (Oceanie). 158 pp. Brioude. mer nesting season. STREETS, T. H. UP7. Contributions to the natural history ofthe Hawaiian and Fanning REFERENCES Islands and Lower California. U. S. Nat. ALEXANDER, W. B. 1928. Birds of the ocean. Mus. But. 7: 1-172. xxiii + 428 pp. G. P. Putnam's Sons, New TRISTRAM, H. B. 1883. Notes on the birds of York. Fanning Island, Pacific. Ibis V, 1(1): 46-48. BENNETT, F. D. 1840. Narrative ofa whaling WENTWORTH, C. K. 1931. Geology of the voyage rOltnd the globe, from the year 1833 to Pacific equatorial islands. Bernice P. Bishop 1836. Vol. 1, viii + 402 pp., Vol. 2, vii + Mus. Occas. Papers 9(15): 1-25.