DISTRIBUTION

Additional records and notes of birds in the Virgin Islands

"Recent immigrations, whether natural or human- assisted,illustrate current, dynamicforces of biogeography."

Robert L. Norton

HANGESINTHE insular avian com- spread of the Glossy Cowbird (Moloth- CHARADRIIDAE position of the Virgin Islands have rus bonariensis),for example, in the re- been infrequently recorded. The most gion as an introduced species.The evi- Three speciesof this family seen on recent accounts since 1960 indicate an dence is convincing, but what host or neighboringislands had not been re- increaseduse of tropical habitats by mi- hosts are paving the way for expansion corded from St. Thomas. The follow- grants and immigrants (Bond, 1974, on the Bank? Raffaele and Roby (1977) ing recordsserve to completethe pat- 1976, 1977; LaBastille and Richmond, discuss,also convincingly,the immigra- tern of migration for Semipalmated 1973; Leck, 1975; Mirecki, 1976; Nor- tion of the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus), ton, 1979; Raffaele and Roby, 1977; and (Loxigilla noctis) to St. John in 1971. Black-belliedPlover (Pluvialissqua- Robertson, 1962). How rapidly and what effect does the tarola) and Ruddy Turnstone(Aren- The northern Virgin Islandsrepresent bullfinch expansion have on established aria interpres)on the Bank. Twenty- a fairly uniform group of small islands avifauna? These questions will be dis- six Am. Golden Plover (Pluvialts on the Puerto Rican Bank. The excep- cussed in regard to breeding species of dorninica) were observed on a wet tion is Anegada where the elevation is a relict populations on the Puerto Rican golf courseon St. Thomas Sept. 13, mere 8 meters. The other major islands, Bank. 1979, about a week after Tropical St Thomas, St. John, Tortola and Vir- The annotated accounts of recent - Storm Frederic passedthe Virgin Is- gin Gorda, all have elevationsabove 389 servationsin the northern Virgin Islands lands. meters. Vegetational succession is re- treat migrants and residentsseparately. claiming much of the landscape since Nomenclaturefollows Bond (1971). SCOLOPACIDAE plantation farming ended in the 1850s. Seral stagesof successioninclude a per- Several specieshave been recorded as iod of xeric dominance which Kepler regular migrants and occasionalsum- and Kepler (1970) suggestserve as dis- MIGRANTS mer visitors. As with Charadriids, persal routes for the occurrenceof xeri- many specieslack documentation on cally adaptive land birds immigrating Pintail (Anas acuta). One adult male islands closely situated on the Bank. from similar habitats on the mainland. was observedat Europa Bay pond, The following are perhapsnot signifi- The dominant groups of migrants us- St. John, Apr. 4, 1979; providing a cant by date or location, but serve to ing these islands in transit or for over- new record for that island. Bond re- complete the pattern of occurrence wintering are: eleven duck species,twen- fers to Pintails as rare in this area. on the migratory path. ty seven shorebirds, and thirty seven passerine species, principally wood Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus). Common Snipe (Capella (Gallinago) gal- warblers. Two avian predators are also This is a regular but rare migrant in linago). Previously unrecordedfrom recorded in this , although rarely. the Virgin Islands.I observeda male St. Thomas, it has been observed as Recent immigrations, whether natural at Saba Island, off St. Thomas, Mar. early as Aug. 9 (RRV, RLN) and or human-assisted,illustrate current, dy- 22-23, 1979, while I was banding in- through early April. namic forces of biogeography. These cubating Audubon's Shearwaters forces also alert scientiststo the phe- ( Puffinus lherminiert). Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria). nomenon of turnover and equilibrium Two birds were observed Aug. 9, ratios for small islands (MacArthur and Sora (Porzana carolina). Previouslyun- 1979; providing St. Thomas with first Wilson, 1963; Mayr, 1965; Simberlof recorded from St. Thomas, a single documentation. and Abele, 1976; Terborgh, 1973 and bird was observedat the sewagetreat- 1974) of which the Virgin Islands, as a ment plant, Nadir, Dec. 17, 1978. As White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fus- group in the center of the Ar- many as five Soras were counted cicollis). This specieswas observed chipelago, lend themselves. Mar. 10, 1979, at Francis Bay pond, closely at Emmaus, Coral Bay, St Bond (1973, 1976, 1977) outlines the St. John (SRW, RLN). John, Sept. 9-16, 1979.Its largersize,

144 AmericanBirds, March 1981 compared to the Least and Semipal- 4. The Chff Swallows were observed B!ackburnian Warbler (Dendrotca fus- mated sandpipers,easily set it apart very carefully on three consecutive ca}. Two separate observation from from the other peeps. Eight birds days for comparisonof the affects of Lameshur, probably of the same were observedcarefully and the white different lighting conditions during bird, within a few days of Dec. 27, rump noted during preening and fly- observations totalling over an hour. 1978, seem to confirm the first occur- ing. They undoubtedly occur They could not be confused with rence in the Virgin Islands (AP and throughout the area during migra- Cave Swallow (P. fulva) which breed RE?JB). tion, but have gone unrecorded from in Puerto Rico, sincethey were lack- St. John. ing bully face, throat and forehead. Palm Warbler (D. palmarum). A single All individuals had dark, chestnut bird was observed on Apr. 13, 1979, throat and sides of head. At least one in Road Town, Tortola, providing Least Sandpiper (C. minutilla). Obvi- bird had a bone-white forehead, the the first observation for the British ously overlooked on St. Thomas, others were less distinctly marked; Virgin Islands. Least and Semipalmated sandpipers but the squarish tail and pale chest- are the most common of the peeps nut rump were instantly visible at a Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trt- during migration. Leasts are not re- distance. Bond (1971) records Cliff chas). Apparently considered acci- corded as frequently as pusilla, but Swallow as a rare transient in the dental on the Bank (Philibosian and arrive by Aug. 2. . One observation is Yntema, 1977), but several observa- noted from St. Croix (Philibosian tions during the past winters and this Western Sandpiper (C. mauri). This is and Yntema, 1977). spring (1979) from various locations still another peep that should be ex- suggestover-wintering, as is the case pectedthroughout the area, but went with many "rare" Parulids. Winter unrecorded from St. Thomas until PARULIDAE dates of Dec. 17, 21 and Jan. 2 on St. Aug. 9, 1979, when two birds (RRV) Thomas, Jan. 19 (JB) on St. John, were observed near the sewage treat- and a spring date of Apr. 13 on Tor- Warblers represent a great seasonal ment plant. tola, provide evidence of at least immigration to the island habitats. casual winter residency. The latter Their effect on the local population Sanderling (C. alba). Undoubtedly two records are new for those islands. overlooked in the northern U.S. Vir- of arboreal passerinesis not fully known. Robertson(1962) predicteda gin Islands, it was observedOct. 4, ICTERIDAE trend of increased observations of 1976, in St. Thomas and Sept. 2, 1979, in St. John. These are the first different Parulids favoring heavieror moist forests and that a re-evaluation recorded occurrences for these is- Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). A small flock of four birds was ob- lands. of migrants/winter residents in the National Park would confirm this. served at a golf course, St. Thomas, Sept. 13, 1979. This is the first report Short-billed Dowitcher (Lirnnodromus My observationsduring a period of from St. Thomas. They were attack- griseus). The dowitcher has been residencyat LameshurBay from Feb- ed by a Gray Kingbird (Tyrannusdo- overlookedand previouslyunrecord- ruary 1978, to October 1979, tend to minicensis). ed from St. Thomas until Dec. 17, confirm this statement. Maturing 1979, when observed at the sewage forestsare continuing to appear semi- open under the canopy and dry/scrub Northern (Baltimore) Oriole (Icterus g. plant. forests are grazed by feral donkeys, galbula). A male was observed in Road Town, Tortola, Apr. 13, 1979. Stilt Sandpiper (Micropalama himanto- keeping them semi-open. Wintering This represents the first report from pus). Stilt Sandpiperis anotherexam- warblers and vireos (Vireonidae) can B.V.I. ple of a speciesoverlooked in the nor- be expectedin these habitats at any thern Virgin Islands.First recordsfor elevation, but they prefer those habi- St. Thomas (Jan. 2, 1978) and St. tats first documentedby Robertson. RESIDENTS John (Mar. 4, 1979) belie the appar- ent abundanceof the speciesas evi- Swainsoh's Warbler (Limnothlypis dencedby estimatesat Europa Bay swainsonii). Norton (1979) reported OBERTSONREPORTED on the rarity the first occurrence in this area which pond of 200_+ (RRV) Mar. 16. of someresidents or relicts,explain- appears to have been confirmed by ing that deforestation or the introduc- another observer(JB) unaware of the tion of the mongoose(Herpestes auro- first sighting. It was observed Jan. punctatus) had extreme effects on spe- Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrho- 19, 1979, in the precise location of ciessuch as Stolid Flycatcher(Myiarchus nota). Four birds were observedfeed- the Reef Bay Trail, St. John, de- stolidus) and Common Nighthawk ing with a group of Barn Swallows scribed earlier. (Choraleliesminor), respectively.Al- (Hirundo rustica) on windswept Bor- though the present observationsare not deaux Mountain road Sept. 15-22, Cape May Warbler (Dendroica tigrina). conclusive,they suggestthat certainspe- 1979. It may be no coincidencethat An observation Apr. 13, 1979, in cies of formerly breeding landbirds still two hurricanes passed close to the Road Town, Tortola, provided the survive. Robertsonalso predicteda con- Virgin Islands at the time of first first record for the British Virgin Is- tinued expansionof the LesserAntillean sightingsof swallowsAug. 30 - Sept. lands (B.V.I.). element through the Virgin Islands

Volume 35, Number 2 145 [Puerto Rican Bank] Since his surveyin immature were observed at Lame- caslonally by a Mockingbird and a 1957, two specieshave become fairly shur. Stolid Flycatchers,considered Northern Oriole. The last two species well established on St. John. locallyendangered by the Virgin Is- may have been contagions,although landsFish and Wildlife Dept., prefer probably have developedrejector be- Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus ameri- dry semi-openscrub forest where havior to different parasites. canus). Wetmore (1927) reported they make short sorties for insects Yellow-billed Cuckoos observed or within the canopyor rarelyfrom tree Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigtlla collectedfrom mid-May through late tops. Sorrie (1975) did not locate noctis).The local rangeexpansion of August in Puerto Rico and St. Croix, stoliduson Vieques,which has ap- the bullfinch was updated (Norton, the latter station being a breeding site propriate dry habitats. 1979), but seemsto be more wide- with eggssecured in late June. Kepler spread than realized. Observations and Kepler (1970) recorded Yellow- virtually extend throughout the is- bllledsfrequently in the dry Guanica Glossy Cowbird (Molothrus bonarien- land with latest sightingsfrom Cruz Forest, Puerto Rico, during surveys sis). By way of some clarification on Bay (Apr. 23, 1979) in the west and in June and July. The speciesis the distribution of the cowbird on the Francis Bay (Mar. 10, 1979) in the known from St. John only by infre- Puerto Rican Bank, Bond (1977) was north of St. John. It appearsthat the quent sight records and there exists in error by reporting Glossy Cow- expansionwill jump the waterswhich no information concerning age or birdsfrom St. Johnprior to the sight- separate St. Thomas and Tortola molt. Karraker (in Robertson, 1962) ing of a large flock on Puerto Rico. A from St. John by only a few kilome- observed a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in flock of "150-175 birds at Cabo San ters. I have observedinterspecific Reef Bay July 20, 1959;which is con- Juan Jan. 2, 1955" was observedby conflict only with the Bananaquit sistent with the data from other Grayce (1957) which predatedKort- ( Coerebafiaveola). breedingstations on the Bank. Two right's 10-12 cowbirds in the summer observations from St. John this fall of 1955 St. John (Robertson, 1962). ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (1979) may support the thesis of This sequencewould seemto indicate an eastward movement at the same breeding in the northern Virgin Is- I WISHTO THANK Barb Allen, John Bor- lands,although the datesof Sept.6 at time as a westwardexpansion from a ing, Robin Eckhardt, An Painter, Leinster Bay and 17 (immature) at focal point of Vieques where an in- Richard Veit and Steve Wachman for Bordeaux suggestotherwise. troductionseems very probable. their notes and companyin the field; During my residencyat the Virgin specialthanks to RichardA. Dewey,Di- Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles mi- Islands Ecological Research Station, rector, Bureau of Fish and Wildlife, nor). A singlebird was observedat St. John, I have observedGlossy Conservation and Cultural Affairs, St. dusk at CassiHill, St. Thomas, Apr. Cowbirds in nearly every month of Thomas;and to Dr. MichaelJ. Canoy, 27, 1979. The date, however,suggests the period from April 1978, to Sep- Director, Virgin IslandsEcological Re- that it may have been a transient. tember 1979. A flock of 12-15 fre- search Station, Caribbean Research In- Bond (1971) reports the Common quent the mangrove in Emmaus, stitute, College of the Virgin Islands. Nighthawk as a breeder on St. Coral Bay, St. John, arriving before Thomas based on collected eggs dusk from a north-northeasterlydi- (Nichols, 1943). Mirecki (1976) ob- rection (Tortola lies about 5 km serveda small flock nestingin August north-northeastof St. John). Mirecki LITERATURE CITED on Anegada, B.V.I. There are several (1976) reporteda few cowbirdsfrom flat-roofed buildings in this area of the northern sections of Tortola. BOND, J. 1971. Birds of the West Indies St. Thomas that may give some nest- Cowbirds are no doubt established SecondEdition. Houghton Mifflin, Bos- ton, 265 pp. lng habitat to nighthawks that might in the breedingfauna of the northern ß 1973. Eighteenth supplement to the otherwise suffer from mongoose Virgin Islands,but hostsof the para- check-list of birds of the West Indies predation in natural situations. site have not been discoveredyet Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- from this area. A review of Fried- delphia. 12 pp. mann, Kiff, and Rothstein(1977) and ß 1974. Nineteenth supplement to the Stolid Flycatcher (Myiarchus stolidus). check-list of birds of the West Indies. 12 Post and Wiley (1977) suggestslikely PP. The Stolid Flycatcherwas recently re- candidates:Zenaida aurita, Myiar- ß 1976. Twentieth supplement to the ported as breedingon Virgin Gorda chus stolidus, Mimus polyglottus, check-list of birds of the West Indies. 14 (Lapper, in Bond, 1976) but infre- Vireo altiloquus, Icterus icterus, and PP. quently observed elsewherein the __. 1977. Twenty-first supplementto the Dendroica petechia. Since cowbirds check-list of birds of the West Indies. 16 northern Virgin Islands. During the are relatively new to the area, hosts PP. springof 1979, severalbirds were ob- may not havehad enoughtime to de- FRIEDMAN, H., L.F. KIFF and S I servedon St. Johnin manylocations velop rejector mechanismsto defend ROTHSTEIN. 1977. A further contri- suchas Francis Bay, Fishand Europa bution to knowledgeof the host relations progeny. Perhaps the unexplained of the parasitic cowbirds. Smithsoman Bays, and Lameshur Bay where as rarity of Myiarchus stolidus on Vie- Contributionto Zoology.No. 235.75 pp many as four Stolids were heard call- ques, St. Thomas, and St. John can GRAYCE, R. 1957. Range extensions In ing or singing from March through be attributed to parasitism. Puerto Rico. Auk 74:106. September. An adult was observed On Apr. 4, 1978, I observedfive KEPLER, C.B. and A.K. KEPLER. 1970 inspectinga nest hole site Apr. 27, Preliminary comparisonof bird species GlossyCowbirds being attackedand diversity and density in Luquillo and (BA, RLN) and Sept. 11 an adult and harassedby Gray Kingbirdsand oc- Guanica forests. Pp. E-183-188 IN A

146 American Birds, March 1981 tropical rain forest (H.T. Odum, Ed.). U. 17:23-27. Islandbiogeography theory and conserva- S. Atomic Energy Comm. NORTON, R.L. 1979. New records of birds tion practice. Science 191:285-286. L^BASTILLE, A. and M. RICHMOND. for the Virgin Islands.Am. Birds 33:145- SORRIE, B.A. 1975. Observations on the 1973. Birdsand mammalsof AnegadaIs- 146. birds of Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. land, .Caribbean J. PHILIBOSIAN, R. and J.A. YNTEMA. Carib J. ScL 15:89-103. Science 13:91-110. 1977. Annotated checklist of the birds, TERBORGH, J. 1973. Chance, habitat and LECK, C.F. 1975. Notes on unusual and rare mammals, reptiles, and amphibians of the dispersalin the distribution of birds in the birds of St. Croix. Condor 77:107. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Informa- West Indies. Evolution 27:338-349. M^cARTHUR, R.H. and E.O. WILSON. tion Services, Frederiksted, St. Croix, ß1974. Preservation of naturaldiversity: 1963. An equilibrium theory of insular U.S. Virgin Islands. 49 pp. The problemof extinctionprone species. zoogeography. Evolution 17:373-387. POST, W., and J.W. WILEY. 1977. The Bioscience 24:715-722. MAYR, E. 1965. Avifauna: Turnover on is- shiny cowbird in the West Indies. Condor WETMORE, A. 1927. Birds of the Puerto lands. Science 150:1587-1588. 79(1):119-121. Rico and Virgin Islands. New York Acad- MIRECKI, D.N. 1976. Report of the Cam- RAFFAELE, H.A. and D. ROBY. 1977. The emyof Science,Scientific Survey of Puer- bridge ornithological expedition to the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch in the Virgin to Rico and the Virgin Islands.pp. 245- BritishVirgin Islands.Churchill College, Islands. Wilson Bull. 89:338-342. 598. Cambridge,United Kingdom. 44 pp. ROBERTSON, W.B., JR. 1962. Observa- NICHOLS, R.A. 1943. The breedingbirds tions on the birds of St. John, Virgin Is- of St. Thomas and St. John, Virgin Is- lands. Auk 79:44-76. --P.O. Cruz Bay, St. John, U.S.V.L, lands. Mere. Soc. Cubans Hist. Nat. SIMBERLOF, D.S. and L.G. ABELE. 1976. 00830.

First North American photographic record of the Redwing {Turdus iliacus} William A. Montevecchi, Bruce Mactavish, and Ian R. Kirkham

N JUNE25, 1980, we observed a Red- Vickery (1980b) the provenance of this wing (Turdus iliacus) in a wooded occurrence remains in doubt owing to area off the Goose Cove Road, just the proximity of John F. Kennedy Inter- south of St. Anthony, Newfoundland national Airport, where extraordinary (51 ø22' N, 55ø35' W). Our attention was escapeesfrom bird shipmentshave been first drawn to the bird on hearing a occasionally found. strange and very distinct song that fits Redwings breed in Iceland and have Voous's (1960) description: a seriesof strayed to . The bird sighted clear robin-like notes followed by pro- in Newfoundland was very likely coinci- tracted warbling sounds(see also Peter- dental with two other European va- son, Mountford and Hollom 1966). We grants i.e. Pink-footed Goose (Anser observed the bird for about one hour, as brachyrhynchus)and European Wigeon Figure 1. Redwing (Turdus iliacus) photo- it flew among the coniferoustrees in the (Marecapenelope) and a regular migrant graphed just south of St. Anthony, New- area, alighting frequently to perch and from the to America, foundland on June 26, 1980. Photo/W.A. MontevecchO. sing. a Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) all On June 26, Montevecchi and Kirk- sighted in the area in May (Vickery --Department of Psychology,Memorial ham returned to the same location, 1980a). University of Newfoundland, St. again found the Redwing flying about We are grateful to Dr. W. Earl God- John's, NewfoundlandA lB 3X9, (Mon- and singingfrom a number of perches, frey for examining the photograph and tevecchi, Kirkham); P.O. Box 274, and photographedand observedthe bird transparency and confirming the identi- L'Anse-aux-Meadows, Newfoundland for about two hours. The Redwing ap- fication and to Roy Ficken for printing AOK 2XO, (Mactavish). parently maintained this territorial be- the photograph. The Redwing was ob- havior in the same location for at least served during field work supported by a 16 days, as the bird was seen again on Vice-President's Grant from Memorial [It shouldbe noted that there is generalagree- June 30 by Norm Chesterfield, and Mac- University of Newfoundland. ment among those observerswho studiedthe QueensCounty, N.Y., Redwing, that despite tavish found it singingin the same area LITERATURE CITED its proximity to JFK airport, it was not an on July 11. The Redwing was not found escape.Turdus thrushesare not often caged by a birder who searchedthe area on Ju- PETERSON, R.T. 1980. A Field Guide to and not easily transported; a survivor of a ly 17. the Birds East of the Rockies. Houghton- transatlantic flight would have shown dam- The photograph in Fig. I shows the Mifflin CO., Boston. 384 pp. age to primariesand rectrices,which this bird , G. MOUNTFORT and P.A.D. HOL- did not; there was no evidence of scalyfoot diagnosticcharacteristis of the Redwing: LOM. 1966. A Field Guide to the Birds of infection, to which captive Turdids are highly the supercilliaryeye stripe, wide white Britain and . Second Edition. susceptible;the bird's behavior in the field stripe below the cheek, streaking on the Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. 344 pp. was typicallywild. Further, the February date breast, and chestnut flanks. The only VICKERY, P.D. 1980a. Northeastern Mari- might have mirrored Redwing behavior in previous North American sightingof a time Region. Am. Birds 34:754-757. Europe, sincethey often move south in mid- ß 1980b. NortheasternMaritime Region. winter. Finally, many of the rarities recorded Redwing was at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Am. Birds 34:875-877. at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge are birds Refuge, Queens County, New York on VOOUS, K.H. 1960. Atlas of European that could only have arrived under their own February 20-24, 1959, and as noted by Birds, N.Y., Nelson, 284 pp. power.--Ed.]

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