It ranges from Japan to Hawaii and perhaps other parts of the North Pacific. Schauinsland found a few on Laysan. Specimens from Lanai, a skin, wings and bones not yet identified, are probably of this species. During the "Whippoorwill" expedition on September 19, 1924, when about 9 degrees north latitude, 169 degrees west longitude, a female of this species came aboard. Several others were seen, one the next day, which showed plainly the light colored band along the wings. An investigation of the cliffs of Maui, Lanai, Kahoolawe and Hawaii and the small islets off their shores might reveal some facts about this and other sea birds.
ORDER PELECANI FORMES
The members of this order are distinguished from all other birds by all their four toes being connected by a web. Some have straight strong bills and others have bills hooked at the tip.
| PHAETHONTIDAE | Tropic Bird Family |
RED-TAILED TROPIC BIRD
| Phaethon rubricauda rothschildi (Mathews) | Plate 7, Fig. 6 |
Other name: Bos'n Bird. Hawaiian names: Koae; Koae-ula; Ula (Niihau).
This beautiful bird is almost pure white with a few small black markings. Some have a pretty rosy blush running through the feathers. The bill is strong, red in color; legs bluish gray, webs black; length 31 inches with the long red central tail feathers, which extend 14 inches beyond the others. Immature birds are barred with black on the upper parts. The downy chicks vary in color; some are white, others light brown with varying shades between.
This tropic bird breeds on islands of the Hawaiian Chain, Bonin Island and most likely it is this subspecies that is so common on the Phoenix and Equatorial Islands. Its migrations are not yet well known. It breeds on Niihau of the main group and very likely in remote shore cliffs of other islands especially Lanai.
It has a strong flapping flight which it can keep up for long periods without rest as it seldom alights on the water and can often be seen hundreds of miles from land. It cannot stand upright, but has no difficulty in taking flight from a flat surface, beating its way vigorously with its wings. In alighting it strikes the ground with a thud, the thick breast feathers and air cushion under the skin no doubt breaking the force of the impact Fishing, it dives from a height in the air striking the water with some force. It was found when banding these birds that if tossed into the air they were unable to take flight and fell to the ground with a heavy impact. This necessitates placing them on the ground after banding. An aerial mating dance performed by a large number of pairs at a time is very spectacular.
Its food is fish. It likes the long garfish which it has to fold in order to swallow.
When approaching the nest one is greeted by a harsh squawk which is kept up as long as the bird is held, making banding work unpleasant. A more shrill cry is kept up when in the air and on some islands is heard constantly overhead all day.
On low sand islands it lays its one egg on the surface in shelter of a rock or vegetation. On larger islands it lays in nooks in the face of cliffs. The egg is very thickly covered with reddish brown spots on a grayish ground. The spots are so thickly spread as to almost cover the gray ground; ovoid, 2.5x2 inches. It has a long breeding season from May till late in the year.
WHITE-TAILED TROPIC BIRD
Phaethon lepturus dorotheae Mathews
Other names: White-tailed Bos'n. Hawaiian name: Koae.
This tropic bird is a subspecies with P. I. lepturus of the Galapagos Islands. It is distinguished on the wing by its white body, a black band along the outer edge of wing, long white central tail feathers and greenish yellow bill. Its length is about 25 inches. The immature bird has black markings on upper parts and central tail feathers short The chick is covered with gray down. Henshaw mentions a "distinct rosy tinge" and "deep salmon color" in parts of the plumage. Specimens I handled on Kauai and Lanai did not show this to a sufficient extent to be noted. It may have been more pronounced on Hawaii
This bird has a wide range as far as the Tuamotus and New Caledonia. It has been seen at Midway and 100 miles or more to the north of that island. One was seen 400 miles from land on the return voyage from Midway August 8, 1891. it nests on the large islands of' the Hawaiian group but is rare on Niihau. On these islands it is most often seen flying up and down the faces of shoreline and inland cliffs with a flapping flight, uttering sharp rasping calls at frequent intervals. This flight is, most likely of the same nature as the courtship flight of the red-tailed species seen at Midway. But fewer birds participate and it is not so spectacular.
Its foods is fish; it dives from the air to catch them. One was examined which had a garfish in three folds in its gullet The part in the stomach was almost digested but the main part in the throat was perfectly fresh.
The young on the nest have a harsh cry if disturbed. The nests are found in nooks and hollows in the face of cliffs, often easily accessible. The breeding season is long, starting in April and I have seen eggs and newly hatched chicks in August One egg is laid, much streaked and spotted with red, ovoid, 2.5x1.5 inches.
| SULIDAE | Booby and Gahnet Family |
RED-FOOTED BOOBY
Sula sula rubripes Gould
Hawaiian name: A.
This small gannet is white; its head tinged with buff, upper wing-coverts and quills grayish brown not visible when the bird is sitting. Legs are red, bare skin of face and bill blue, with pink markings. Length 29 inches. There is a brown backed phase which has been considered immature but which I believe to be a mature phase. When banding in July and August 1938 on Howland, Enderbury and Jarvis Islands by taking careful counts I concluded that 98% of the birds were of the brown backed phase and on Palmyra 85%. In six visits to Moku Manu off the Oahu coast in 1937 to 1941 from May to November there were not more than 2% of the brown backed phase. The brown backed phase was present on Laysan and Lisiansky Islands in June 1891 but no estimate was made of the proportion of this phase to the white birds. Young birds in first plumage are brown, lighter underneath and some with a dark band across the breast. I believe they change quickly to the mature plumage. On October 3, 1940 I saw a red-footed booby of a uniformly beautiful gray color on Moku Manu. The egg, one in a clutch, is limy and bluish like the other gannets, 2.35x1.7 inches. The newly hatched chick has no covering when hatched. Its skin is black and exposure to the sun quickly kills it. However, a beautiful covering of pure white down soon protects it The old birds on the nests and later the large white chicks provide pretty sights on Moku Manu.
1. Hawaiian Hawk
2. Hawaiian Hawk
3. Hawaiian Hawk
4. Hawaiian Duck
5. Cackling Goose
6. Hawaiian Goose
(Three different phases of plumage.)
1. Laysan Island Rail
2. Hawaiian Coot
3. Hawaiian Rail
4. Spotted Hawaiian Rail
5. Hawaiian Gallinule
Red-footed booby (Sula sula rubripes) on nest on Moku Manu.
Photo by C. K. Wentworth.
Red-footed booby and chick on nest in