Family Anatidae 



Onl) one vagrant duck was observed (below), with an 

 overall density in Micronesia of 0.01 birds/10 km 2 . 



Northern Sho\e\er (Anas chpeata) : This Holarctic breeder 

 is a rare but regular vagrant to Oceania. Recorded locations in 

 Micronesia are the Marianas, Pohnpei east to Wake, and the 

 Marshalls (Baker. 195 1 : Pratt et al, 1987). 



We saw an unsexed bird in eclipse plumage three times 

 w ithin a half hour on 1 3 October near Pohnpei. Each time it « as 

 Hushed by the ship. Its characteristic bill shape and bicolored 

 speculum made identification relatively eas) . 



Family Charadriidae 



We observed only one member of this family in small 

 numbers during its southward migration from arctic breeding 

 grounds. 



Lesser Golden-Plover ( Plmialis dominica) : We saw five 

 golden-plovers: Phoenix Islands. Caroline Islands (north of 

 the Hall Islands and Ulithi Atoll), and in the Philippine Sea. 

 where its density was highest (0.28 birds/10 km 2 ). 



This long-legged plover breeds in Siberia and arctic Alaska, 

 migrating annually to islands throughout the tropical Pacific. 

 Most abundant from August to April, small numbers are 

 present all year ( Pratt et al.. 1 987). It is also a common migrant 

 in southeast Asia (King & Dickinson. 1975). 



During an oceanographic station on 19 October, one 

 individual, uncounted on the transects, circled the ship several 

 times and landed, remaining on board for a week, during which 

 time it weakened considerably. Its final attempt at flight 

 resulted in drowning. 



Family Scolopac idae 



Ten members and three species of this family were 

 observed, all present in small numbers scattered within the 

 Line. Gilbert, and Caroline Islands. All were migrants from 

 Holarctic breeding grounds. 



Shorebirds are rarely seen in large numbers at sea. even 

 during migration. For example. POBSP personnel on the 

 Town soul Cromwell, working replicate tracks in a 1 7 1 million- 

 ha study area from March 1964 to June 1965. observed only 

 four species, each only once (King, 1970). Nonseabird migrants 

 (sandpipers, plovers, phalaropes, and a duck) observed from 

 the R/V Akademik Korolev accounted for 1.6% of the total 

 birds seen (Pig. 3). 



Bristle-thighed Curlew (Numenius taliitiaisi.s) : One of 

 the world's least-studied shorebirds. the bristle-thighed curlew- 

 is considered rare throughout its range and is a candidate for the 



1 S Fish & Wildlife Service Endangered Species List (Gill, 

 1990; Marks et al.. 1990). During the boreal winter, it is 

 common in the Line Islands, northwest Hawaiian Islands, and 

 southeast Polynesia hut uncommon to rare elsewhere in the 

 Pacific (Pratt et al. I9S7). All our at-sea sightings were on 

 16 September in the Northern Line Islands (density 0.09 

 birds/10 km ) clustered in a small area north-northeast of 

 Fanning Island and close to Christmas Island (04 55'N to 



02 02'N, 157 00'Wto 157 37'W). Half the birds were flying 

 south, the most expected direction for September, as curlews 

 are most abundant in (he Line Islands and Tuamotus between 



October and April (Gill. 1990; Kepler et al.. Subchapter 1.2. 

 this vol.). We saw no more until arriving on Caroline Atoll one 

 week later, where we estimated a population of >300. 



Ruddy Turnstone (Armaria interpres) : Another arctic 

 breeder that winters in the Pacific, the ruddy turnstone is a 

 widespread migrant to the Pacific, mostly betw een August and 

 May. It is common from the Hawaiian Islands and Micronesia 

 south to Samoa and Fiji (Pratt et al.. 1 987). A single turnstone 

 circled the ship in late afternoon about 80 km east of Abemama 

 Atoll, Gilbert Islands, on 8 October. 



Sharp-tailed (Calidris acuminata )/Pet:(ora\ Sandpiper 

 (C. mclanotos) : These similar species are arctic breeders that 

 winter in the South Pacific. We observed five birds in fall 

 plumage flying south in a tight flock on 160ctoberat U°10'N, 

 143°17'E. Both species have been recorded from Micronesia, 

 especially C. acuminata in the western portion of the archipelago 

 (Pratt etal., 1987). 



Family Phalaropodidae 



One member of this family was found in the South China 

 Sea, one of its favored w inter quarters. 



Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lohatus) : A 

 circumpolar breeder, this phalarope migrates south to winter at 

 sea. Although it can be encountered almost anv w here in the 

 Pacific-southeast Asian region between the Aleutians and the 

 equator, it favors two areas: coastal Peru and the South China 

 Sea (Harrison, 1985). 



We first observed small flocks of this species on 

 22 October on the eastern edge of the Sulu Sea (08°59'N, 

 123 C 12'E). They continued to appear thereafter, 

 characteristically flushing from the water close to the ship's 

 sides. Those that were not flushed were observ ed resting on the 

 water surface or feeding in areas where currents or wind 

 produced debris or foam lines. 



We saw 44 phalaropes. 1 .20^ of the total number of birds 

 on the cruise. Their highest density was in the South China Sea 

 (2.96 birds/ lOknf). 



Family Stercorariidae 



Three species of skuas/jaegers were seen (N = 13) 

 plus 12 unidentified stercorariids (Table 4). The) occurred 

 primarily in Micronesia and the South China Sea. where 

 densities were 0.16/10 km 2 and 0.35/10 km. respectively. 

 None were seen in the Line and Phoenix Islands, or in the 

 Philippine Sea anil Basin (Regions I. II. V). Stercorariids 

 accounted for 0.795 of all birds observed on the cruise. 



Although ranging w idely. movementsoi skuas and jaegers 

 are little known except that some migrator) pathways tend to 

 follow coastlines (King. 1967). Some juveniles evidently 

 remain on the wintering grounds all year. 



Only the Pomarine jaeger has been recorded lor southeast 

 Asia (Tenasserim, Malaya, central Thailand, and Hong Kong) 

 (Kingcx; Dickinson. 1987:153). However. King A: Dickinson 

 noted that three other species ma) occur there. We report 

 possible first sightings of the parasitic jaeger in the South China 

 Sea. Since all siereoranid sightings are rare for the western 

 Pacific and southeast Asia, our data on I 2 unidentified species 

 follows: 



240 



