5 
Red-footed Booby (l4 + 5 nocturnal) 
Very low numbers were recorded on the three previous cruises. A build¬ 
up of the Howland Island breeding colony might account for greater numbers 
recorded during the present cruise. Two blue-streamered birds from Howland 
Island were observed in the Grid and a banded bird from Enderbury Island 
was collected. 
Great Frigatebird (l) 
Lesser Frigatebird (l) 
Unidentified frigatebirds (8) 
Frigatebirds were fairly numerous during September and October, but 
only a single individual was recorded during the November-December cruise. 
Apparently numbers are starting to increase in the area and should continue 
to do so if new breeding cycles are begun on Howland Island. 
Ruddy Turnstone (l) 
Shorebirds are still abundant on the two central islands, especially 
Baker, but these are evidently still settled down for the winter. 
Sooty Tern (476 + 195 nocturnal) 
After reaching a low number in the Grid area during November-early 
December, this species is apparently starting to increase in numbers. 
After a year’s absence from Howland Island, swirls were present over the 
island during the present survey and presumably a new breeding cycle will 
soon commence. Birds were distributed generally throughout the Grid except 
south of Baker where only five birds were recorded for 10 and 11 February. 
Large numbers were found in feeding flocks north of the Grid on 5 nnd 4 
February. Four birds were collected during the present cruise, but none 
of these were banded. Terns, predominantly Sooty, made up 94 percent of 
the birds in feeding flocks. 
