GRAY-BACKED TERN 
Annotated List — p.2. 
S 
LISIANSKC 
L£# 13 June, 16 - 19 , '66 (ESS Kept) 
Estimated Population - 
Pests 'with eggs — 
Banded ---— 
Collected -- 
Blood samples —-- 
7.500 adults , 
2.500 young 
1, 000 
none 
none 
none 
These birds bred in scattered flocks under , Scaevola on all iparts of the 
island. . Most young were fully feathered and flying but many still had 
bob-tails. A few eggs and small young were still to be found. 
Various Estimates 
Crossin .Shelton Balcomb ‘ Smith 
10 , 00 (T 5 , 000 1 , 500 10 , 000 adults 
25 % chicks 500 nestlings and immatures 
LB# 17 Oct. 18-20, ! 66 (KB Kept) Estimated population -—-- none seen 
LS/fi 18 Mar. 19-20, * , 67 (CDH Hept) Estimated population-* 100 + adults 
26 + eggs 
20 eggs measured. All nests under Scaevola and morning glory on sandy soil. 
All eggs were in slight depression in sandy soil. 
Small groups of nesting birds scatterred here and ‘there under Scaevola 
Three groups of birds yielded a total of 26 eggs. Total island, population 
appears to be around^100 birds at the present time. One egg that was brokep 
had beep barely incubated. Several hundred on south end of island, j 
L3^ 19 June 2-6, *67 (DBS kept) Estimated population -- 15,000 
Number of nests --------- 5?000 
Large concentrations of nesting birds were around the Scaevola fringe 
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and in scatterred nesting areas in the center. There were small chicks 
in all the nesting areas, but most of the nests had eggs (in all .stages 
of incubation). Several half-grown chicks were found, but none which were v 
near flying stage. Population estimates are not much more than aigufess. 
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(FCT) Total population estimate: 5?000. The Gray-backed Terns seem 
father along in their cycle on this island than on Pearl and Hermes. 
A large number of immatures and large chicks were noted. Also no large 
concentration as at P&H were noted. The individuals appeared to be 
--scattered. 
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