P .Woodward 
SIC 9 
Species Accounts 
McKean Island - 22 Sept. I965 
Wedge"tailed Shearwater : ^0 to 75 birds were sittting on the guano heap at night. 
A few birds in the burrows during the night but no eggs found. Probably 2OO-3OO birds 
present. 
Christmas Shearwater : One adult was caught on the guano heap during the day. Its brood 
patch was bare. 
Audubon^s Shearwater: Perhaps 2000 birds present on the island. A few seen sitting on 
eggs. Birds seem less common than on previous trips. The under tail coverts are white. 
Brown Boobv : None found nesting and on^y a few seen. 
Red-footed Booby : Between 300 and ^00 birds are roosting in the Sida behind camp and 
along the north shore. Most of the nests contain eggs. Two white phase birds were seen-- 
one incubating an egg. 
Lesser Frigatebird : (21 Sept) Found an egg that was the shape of a golf ball and a 
little sma1ler. (22 Sept) Population estimates - north shore (of lagoon) colony - 6OO 
nestlings , 150 eggs. -- East shore colony - 250 nestlings, 125 eggs. Most of the 
young are very small. Found one nest about 2.5 ft. off the ground in a Sida bush 
by the north shore colony (23 Sept) Found another nest in a Sida bush that was almost 
on the ground. 
Ruddy f^Turnstone : Saw two red-rumped birds in the lagoon 
Sooty Tern : Colony of 10-155000 birds present, mostly in the area behind camp but 
some birds are roosting on the other side of the lagoon. Large flying immatures are 
present. One thing I ha vent seen this time is adult birds that have been caught in 
the Sida and killed. 
Gray-backed Tern : Perhaps 8OOO birds present mainly in the rocky areas. There is 
a nesting colony (eggs) in a Lepturus area down by the lagoon near camp. All stages 
are present but I think there are more eggs or at least an equal number of eggs and 
large chicks. Some chicks are brown while others are gray. All nests seen have been 
on bare substrate with no vegetation present. The chicks bldnd in beautifully with 
the rocks. 
Brown Noddy : Only a very few small chicks present. Perhaps 300“500 nests with eggs 
are here. Almost no nests in the Sesuvium by the lagoon. Total population 3^00 
Black Noddy : Two groups of nests found - one in the middle of the stone walls and the 
other one on the end buildings (north). One nest in Sida and the rest on the walls. 
At least 15 nests, all with eggs , present. The nests on the walls contain a small 
amount of vegetation (Sesuvium, and Boerhavia identified) with the egg in the center. 
They have about a 3*5 inch diameter. Nest in the Sida was about 2 inches deep and had 
a 3"^ inch diameter. 
Blue-gray Noddy : Perhaps 6OOO birds scattered all over the island. Many nests present 
mostly with eggs. The chicks are white when they hatch. 
White Tern : Many nests present. Eggs laid on rocks and logs with no nesting matieral. 
A couple of young birds were seen. 
Red-tailed Tropicbird : 2O-3O nests on the island. All stages present. Birds are 
most common in the rocky areas*. 
