ENDERBURY 
>RAFT 
nnr; 
-i-'XiuU 
TROPICBIED NEsts are difficult to find this ailewaRee factor my be 30 to 
50$ of the number of nest actually counted. The proportions of 3*=*Hg_ a »4 
nests with young and nests with eggs are consistent and this proportion 
is more accurate than the total number of nests. 
Table 
■Egg 1963 
§Hhr-¥ € .1964 
' £g-r—¥g-r I 965 
Red-tailed Tropicbird Nests on Enderbury 
February 
1-lay 
U ) 
6 - 00-00 
(j ) 
6 - 1-00 
July 
114- (?>l) 
150-53-124 
(7! ft') 
139-56-110 
November 
(>h) 
l-oo-ll 23 
(lO 
00-00-75 
1 ^- 90—60 
The first figure represents the number of nests with an egg, the second the n 
number with sma 1 chicks and the third the number with large chicks* 
The first eggs are laid in January or February as indicated by the two 
February counts given above. In May, 1965 there were 
old 
large young (i*e. over 30 days) present and these nests must have been 
started in the early part of rnrch* In November of 1963 and, 1964 there were stilj 
a number of large young present which must have hatched from eggs laid 
prior to mad august (i.e* 75 days previous) * These figures would indicate that* 
except for a few early and late eggs, egg laying starts in early March and 
continues into August. There is a peak period of egg laying from late 
to 
May to late June but probably no sharp increase-Aor decrea.se from this plateau. 
R e ^ r o duc tmon^ The birds nest in a variety of habitats scattered around the island 
and concentrate©** within fevep&ble areas- of favorable 
habitat, along the west t>ide. ancx to a le ser extent on the south and east sides 
Sj_ao4> ux coral (nave uecn piles up’ on me is rand and provide numerous overhaul 
as 
a 
■where she oii-as nest. The heaviest concentration -94—44^ In this habitat I 
s 
in an area several hundred yards north of the lighthouse. 
