RED-FOOTED BOOBY 
DIlAFT 
BIRDS 
Reproduction: This species nests only in the groves of .Oorcia and 
Toumefortia trees on the south and west sides of the island. There ar£ six 
-roves of cordia trees and one of Toumefortia at the south end of the island, 
a large-mixed grove of Toumefortia trees on the west side a mile north cf the 
refered to as "the frigate colony" 
lighthouse ^.nd lastly a small dense grove of Cordia ax. one "guano h-x-l 1 . 
In July, 1964 62.9$ of the nests were located in the seven groves of trees 
at the south end of the island, 2.5,6$ in"the frigate colony", anc ~i. m 
around the "guano hill". The figures for May, 1965 are within a-few- three 
oercerit of these- the July, 1964 figures and would indicate that p the proportiona oe 
breakdown of the population is similar irom year to year. 
An occassional biros nests in the dead Cordia tree near the colonists houses. 
Within"the frigate colony" there is a partial segregation 01 the boobies and 
frigates with the boobies being concentrated in a few of the peripneral areas 
and- with only an occassional bird nesting in the interior of the area. In 
the Cordia groves where the frigatebirds do not nests the booby nests are 
more numerous. 
Although only about a quarter of the population nest in"me frigaue colony 
about half of the population, particularly immature and subadult birds, 
roost there. Banding^indicates that there is considerable miximng ox biiao 
between the different colonies and . 
Banding: 1606 adults, 5 subadults, 237 immatures and 764 nestlings nave been 
banded through June, 1965. There has been considerable movement of birds 
within the Phoenix Islands, particularly to McKean and limited movement 
outside this area(i,e. over 500 miles). Birds have been recaptureu on 
Phoenix (8), McKean (21), Howland (3), Jarvis (4), Tongareva (l), and 
k Islands (l). In addition birds banded on Phoenix (8), McKean (20), 
Pukapuka, coo 
Howland (5), Jarvis (2) Christmas (l), Malden (1), and Palmyra (1; nave oecn 
recaptured on Enderbur'y. A preliminary examination of the data indicates tnat 
