r r 
I 
Blue-faced Booby 
(Sula dactylatra) 
Blue-faced Boobiesshowed no cb.ange in status from December to . .'^uary. 
One aoult and 3 immatures were identified in separate sightings ot: r different 
days. 
Red-footed Booby 
(Sula sula) 
Red-foots were the most abundant species in the Grid. The lar.-- st 
numbers were observed closest to Johnston. A total of 3h Red-fonts 
raises the total slightly from Decembers 20. The breakdown into age groups 
is; 5 adulu; 2 sub-adultsj 2$ immatures; 2 unknown. One bird than was 
captured and released had an orange-streamer but no band. 
trom the age groups present in the grid, and from the birds observed 
around Johnston it seems that the adults are feeding close to the island, while 
the young are wandering• 
Great Frigatebird 
(Fregata minor) 
Frigates appeared regularly and evenly distributed throughout m-- , of 
the Grid. The frigate population has not changed since December ar' ; about 
the same as January 1965. 
A to Lai of 11 frigates ;\^ere identified, all as single signtings. They 
were observed feeding on flying fish and hovering over boobies. The a-e and 
sex was recorded as 9 birds of which adult males number 6, immatures 2, and 
adult females !• Adult males have been noticed to out number females at 
sea, throughout the non-breeding season. Female outnumber males around the 
islands. 
Sooty Tern 
(sterna fuscata) 
A decrease of 100^ from 7k in December to zero in January was noted 
diurnaHy. This coincides with the diurnal r'esults of January 19^5* Unlike 
January 196^ during which large numbers of Booties V7ere recordec 
through at nighty only small numbers were heard this January. 7ne 
majority of Terns were found vihen closest to Johnston atoll. 
Sooties are evidently present in small numbers in the grid, i 
the population to consist of single or paired sub-adult birds ti.ai: ^ 
ship diurnally. This avoidance is accomplished by tSieir habit of jT 
the trough on windy days* Remaining in the trough allows the bird 
attain greater speeds and makes it ijupossible to detect. 
The belief that the population is of sub-adult age is basea or: 
observation and collecting of sub-acmlts, and the absence of flockr 
the adults invariably travel* 
'plleA^'e 
•Did the 
ing in 
PcembeRs 
:: which 
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