The Surf-bird 
Taken at Coronado Beach Photo by Donald R. Dickey 
SURF-BIRDS A-WING 
General Range. —The Pacific Coast of the Americas, breeding presumably in 
northwestern Alaska (Kowak River), and although wintering north as far as south¬ 
eastern Alaska (Willett), migrating south to the straits of Magellan. 
Occurrence in California. —Not common migrant coastwise. Of regular 
occurrence at certain “ports of call,” rocky headlands, or secluded bays dotted with 
rocks, both in spring and fall. Casual in winter—Monterey, Jan. 12 (Grinnell). 
Authorities.—Heermann, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv., vol. x., 1859, p. 64 (Farallon 
Ids.); Howell, Pac. Coast Avifauna, no. 12, 1917, p. 50 (s. Calif, ids.); Dawson, Condor, 
vol. xv., 1913, p. 5, figs. (Santa Barbara; photos). 
THE LATIN word ignoramus practically summarizes our knowledge 
of the Surf-bird after a century and a quarter of scientific contacts. 
Records of occurrence, beginning with that of Gmelin, published in 1789, 
are still slowly accumulating. The bird’s known range has been from the 
type locality of Prince William Sound north to the Kowak River in 
Alaska, and south to the Straits of Magellan. The species is of fairly 
regular but by no means common occurrence at certain favored stations, 
chiefly rocky points along the California Coast, during May and Sep¬ 
tember, and there are scattering summer and winter records. Yet for 
all these “records,” there is not in all ornithological literature combined 
a spoonful of meat regarding the Surf-bird’s habits or song or psychology. 
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