
PART I. ALBATROSS STUDIES 
lbatro Po ions in the th Pacifi 
In the planning stages of this study it was realized that 
the nature and extent of control measures recommended for albatrosses 
should depend to a large extent on the part of the total world popula- 
tion comprised by the Midway group. For this reason efforts were 
made, as soon as possible, not only to determine the populations 
af these birds on each of the two islands at Midway, but also the 
other islands where they breed. 
During late November and early December experimental sample 
counts were made at Midway. Between December 21, 1956 and June 5, 
1957, studies were conducted to obtain estimates of the 1956-57 breed- 
ing populations of Laysan and black-footed albatrosses on all the Leeward 
Islands. Kure Atoll (Green Island) and the Midway Islands were traversed 
on foot and sample or nearly complete ground counts made. Through Navy 
cooperation aerial photographs were taken of all islands except French 
Frigate Shoal, Necker, Nihoa, and Gardner Pinnacles. Estimates of popu- 
lations were based on both the ground counts and phctographic counts. 
The figures obtained (Table 1) must be considered as approximations 
which indicate the general order of magnitude of the various population 
units, with the exception of several careful ground counts as noted. 
Methods 
Three methods of obtaining albatross population estimates 
were employed: (1) Random-sample plot counts, (2) extensive ground 
counts, (3) counts on aerial photographs. 
(1) Random-sample plot counts: The total populations of both 
species on the Midway Islands were estimated from actual counts of all 
albatrosses in randomly distributed 1/5-acre plots. Randomization was 
achieved by numbering the intersection points of a grid overlaying the 
map and drawing a predetermined number of these intersection numbers 
from a hat. For Sand Island with 948 acres, 48 numbers were drawn, and 
for Eastern Island, with 334 acres, 28 plots were so selected. Popula- 
tions were then estimated for the two islands on the basis of these 
random-sample plots. 
The results of this method show considerable promise for 
obtaining acceptable population estimates of the Laysan albatross since 
its nesting pairs are distributed relatively uniformly over extensive 
areas. However, black-footed albatrosses nest in restricted colonies 
which are, for the most part, concentrated in limited areas. This 
prevents the successful use of sample-area counts as conducted on 
Midway without stratification of populations. These conclusions were 
reached after comparing figures with careful and extensive ground 
counts on the Midway Islands. 
