
conditions favorable for soaring and large numbers of birds gather in 
such areas to soar for considerable periods. If these areas are 
adjacent to runways the birds wheel out over these strips. During our 
many hours of runway watches we have seen certain birds marked with dye, 
for individual recognition, soar past repeatedly. Not content to ride 
only the updrafts, they appear to enjoy skimming out a number of yards 
over nearby level areas, where, under present conditions they sometimes 
come in contact with aircraft. Sufficient up-drafts to invite soaring 
are created by piles of earth, high bushes, and trees along the run- 
ways. 
On the basis of observations and information now available 
we believe that the most promising method of permanently reducing the 
aircraft hazard to albatrosses is to clear and flatten the earth for a 
distance of 750 feet from the centerline on both sides of the duty run- 
ways. If practicable (for water catchment) these areas could be black- 
topped. This would give the best assurance of eliminating not only 
soaring sreas, but also breeding and resting areas close to the runways. 
If black-topping is not feasible a planting program employing low or 
flat growing grasses or herbaceous species might be tried. This would 
prevent the blowing of sand over the runways and from piling up into 
dunes again. 
Specifically it is recommended that the entire area within 
750 feet from the center and on each side of Runway 6-24, which is now 
the main duty runway, be flattened as soon as possible. About two- 
thirds of this area has already been flattened in connection with 
construction work so it would merely be continuing an operation which 
has already been started. If this proves successful in obtaining 
control of the albatross h-zard to aircraft over Runway 6-24, the same 
process, modified if ey_erience so dictates, could be extended to Run- 
way 15-33 when it again becomes functional. 
Protection of the Black-footed Albatrosses 
It is apparent that the black-footed albatross constitutes 
an insignificant feaction of the birds killed on runways. For this 
reason, far less time has been devoted to studies of this bird than 
to the tenfold more abundant Laysan albatross. 
Judging from population estimates of this year as compared 
with those for 1945 made by Fisher and Baldwin*, it appears that the 
population of black-footed albatrosses on Sand and Eastern Islands has 
decreased from 69,000 to 16,000. We estimate that construction alone 
wiped out at least 20 percent of the 3659 Sand Island nestlings during 
the spring of 1957. 
* Wisher, Harvey I., and Paul H. Baldwin 
1946 War and the birds of Midway Atoll. 
The Condor 4833-15 
45 
