The birds of Bikini atoll, Marshall Islands: May 1986

Field work conducted by the senior author at Bikini
Atoll, Marshall Islands, in May 1986 yielded twenty-three
species of birds; six of these were documented as nesting
and an additional four species almost certainly nest as
well. Six species were previously unrecorded for Bikini
Atoll, and one of these, the Laughing Gull (Larus
atricilla) was new to Micronesia. The recorded avifauna
for Bikini Atoll now stands at twenty-six species. Major
seabird colonies were located on Aomoen (and other
northern islets), Nam, and Oroken/Jalete/Lukoj (and other
southeastern islets). Scaevola and Tournefortia scrub
and Pisonia grandis forests are the most frequently used
habitats for nesting seabirds. Numerically, the most
abundant breeding birds were the terns Anous minutus, A.
stolidus and Gygis alba and the boobies Sula leucogaster
and s. sula. Environmental rehabilitation options
which minimize habitat alteration on the important
nesting islets are recommended. Close monitoring and
protection of seabird populations after Marshallese
resettlement will guard against excessive disturbance and
exploitation.

Available online

Call Number: [EL]

Physical Description: 56 p.