Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 3. Terrestrial Resources
Draft 1 March 2007
Porter (1950) observed colonies of frigate birds, Frigata minor palmerstoni, red-footed
boobies, Sula sula rubripes, blue-faced boobies, Sula dacctylatra personata, at one quarter
mile intervals along the 30 miles of roads on Abariringa (Canton). In addition, plover, sooty
terns, red-tailed tropic birds, Phaethon rubricauda, and fairy terns were observed in large
numbers.
Bunker (1951) noted frigate birds, three species of booby, golden plovers, bosun’s birds, and
several species of terns.
Bailey (1952) reported collecting specimens of sea brids on Abariringa (Canton). These
included: man-o’-war-birds, red-footed and blue-faced boobies, grey backed and white terns,
and red-tailed tropicbirds.
Murphy et al (1954) noted the enorous numbers of hermit crabs on Abariringa (Canton) and
reported that they periodically destroy whole populations newly hatched chicks of greyheaded
tern colonies.
Murphy et al (1954) noted abundant numbers of Polynesian rats, Mus exulans. Prior to
World War II, it was thought that these rats may have been responsible for the reduced
avaifauna of Abariringa (Canton).
Murphy et al (1954) combined information from a variety of sources regarding Abariringa
(Canton) avifauna and summarized them by species. The following bird species were
summarized and discussed by Murphy et al (1954).
1) Puffinus pacificus chlororhynchus,
2) Puffinus lherminieri dichrous,
3) Puffinus nativitatis,
4) Pterodroma alba,
5) Phaethon lepturus,
6) Phaethon rubricauda
melanorhynchos,
7) Sula dactylatra personata,
8) Sula leucogaster plotus,
9) Sula sula subspecies,
10) Fregata minor palmerstoni,
11) Fregata ariel,
12) Anas platyrhynchos,
13) Spatula clypeata,
14) Pluvialis dominicus fulvus,
15) Arenaria interpres interpres,
16) Numenius tahitiensis,
17) Heteroscelus incanus,
18) Pisobia acuminata,
19) Crocethia alba,
20) Sterna fuscata oahuensis,
21) Sterna lunata,
22) Sterna anaethetus anaethetus,
23) Sterna sumatrana sumatrana,
24) Thalasseus bergii cristatus,
25) Anous stolidus pileatus,
26) Anous minutus melanogenys,
27) Gygis alba candida,
28) Procelsterna cerulea nebouxi
Walker (1955) noted that parakeets were popular pets on Abariringa (Canton).
Witherspoon (1957) reported turnstones, golden plovers, gray-backed terns, sooty terns, black
noddies, brown noodies, man-o-war birds, brown boobies, blue-faced boobies, red-footed
boobies, white fairy terns, red-tailed tropic birds, Phoenix Islands petrel, and wedge-tailed
shearwaters on Abariringa (Canton).
McIntire (1960) noted that Scaevola scrub on the southeastern part of Abariringa (Canton)
was an important nesting area for enormous numbers of sea birds, including frigatebirds,
Fregata minor palmerstoni, and red-footed boobies, Sula sula rubripes. McIntire (1960)
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