ARTICLES ON HAWAIIAN BIRDS AND BIRDWATCHING AND OTHER PACIFIC WILDLIFE

From the Archives - Migrant Birds on Laysan Island

Laysan is the largest of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and is located in the central Pacific at latitude 25 degrees 42'41"N, longitude 171 degrees 44'06" W. It is approximately 115 nautical miles east of Lisianski, 202 miles northwest of Gardner Pinnacles and 709 miles northwest of Honolulu, O'ahu. Laysan is almost due south of the Pribilof Islands and about the same latitude as Monterrey, Mexico and Miami, Florida. It is roughly rectangular in shape and about 1.4 square miles in area, with a lagoon which occupies about one-fifth of the the island interior. It is a coral island ringed on its periphery by sand dunes.

Above Right: Laysan Island in late August 1980, which shows drying of the central lake. Photo © by George H. Balazs.

The island has the most remarkable biota of any of the islands in the NW Chain. It remained more or less undisturbed until the late 19th century. The introduction of rabbits in about 1903 proved disastrous to the endemic fauna and flora of the island. Three species of bird became extinct (Laysan Honeycreeper, Laysan Millerbird and Laysan Rail) and the numbers of the remaining two species (Laysan Finch and Laysan Duck) were severely affected for many years.

However throughout the last century the island has been an excellent migrant trap and many species of migrant wildfowl, shorebird and seabird have occurred on the island, and these are the species dealt with below. Details of the endemic species of Laysan can be found elsewhere on the Birding Hawaii website.

The following records are based on those reported by Charles Ely and Roger Clapp in The Natural History of Laysan Island, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (1973). The report details all the species of flora and fauna that had been recorded up to December 31st 1973, including introduced, indigenous and endemic species. The report provides a wealth of information, both historical and recent and is a superb natural history account of a little visited and remote group of islands, unfortunately the report is now out of print. Any records added or accounts with comments after 1971 are by the author.

Species Accounts

Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus)

Accidental; one record: April 1906. Bailey (1956) reported the only known record from Laysan, a male collected on 17th April 1906 by Bompke and now housed in the Bishop Museum. The species is a common spring and fall migrant through the Main Islands (especially the western end) and it would seem logical that the species passes regularly through the NW Chain at these times of year and no doubt in large numbers.

Pelagic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus)

Accidental; one record: October 1896. Just one has been recorded from Laysan. A female collected on 22nd October 1896. The species has been recorded once more in the NW Chain (in the late 20th century) and is only ever likely to occur as an extreme vagrant. None have ever been recorded in the Main Islands.

Emperor Goose (Philactus canagica)

Accidental; one record; March 1969. On 27th March Sincock flushed a group of Pintail and Shoveler from the lagoon, remaining was an Emperor Goose. It was still present the following day and on 29th. The Emperor Goose is a rare vagrant to Hawai'i with just four records up to 1973 in the Main Islands (O'ahu, Kaua'i and Hawai'i) and once from Kure Atoll, Midway and Laysan. In recent years a single bird occurred on Hawai'i.

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Up to 1973 only three birds had been recorded, in November 1896, January - February 1913 and March 1968. The first record was a specimen collected on 7th November 1896. On January 4th 1913 a pair were observed and they were later observed on 11th January and February 8th. A report at the time however states that they were present from December 22nd 1912 and that they were collected on 9th February.

On 18th March 1968 a drake was flushed from a small inlet at the southwestern corner of the island and flew off, it was never seen again.

Mallards are uncommon winter visitors to the Main Islands and their occurrence has been clouded in recent years by the large numbers of introduced birds and hybrid Mallard x Koloa. Occasional birds still probably reach the NW Chain, including Laysan, in the winter months.

Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)

A common visitor to the Main Islands, Pintail are much scarcer in the NW Chain, although birds regularly winter on Midway. On Laysan the species was recorded at least eleven times up to the end of 1973. Many of the records were of small groups of 1 - 4 birds but large flocks included 12 in 1912, 19 in October 1966 and an amazing 63 in September 1969. No doubt many of the records related to migrating birds stopping off for a rest, rather than overwintering birds. Today the species is recorded on Laysan every few years in small numbers or as single birds.

Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis)

Just two were reported up to 1973, one in October 1896 and one in March 1969. All the records have been of female birds. The first was collected on October 27th 1896 and the subsequent record was of three females on 27th March 1969. Although all were listed as carolinensis, the possibility that A.c.crecca was involved cannot be eliminated. Both species occur in the Main Islands every year as winter visitors and also occur on Midway annually, and so a few probably stop off en route at Laysan.

Garganey (Anas querquedula)

There is one unconfirmed record of this species observed by Schauinsland on the island from 1899, but Rothschild (who probably examined the specimen) stated that the species was more likely a Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors). Ely and Clapp (1973) suggest however that as Garganey has been recorded since on Midway and Blue-winged Teal has not, that the original identification may have been correct. The species was added to the Hawai'i list on the basis of the 1899 record. In recent times the Garganey has been recorded on an umber of occasion sin the Main Islands and so in reality either species could have accounted for the record.

American Wigeon (Anas americana)

There were just two records up to 1973; an immature female was collected on 15th October 1896 and two drakes were observed on 10th March 1964. This species regularly occurs in the Main Islands and as a scarce winter visitor at Midway and so records from Laysan should be more common than they appear to be.

Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

This is the second most frequently recorded species on Laysan after Pintail, although numbers are still very small with peaks of 9 in 1963 and 14 in 1969. The species is a common winter visitor to the Mian Islands and Midway and so as with Pintail the species probably occurs quite regularly on Laysan, even if just briefly en route to other islands.

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)

There are just two records of this attractive duck for Laysan up to 1973. A juvenile male was collected on 15th January 1897 and a female was seen over the beach on 27th December 1912. In 1913 (January 3rd) a female was collected on a small freshwater pool, this was presumed to be the same bird as seen the previous December. Although Bufflehead is a fairly regular visitor to the Main Islands, it seems unlikely that the species could survive for long in the NW Chain, and further records would only be expected very occasionally.

Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus)

Just one record from Laysan of an immature female collected on 17th April 1906, which at the time was the only record for the Hawaiian islands. Since then a couple more records have occurred in the NW Chain, the most recent being in November 1999 when a bird was found moribund on Midway on about 13th, the bird unfortunately died a few days later (c.23rd). No more have been recorded from Laysan.

Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)

One bird was recorded on 5th September 1967 feeding with Turnstones along the west shore of the lagoon. It was still present the next day before being collected. It was a female with heavy fat deposits and constituted the first record for Laysan. In the Main Islands and at Midway the species is recorded annually and so birds appearing on other islands in the NW Chain is unsurprising. Recent records of Common Ringed Plover (C. hiaticula) have occurred on Midway and so this species may soon appear on Laysan too.

Black-bellied Plover (Squatarola squatarola)

Just two birds have been recorded on the island, from December 1912 to January 1913. Two were present on 27th December, before one (a male) was collected. The second bird remained until 10th January 1913. The species is regular in small numbers in the Main Islands, but still very rare in the NW Chain, with the species occurring only every few years.

Whimbrel (Numenius phaopus)

There was one hypothetical record from Laysan in 1961, but the sighting was never confirmed. By 1973 two had been recorded on Midway and these comprised the only records for Hawai'i. Since then however the species has occurred with increasing frequency with several records from the Main Islands (especially O'ahu, where birds have returned for successive winters with Bristle-thighed Curlews) and a few records from Midway and other NW Chain islands, including Laysan. The species may have been overlooked in the past in the NW Chain. The species is a long-distance migrant and so records of birds in with flocks of Curlew are likely to increase.

Greater Yellowlegs (Totanus melanoleucus)

A rare species anywhere in the Hawaiian Islands there is just one record from Laysan of two birds (one collected) feeding on the lagoon edge with Wandering Tattlers on 21st October 1966. The specimen collected was a female and provided the first record of the species for the Hawaiian Islands. Since 1973 a few have been observed in the Main Islands (eg. O'ahu and Kaua'i in 1998) but the species remains highly sought after.

Lesser Yellowlegs (Totanus flavipes)

Despite the fact that the Lesser Yellowlegs is a far more common migrant and winter visitor to the Main Islands and Midway there were only three records on Laysan up to 1973. The first was one bird seen feeding with two Greater Yellowlegs on 21st October 1966. On 5th September 1967 one was seen at dusk in the NW corner of the lagoon, the next day two immatures were collected there whilst they roosted. On March 18th 1968 a single bird was seen on the island with Plovers and Turnstones on the lagoons west shore. The species has been seen increasingly in recent years in the NW Chain and is almost annual on Midway. The species has also occurred on Kure Atoll.

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminata)

Three were recorded up to 1973 with one collected in 1896, one collected on 21st October 1966 and one or two observed on 27th March 1969. The second specimen was an immature male which was taken from a small flock of Sandpipers, all of which were also thought to be Sharp-tails. In the Main Islands this species is an annual fall and occasional spring migrant, with a few wintering records. On Midway the species is recorded most years in ones or twos, and so it seems likely that the species would be fairly regularly recorded on Laysan and other NW Chain islands.

Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotus)

There is surprisingly just one record of this species on Laysan, despite the fact that it is one of the most frequently recorded migrant shorebirds in Hawai'i. Two specimens were collected on Laysan on 6th September 1967, one was an immature male and one was an immature female. There is also an unconfirmed record for one in February 1963, but this record is listed as a doubtful sighting by Ely and Clapp (1973). The species is now regularly recorded on Midway (annual) and it seems likely that the species must visit Laysan on a regular basis too.

Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii)

There is one record of this species for the island. Two birds were collected on 6th September 1967 as they foraged in the northwestern corner of the lagoon. Both were immature females. The species is very rare in the Hawaiian Islands, with just one other record, from O'ahu. As the species is so rare in Hawai'i further records from Laysan cannot be predicted, but might occur here just as easily as any of the other islands.

Dunlin (Calidris alpina)

A rare visitor to Laysan with just three records up to 1973. The species was listed as a winter visitor by Schauinsland in 1896/1897, although this probably an incorrect term to use. A female was collected on 20th January 1913 along the shore of the lagoon; on 18th March 1968 one was seen feeding along the shore with Plovers and the bird was collected and proved to be a male in heavy moult with good fat reserves. Elsewhere the species is an annual, although often scarce, species with annual winter records from the Main Islands as well as numerous winter records from Midway. The species is presumed to occur fairly regularly on Laysan during the winter period.

Sandpiper spp.

Ely and Clapp (1973) state that "on seven occasions unidentified, or inadequately identified, small sandpipers were seen on Laysan. Some of these records were thought to be of Pectoral, Sharp-tailed, or Least Sandpipers; one (September 1967) record was probably of a fourth species. The December 1963 record of a "Least Sandpiper" is included here because it was not accompanied by either detailed notes or a specimen. Below is a table with records of small sandpiper species recorded up to 1973, modified from as shown in Ely and Clapp 1973.

Year	Date	Number of Birds Estimated	Remarks
1961	7-8 March	?	Small Sandpiper type birds, not identified.
1961	4-10 September	1	Had a dark cap, light bill with a dark tip, light legs, pale yellow, light belly (white), about Least Sandpiper size, dark brown stripe down back, upper tail, light on either side.
1963	11-13 February	1	Observer thought this was a Pectoral Sandpiper.
1963	3-10 December	1	Reported (second hand) as a Least Sandpiper.
1965	17-21 July	c.70	Thought to have been Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, seen in a compact flock on the shore of the lagoon.
1966	20-23 October	c.30	Thought to have been Sharp-tailed Sandpipers, although observers disagreed on the id. One Sharp-tailed Sandpiper was collected.
1967	5-11 September	2	Unidentified "Peeps" seen over a few days; brownish above, white below with a faint wing stripe and with white showing to either side of the base of the tail. Appeared less than half the size of Turnstone.

Dowitcher sp. (Limnodromus sp.)

One bird was observed along the shoreline or on the lagoon on 24th September 1967 and constituted the first record for Laysan Island. Long-billed Dowitchers are common annual visitors to the Main Islands, especially in fall and winter and are annual on Midway, although usually as singles or small groups. Short-billed Dowitcher is much rarer in the Main Islands, with records occurring only every few years. The species on Laysan was most likely to have been Long-billed, but either species could arrive there.

Far Eastern Curlew (Numenius madagascariensis)

One was seen on September 4th 1996 by Mike Shulz. This was the first record for the Hawaiian Archipelago, although the second occurred just a few years later in June 2002 on French Frigate Shoals (Northwest Hawaiian Islands).

Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)

There is one record from Laysan Island. Two birds were observed feeding in the lagoon on 21st October 1966. One, an immature male with heavy fat deposits was collected on that day. This constituted the first record for the Hawaiian islands. Since 1973 there has been one other record in the Hawaiian Islands and thus is still an extreme vagrant.

Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)

There were four records of this species up to 1973 on Laysan. Records from here and other Pacific Islands seem to indicate that this species is primarily a fall migrant to the Pacific area. Birds were recorded on Laysan in 1896 (5th November and 11th November) when two males were collected; c.1896? several were collected and sent to the Bremen Museum; 1964 (19th September) one was seen on the shore of the lagoon; 1965 (6-11 March) two were seen foraging together on the south and east beaches and 1966, one was observed. This species remains very rare in Hawai'i with just a couple of additional records from the Main Islands. All Godwaits are rare in Hawai'i and so the number of records is not likely to increase in the near future. Interestingly the Bar-tailed Godwit is a Eurasian species and the fact that most records occur in the NW Chain underlines the pattern of its migration route.

Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius)

Four records are listed by Ely and Clapp (1973) with the first one reported in 1899. In 1913 several were observed along the shallow waters of the lagoon on 6th January, with two on 9th January and several the next day when a female was collected. On 13th January another female was collected. All birds recorded were in winter plumage. Willett (ms.) stated that "these Phalaropes were frequently noted in flocks of Plovers and Turnstones until the middle of February", it seems highly probable that these birds were in fact Sanderling and not winter plumaged Phalaropes at all.

On 11th February 1963 two were seen on the central lagoon and one was seen on October 22nd 1966.

Red Phalaropes are annual migrants to Hawai'i with birds passing through in both spring and fall, although the majority of birds pass at sea and therefore most birds are recorded from pelagic trips. Occasionally wind-blown or stray birds will take refuge on a land-based pool or reservoir. It is likely that birds would be observed more frequently on the NW Islands due to their more exposed position, where a tired migrant may take refuge from the ocean in the shelter of the lagoon.

Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)

There are just two records of this species from Laysan. A pair were shot on 7th March 1965 as they fed near a flock of Pacific Golden Plovers and other shorebirds on the south shore of the lagoon. Both were in winter plumage and had good fat deposits. The second record was on 13th December 1967 when two birds were observed, again both were in winter plumage. The Red-necked Phalarope is much rarer in Hawai'i than the Red Phalarope and the species is only occasionally recorded from the Main Islands, usually on pools or reservoirs after severe storms, although there have been several recent reports of birds observed at sea. In the NW Chain and Laysan the species is most likely to arrive after severe weather, as the species is a highly specialized pelagic feeder in the winter months, which can survive the stormy oceans of the Pacific.

Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens)

There is one unconfirmed record of a Gull collected in 1896 or 1897 and identified as a Glaucous Gull by Schauinsland (1899), however Rothschild (1893-1900) reidentified it as an immature Glaucous-winged Gull. Possible Glaucous-winged Gulls have been recorded as follows, although Herring Gull was not eliminated in any of the cases: December 6th 1963: one; March 6th 1965: one; March 10th 1965: two (possibly Glaucous Gulls).

Glaucous-winged Gulls are frequent visitors to the Main Islands, with annual records and even flocks occurring (eg. 6 on Kaua'i in 2001/2002 and 3 on Maui in 2002). It also occurs almost annually on Midway and so records elsewhere in the NW Chain are to be expected.

Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus)

One record from 29th January 1906 when one was collected. It was thought that this specimen may have belonged to the race burrovianus (also known as Point Barrow Gull). The Glaucous Gull is a rare visitor to the Main Islands and is only recorded every few years or so. Records in the NW Chain are as likely as those in the Main Islands.

Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus/argentatus/vegae)

There were three records up to 1973. Three specimens were collected, the first on April 20th 1906 and deposited at the Bishop Museum was marked as argentatus, but subsequently identified as smithsonianus, however it was also suggested that further study may reveal the specimen as vegae.

The second specimen was taken on January 25th 1913 and was identified later as vegae.

The third specimen was taken on 12th February 1963 and was identified as a first nuptial plumaged vegae race bird.

Herring Gulls are annual visitors to the Hawaiian Islands, although they remain uncommon. Most birds reported from the Main Islands are identified as smithsonianus, whereas those from the NW Chain, particularly Midway have usually turned out to be vegae, and so the identification of the Laysan specimens would appear to conform to this pattern. Midway in recent years seems to have had Herring Gulls annually and so it is likely that the same pattern occurs on Laysan.

Bonaparte's Gull (Larus philadelphia)

There is one record for Laysan prior to 1973 when a bird was collected on 27th December 1912, as it hovered low over the water along the shore of the lagoon. At this time this was the only record for the NW Chain, although another was reported from Sand Island, Midway on January 29th 1963. The species is an almost annual visitor to the Main Islands but is much rarer in the NW Chain, the few records for these islands is unlikely to increase greatly over the next few years.

Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactylus)

There is only one record prior to 1973 of this species on Laysan Island. The record is based upon fragments found in the Bishop Museum in 1923, the specimen consisted of wings, feet, tarsi and the bill and had been found on the beach during the winter of 1906. The wings were apparently in partial moult.

The Kittiwake is still an extreme vagrant to the Hawaiian Islands, with just a couple of records from the NW Chain and one Main Island record (on O'ahu). Birds arriving here are presumably blown this way by extreme weather further north. The latest Hawaiian record is one seen on Midway on 10th January 2001.

Blue-Gray Noddy (Procelsterna cerulea)

Although the species nests elsewhere in the NW Chain there are no suitable nesting areas on Laysan. There were just two records up to 1973. One was observed on 19th September 1964 on the southwest side of the island at a distance of about 18 inches (!!) and another was seen on the night of June 11th 1967. Perhaps more records of resting birds would be expected for an island that is situated so near to colonies elsewhere in the Chain.

Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata)

There is one record of this species which is extremely rare in the Hawaiian Archipelago. A skeleton was collected on February 12th 1963. The bird was one of many washed up in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands in the winter of 1962 - 1963. At least 15 other individuals were found on Kure, Midway and Pearl and Hermes Reef. Still more Puffins were reported, some of which may have been those same birds as reported in 1962/1963, in 1965 and 1966, although it seems more likely that a series of poor breeding seasons, lack of availability of food and bad weather resulted in a repeat performance in Hawai'i. None have been seen since.

Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata)

One record of skeletal remains found on Laysan. No date known at present.

Clearly Laysan and the rest of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are good locations for migrants to occur, and it seems that unusual migrants would be recorded annually if surveys were carried out on a regular basis. One only has to look at the number of species recorded on single days to see that "falls" of birds occur and that the islands provide a useful "stopover" for tired migrants.

Laysan Island in the 1930's after vegetation regrew after severe overgrazing by Rabbits.

References

ELY, C.A. and R.B. CLAPP. 1973. The Natural History of Laysan Island, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 171. The Smithsonian Institute, Washington D.C.

PRATT, H.D. , BRUNER, P.L. and BERRETT, D.G. et al. 1987. A Fieldguide to the Birds of Hawai'i and the Tropical Pacific. Princeton.

Christian Melgar. Worthing, West Sussex, UK. 2002.

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