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Contributed by Smithsonian Institution Archives.
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Transcription
Blue-gray Noody
Blue-gray Noddies, nearly all immatures, were observed in one flock.
Blue-grays occurred with both Hawaiian and Common Noddies. They stayed low to
the water, were very maneuverable and seemed to have faster wing beats than
the other Noddies, but that may be due to their smaller size. They seemed to
be able to hover above the water but their wings were beating all the time.
The Blue-grays were observed to put their heads or only their bills into
the water. None were observed sitting on the water.
Sooty Tern
Sooties were observed to stay above the other terns and often above the
Shearwaters. They would then drop down to feed like the Noddies. No Sooties
were observed sitting on the water. After they had eaten they would rise back
above the other birds. The process of going down to the water and then
rising back up was repeated many times by the birds while they were being
observed.
Fairy Tern
In the flocks observed, Fairy Terns fed like Sooty Terns, staying above
the other birds and then dropping down to feed and then rising again. Fairy
Terns were also observed flying low to the water but not in flocks. No birds
were observed sitting on the water.
Brown Booby
Brown Boobies were observed to sit on the water and dabble around. They
also swooped around over the water with both low and high arcs. When a fish
or other food was spotted they seemed to collapse in mid air and dove straight
into the water.