4,000-plus birds counted on Saipan, Tinian

The Division of Fish and Wildlife and Audubon Society successfully held the 18th Annual Christmas Bird Count on Saipan and Tinian last week, compiling data that, according to biologist Shelly Kremer, would indicate if the bird population on both islands are stable.

Kremer, who headed the activity, said that comparing data for each year, especially if done for 20 to 30 years, would help determine if the population of various species are increasing, decreasing, or stable.

“It is important to collect this data. It will be more meaningful data through time,” Kremer said yesterday.

Kremer disclosed that over 4,000 birds were counted on Saipan and Tinian.

During the Saipan leg of the activity, which was held on Sunday, a total of 47 species were counted, as well as 2,608 birds. A total of 14 volunteers assisted with the count, which was held from sunup to sundown.

Saipan’s count for 2003 featured 2,860 birds and 2,672 for 2002.

Tinian’s count, held on Dec. 30, resulted in 22 species and 1,428 birds being recorded. Kremer said four volunteers took part in the activity.

Although slightly lower than numbers collected in 2003 and 2002, Kremer said results do not necessarily mean the indigenous bird population on Saipan has decreased.

“It doesn’t really cover forest birds,” she said of the activity. “The numbers of the forest birds could be better, and possibly not many of the migrant birds stay and that’s probably why the numbers are down, probably why we have a lower count.”

Kremer also revealed that the count also broke various records for several species.

Data indicated that about 45 White-Throated Ground Dove were counted this year, the most since the start of the activity in the Commonwealth in the late 1980s. Other record numbers are the Collared Kingfisher (108), Honeyeater (145), Starling (115), and Golden-White Eye (54).

Kremer said two endangered species also made the record list, with 24 Nightingale Reed Warbler counted and 71 Marianas Swiflet. Both birds are federally protected.

Volunteers on Saipan began their count at Puerto Rico, before splitting up into groups, covering various areas, including Kagman, Lake Susupe, the airport area, and northern parts of the island.

“Everyone had a good time,” Kremer said. “It’s a great way for beginners to learn about birds, and my goal is to get each person to know two birds that they didn’t know before. People were excited and it was also a great way to see the island. I had one woman who has been here for seven years and got to see Lake Susupe for the first time.”

A $5 fee was required for each volunteer. The fee would go toward purchasing the book American Birds, which includes all species, locations, numbers of birds, and names of all participants from each location.

In addition to counts held on Saipan and Tinian, about 2,000 individual counts around the globe are scheduled to take place between Dec. 14, 2004 and Jan. 5, 2005.

The Christmas Bird Count began over a century ago when 27 conservationists in 25 locations, led by scientist and writer Frank Chapman, changed the course of ornithological history. On Christmas Day 1900, the small group posed an alternative to the “side hunt,” a Christmas Day activity in which teams compete to determine who could shoot the most birds and small mammals.

Instead, Chapman proposed to identify, count, and record all the birds they saw, found what is now considered the world’s most significant citizen based conservation effort and a more than century old institution.

During the 104th count—last year—about 63 million birds were counted.

Count results from 1900 to the present are available through Audubon’s website www.audubon.org/bird/cbc.