These pages show some of the birds we have seen in the Marshall Islands, most of them at or around Kwajalein Atoll. They include sea birds, shore birds, and a couple of introduced land birds. Some are migratory, most of them coming to Kwajalein during only part of the year, while others can be seen year round. Still others are accidental or occasional visitors. These pages by no means cover all the birds that have been observed here at one time or another, and not all references agree on what is here. A 1990 paper by R.B. Clapp (linked below) lists Kwajalein birds previously reported in the scientific literature, plus those recorded by an avid atoll resident named Bill Schipper in addition to those Clapp himself and his team observed on a trip to the atoll in March, 1988, but at least four of our species are not on Clapp's list. VanderWerf (2006) surveyed birds on several islands in Kwajalein Atoll in 2004, adding another six previously unreported species. A 2018 web listing from Avibase by Denis Lepage gives 104 bird species that have been sighted in the Marshall Islands, including all those we cover here. Many species from the above lists are uncommon or rare vagrant species that only sporadically show up in the atoll. I was once startled to see about 10 common pigeons (Rock Doves, or Columba livia) walking along one of the streets of Kwajalein. I did not have a camera and never saw them again, but I certainly know what a pigeon looks like. They must have been passing through and stopped for a rest.
Marshallese bird names are from the book The Marshall Islands - Living Atolls Amidst the Living Sea, referenced below.
References:
Our thanks to Stan Jazwinski, Dave Greene, and especially Christina Sylvester, who provided photos of many species we did not see or photograph ourselves.
All photos are protected by copyright. Please contact uwkwaj@yahoo.com for more information on purchase, use, or redistribution of any photos.
