General Category | 17-03-08 03:08 GMT | Posted by Ian Chicken
Birds:-
Ascension Frigate
(Fregata aquila)
Breeding Time: All Year Round (peaks in October)
Size: Length: 91cm Wingspan:
198cm Egg:
68x47mm
Endemic to Ascension and did have a large population when first found, it now
only totals between 5000 and 10000.
It only breeds on Boatswain Bird Island.
They are Black in colour with a white belly, young also have white heads. They
have a Horn coloured bill which is about 9cm long and hooked at the end.
Males have red throat pouch and black feet, Females reddish feet and pale blue
eye rings.
The nest is a small area with pebbles, bones and other material in it.
They lay a single
egg which has an incubation period of
44 days. The egg is
white in colour
Their diet is flying fish.
Birds:-
Brown Booby
(Sula leucogaster)
Breeding Time: Non Seasonal
Size: Length: 69cm Wingspan:
141cm Egg:
59x40 mm
The population on Ascension is about
2000 birds breeding on Boatswainbird Island's steep slopes and in small colonies
on Ascension itself.
They are brown in colour with a white under belly, The bill and feet are
yellowish or greenish.
Nesting is on a ledge close to water.
They lay two eggs
which have an incubation period of 43-47 days. Only one chick is raised though
Their diet is fish and squid.
Birds:-
Masked Booby
(Sula dactylatra)
Breeding Time: May to August
Size: Length: 86cm Wingspan:
152cm Egg:
64x44mm
The population on Ascension is about
9000
birds breeding on Boatswainbird Island flat areas and small colonies on the
south coast stacks.
They are white in colour with black tips on its
wings and tail, they have a blue grey patch around the eyes. The bill and feet
are yellowish or greenish.
Because of their colour the young can be confused for Brown Boobys
it populates warm waters worldwide.
Nests are built
on
steep cliffs.
They lay two eggs
(5 days apart) which have an incubation period of 43-47 days, Only one chick is
raised though
Their diet is Flying fish
Birds:-
Red-footed Booby
(Sula sula)
Breeding Time: May to August
Size: Length: 74cm Wingspan:
150cm Egg:
63x41mm
The population on Ascension is about
30
birds breeding on Boatswainbird Island flat areas and small colonies on the
south coast stacks.
They are creamy white or pale brown in colour
with black tips on its wings. The feet are yellowish.
it populates the south Atlantic.
Nests are built
on
lowland plains, they are tree nesting bird, but tend to use cliffs in Ascension
They lay one egg,
which is blue with a chalky covering
Birds:-
Sooty Tern
WIDEAWAKE
(Sterna
fuscata)
Breeding Time: Every 9 months
Size: Length: 44cm
Wingspan: 90cm Egg:
52x36mm
The bird that gave
Ascension Airfield its name due to the breeding grounds being on the lava flow
at the end and right of the runway on the wideawake fairs (between Mars, Gannet
and Pillar Bays)
The population on Ascension is about 150000 birds breeding mainly on Wideawake
Fairs on Ascension itself
It is Black on top with white underneath. It has a bright red bill and yellowish
legs.
It populates warm areas of the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Oceans and the
Caribbean Sea.
Nests are built in a scrape in the ground.
They lay a single egg which has an incubation period of 29 days. Once all the
eggs have hatched and the young ready to fly the colony leaves the island for
about 3 months
Their diet fish and squid.
Birds:-
White Tern
(Gygis alba)
Breeding Time: Annual (peaks in January)
Size: Length: 30cm Wingspan:
78cm Egg:
44x33mm
The population on Ascension is about 5300 birds
breeding mainly on Boatswainbird Island with some on Ascension itself
It is completely white with black around the eyes. It has a black bill.
It populates tropical Oceans.
Nests are built in a scrape in the ground.
They lay a single egg which has an incubation period of 36 days. It is buff in
colour with dark lines and freckles.
Their diet fish, squid and crustaceans.
Birds:-
Brown
Noddy
(Anous stolidus)
Breeding Time: No exact
details
Size: Length: 42cm Wingspan:
83cm Egg: 53x36mm
The population on Ascension
is about 1000 birds breeding mainly on Ascension Island, with some breeding
grounds on the stacks.
It is mainly coffee brown in colour, it also has a white patch on its forehead.
It has a black bill and legs.
It populates tropical areas of the Oceans.
Nests are built in rocks and crevices, but does sometimes use the ground. It is
made of pebbles.
They lay a single egg which has an incubation period of 33 days. The egg is a
fawn or stone colour with purple flecks.
Their diet fish and squid.
Birds:-
Black
Noddy
(Anous minutus)
Breeding Time: Variable (peaks June)
Size: Length: 37cm Wingspan:
69cm Egg:
42x32mm
The population on Ascension
is about 20000 birds breeding mainly on Ascension Island.
It is mainly dark brown in colour, it also has a white patch on its head.
It populates tropical areas of the Oceans.
Nests are built in cliff ledges (Ascension), but does usually use the trees or
bushes. It is made of feathers and plants.
They lay a single egg which has an incubation period of 35 days. The egg is a
pale fawn or Stone colour with pbrown flecks.
Their diet fish and squid.
Birds:-
Red-billed Tropicbird
(Phaethon aethereus)
Breeding Time: All Year Round (peaks in August)
Size: Length: 48cm Wingspan:
105cm Egg:
65x45mm
The population on Ascension
is about 1100 birds breeding mainly on Boatswainbird Island, with some breeding
grounds on the main Island.
It is mainly white in colour with black wing tips and dark grey barring on its
back, it has two long tail feathers about 52cm in length. It has a bright red
bill and yellowish legs.
It populates warm areas of the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Oceans and the
Caribbean Sea.
Nests are built in holes and crevices.
They lay a single egg which has an incubation period of 43 days. The egg is a
Fawn to purple brown colour
Their diet fish and squid.
Note:
Its cry is said to sound like a boatswains whistle which gave the island its
name.
Birds:-
White-tailed Tropicbird
(Phaethon lepturus)
Breeding Time: All Year Round (peaking at differing times)
Size: Length: 39cm Wingspan:
Egg: 54x38mm
The population
on Ascension is about 2200 birds breeding mainly on Boatswainbird Island, with
some breeding grounds on the main Island and stacks.
It is mainly white in colour with black wing tips and a black bar on its back,
it has two long tail feathers about 37cm in length. It has a yellowish red bill
and legs.
It populates warm areas of the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Oceans.
Nests are built in holes and crevices.
They lay a single egg which has an incubation period of 41 days. The egg is a
Fawn to purple brown colour
Their diet is fish and squid.
Birds:-
Madeiran Storm-petrel.
(Oceanodroma castro)
Breeding Time: November
Size: Length: 20cm Wingspan:
43cm Egg:
32x24 mm
The population on
Ascension is about 3000 birds breeding mainly on Boatswainbird Island, with some
lesser nestings on the main Island.
It is blackish brown, with a white band of white on its rump and band on its
wings. The legs are black.
They have broad wings and long tails.
They breed on the sub-tropical Atlantic islands.
The nests are in holes and crevices
They lay a single egg which has an incubation period of 39 days and nestling
period 64 days in length.
It is white with red spots at the large end.
Their diet is small animals.
Birds
Introduced:-
Indian Myna
(Acridotheres tristis)
Breeding Time:
Size: Length: 26cm Wingspan:
Egg: 29x22mm
There is a common
population on Ascension, being intoduced from Mauritius in 1879.
It is mainly dark in colour with a yellow patch by the eyes, The underside and
wing tips are white.
It populates areas such as Afghanistan, India and south east Asia.
Nests are an accumulation of any available materials in trees and bushes,
cavities and buildings.
They lay varying numbers of eggs which have an incubation period of 18 days. The
egg is a pale green in colour.
Their diet is fruit, invertebrates, frogs and eggs.
Birds
Introduced:-
House Sparrow
(passer domesticus)
Breeding Time:
Size: Length: 14.5cm
Wingspan: Egg:
They where
introduced to Ascension around 1986 in a small group.
It has a chestnut colour, with black bib and white throat.
It populates areas such as Afghanistan, India and south east Asia.
Birds
Introduced:-
Common Waxbill
(Estrilda astrild)
Breeding Time:
Size: Length: 13cm Wingspan:
Egg: 14x11mm
They where
introduced to Ascension around 1860's and are now common on the island.
It is brown in colour, with a red bill and eye and a small patch on its belly.
It populates southern Africa.
Nests are an accumulation grass and feathers with a circular tube for entry and
high up in trees, bushes and cliffs, though Ascension nest are near the ground..
They lay 4-6 eggs which have an incubation period of 20 days. The egg is a pale
green in colour.
Their diet is mainly seeds from grass.
Birds
Introduced:- Yellow
Canary
(serinus flaventris)
Breeding Time: All year (peaks in Summer)
Size: Length: 12cm Wingspan:
Egg: 18x13mm
They where
introduced to Ascension around 1930 and are now common on the island.
It is yellow or green in colour, with various patches of green or yellow round
the eye and forehead.
It is a native of western Africa.
Nests are usually in bushes about 6 feet up, and is cup shaped. It is made from
twigs, roots etc, and lined with feathers
They lay 3-4 eggs which have an incubation period of 20 days. The egg is a blue
white, with brown freckles.
Their diet is mainly seeds from grass and fruit.
Various other Birds:-
Red-necked Francolin
(Francolinus afer)
Breeding Time:
Size: Length: 35cm Wingspan:
Egg:
The population on
Ascension is not known. Breeding mainly on the main Island in well vegetated
areas.
It is mainly brown in colour with white stripes by the eye and a white cheek. It
has a bright red bill, legs and throat.
It populates areas such as Angola and Namibia. It was introduced to Ascension in
the 1850's
Nests are built in hollows in the ground.
They lay anywhere between 3 and 9 eggs which have an incubation period of 23
days.
Their diet vegetables and invertebrates.
Various other Birds:-
Lesser Gallinule
(Porphyrula alleni)
Breeding Time:
Size: Length: Wingspan: 140mm
Egg:
American Purple Gallinule
(Porphyrula martinica)
Breeding Time:
Size: Length: Wingspan: 170-190mm
Egg:
The population on
Ascension is not known
they are mainly olive brown in colour with purple and green plumage, The Lesser
has red bill and legs, while the American has a red bill with yellowish legs
It populates areas such as Africa, South and Central America.
Nests are built near to water.
Various other Birds:-
Moorhen
(Gallinula chloropus)
Breeding Time: mid summer
Size: Length: 32cm Wingspan:
Egg: 42x31mm
There is no
population on Ascension, but some have been seen.
It is mainly olive brown in colour with grey underside with white edges on tail
and wings. It has a red bill with a yellow tip, and greenish yelloow legs.
It populates areas such as Africa.
Nests are built on or near to water.
They lay varying numbers of eggs which have an incubation period of 21 days. The
egg is a dark white in colour with a red brown freckle.
Their diet is insects and plant food.
Various other Birds:- (Extinct or not on Ascension at this time)
Various other Birds:-
Audubon's Shearwater
(Puffinus Iherminieri)
Breeding Time:
Size: Length: 30cm Wingspan:
69cm Egg:
Not seen
anymore on Ascension.
It is a small black and white bird, found predominantly in the warmer parts of
the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Various other Birds:-
Ascension Night Heron
(Nycticorax)
Breeding Time:
Size: Length: Wingspan:
Egg:
Endemic to Ascension but
now extinct, probably when the island had rats introduced to it