by Mindy Aguon
Guam - 55 Pacific Island bird species have been added to the federal list of migratory birds. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, revisions are being made to the list of bird species protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. 28 of the species have been found in Guam, American Samoa, Baker and Howland Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Those species include the Black Bittern, Mariana Crow, Mariana Fruit-Dove, Nordmann's Greenshank, Micronesian Kingfisher, Eurasian Oystercatcher, Guam Rail, Nightingale Reed-Warbler, and the Matsudaira's Storm-Petrel. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Acting Director Rowan Gould said, "This update to the list of federally protected birds reflects the best available science on bird taxonomy and distribution and will help us improve management or our nation's migratory birds."