[dynamic music] [birds trilling] [music continues] [men yelling] [music continues] [seal barking] [music continues] [dynamic music] - Hi, I'm George Page For "Nature."

When we think of sea life, most of us conjure up visions of those creatures that live under the ocean's surface, the fishes and all their forms, the crustaceans, the mammals, the magnificent whales and dolphins, but birds, sea birds are as much a part of ocean life as fishes.

Many species cross the ocean's vast expanses without ever coming close to man's crowded coasts.

When they do touchdown, it's often on some utterly remote and uninhabited island.

Lars Lofgren, the leading authority on seabirds has called these winged beings of the salt air the last great adventurers on earth.

The Arctic tern, for example, literally migrates from pole to pole, a distance of about 11,000 miles.

Our seabird this week on "Nature," is the bird which, "With his cruel bow, he laid full low, the harmless albatross."

In the great poem by Coleridge, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner."

We'll go out there 3,200 miles across the Pacific to Midway Island, site of one of World War II's most important battles and the breeding ground for the Gooney bird, the fabled albatross.

[albatross's squawking] [squawking continues] - [Narrator] The Laysan albatross, or commonly known as the Gooney, one of the world's largest seabirds and one of the most beautiful.

In flight, the Albatross is an unparalleled symphony of motion.

[gentle music] [albatross's squawking] [music continues] [squawking continues] [music continues] At the far western end of the Hawaiian island chain 1,200 miles northwest of Honolulu sits a Kure Atoll called Midway.

Made up of two tiny islands, Sand and Eastern, Midway is home to more than one third of the world's population of the Laysan albatross.

Amazingly, when the young albatross tries its wings for the first time and leaves Midway Island, it does not return to land for as long as seven years.

For those long years, the birds sails alone over the empty waters of the North Pacific.

Its epic flight does not end until it's ready to mate.

Then it returns to Midway.

[gentle music] [albatross's squawking] [music continues] [squawking continues] As many as a million Laysan albatross make their home on Midway.

During the nesting season, the small island is literally carpeted with birds.

Midway belonged to the birds undisturbed until the mid 19th century when shipwrecks on the surrounding coral reefs made man aware of the remote islands.

In those days, egg collectors and feather hunters were quick to take advantage of the abundant life on these islands.

Cargos of brine pickled eggs soon made their way around the world.

It was not until 1935 that civilization arrived at Midway.

Ships from Pan American World Airways harbored at Midway and crews constructed a base on the island.

[metal clanging] Midway became a stopping point for the China Clipper, the first Trans-Pacific airliner.

[plane engine whirring] Suddenly being linked to the rest of the world had little real impact on the Gooney birds until June 4th, 1942.

[airplane engine whirring] [missiles whizzing] A fleet of U.S. Navy warships and planes intercepted a Japanese attack force on its way to invade Midway.

The Battle of Midway was one of the most furiously fought of World War II, and was the decisive turning point of the war in the Pacific.

The island itself suffered serious damage, and casualties both human and avian were heavy.

The Gooneys were caught up in the onslaught of 20th century violence.

[fire crackling] [crackling continues] But as the tide of war swept on to other locales, the survivors on Midway began life anew amid the smoking wreckage.

[fire crackling] [water splashing] Soon the birds overran the island again.

[albatross's squawking] Things had changed on Midway.

The island's strategically important location was fully appreciated by the American Navy.

In the 1950s, a $40,000,000 building plan increased the size of the airfield and facilities.

Crowding around the busy runways, the Gooneys became a dangerous nuisance.

Planes and birds don't mix.

Having just won one war, the Navy was faced with another conflict.

Operation Bedsheet was the first salvo fired.

- [Men] Come on.

[men yelling] - [George] The Gooneys have never suffered from any land-based predators, and therefore have no fear of man at all.

Gooneys, 1, United States Navy, 0.

[shots firing] A more drastic measure was needed.

Operation Skirmish Line pitted a few brave sailors armed only with rifles firing blanks against whole armies of stubborn Gooneys.

[shots firing] Gooneys, 2, Navy, nothing.

When that didn't work, smoke bombs were tried.

[smoke hissing] [albatross's squawking] [hissing continues] [squawking continues] The enemy barely noticed the attack.

Gooneys, 3, Navy, zip.

But the Navy finally got serious.

A bird the size of a Gooney can do considerable damage if it collides with an airplane.

Clearly, the Gooneys were a threat to national security.

[engine rumbling] In a controlled program recommended by the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service, bulldozers moved in and just buried the birds alive.

[albatross's squawking] Between 1957 and 1964, 59,000 adult Gooneys were killed, and hundreds of thousands of eggs were destroyed.

Another 10,000 birds were killed each year in accidents related to man's presence.

But in the end, the Gooneys remained the victors.

Despite all the killing, the birds kept crowding the island in ever greater numbers, returning to the same nesting sites year after year.

Finally, realizing that the birds don't like pavement and tend to stay on the grass, the Navy in a last ditch effort paved half the island.

Now with airplanes and birds segregated, a compromise was reached.

[albatross's squawking] A truce was declared.

[albatross's squawking] Monuments to the fallen heroes were erected.

The war was over.

Today, the Navy and the Gooneys coexist in harmony.

In fact, when man brought in topsoil and trees to make the island more pleasant for himself, he created a better habitat for the Gooney bird.

Despite the past troubles, now it's the Navy that protects the Gooneys and their nesting sites.

The island has become a wildlife sanctuary, home to more birds than ever before.

The Gooneys nest on nearly any piece of ground that is not covered with concrete.

[albatross's squawking] Sometimes Midway Island seems like nothing more than one huge nest.

[albatross's squawking] [squawking continues] Other species, such as the frigatebird have taken advantage of the newly created environment and the protection offered by the U.S. Navy.

The frigatebirds share the sky with the Gooneys, but unlike them, nest in bushes rather than on the ground.

They compete with one another for nesting materials, often stealing twigs from another's nest.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] The red-footed booby can also raise its chick in the protection of the new sanctuary.

[birds squawking] The ironwood tree was imported by man, but provides shelter for the red-tailed tropic bird and its chick.

The Angelically beautiful fairy tern doesn't bother to take advantage of the many trees that now grow on the island, or to even build a nest.

It simply lays its eggs almost anywhere.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] The decor may leave much to be desired, but when mom brings home a fish dinner like this, it's hard to complain.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] Midway is also home to the black-footed albatross.

Slightly larger than the Laysan, it prefers to nest in the sand along the beach.

[birds squawking] [water splashing] Flocks of naughty terns also frequent the beaches.

[birds squawking] [water splashing] [squawking continues] [seals barking] The Hawaiian monk seal is an endangered species with fewer than 1,500 individuals remaining.

Their largest decline has been at Midway, where they practically disappeared.

[seals barking] [water splashing] The major cause of their continuing decline has been human disturbance.

Females are especially sensitive to human activity on the beaches, which forces them to remain in nearshore waters for long periods of time.

Here, their prime targets for tiger sharks which patrol these beaches in large numbers.

[water splashing] The resulting high mortality among females has led to a high ratio of males to females.

Frustrated males seeking a mate then compound the problem by attacking the females continually, giving them no rest and sometimes wounding them severely.

[water splashing] [splashing continues] The adult Gooneys converge on Midway in late October, driven by the instinctive urge to return to their nesting sites.

They left the island four months ago when last year's young were nearly grown.

Those young are now spending their long adolescence at sea while their parents return to breed again.

The Gooney has just spent long weeks soaring over endless water searching for food, depending upon its superior navigational skills to guide it home.

With one of the greatest wingspans in the world, the albatross makes flight a fluid exercise of graceful ease.

Within a two week period, hundreds of thousands of Gooneys return to the island, each finding its own nesting site from the previous year.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] Contrary to popular belief, most landings are good ones.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] Like the pilot of an airplane, the Gooney has several tools to aid in its landing.

The webbed feet splay out, cuffing into the wind, acting as air breaks.

The tail drops and spreads, slowing the bird's speed.

Its wings breaking its forward motion, it drops lightly to the ground.

As long as the wind conditions are good, the landings are impressive, but winds are known to change.

[upbeat music] [birds squawking] [music continues] [squawking continues] [music continues] [squawking continues] [music continues] [squawking continues] To the Gooney, any landing it can walk away from is a good landing.

[birds squawking] Gooneys mate for life, which can be as long as 60 years.

Their elaborately stylized ritual dance establishes the pair bond.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] The black footed albatross has a different dance.

[bright music] [birds squawking] [music continues] [squawking continues] [music continues] [squawking continues] [music continues] [squawking continues] [music continues] [squawking continues] The dance ritual is not necessarily reserved for the breeding pair.

It becomes contagious.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] Blood runs high during courtship, and sometimes females are the victims of several overly stimulated males.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] These attacks almost never result in successful mating.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] Males defend their mates aggressively.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] Gooneys are eight years old before they mate.

[birds squawking] The mated pair will always return to this spot each year and reinforce their lifetime bond through such behavior as the dance and ritual grooming.

Followed by symbolic nest building.

[birds squawking] As long as the nest building is symbolic, the male is glad to help.

But when it comes time to build the real nest, the female is left alone.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] She uses whatever's handy to build the simple nest, and like the frigatebird, she's not above a little stealing.

[birds squawking] This is a quiet time in the Gooney colony, a time of peaceful expectancy.

[birds squawking] Sometime in late November or early December a single egg is laid.

The two Gooneys trade off brooding duties with one adult staying away for as long as two weeks before relieving its partner.

The brooding Gooney will not leave the nest even to eat.

[birds squawking] The Gooneys sit quietly from one end of the island to the other.

To them, no place is off limits.

[birds squawking] Gooneys take parenting very seriously.

Perhaps a bit too seriously.

Navy golfers have the handicap of playing on a course full of birds, plus the extra disadvantage of the Gooneys strong brooding instinct.

As far as the Gooney is concerned if it's round and white, hatch it.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] By the end of January or the beginning of February, the eggs begin to hatch.

The chick first digs a hole are pit in the egg.

It may take as long as six more days before hatching out, and its parents don't help.

[birds squawking] One of the first threats the chick faces is the heavy webbed feet and powerful beaks of its parents.

20% of the chicks are lost at this critical time.

Having survived its first hurdle, the little Gooney chick dries out and becomes a small ball of fluffy down.

Like most seabirds, the chick is born with an instinct to peck at a spot on its parents' bill to beg for food.

The parent encourages this behavior by lowering its beak to the chick's level.

Soon they will feed the chick and energy-rich liquid food by regurgitation.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] Under the enveloping cover of its parents' soft underside, the chick seems well protected.

[birds squawking] [wind howling] [howling continues] But winter rains in the North Central Pacific can be harsh with howling winds that force the birds to the ground.

[howling continues] The helpless chicks are exposed to windblown sand and drenching water.

[rain pattering] [thunder rumbling] [pattering continues] [pattering continues] The adults feathers are coated with oils and provide excellent protection from the elements, but the chicks' down acts like a sponge absorbing the cold water.

[rain pattering] [water splashing] Low lying areas of the island soon fill with the rising water of the torrential rains, but the Gooneys will not abandon their nests.

They must simply endure the weather.

[gentle music] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] Eventually, the sun returns and the water begins to drain off the island.

Though casualties were heavy, most of the chicks have survived.

They grow rapidly, but retain their down covering.

When the chick is hungry and its parents' belly is less than full, it must peck vigorously to stimulate feeding.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] In this case, the chick's pecking doesn't excite the adult enough.

Perhaps seeking stimulation elsewhere, this adult approaches another chick and attacks it.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] Then it returns and feeds its own chick.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] The rapidly growing chicks require constant feeding.

The adult Gooneys continually fly out to sea to search for food, usually small squid.

Some don't make it back.

The remaining parent needing to search for its own food soon deserts the chick, leaving it to starve.

At the age of four weeks, the chicks can get around on their own and start to venture away from their nests.

At a very early age, Gooneys are fiercely territorial, and will permit no trespassing.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] The adults are drawn to the fight, but do nothing about it.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] For the most part, life for the chicks on Midway is quiet and uneventful, but as they become more mobile they manage to wander out into the road.

By leaving the grass and blocking the pavement, they unwittingly violate the truce between man and bird.

Such violations are dealt with quickly and unceremoniously.

Sometimes it's easier just to go around.

[engine rumbling] [rumbling continues] Night falls on Midway and the activity of the day lessens.

Flight operations for airplanes as well as for Gooneys come to a stop.

Very light sleepers, they are easily distracted.

Gathering under a bright light, the Gooneys seem to enjoy their own version of shadow dancing.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] Another bird active at night is the Bonin petrel.

The pigeon sized petrel digs its nest in the sandy earth beneath the facade.

Sadly, the borough affords no protection against rats.

Accidentally introduced during the war, rats destroy 90% of petrel eggs, making this chick a rarity.

The petrel can throw sand eight to 10 feet while digging at four foot long burrow, sometimes pelting a puzzled Gooney chick.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] This kind of disturbance has become increasingly rare because a once thriving colony of a half million petrels has been reduced to less than 2,000 birds.

The well kept green lawns are obviously prime real estate, but you have to put up with the gardener.

[engine rumbling] [rumbling continues] [rumbling continues] [rumbling continues] [rumbling continues] [rumbling continues] [rumbling continues] [rumbling continues] In recent years, the size of the naval base on Midway has been cut back drastically.

Once there were 4,000 people.

Today, there are only a few hundred.

[birds squawking] The children of military personnel once laughed and played in what is now becoming a ghost town.

Buildings are being abandoned by humans, but not by the Gooneys.

Unfortunately, some of the condemned structures hold new hazards for the Gooney chicks.

[birds squawking] The paint used when the buildings were erected contains lead.

The young bird to pick off the peeling paint, eat it, and go into convulsions.

[birds squawking] An adult stands by helplessly as its chick dies of lead poisoning.

[engine rumbling] The Navy is working to eliminate the hazard by destroying the buildings.

[engine rumbling] [boards clattering] As the Navy demolishes the old buildings and restores part of Midway to pre-war conditions, it also creates more space where Gooneys can nest.

[birds squawking] The chicks continue to grow rapidly and they're beginning to shed their down.

The adults have done their job.

The chicks, though still demanding food are grown and healthy.

Now six months old, they weigh more than their parents.

Their fat reserves will enable them to survive on their own when in late July, the adults leave.

At last free from the responsibilities of parenthood, they will spend the next four months at sea.

[water splashing] As is always the case, the ease of takeoff depends on the wind conditions.

[water splashing] [splashing continues] [splashing continues] [splashing continues] Despite difficulties during takeoff, once airborne, the Gooney is simply magnificent.

[gentle music] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] While their parents are riding the cool ocean breezes, the chicks are left sitting on their nests.

They can last two to three weeks without food.

In that time, they must shed their down and learn to fly all on their own.

Meanwhile, the harsh summer sun beats down on them.

[birds squawking] Some fall prey to a condition called droop wing, probably caused by a calcium deficiency.

These won't last long.

As heat, disease, and hunger begin to take their toll, the dead Gooneys must be removed for sanitary purposes.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] There's little shelter from the Pacific sun.

The young birds pant rapidly trying to keep cool as they wait for the changes to happen within their bodies.

Rain would make their lives much easier, but in lieu of that, a lawn sprinkler will suffice.

The water is a welcome relief for a lucky few.

[water pattering] [pattering continues] [pattering continues] [pattering continues] The other birds must wait for an occasional rain shower when all of them will benefit.

And some benefit more than others.

[rain pattering] Any slight breeze makes the young Gooneys realize they have wings.

They begin the involved process of learning to use these complex tools.

Step by step they follow their instincts toward their goal.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] Flight itself is comparatively easy.

Getting off the ground is the tough part.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] [fan whirring] Then there are those who try to take the easy way out.

At last, a place where the wind is steady and dependable.

[whirring continues] [engine rumbling] It's at this point that the immature Gooneys find the wide open breezy spaces of the naval runways.

With freely blowing winds and unrestricted space for takeoff, the airstrip seems like the perfect practice field.

[upbeat music] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] The young Gooney gets its first taste of the freedom of flight.

These eyes have just seen a whole new world open before them.

[gentle music] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] - [Pilot] Alpha radio.

Request [indistinct] for landing [indistinct].

[engine rumbling] - [Narrator] Every year at this time, a Gooney Patrol has its work cut out for it.

They have to clear the large concrete runways.

A bird sucked into a jet engine can cause a quarter of a million dollars worth of damage.

[birds squawking] [squawking continues] [squawking continues] [engine rumbling] These birds will get a free lift to the beach, which is where they want it to be in the first place.

[water splashing] [splashing continues] [splashing continues] The young Gooneys must now become accustomed to the vast ocean, which will be their only companion in the years to come.

Though they were hatched only a short distance away, they've never seen the water that will be so important to their lives.

[water splashing] They have to learn how to survive in this new environment.

[water splashing] [splashing continues] Some will not have the chance to make a second mistake.

A few perish in the unfamiliar environment but those that survive are now living their last few moments as land bound creatures.

[water splashing] A large monk seal is doing to the Gooneys what they did to the Navy, obstructing the runway.

This obstruction, however, is not so easily moved.

[water splashing] [splashing continues] [seal barking] [bird squawking] [barking continues] [squawking continues] [barking continues] [squawking continues] [barking continues] [squawking continues] [barking continues] [squawking continues] [water splashing] [gentle music] Gooneys still crowd the beach, but one by one they find their wings and look toward the sky.

Now the young Gooneys begin that incredible maiden voyage, up to seven years at sea, never touching land, nothing but the wide Pacific below.

[gentle music] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [inspirational music] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues] [music continues]