Hello again,
Answer to the Gooney Bird Question:
The Gooney birds are indeed Laysan Albatrosses. They are featured on the Airmen
of the
Medway Island Navel Air facility. It was the Medway Island Airmen that
actually gave
them the name, "Gooney Birds". The birds had to be cleared from te runway so
they could
land their aircraft during the 2nd world war.
In the 10th anniversary Issue of GEO Australasia Vol 10 No 4, there is an
excellent
article on the GOONEY birds. The title sums it up nicely. The High Flying,
Sweet-Dancing
Albatross Or "How the American Navy lost the second battle of Midway Island" to
the
"Gooney Birds".
Hope this assists you all !
Cheers Lindsay & Janice
PS. Paul wrote:
I think the original "Gooney Bird" is the Laysan Albatross (aka "White Gooney")
but the term "Gooney" is also applied to the Black-footed Albatross ("Black
Gooney") and Short-tailed Albatross ("Golden Gooney".) I thought it referred
to the Brown(?) Booby, but haven't found any references to back this idea up.
The Douglas DC-3 "Dakota" (in particular the military C-47/R4D "Skytrain"
versions) are affectionately known as "Gooney Birds" because like the
Albatrosses, they are clumsy on the ground but graceful in the air.
The nick-name probably originated during World War II when the aircraft
operated out of Midway where the albatrosses breed. I also found one
reference to the DC-3 being referred to as the "Pelican", probably for the
same reason.
--
SOSSA "Wildlife Research"
Southern Oceans Seabird Study Association Inc
Lindsay E. Smith & Janice G. Jenkin-Smith
P.O. Box 142, Unanderra NSW Australia 2526
Phone +61 (02) 4271 6004
Fax +61 (02) 4272 4626
Mobile 0418 603 007
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