Christmas Island birds return after mystery exit

The birds are returning to Christmas Island. Ornithologist Ralph Schreiber of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County reported last March that millions of birds had disappeared mysteriously from this mid-Pacific island. Moreover, thousands of nestlings were left behind and perished.

But the National Science Foundation reported Sunday that Mr. Schreiber recently returned to the island and found that individuals of most of the 18 species that left earlier have returned in small numbers.