LIHU‘E — Long before the invention of electricity, Hawai‘i’s young, native seabirds were easily guided by the soft light of the moon and gentle glow of the stars during their first journeys from the mountains to the sea. Now, fledgling
LIHU‘E — Long before the invention of electricity, Hawai‘i’s young, native seabirds were easily guided by the soft light of the moon and gentle glow of the stars during their first journeys from the mountains to the sea.
Now, fledgling birds, like Newell’s shearwaters (a‘o), Hawaiian petrels (ua‘u), wedge-tailed shearwaters (ua‘u kani) and band-rumped storm petrels are faced with modern-day obstacles during their inaugural flights from their nesting burrows, said officials at the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
Attracted to light, the endangered birds get disoriented and can fall from fatigue or fly into man-made structures like buildings and wires, according to the DLNR.
From now to Dec. 15, people are asked to help the endangered birds while they are most vulnerable by turning off lights at all county-owned outdoor facilities by 8 p.m., unless authorized by the director of Parks and Recreation, a county news release says.
Implemented three years ago, the county says the aim of this measure is to mitigate their risk of fines of up to $25,000 for each “take,” which may be imposed due to the Endangered Species Act. A “take” is defined in the act as “to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.”
Homeowners and businesses can make a “significant positive impact” by taking “simple and focused steps to manage outdoor lighting,” a DLNR press release says.
If decorative and unnecessary lights are turned off in the evening hours “as much as possible,” these birds will have a greater chance of survival, according to the DLNR.
The public is urged to install shielded lights to replace bare spotlights and landscaping lights, bring lighting down to earth by facing outside lights down to the ground and place floodlights and security lights on motion detectors.
Closing curtains or blinds at night, especially in homes along coastal areas, is also recommended to “help our seabirds,” DLNR officials said.
In addition, a Save Our Shearwaters program partnership between Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative and the Kaua‘i Humane Society helps protect downed seabirds affected by the urbanization of Kaua‘i by implementing “aid stations” across the island where people can bring fallen birds.
“We see the native seabirds as an important resource to Kaua‘i,” said Randall Hee, president and CEO of KIUC, adding that he is “confident” that the SOS program will continue to “rescue, rehabilitate and release seabirds back to the wild.”
Grounded seabirds may be seen landing or sitting on roads, parking lots and lawns where they then become easy prey to feral cat and dogs, and are often struck and killed by vehicular traffic, according to DLNR officials.
They are usually docile and can be picked up with a towel and taken to the nearest station, KIUC officials said.
Since 1979, when SOS was created by the state, volunteers and residents have collected 31,224 seabirds across the islands — 92 percent of which were recovered and released, according to KHS. Approximately 2,000 Newell’s shearwaters are picked up annually in Hawai‘i and 91 percent are released back into the wild.
The county, DLNR and other stakeholders are collaborating on the development of a program that would minimize the taking of endangered and threatened species on Kaua‘i, according to county spokeswoman Mary Daubert.
For more information on how to help these endangered birds during their fledgling season, visit www.kauaihumane.org/shearwaters.asp.
See sidebar for SOS aid station locations.
Save Our Shearwaters
aid station locations
Eastside
Lihu‘e Fire Station
Matson Nawiliwili
Kaua‘i Humane Society
Westside
Waimea Fire Station
Hanapepe Fire Station
Kalaheo Fire Station
Port Allen Chevron
Pacific Missile Range Facility
South Shore
Koloa Fire Station
North Shore
Kilauea Medical Group
Princeville Fire Station
Hanalei Liquor Store
