It’s peak seabird fallout season and animal rehabilitation leaders are urging folks to look out for fallen birds across the state.
Young ʻuaʻu kani, or shearwater birds, tend to take their first flights away from their nests between September and December. They learn to fly toward the light of the moon and stars, but the increase in artificial lights, especially on Oʻahu, has caused the baby birds to be misled on their flight paths.
Many of them end up flying into something and are unable to get back up and take flight again.
Rae Okawa, the development director at the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Center (HWC), said the team is urging people to bring these birds into a drop-off location if they are found on the ground.
“The light of the moon is no longer the brightest thing in the sky anymore, so they end up following whatever is brightest and going inland instead of out to sea, and that's when they get into trouble,” Okawa said.
Over 530 shearwater birds have been brought into the wildlife center since the end of October. Okawa expects November's new moon to increase that number because there will be no source of natural light for the young birds to follow.
In 2017, the HWC launched the Oʻahu Seabird Aid program, which provides coordinated response and care for fallen birds. Fallen birds are nursed back to health by the HWC team before releasing them back in the wild.
Last year, 645 ‘uaʻu kani were brought into the HWC, and 575 were released. Some birds were deemed unreleasable due to severe injuries that hindered their ability to fly or survive in the wild.
“Any help that we can get, shielding lights, turning off lights when you're not using it, or even if you're staying at a hotel, drawing your curtains and things like that can really help a lot,” Okawa said.
If a seabird is found, call the wildlife center at (808) 884-5000 before doing anything. Birds should be picked up with a towel or other soft material and placed in a ventilated box before being dropped off at the Kailua Feathers & Fur Animal location, or at another satellite drop-off spot, which can be found here.
