Local wildlife experts are asking people to keep an eye out for injured seabirds after this weekend’s storm.
The Hawaiʻi Wildlife Center rehabilitates wild seabirds from across the state at its hospital facility in Kapaʻau on Hawaiʻi Island.
The center’s CEO and founder Linda Elliott said the hospital and its satellite clinic in Oʻahu have received an influx of downed seabirds since Hurricane Lala hit.
As of Sunday night, the center’s partners on Oʻahu had taken in 29 birds, including ʻua‘u kani, manu-o-Kū, and sooty terns. The center also reported eight downed Hawaiian petrels on Hawaiʻi Island.
Elliott said the center was working with the state’s Division of Forestry and Wildlife to try to rescue additional birds in Kaʻū, which has limited road access in the wake of the storm.
While the long-term impacts of the storm aren’t yet clear, Elliott said it's possible that Lala may have done lasting damage to some of Hawaiʻi’s bird populations.
The endangered ʻua‘u, or Hawaiian petrel, and the ʻua‘u kani, or wedge-tailed shearwater, are in the middle of their breeding season. Both species only lay one egg per year, meaning any bird that loses its egg or chick won’t have another opportunity to breed this year.
And if an adult of either species loses its mate, it may spend multiple breeding seasons looking for a new partner.
If someone sees a seabird in distress, Elliott said the best course of action is to cover it with a towel and place it in a box with ventilation holes until it can be brought to a wildlife clinic. Do not give the bird food or water, and keep it somewhere dark and quiet.
To report a downed seabird, contact the following organizations.
- Hawaiʻi Wildlife Center (Hawaiʻi Island and Oʻahu) - 808-884-5000
- Save Our Shearwaters (Kauaʻi) - 808-635-5117
- Division of Forestry and Wildlife (Maui) - 808-984-8100
The group Hui Manu-o-Kū works specifically with Manu-o-Kū in urban Honolulu. To report a grounded chick, call their hotline at 808-379-7555.
