Photo courtesy of Jim Denny 
Jim Denny The ʻuaʻu, or Hawaiian petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), is a federally endangered native seabird. The majority of known nests on Hawai'i Island are within Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the lower alpine and subalpine slopes of Mauna Loa. Wildlife biologists estimate that only 50 to 60 breeding pairs are left here. In November, young ʻuaʻu leave their nests for the first time and fly at night to the ocean searching for food. A primary threat to fledglings are bright urban lights that cause them to become disoriented and fall to the ground or collide with structures. Once grounded, it is difficult for ʻuaʻu to take flight, leaving them extremely vulnerable to cats, dogs and mongooses. While a primary threat on other islands, groundings are not as common on Hawaiʻi Island, likely due to a much smaller population of ʻuaʻu combined with minimal urban lighting, particularly in and around the national park. The last grounding in the park was in 2006. As a result, the park modified existing lighting to be downcast and shielded on the top, and the park pays careful attention to all new lighting to ensure it meets requirements to minimize disorientation. "People might be aware of the petrels on Maui since there are many more birds up at Haleakalā National Park, in the thousands. However, most folks aren't aware that we have petrels on Hawaiʻi Island as well. ʻUaʻu numbers are so low here that the odds of encountering them are rare. The fact that we have only a handful make it important that we protect these remaining few," said Dr. Rhonda Loh, Superintendent of the park. Adult ʻuaʻu arrive on land in early spring and nest in underground burrows, entering and leaving after dark. The female lays a single egg in May. Both parents take turns incubating for 60 days and then feed the chick until it fledges in November or early December. ʻUaʻu are 16 inches from head to tail, have a three-foot wingspan, and are dark grey on top and white below. They make a variety of calls and one sounds just like its name: oo-AH-oo. If you find a grounded seabird in the national park, please contact dispatch at (808) 985-6170. Outside of the park, contact the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (808) 974-4221. In 1987, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park was designated a World Heritage Site due in part to the high number of endemic species, like the Hawaiian petrel, it protects. This year the park celebrates 25 years of World Heritage by offering a series of educational programs about the natural and cultural resources in the park. The requested video is no longer available.
More ‘Ua‘u information from external websites: |
Last updated: February 18, 2021