by: Emily Severson

Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project works to locate, protect, and enhance seabird populations and their habitats. Here in the islands each fall we prepare for seabird fallout to help seabirds make their way from their natal burrows out to the sea. Seabird fallout is a phenomenon primarily affecting young seabirds (petrels and shearwaters) that leave their burrow nests for the first time when heading out to sea, and become distracted by our night lighting, that causes them to be distracted and “fallout” on our island. This can also affect adult birds from time to time. Our seabirds use natural light from the moon and stars to navigate to the ocean where they spend most of their time living and foraging for food. Artificial light at night such as street lights, building, and residential lights can distract seabirds from their intended routes. When high in short wave length light, (over 2700K or high in blue light content, or unshielded), lights disorient seabirds who then circle these lights for hours leaving them to tire, dehydrate, and collide with structures, or fall to the ground from exhaustion or injury from collision. Once grounded these native and endangered seabirds become extremely vulnerable to predators (cats & mongoose) and vehicle strikes and not being able to make it out to the ocean. Annually during the fall fledging season, October – December, young birds make their first flight out to sea and are most at risk. You can help by calling our seabird hotline at (808) 573-BIRD (2473) if you find a seabird in trouble. Use of wildlife friendly lights makes a huge difference and will also keep the sky clear for star gazing and astronomical observation, another uniquely Hawaiian treasure. Learn more about how light pollution impacts all of our community’s health.