~I · HAWAII DOCl,'HENT $105,700 OMS ... Previously a:>llected data on field observations of banded birds will be analyzed with reference to survival. ... Presence or absence of extremely

~I

/•v'd

!Ii

I

FINAL REIMBURSEMENT(Closure Slip)

St.ate: N/

Project No.: Lv - /{-/:! - / {;

1. Reporting requir~ments satisfied: ((z~/

(Initials)

Final inspection:

2. Engineering requirements satisfied: ~

(Initials)

£//

(Initials, Date)

3. Attorney General's Certificate(s) received and acreage certified (except

as noted under Remarks) Al/q(Initials)

4. File reviewed:(Initials)

I ./

Remarks:5.

Based upon a review of project reports and inspection of the wo~k 0:::- kno""ledgeof t·'I"ojec"'.: acco1:1plistllilents, I certify that the project was satisfactc:::-i.ly completed, a~d any special conditions satisfied, except

by:

Date

REQUEST F{)R .lOV.lHCEOR REIMBURSEJilEHT

.1 T"....f llt...._ •••_ ......

.. 2 .4~.

~1I!.....lIo.w_t I.. IX: P'C "_..

I

t. Il........ ...-..... ... Ct.-........!I_.INTERIOR-USFWS

86

...-.~T_. __

1. Cr...- .Il4_t Me. ., 1....."'-' I L 1'__'" c:.__ (~. 0.,. T-.,

"W-18-R-IO I"'!tJ 01 85 IT'ln

P.O. Box 621

t. N_.I IM__o~ ..._Dept. of Land & Natural ResourcesDivision of Fprestry and wi lOJ j felintC&T _. _ .._c

Honolulu, HI 96809

l

'" (21

s s s84 585.47!I. las:~ \IlliI""' Illane ••••••••••••

t. lie!~ 0IIll3ys. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • •• 84,585.47

•. TCI el Lnlos C iIlIl d • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 84,585.47

i. . !loR Felelal _ aI Lioe . 21,1413'.37

&- fe!lolcl sID.. ot _I ... Lile e. .••••..••..• 63,43 .10

II. FeiIo<al~~y....-tl!d . 63,39· .52I. Ftoltl;I __~ •••••••••••••••• 43.58

_1_IIZIIIIIIII

I000. --: '.' ..-.-

•

l-'W!::RAL AID l\CCOHPLlSH:-iErH REPORT

/ / 'S LYi :. : -----t!./LZ. v../t?'-.L'L.r

PR(J)'~cr t;tni5tR:~/8-;::- /0

:.

r-----~~---r--.,---.-/~!---//-.--.-/--rj -- -··--i--- --I/ A,..t ~··;tv /h1bary S'Z:lond.J:- y j

l Vrdr"s 1 . Cost J

l(--;-C~j",' '.~ , SpecIe. Spec I", .. -----1-t-!~_ .--lI L 1- 2 tZ. 3. t2.. i I - - _I -ff£ 5 - - I .--:- - .L -- .L ~ s~~· q !L~~_o #Q I 1 2b S- 1 -.-- L - __ 2_6..t2.Z

I .1 oL.;;2 t2. 5 0 I Iq -~ 5 ...:. __ i L _. __ ~ ~ 0 Z• 1 ':l 3. 0 .5 (I I ___ !i 6. 5" I L .L 5".2. 2:_

.L Z 6.12. q-~ I _ _ _ 2 C5 _ _ _ _ _ . . L . _ ~5 L

.L~~O:LQ 26.5 -- l.- __dL6Jd

~ ~2: -58- __ -___ .5:J. .Q === _'=- =L ==_Zfl" I I-------.- i,

--------

- - -- -- -- ~- -

r1

!

..-.-. __ ... I------_.~- ._-_.~ .

State H...;;a",w__a_i__i Oate_-.;.Ju;;.;n;;.;e~2.;;;,2....! ...;1;;.:9__8_4__ Project No. _-"W;.,.-""l"-S--'R"--...l""O _

Project Title Statewide Nongame and Endangered Species Program

(date(date

__....(d:::i~te

,DOCUMENTS~~APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

Amendment to AFA No.I-~

xx PROJECT AGREEMENi"I-__Am.endment to PA No.

Othert---

ROUTING, INITIAL AND DATE.rw Clerk

Docuemnt Log # . 84-01~9

Log C1 eared 01 ,)B1s:;r;;c.-<:~AFA Exp. Date 6IJO/~'

" Re~lrt CardForm 424 (gb::j+t4 g.LU

I'rr"l..kJdget Ana1yst(,ontract # IssuedLedger Approved ~~~-~--rVoucher Card hzA2

A-95 COMPLIANCESAl # ---;;...;..._------__ C. H. COlTIinents Received (date)

NEPA COMPLIANCE/ ~ Covered by Cat. Ex. # • ,1/ Compliance Filed with AFA anci-c-u-r-re-nt1/ EA Needed and AttachedI I EIS Needed and Attached

ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT. SEC. 7 FORM1/1 Filed with AfA and currentII No Effect Form AttachedII Adverse Effect. Form Attached--1--1 Beneficial Effect, Form to CO7 I May Effect. Form to CO

CFAR Form Compo v/ to CO & AOLand Record Card UpdateStatus Map Update ------"---------

~-~,.

REVIEWING BIOLOGIST:__~~~_~.~L.~.~ _

Inltla1NOTES &COMMENTS

.;..,/ .. -:/" .~ ~. ;,,-

/ .:;"/ ;" r i ,~

/J :- < ~'.!

",- !

j J

, !

- - ,. .

$79,275

CONTROL ~

DOCl__:'C;:-);T NO. II

1018-0049 Expires 8/31/85

$26,425

HAWAII

DOCl,'HENT

$105,700

•OMS Approval Be.

Total I 5 tatE: ?ederal

+--~e:.:o:.:s=_t=___ L_S_'_r1_a_r__'_e___T___---'-S--'-h-a-=r'--e=--.Ji,

•PROJECT AGREEMENT

UNITED STATES DEPARTMEl'rI' OF THE INTERIORFish and Wildlife Service

Division of Federal Aid

•

I I ~ederal Aid in Sport Fish Rescor2ticn Act(16 e.s.e. 777-777k) 50 eFR Part 80

GQa Federal Aid in ~ildli:e Restoration Act(16 e.s.e. 669-669i) 50 eFR Part 80o Other (specify)

Statewide Non-Game and Endangered Species ProgramPRDJECT COST ~ISTRIBLTIO~

ORGk,IZAT10N CODEISTATE

I PROJECT NO. ISEDiDTI W-18-R I 10

"'. r; -E-T----I-----------------------------"I "'GREE'.~FNT PE".R Ion I --=-=------.:- l{0J L 1 LLL. -- -~ -'--

I,From: July 1, 1984_ To: June 30, 1985

----------

,

$105,700TOT';;.1.

Oc~~K ?ROJLCl PROVISIONS

$26,425 $79,275'L.... -.L.-. -----.!.-_

;'

Il.2 5:2. t e agrees to e.xecu te the proj ec t in accordance wi th the Ac t s checked abov2 ~ .:inc.t~e pertinent rules and regulations of the Secretary of the Intericr contained inTi:le 50 of t~e Code of ?ederal Regulat~ons; the (~~S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fece=21Aid :lanual; and the previously approved Application fo~ Federal Assistance tC the2:-:::e=:t enccr.-rpassed by this Agreement, including the Assurances attached there.to~

and Address)

L_~.~~)-i,-,/-:s?- it:

A?? RD\/ED tOR TEt. SECRETARY Or rei£.

/

••••I.S SI••' SZ lI1illl ., ----.

•JOB DES::RIPI'IOO

State: Hawaii

Project Title: Statewide Non-Game and~ered Species Program

Study Title: Nene Investigations

Job Title: Surve~f the Nene Population on Maui

Job Objectives:

•Project N\.Ul1ber:study N\.Ul1ber:Job N\.Ul1ber:

W-18-R-lOR-I

R-I-B

To estimate survival, to detennine distributiorl and to approximatepopulation trends of nene on Maui.

Procedures :

Previously a:>llected data on field observations of banded birds will beanalyzed with reference to survival. New data on banded birds will besystematically gathered in once-a-mont..lJ surveys along transects established inthe eastern section of Haleakala Crater. Data on group cuupo:=ition, specificobservation site and banded-unbanded ratio will be retained. Cbservationswill be rea:>rded as scatter points on maps that will be combined forevaluation of distribution of the birds. Observation of young birds will benoted as measures of nesting success. Banded-unbanjed ratios adjustedaca:>rding to survival will be used to estimate population size and toapproximate trends. New birds released and where feasible, young goslings,w-ill be banded.

During the breeding season surveys will be concentrated in known orsuspected nesting areas and will be directed towards location of nests. Dataon clutch size, gosling production, and mortality will be collected wheneverpossible. Related infonnation on parent birds will be rea:>rded, !..!1Cluding sexand bmd identification if bands are present. causes of observed mortality,e.g. predation or inclem:nt weather, will be identified whenever possible.

Collecting field data will be aca:>rding to standardized forms to preventoversight in data recording.

Location of Work: Island of ~1aui

WOrk Schedule: Ju:.y 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985Date Progress Report is Due: August 14, 1985

___•• ...,.112 •• ,,__..• ------

•Names of Technical Personnel and Man-Days Required:

•Name

Meyer UeokaTimothy Burr:illwin Andrac2Glenn Shishido

Title

Wildlife Biologist VIn II V

n " IIIForester IV

TOI'hL

Man-Days

304

7010

114

Job Duratior.: July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985

Principa:L Investigator: Meyer 1Jeoka, Wildlife Biologist

Total Cost:Federal Share:

State Share:

$l4,OOO10,500 ~

3,500

__11 ...._1_.._••, _

•JOB DESCRIPTIOO

State: Hawaii

Project Title: Statewide Non-Game andE:ndangered Species Program

Study Title: Nene Investigations

•Project N1.lliDer:Study N1.lliDer:Job Number:

W-l8-R-10R-I

R-I-F

Job Title: Evaluation of a Management Program for the Nene on the Islandof Hawaii

Job Objectives:

- ~,

&

1. To investigate ways to preserve, maintain and develop nene habitat inthe sanctuaries and elsewhere.

2. To monitor the nene population trends.

Procedures:

self-feeders and water ponds in the nene sar~tuaries will be evaluated todetermine if they are accanplishing these desired results:

1. Increase the longevity of adult nene by prOlliding them with aconstant source of adequate food.

2. Retain the nene within the boundaries of the sanctuaries and therebyafford them better security.

3. Increase the survival and recruitment of nene produced in the wilddue to the availability of nourishing feed.

4. Increase egg production during breeding season with the availabilityof higher protein feed and a choice of free calcium in the form ofcrushed coral.

Soil samples will be analyzed and the lacking ingredients determined.

Nene population estimates will be made and analyzed frem data being addedto the computerized files now in existence. Feeding stations as indicators ofpopulation trends will be monitored periodically.

IlXation of Work: Island of Hawaii

Work Schedule: July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985Date Progress Report is Due: september 1, 1985

•Narles of Technical Personnel ani Man-Days Required:

•Name

Ronald BachmanNelson SantosMiles NakaharaClarence BrancoWilliam Devick

Title

Wildlife Biologist VI11 I. ~

" " IIWildlife M:1t. Asst. II

" n " IV

Man-Days.

20100

20408

188

Job Duration: July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985

Principal Investigator: Nelson santos, Wildlife Biologist


State Share:

$20,00015,000

5,000

•----------------------,..-----------......,

•JOB DESCRIPTlOO

St.ate: Hawaii

Project Title: Statewide Non-Game andEndan;Jered Species Program

Project Number:Study Number:Job NUlli::>er:

yl-l8-R-IOR-II

R-II-A

Study Title: Forest Bird Tnvestigations

Job Title: InventOry of PaUla on Mauna Kea, IsLnd of Hawaii.

Job Oojectives:

To obtail'"! annual population trend data of pallia on Mauna Rea; identifyinimical factors, and investigate feasibility of introduction to unoccupiedhabitat.

Prcx::edures:

Transects on the western and eastern slopes of Mauna Rea will be used tocensus the breedin;J and post-breedin;J population of palila. A variable circlecensus technique will be used to obtain this annual population trend data.Other net.hods of enuneration will be tested for accuracy and cooparison.Durin;J S1:u:veys inimical factors will be identified. Unoccupied but suitablehabitats will be evaluated for potential use by palila.

Location of Work: Mauna Kea, Island of Hawaii

Work SChedule: January 1, 1985 to Decerrber 31, 1985Date Progress Report is l)Je: March 15, 1986

Na.-neS of Technical Personnel and Man-Days Required:

Nam:

Ti.mothy BurrTiJootJlly Sutterfield/-tar ie Mor inJon GiffinMiles NakaharaVacant:Clarence Branco

Title

If n V.. .. N

Wildlife Biologist NIf n IV.. .. II

Wildlife M;1t. Asst. IV.. .. .. III

TOI'AL

Man-Days

10101020151010

85

-_.._--_._,----_.._-_...,,_......_------------

•Job Duratio:1: July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985

•Principal Investigator: Jon Giffin, Wildlife Biologist

C.ooperators: u.s. Fish and Wildlife Service, State Division of Forestry andWildlife and u.S. Forest Service

Total Cost:Fe:leral ::hare:

State ::hare:

$ 8,0006,0002,000

____.. ...... <k, .....,,__... _

•JOB DESCRIPI'ICN

State: Hawaii

Project Title: Statewide Non-Game andEndangered Species Program

•Project Number:Job Ntmt>er:Job NUIOOer:

W-18-R-10R-n

R-n-o

Study Title: Forest Bird Investigations !;..!

Job Title: Limited Surveys of Forest Birds and Their Habitats ill theState of Hawaii

Job Objectives:

To monitor the status, distribution, and abundance of endemic forest birdspecies, particularly those t.'1at, are endangered, in selected areas t.l'lroughoutthe State. Limited surveys will be conduc7..ed in forest areas on the islandsof Haw.aii, Maui, M:>lokai, Lanai, Oa.llU, and Kauai to observe, identify, a'rlmonitor the distribution and abundance of endemic forest birds.

'I''C) carpare the results of two sampling techniques (variable circular-plotand relative abundance) done concurrently over a three-year period toevaluate the need for continuing the !lOre intensive variable circulor-plottechnique (O:lhu).

Procedures:

A var iable circle census ta-,lmique (as developed by Fish a."'XI Wil.dlifeservice Research) and/or a technique to index abundaoce will be used tcmonitor selected areas for status, distribution, and abundance of endemicforest birds. Presence or absence of extremely rare, endangered forest birds,or birds thought to be extinct, will also be monitored.

At least one survey will be conducted in each district during theperiod. One to 0.'0 wildlife biologists and one wildlife management assistantwill be assigned to participate in these surveys. Logistical support willalso be provided. Observers will be trained in audio and visual speciesidentification and distance e2timation.

Each survey route will be po.otted on 1:24,000 scale topographic maps asaccurately as possble using altimeters and canpa.sses.

rata that will be recorded during each survey includes:

1. Date; tilll2, and weather condition

2. Species" number, and type of observation (audio, vis;Ja1, audio/visual)

3. Plant phenology as awropriate

__________.,__• .. ' II ~-~------- _

• •In ,addition, the following other information will be collected whenever

possible:

1. Activity and behavior observed for each species.

2. Stage of reproduction (Le. courtship, copulation, young)

Location of Work: Statewide

Work Schedule: O:::tober 1, 1984 to September 30, 1985Date Progress Report is Due: Novellloer 15, 1985

Narres of Technical Personnel and Man-Days R...oquired:

Name

'Timothy BurrMeyer UeokaThanas TelferJon GiffinTimothy SutterfieldEtlwin AndradeMatt.'lew HigashidaMarie Morin

Title

Wildlife Biologist Vn n VI.. n VIn n IVn .. IV

Wildlife M:]t. Asst. IVn n n IV

Wildlife Biologist IV

Man-Days

15555

1055

15

65

Job Duratior.: July 1, 1983 to June 30, 1984

Principal Investigator: Timothy Burr, Wildlife Biologist

Cooperators: u.S. Fish and Wildlife Service


State Share:

2 2

$ 8,0006,0002,000

• •W-18-R-9

R-IIIR-III-A

Project Number:Study Number:Job Number:Project Title: Statewide Non-Game and

Endangered Species Program

Study Title: Waterbird Investigations

Job Title: Surve'~and Inventories of Waterbirds and '!heir Habitatsin th,: State of Hawaii

State: Hawaii

Job Cl:>jectives:

1. To determine the abundarx:e and distribution of waterbird species inthe State of Hawaii and to record environmental factors affectingtheir distribution.

2. To provide information that can be used for Statewide waterbirdpopulation analyses.

3. To measure the effects of waterbird habitat improvement projects atKealia and Kanaha Ponds, Island of Maui, and Pai.1<o Lagoon WildlifeSanctuary and Salt Lake, Island of oahu to determine pcpulationtrends and measure effects of habitat improvements.

4. To conduct other waterbird surveys as needed.

5. To estimate annually the Statewide recruitment level of the HawaiianStilt population.

Procedures:

CA1e day censuses will be made in January and August on approxilIlately thesane day as in previous years. In addition, limited surveys will be conductedin known or suspected, but not regularly surveyed habitats to determii"1e theSta+-ll<; of resident and migratory waterbirds and shorebirds at these habitats.Cl:>servations will be made in selected habitats to determine Hawaiian stiltproductivity. Species to be inventor ied will include migratory shorebirds andwaterfowl and Ha.miian stilt, lX'JOt, gallinule, and duck. Age classes will begiven for native waterbirds where possible.

Permanent habitat areas sUJrveyed in previous years will again becensused. Temporary wetlands will also be surveyed to the extent that tiIneand manpower will p2rmit. An aerial survey of the island of Niihau will beconJucted as close as possible to the tiIne of the annual surveys. Additionalsurveys will be conducted in ephemeral areas not routinely surveyed.

For all habitat areas surveyed, the following data will be recorded:

1. Date of survey

2. TiIne of clay

•

•3. Tide level

4. Weather conditions

•5. Species, sex, age, morphology, arrl numbers of birds seen

6. Brief description of the current condition of the habitat

A one-day recruitnent survey will be conducted State-wide in September toestimate Hawaiian Stilt production. Habitats surveyed for the semi-annualsurvey, ¥bieh support significant numbers of stilts, will be identified onear...h island and used for this survey. An atterrpt will be made to consistantlyuse only these an~as for the recruit:m:nt survey. Age, sex, banded, unbanded,and unknowns for age and sex will be noted for birds at each area.

llint..'"l1y 5nv<:ntm:ies of wterbirds will be made at Kanaha and Kealia Pondson Maui and at Paiko Lagoon Wildlife SanctUCL."Y and salt Lake on oahu.

Binocn] ars and/or spotting scopes will be utilized for ide.11tificationp-rrposes. Standard forms will be supplied to participants.

Location of WOrk: State of Hawaii

WOrk Schedule: February 1, 1984 to January 31, 1985Date Progress Report is nJe: April 15, 1985

Names of Techl1ical Personnel and Man-Days Required:

Name Title Man-Days

Wildlife Biologist VClief Wildlife BiologistWildlife Biologist IV

fl q VWildlife M3t. Asst. IVWildlife Biologist VIWildlife M;Jt. Asst. IIIWildlife Biologist VIWildlife M;Jt. Asst. III

n n .. IIl.vildlife Biologist VI

n n IV

" n IV~ .. II" n IV

'Wildlife Mgt. Asst. V~ n « III

Timothy BurrRonald WalkerTimothy SutterfieldFalph SaitoMatthew HigashidaThomas TelferJohn SanchezMeyer Ueokaw.vin AndradeVacantRonald BachmanNelson SantosJon GiffinMiles NakaharaMarie MorinHarry Fergerstr~l

Clarence BrancoEdwin PetteysPatrick CostalesMichael BockWayne Cling

Forester"n

"

VIVIVIII

1044

1012

75

1010

422448222222

115

•Job De1ration:July 1, 1983 to June 30, 1984

•Principal Investigator: TiIrothy Burr, Wildlife Biologist

Cooperator: u.s. Fish and Wildlife service


State Share:

$10,0007,5002,500

State: Hawaii

Project Title:

•JOB DESCRIPI'ICN

Statewide Non-Game andEndangered Species Progra.'Tl

•Project NUiltler:Study Number:Job NUiltler:

W-18-10R-III

R-III-E(al


Job Title: Evaluation of Endangered Waterbird Habitat Improvements

Job Segment: Kauai

Job Cbjectives:

To evaluate artificial nesting and loafing structures for acceptability anduse by endangered waterbird species at selected habitats on KauaL

To evaluate various pote.11tial waterbird food and cover plants fortransplanting into habitats lacking them.

Procedures :

Field observations will be made at the site of artificial nesting andloafing structures in selected habitats on KauaL Records will be kept on thenumbers and types of structures used by enda.r¥3ered waterbirds, noting themnrtlers of nests, successful nesting by each species, and the lll:.! of structuresfor loafing. 'llie relationship between nesting structure design and use bywaterbirds will be studied for possible future nesting site developnent projects.

Follow up checks will be made on the status of experimentally plantedv.Clterbird food and cover plants at selected habitats. Records will be kept ofsuccesses and failures for future habitat improvarent projects.

A final report surrmarizing the results of the 5-year study will be prepared.

Location of WOrk: Isla.1d of Kauai

WOrk Schedule: O::tober 1, 1984 to Septerrt>er 30, 1985rate Progress Report is Due: November 15, 1985rate Final Report is Due: January 31, 1986

Narres of Technical and Personnel and Man-rays Required:

Name

'llianas 'I"elfe rJohn Sanchez

Title

Wildlife Biologist VIWildlife MJt. Asst.

TOrAL


State Share:

Man-Days

83

11

$ 1,6001,200

400

__11 • •••,'__111 ......

Project Title:

•JOB DESCRIPI'ION

State: Hawaii

Statewide Non-Game andEndangered Species Program

Study Title: Waterbird Investige,tion

•Project Number:Study Number:Job Number:

W-l8-R-IOR-III

R-III-E(b)

Job Title: Evaluation cf ~eredWaterbird Habitat ~'ements

Job Segment: Maui.

Job Chjectives:

To evaluat= predator-proofing projects and the utilization ofartificially created islets for nesting and resting by endangered waterbirdspecies at selected sites on Maui.

Procedures:

Field observations will be made at Kanaha Pond Wildlife Sanctuary. Dataon the islets used for nesting, reproductive success, and use for resting byspecies will be collected. The relationship between nesting use and isletdesign will be analyzed for reference in future developnent projects.Observations will be made of the effects of the boundary fencing at KanahaPond in te= of disturbance and predatijon on wildlife. The deepwell PUIlpwill be used to manipulate water levels to protect nesting Hawaiian Stilts andtheir eggs.

Location of Work: Island o[ Maui

Work Schedule: Oct.ober 1, 1983 to September 30, 1984Date Progress Report is Due: Noventler lS, 1984

Nanes of 'I'echnical Personnel and Man-Days Required:

Name

Meyer UeokaEdwin Andrade

Title

Wildlife Biologist VI'Wildlife M;jt. Asst. III

Man-Days

105

15


PriJ1cipal Investigator: Meyer ueoka, Wildlife Biologist


State Share:

$ 1,6001,200

400

---------,-----------,------------------

• •JOB DESCRIPI'ICN

/; / '

R-III-F

W-18-R-10R-III

Project Number:Study Number:Job Ntlll'ber:Project Title: Statewide Non-Game and

jm<mgered Species Program

Study Title: Wateloird Investigations

Job Title: Statewide Waterbird Marking, Movement and Disease Study

State: Hawaii

Job Objectives:

To determine the inter-isla'1d movements of the Hawaiian coot, stilt, andgallinule in Hawaii.

To determine the extent of possible continental mgratory individuals inthe Hawaiian coot population. -

To determine vtlat diseases, internal and external parasites are found inHawaiian coot, stilt, and gallinule in Hawaii.

Procedures:

Through a cooperative effort between the Division of Forestry andtiildlife, Veterinary Laboratory Branch, Division of Animal Industry (State),University of Hawaii, City and County of Honolulu, and the u.s. Fish andWildlife Service, approximately 60 Hawaiian stilt and coot and 40 Hawaiiangallinule will be captured using drive traps, mst nets, and nightspotlighting. Cloacal and tracheal swabs, blood and fecal samples will betaken of all birds captured and analyzed to determine if any avian diseases orparasites are present. Stilts will be marked with plastic colored leg bandsin addition to numbered USFWS metal leg barris. Coots and gallinules will bemarked with plastic colored and ntlll'bered neck collars, and numbered USFWSmetal leg bands. Both bands and collars h"ve a usable life of approximatelytwo to two and one-half years depending on wear, degree of fading, and aJOOuntof soiling.

Standard measurements of all birds captured will be taken. In addition,notes on the frontal shield, bill and tarsus coloration will be takf'n on allcaptured coots.

At least three field trips will be scheduled on oahu and at least one onKauai to mist net these water birds. Banding will be done by color on the

--J.sland of Kauai and Oa.'lU in varying numbers at selected habitats, depending onconcentrations of birds and habitat conditions. Follow-up observations ofrrarked birds will be recorded on standard forms, and appropriate bandingrecords will be rraintained.

___... ..1_11� 1 :_l1li1111111,__.... .... ...__...

• •A standard PJPulation estimation method giving the best fit for this

"capture'-recapture" technique will be used. Banding mortality is expected tobe less than three percent, based on experiences to date.

Location of Work: Statewide

WOrk SChedule: July 1, 1984 to June 1985Date Progress Report is Due: September 15, 1985

Narres of Technical and Personnel and Man-Days Required:

Name

Thanas TelferJohn SanchezTimothy BurrMatthew EiigashidaMar ie lot:lrinTimothy Sutterfield

Title

Wildife Biologist VI;-,ildlife M;Jt. Asst. IIIWildlife Biologist VWildlife M;Jt. Asst. IVWildlife Biologist IV

" II IV

Man-Days

55

105

1515

55


Pr incipal Investigator: Timothy Burr, Wildlife Biologist

Coop:rators: u.S. Fish and Wildlife Service


State Share:

$ 6,0004,5001,500

___!* IRa FFIIII _

Project Title:

•JOB DESCRIPTlOO

State: Hawaii

Statewide Non-Game andEndangered Species Program

Study Title: Endangered Species Recovery Plans

Job Title: Endangered Species Recovery Plans

Job Objectives:

•PrOj'2Ct Number:Study Nurrber:Job Number:

W-18-R-IOR-IV

R-IV-A

1. To participate in the regular review ard updating of approvedrecovery plans.

2. To participate in multi-agency review of master recovery plan for allspecies.

Procedures:

Division personnel will attend meetings of the species recovery teams andthe master recovery team to provide input and exchange data. Also, personnelwill perform such tasks as drafting or revising portions of the recovery plansincluding habitat descriptions and determinations. Recovery plans prepared byconsultants under the auspices of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will bereviewed on request. As needs arise, field inspections will be performed toverify habitat condition, uses, ownership, etc.

WOrk Schedule: July 1, 1984 to JlIDe 30, 1985rate Progress Report is Ule: August 15, 1985

Names of Technical Personnel and Man-rays Required:

---------,-----------,

•Job IAlration: July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985

•Principal Investigator: Timothy Burr, Wildlife Biologist

OJoperators: U.S. Fish and Wildlife SP..rvice


State Share:

----- ------------

$ 2,0001,500

500

•JOB DESCRIPTIOO

- -----------.,...,------------

•State: Hawaii

Project Title: Statewide Non-Game andEnda.'1gered Species Program

Study Title: Alala Investigation

Job Title: l",apping and Analysis of Alala Habitat

Job Cbjectives:

Project NLIIOOer:Study NLIIOOer:Job NLIIOOer:

W-18-R-9R-V

R-V-A

" ,

1. To locate and map all present and potential Alala habitat on theIsland of Hawaii.

2. To determine the habitat preferences and requirements of Alala.

3. To monitor Alala populations, movements and nesting activities.

4. Identify optimum sanctuary sites and evaluate developnent andmanagement work done on these sites.

Procedures:

Areas not previously visited will be checked to verify their suitabilityas Alala habitat and to check for the presence of Alala. Habitat preferencesfor breeding Alala will be determined by recording Alala sightings by type ofvegetative CCNer. Flowering and fruiting patterns of important Alala foodplants will be recorded. Traditional Alala nesting areas will be searchedduring the breeding season. l\ctive nests will be located and monitored on areguhr basis until young fledge. BaOOed birds will be identified wheneverpossible. Suitable areas for sanctuaries will be identified andrecallme!1dations made for sanctuary site selection.

Location of Work: Island of Hawaii

Work Schedule: July 1, 1983 to June 30, 1984Date Progress Beport is lMe: Dece!Itler 1, 1984Date Final Report is D..1e: December 1, 1985

-_.._--_..,----------------,,--,---------------

• •Names of Technical Personnel and Man-Days Required:

Name

Jon GiffinRonald BachmanNelson SantosMiles NakaharaTimothy BurrClare.1"lCe BrancoClyde Saragosa

Title

Wildlife Biologist IVIt It VIII n VIIt It IIn n V

Wildlife Mgt. Asst. IIIn • III

Man-Days

120155020

52015

245

Job Duration: July 1, 1983 to June 30 1984

Principal Investigator: Jon Giffin, Wildlife Biologist

Cooperators: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service


State Share:

$27,40020,550 ../

6,850

__________==..III I • III!IIIII_... _

•JOB DESCRIPI'IOO

State: Hawaii

Project Title: Statewide Non-Game andEndangered Species Program

Study Title: Alala Investigation

•Project NUllber:Study Number:Job Number:

----- --_.~~~~-

W-18-R-IOR-V

R-v-JiE•

Job Title: Limited Surveys of Alala arrl Mala Habitats

Job Cbjectives:

t :;. .

1. To obtain aTJ. annual index of alala population size and locatebreeding territories in selected areas.

2. To monitor the bl:e~ing success of nesting alala to i.rx::reasefledgling survival.

3. To determine the period of flowering and fruiting in species ofplants used as food by alala.

Procedures:

Transects v.ill be established throughout the a1aJa range for the purposeof counting and locating crows. Spring surveys will be made annually todevelop population trends and to map the location of breeding pairs.

Active nests will be checked each month to monitor breeding success.Survival of young will be increased by trapping predators ,cats and mongooses)within the breeding territory and by treating c;i.seased and injured birds.

Rleno1ogy studies will provide information on the flowering and fruitingpatterns of important alala food plants.

Location of Work: Island of Hawaii

Work Schedule: July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985Date Progress Report is D..le: september 1, 1985

---,-----,--- 1__1 1111,_l1li' _

•Names of Technical Personnel aOO Man-Days Required:

•Name Title Man-Days

Jon Giffin Wildlife Biologist rv 75Ronald BaclJ!llaI1 n n VI 15Nelson Santos n n N 20Miles Nakahara " n II 20Timothy Burr II n V 11Marie Morin n n IV 6Tim Sutterfield !1 n N 6Clarence Branco Wildlife M:Jt. Asst. III 20Clyde Sar,:igosa II n II III 5

TOl'AL 178

Job Duration: July 1, 1984 to June 30 1985

Pr incipal llrJ'e5tigatc,r: Jon Giffin, Wildlife Biologist

Cooperators: U.S. Fish aOO Wildlife Service


State Share:

$18,00013,500 _

4,500

Procedures:

Location of YlQrk: County of Kauai

Work Schedule: July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985Date Progress Report is Due: August 15, 1985

I; '.. .'

Man-Days

17

- _...._-------

W-l8-R-lOR-VI

$ 2,0001,500

500

R-VI-A(a)


Title

Wildlife Biologist VI

•JOB DESCRIPrICN

Sta,tewide Non-Game andEndangered Species Program


State Share:

Cooperators: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servi02

Pr incipal Investi9ator: ThClllaS Telfer, Wildlife Biologist


ThClllaS Telfer

Names of Technical Personnel and Man-Days Required:

1. Regular surveys of seabird colonies throughout Kauai County will bemade to document their extent and cullfOSition, to determinepopulation trends and to identify limiting factors.

2. An analysis will be made of fallen Newell's Shearwater densities andlocations, and records kept of banding infonnation for futureanalysis.

To monitor the ab\.lI1daoc:e, population trer.ds w"rl limiting factors ofse:..ected species of seabirds at. selected seabird colonies in Kauai County, topreserve their integrity and make management re<::ormIarlations and decisions.

Project Title:

Job Segment: Kauai

Job Cbjectives:

Study Title: seabird Investigations

Job Title: Limited Survey and Inventory of Seabirds in the State of Hawaii

State: Hawaii

_________...,_... .. =111__0 ...

•JOB DESC'...RIPl'ICN

~~~---------

•State: Hawaii

Project Title: statewide Non-Game andEndangered Species Program

Proje=t Number:Study Number:Job NUllber:

W-18-R-10R-VI

R-VI-A(b)

Study Title: Seabird Investigations

Job Title: Lillut,ed Survey am Inventory of Seabirds in the State of Hawaii

Job Segment: Oah!~

Job C1:ljectives:

, - .r I. ',',. ,

To monitor the abl..mdaoce, population trends am limiting factors onvarious species of seabirds at selected seabird colonies on am near Oahu amat Kure Atoll, to preserve their integrity arrl make nanagement recommendationsa.'1d decisions.

Procedures:

1. Regular surveys of seabird colonies in the City arrl County of Oahu(including Kure) will be made to document their extent andcomposition, to determine population trends am to identify limitingfactors.

2. To survey am analyze nesting habitat conditions utilizing vegetativemapping techniques including aerial photography am grouOO truthing.

Location of Work: City arrl County of nonolulu (Oahu, Kure Atoll)

Work Schedule: July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985Date Prosress Report is Ole: August 15, 1985

Nam:s of Technical Personnel and Man-Days Required:

Raltn SaitoTiJrothy BurrMatthew Higas.'1idaMarie MorinEdwin PetteysPatrick CostalesWayne Clling

Title

Wildlife Biologist V.. n V

Wildlife ~t. Asst. IVWildlife Biologist IVForester VForester IVForester III

Man-Days

201020101212

6

90

___11 1_. ... ...__1 _

•Job u.rration: July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985

•PI: incipal Investigator: Ralph Saito, Wildlife Biologist

COOperators: u.s. Fish and Wildlife service


State Share:

$10,0007,5002,500

State: Hawaii

Project Title:

•JOB DESCRIPl'ICN

Statewide Non-Game and~ered Species Program


W-18-R-10R-VI

R-VI-A(C)


Job Title: Limited Survey and Inventory of Seabirds in the State of Hawaii

Job Segment: Maui

Job Cbjectives:

To monitor the abunda.oce, population trends and limited factors onselected species of seabirds at selected sites on Maui.

Procedures:

Surveys of seabird colonies at certain areas on Maui will be made todocument their extent to determine population trends and to identifylimiting factors.

Location of Work: Island of Maui

WOrk SChedule: July 1, 1984 to June 3D, 1985Date Progress Report is Due: August IS, 1985

Na!les of Technical Personnel and Man-Days Required:

Name

Meyer: UeokaEdwin AnClradeRobert Hobdy

Title

Wildlife Biologist VIWildlife ~t. Asst. IIIForester IV

Man-Days

555

15


Pr incipal Investigator: ~-1eyer Ueoka, Wildlife Biologist


State Share:

$ 1,5001,125

375

___II' !_.I ,__,__"",..,.... ---------

•JOB DESCRIPrIOO

State: Hawaii

Project Title: Statewide Non-Game andEndangered Species PrO<;lrarn

•Project Ntmt:>er:Study Number:Job N\.mlber:

W-18-R-IOR-VI

R-VI-B


Job Title: Ne~U's Shearwater Nesting Colony Establishment Studyon the Island of Kauai

Job Objectives:

To determine the success of experimental Newell's Shearwater nestingcolony establishment by means of Newell's egg transplants into establishedWedge-Tailed Shearwater (foster parent) nests in coastal or offshore islethabitats free fran ground predators and away fran light attraction hazards,arid to determine natal nesting colony productivity and limiting factors.

Procedures:

1. During the period between March and June, a search for at least fiftjactive Ne~ll's Shearwater nests will be corlducted within knownnesting colonies on KauaL Each nest will be marked in the field andmapped..

2. Field checks will be made at Newell's Shearwater nesting burrow'Sthroughout the nesting ~ason to detem.ine natural chick survival,chick develofl'llel1t, nesting chronology and causes of nest failures.All fledglings found will be barlded.

3. Monitoring of both the natal and surrogate nesting colonies forreturned N~ll's Shearwaters will be accaII>lished to determine theeffecUveness of previous egg transplants.

Locati.on of \<lork: Island of Kauai

WOrk Schedule: January 1, 1985 to December 31, 1985Date Progress Peport is lAle: March 15, 1985

Names of Techl'1ical PerS0'1Ilel and l-Jan--Days Required:

Name

Thanas Telfer

Title

Wilclife Biologist VI 21

•Job lAlration: January 1, 1985 to December 31, 1985

•Principal Investigator: 'lhanas Telfer, Wildlife Biologist

Cooperators: u.s. Fish and Wildlife Service


State Share:

$ 3,0002,250

750

_____. ._1__=1,1.. _

•

Name of County

Hawaii

Maui

Oahu

Kauai

--,--,-~-.....~.-----'

•State: Hawaii

Project Number: W-18-R-IO

ITEMIZATION OF FEDERAL Fl.lNLGBY GEOORAI'HIC LCCATICN

Federal Funds Prograllliled

$ 47,565

7,928

11,000

12,782

$ 79,275(U.S. Share)

__...., ....,_.... • .......__.11,__'_........ _

•SCHEOOLE OF SUPERVISORYAND TEOiNlCAL PERSOONEL

•State: Hawaii

Project Ntmlber: W-18-R-IO

ManNam= Title Position I-.Ionths Sal.ary*

Ronald Walker Wildlife Biologist VII O1ief 1/2 $3,105

Ronald Bachman II .. VI District Head 2-1/2 2,453

Meyer lJeoka .. .. VI District Head 3-1/4 2,047

'Ihcmas Telfer .. II VI District Head 3-1/4 2,453

Ralph Saito II II V District Head 1-1/2 2,343

TinDt.'lY Burr .. II V Nongame Coord. 3-3/4 1,868

Marie Morin .. .. IV Nongam= BioI. 3 1,635

TinDthy Sutterfield .. .. IV Game BioI • 1-3/4 1,635

Nelson Santos .. .. IV 7-3/4 2,343

Jon Giffin .. .. IV 7-1/4 2,236

Miles Nakahara .. .. II 2-1/2 1,278

William Devick Pquatic Biologist IV 1/2 2,236

Vacant Wildlife M;jt. Asst. V 3/4 1,814

MatthelO{ Higashida n .. .. V 2-1/4 1,193

John Sanchez II II II III 3/4 1,439

Clarence Branco II II II III 1/4 1,442

Clyde Saragosa II II .. III 1/4 1,236

Edwin Andrade " II II III 5-1/2 1,439

Vacant II II .. II 1/4 1,278

..............1__ 11 ....1

,I

JOO PRffiRESS REPOR1'

Ei1I: _.,;;..;..~ ........

ARD-AFA__-l'?VIS

, .'g~: n

State: Hawaii

Project No.: W-18-R-lO

Study No: R-I

Job No.: R-I-F

PeriOCl Covere:1:July 1, 1984 to Ju."le 30, 1985

.Sumnary:

Project Title: Statewi$ atldEndanger~ /'.

Program d IILob e

Study Title: Nene Investi~8.ons

Job Title: Evaluation ofl~~"Program for the Nene on theIsland of Hawaii

Fourteen nene (Nesochen saOOwicensis) goslings produced during the1984-85 breedinJ season at the POOakuloa Endangere:1 Species Project were givento the Hawaii \Qlcanoes National Park. 'Ihese week-old goslings wereintroduced to foster 'parents within the Park's captive flock.

'IWenty-four fledglings proollced at Pdlakuloa Endangered Species Projectwere readie:1 for release into the Kahti<u Nene SaIX:tuary.

'!he self-feeders at the Keattlou and Kahuku Nelle sanctuaries and at Puu6677 were routinely service:1 and lOOnitore:1 for nene usage.

Traps set around the Keauhou self-feeder accounted for two rrnngoose, buttraps on Puu 6677 did not account for any predator.

Eight nests were discovered on Puu 6677 this breeding season, sevengoslinJs were prOClueed and six fledge:1. A pair with one gosling was sightedat the self-feeder in the Keauhou Nelle sanctuary.

Job Objectives:

1. To determine m=ans to control, reduce or eliimnate factors limitingnene survival and recruibnent.

2. To iiwestigate ways to preserve, rnaintaL'l, and develop nene habitatin the sanctuaries and e~ere.

3. To locate suitable areas in Hawaii to establish additional breedingpopulations.

4. To monitor the nene population trends.

f

W-18-R-IO: R-I; R-I-F

procedures:

-2- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

Field trips were made to nene sanctuaries aM known nene breeding areasduring the breedin':l season to monitor nene activity. '!he located nests ambroods were checked periodically. (See Table I)

Traps for predator control set in areas of nesting activity weremonitored for effectiveness.

self-feeders ,rere serviced at regular intervals aM their usage aM feedconsumption was not..ed.

Habitat imprOl7enents in the Keauhou aOO Kahuku Neue Sanctuaries weremaintained aOO JIDnitored.

FindingS:

Hualalai sanctuary

No field trip was made to the Hualalai Neue Sanctuary this segment.

Eleven nene were sighted in the nearby PuU Waawaa Rardl while conductirgforest. bird or alala surveys. Six nene were unban:ied and five werebanded. '!hree coobinations represented lost bands am· the remainirg twointact combinations were fran the 1976 Hualalai release.

Kahuku Sanctuary

The D3iron Estate trustees, owners of Kahuku Ranch, approved the cx>st forand provided the State with a reservoir to insure the survival of nenereleased within their lands. A private cx>ntractor was hired to spray theQ1evron Industrial ment>rane onto a polypropylene fabric, am thereservoir was completed in one day. A self-feedirg station was thendeveloped adjaceIlt to the reservoir.

A field trip with Mr. Hebden Porteus, chairman of the DaIoon Board ofTrustees, to the nene sanctuary resulted in an agreement to build asecond nene release pen at a lower elevation, 3,000 feet, within theranch pa£>tures. '!his release pen will be used to release nene reared atthe PohakulOOI Endangered Species Project am to establish an intercoursebetween t.'1ese, birds aOO those released at the higher elevation within thesamc:tuary. P. mated pair ..>ill be established in this lower release pendurirg the breedirg season to produce progeny that are imprinted to thearea.

1iI*1IIIIIII1III71117777__777_2777 7��2••_ ......,,__, _

W-18-R-IO: R-I; R-r-F -3- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

Keauhou Sanctuary

'lhe reservoir :in the Keauhou Nene sanctuary remained full all year I butthere were signs of deterioration in the liner fabric. It appeared thatthe sun I s ultraviolet rays was deterio::-ating the polypropylene liner arrlit was beginning to break apart. '!he distributor for the C11evronIndustrial llelllbrane was contacted arrl restitution was guaranteed.

'!he reservoir received heavy usage by the Qene as was evid<~nced by t..!}ealOOUIlt of dro~i?ings and IOOulted feathers accumulated in the bottom. Theself-feeder also received IIlUCh attention and was filled twice eachmonth. 'Ibe grass planting in the exclosure was fertilized with triple 16fertilizer I to proroote the growth of kikuyu grass.

Snap traps that were set around the reservoir arrl the self-feeder wereroutinely checked and re-baited. 'Ibese accounted for two mongoose thisyear.

One dead nene was discovered near the self-feeder I the carcass had beeneaten by sma] J predators (either rats or mongoose) before it wasdiscovered. 'Ibe carcass was too badly decomposed to necropsy. 'Ibis birdwas banded, but only one yellCM band was left, therefore identificatioowas not possible. 'Ibis nene, with one single yellow band, haC' beensighted several times at the feeder prior to its ~th and appeared to bein good health.

One of the six nene that was placed into t..'1e release ~ in March, 1984,was caught a.~ returned to Pohakuloa with twisted and distorted flightfeathers. It was not able to fly and closer examination revealed thatt.~e damage might be ~rmanent. If so, this bird will be used as abreeder at Pohakuloa.

An unba.~ed gander and a goose with one blue band was sighted with agosling at the self-feeder. 'Ibe gosling was about a month old andappeared healthy and robust. '!his was the only evidence of reproductionat Keauhou this season.

Kipuka Ainahou

The largest flock of nene seen t..his sumner in the I'uu 00 RanC.'1 pastureswas 13 birds. Nine were unbanded, the four banded birds were all KipukaAinahou releases, two from 1974 and two from 1975.

One pair of nene was seen re~atedly in the Parker Ranch pasture justabove the Puu 00 trail on the saddle road. 'Ibis pair was seen here

-_._----_.,----_._---,,---------------

W-18-R-IO: R-I: R-I-F -4- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

durirg the 1982-83 breedirg season and attempted a nest then. 'Ihe ganderwas an unbanded bird and the goose was a banded, 1975, Kipuka Ainahoureleased bird.. Although this pair was seen sporadically in this area forat least two D:K>nths durirg the breeding season, no nestingl attempt wasooserved.

Puu 6677

The two Hav-a--hart live traps set on this Puu this season did not accountfor any predators traH?ed.

Drs. Fern DNall and Renate GasSman-Duvall visited the Puu on twooccasions and both times fresh nene droppings were collecb<rl and exa.'lIinedfor parasites. No parasites were detected.

'Ihe self-feeder en this Pw was refilled every two weeks and at leastfifty pouOOs of -feed was consllllEd by the birds each t:i.me.

Eight nests were discovered on Puu 6677 this breedirg season am sevengoslirgs were sighted, at least six fledged. Table I gives a JOOreaccurate account for each nest diSCOlTered.

Recoomendation:

That this job be rontinued.

Submitted By: Awroved By:

~~rtonald L. WalkerWildlife Biol99Y ~ogram Manager

I'NOV 20 1985Date:

NeL'3Cfl SantosWildlife Biologist

BandsLeft RightLeg Leg

B B/G/RB/WIB

B/G/R

BIG

TABLE 1

Known Nene Nests on the Big Island, Winter 1984-1985

Nest No. 1 - 84/85

Where Nene Number of Eggs Date Located Where Nene orSex Was Released or Goslirgs and O1eck~ Brood Was U>cated Conments

M Aina "lou '75 Nest with December 12, '84 Puu 6677 Nest near self-feeder.F Aina Lou '75 four eggs

five eggs December 18, '84 Five eggs incubating.Decentler 27, '84 Goose incubating.January 4, '85 Goose incubating.

M January 9, '85 Gander lost blue band.3 goslings January 16, '85 Pair with 3 goslings.

Two eggs left in nestfertile.

3 gos11rgs January 25, '85 Pair with 3 goslings. IM February 7, '85 Gander lost anotherband. 'furee goslirgsokay.

IFebruary 14, '85 Pair with 3 goslings.February 27, '85 Pair with 3 goslings

all healthy.

I

TABLE 1


Nest No. 2 - 84/85

BandsLeft Right Where Nene Number of Eggs Date LocatedLeg Leg Sex Was Released or Goslings and O1ecked

Y/G/B M Aina hou '73 Nest with December 12, '84B/W/B F Aina hou '75 three eggs

I

1 gosling

December 18, '84December 27, '84January 4, , 85January 9, , 85

January 25, '85February 27, '85Mardi 12, '85

May 1, '85

Where Nene orBrood Was Located

Puu 6677

Coornents

'!bis nest is in thesame site used lastyear.'!bree eggs incubating.Nest okay.Goose incubating.Pair with 1 gosling.'IWo eggs in nest, 1fertile, 1 infertile.Pair with 1 gosling.Pair with 1 gosling.Pair with 1 gosling.Gosling healthy.Pair with fledglingat self-feeder.

TABLE 1


Nest No. 3 - 84/85


UnbandedUnbanded

Sex

MF

Where NeneWas Released

Number of E>:Jgsor Goslirys

Nest withtwo eggs

1 gosling

Date Locatedand O1ecked

December 12, '84

December 18, '84Deoernber 27, '84January 4, '85

January 9, '85

January 16, '85

January 25, '85

February 7, '85February 14, '85February 27, '85


Puu 6677 '!his nest is in thesalle site used lastyear.pair at nest site.pair flushed.Only one egg left innest and be ingincubated.Goose incubatiry loneegg.Nest hatched out. Nosign of pair.Pair with 1 golsiryabout 10 days old.Pair with gosliry.Pair with gosling.pair with one·gosling, healthy.

I

TABLE 1

Known Nene Nests on the Big Island, WLlter 1984-1985

Nest No. ·4 - 84/85

BandsLeft RightLeg Leg Sex


NlUllber of SBsor Goslirygs

Nest withthree eggs

Date Locatedand Checked

December 12, '84


Puu 6677

COlIments

'!his nest oontainedone \>hole egg and twobroken e<.J9s. '!herewas no sign of predation on the brokenegg fragments. cemplete egg w<~ takento Pohakuloa to incubate. Ei]g provedinfertile. No nenewere located nearthis nest.

I

I

TABLE 1

Known Nene Nests on the Big Islam, Winter 1984-1985

Nest No•. 5 - 84/85


UnhandedUnhanded F

Sex

M


Number of E::Jgsor Gosli03S

Nest withthree eggs

Date Locatedam Olecked

Dece'11ber 12, '84

Decerrber 18, , 84December 27, '84January 4, , 85

January 9, '85January 16, '85

Where Nene orBroexl Was Loca ted

Puu 6677

COn1nents

'!his nest was locatedshort distance frannest with brokeneggs. COUld berenesting.Nest being incubated.Pair at nest site.'lhree eggs beingincubated.pair at nest site.N(.'St hatched out.One dead gosling inthe nest. Two eggsstill in nest, bothfertile with deadembryos.

I

TABLE 1

Known Nene Nests on the Big Island, Wl.nter 1984-1985

Nest No. 6 - 84/85


unhandedUnhanded

Sex

MF


Number of Eggsor Goslings

Nest withthree eggs

'.[\.,Q goslings

one gosling

Date Locatedand Cllecked

December 18, '84

December 27, '84January 4, , 85

January 9, '85

February 27, '85


Puu 6677

conments

Nest with no nenearound. Eggs warm.Pair at nest site.Nest hatched out.One egg still innest, infertile.Pair seen with 2goslings.Pair seen with 2goslings.Pair seen with 1gosling. One goslingTln.lst have died.

I

TABLE 1


Nest No. 7 - 84/85

BandsLeft RightLeg Leg Sex


Number of Eggsor GoslilJ3s

one egg

Date U>ca.tedand O1ecked

December 18, '84

January 18, '85

Where Nene orBrood Was U>ca.ted

Puu 6677

COOrnents

Incomplete orrandomly-laid egg.No nene arouD1. Eggtaken to Pohakuloaand placed inincubator.Egg hatched out atPohakuloa. I

I

TABLE 1

Known Nene Nests on "he Big Island, Winter 1984-1985

Nest No. 8 - 84/85


yB/G/BB/RIW

Where Nene Number of Eggs Date LocatedSex Was Released or Gosli03s am O1ecked

M Aina hou '75 Nest with December 27, '84F Aina hou '75 two eggs

January 4, '85January 9, '85January 16, '85

one egg left January 25, '85


Puu 6677

comments

One egg normal size.One egg 1/3 normalsize.Pair at nest site.Goose incubati03.Two eggs in nest,warm.Normal sized egggone, only small eggstill in nest. Smallegg removed. Pail:still at nest site.

I

TABLE 1


_Gosling seen, no nest discovered

BarosLeft RightLeg Leg

UnhandedB

Sex

MF


Lost bandcombination

N\.I!riJer of E}:Jgsor Goslings

onegosling

Date Locatedam Olecked

January 13, '85


KeauhouSanctuary

cooments

Pair seen with onegosling at the selffeeder. Goslingappeared healthy.

I

03280

Period Covered:October 1, 1984, to september 30, 1985

Project No.:

in the State Of~lt

SE

Ent

ARD-AFA~_Project Title: Statewide NIJM4Ie and

Endangered FBf&i;* - _Program Gilson

LemonJob Title: Limited survey~,:

Birds and '[hei~

JOB PRCGRESS REPORT

W-18-R-IO

R-II-D

Hawaii

Job No.:

State:

Sl.1lltllal)' : File:

Oahu, Molokai, Lanai

No forest bird field work was conducted on these three islands by theState during this project period due to lack of available personnel and otherjob ccmni.tments.

Hawaii

Systematic surveys of forest birds or their habitats were made andreported under W-18-R-IO, Job. No. R-ll-A (Inventory of PaUla on Mauna Kea,Island of Hawaii) and W-18-R-IO, Job. No. R-V-A (Limited Survey of Alala).

Kauai

Two Division of Forestry and Wildlife (OOFAW) staff wildlife biologistsand the Kauai district wildlife biologist participated in a survey of thesouth Alakai Swatrp in coooeration with the u.s. Fish and Wildlife service(USFWS). A total of 27 days 'HaS spent by the biologists laying transects,censusing forest birds, and observing forest bird foraging behavior.vegetation Fhysiognomy and composition were noted at all census stations.

Maul

One Honolulu (IXlFAWI staff biologist participated in a survey of theupper Hanawi Stream drainage on the northern slopes of Haleakala Crater incooperation with the USFWS. A total of 8 days was spent censusing forestbirds on transects, observing foraging behavior, doing botanical surveys, andsetting up erosion IOOnitoring plots.

Objective:

To IOOnitor the status, distribution, abundance, and gather life historyinformation on endemic forest bird species, particularly those that areendangered, in selected areas throughout the State.

-------------------------_.",-_..._-------------------

W-18-R-IO: ?-II-D

Procedures:

-2-

Kauai

10/1/84 to 9/30/85

USFWS and WFAW wildlife ;."iologL;ts participated in the June 7-14 and18-25, 1985 surv,ey of the south Alakai Swanp. Participants 'were helicopteredfrom the Jack Harter helipad to the bog near the east fork of the HalekuaStream. Tenp:>rary transects were flagged downhill following the majordrainages. Count stations were marked every lOG neters alon9 the transects.Birds were censused at least twice at each station. Vegetation physiog;1alI'.f'",as noted including canapy height in feet, percentage of crown O::Ner,u.'"lderstory, leaf litter, presence of bare soil, pig digging, pig damage, andpresence of deer and goat signs.

Maui

USFWS and a State staff biologist participated in the January 8-15 surveyof the upper Hanawi drainage. Birds were censused at established stations onthe East and West Hanawi stream trails from 5000-6800' elevation. At eachstation notes were taken on ca'1opy and vegetation COIlpOsition, includingdominant canopy species, understory type, presence of fresh pig digging, andamount of pig damage. A study on foraging behavior was started, payingparticular attention to endangered species. Foraging birds were observed, theheight (in meters) of the bird above the ground, substrate of the food item,condition of substrate, type of foraging maneuver, and probable food item wereno't.ed.

A pilot study was e<mnenced to neasure soil loss (in lIIll) due to erosionin areas heavily impacted by pig digging. Pairs of netal stakes were set upin areas showing signs of erosion" and the amount of soil lost between the twostakes was neasured on each trip into t.he area. Consultation with USFW>resulted in an irnprov:'-<G'1t of the methodology to quantify dynamic erosionrates a.'1d in developnent of a technique to quantify soil loss.

Findings and Discussions:

Kauai

During the June 1985 survey of the south Alakai SwaJ!P, the observersdetected the Irore COllIIDn endemic forest birds such as 'Anianiau (Hemignathusparvus), 'l',papane (H:iInatione sanguinea sanguinea), Kauai 'Amakihi (Hemignathusvirens stejnegeI'i); Kauai 'Elepaio (Chasienpis sandwichensis sclateri), KauaiCreeper (Orecraystis bairdi); Kauai 'Akepa (Loxops coccineus caeruleirostris);and 'I' iwi (Vestiaria coccinea) •

.....II••_ ..........Z_.. lr·._I__ZI, _

W-18-R-IO: R-n-D -3- 10/1/84 to 9/30/85

In addi tion, 5 of the 6 endemic Kauai errlangered bird species wereencountered by sight or sound: three '0''..1 (Psittirostra E!..ttacea) wereheard; 2 Kama'o (Phaeomis ,9bscurus), 20 Puaiohi (Phaeornis ~lmeri), 3extremely rare Nuku-pu'u (Hemignathus lucidus hanapepe), and one Kauai '0'0(Moho bracatus) IV€re seen. Only t."le Kauai 'Akialoa (Hemignathus procerus) ,whidl Io':as last reliably reported in 1965, was not encountered.

Statistical analysis of the bird counts and vegetation physiognomy isbeing prepared ~.! the USEWS Mauna Loa Field Station and will be reported onwhen available.

Maui

During the January 8-15 survey of the upper Hancrwi drainage, replicate Bminute counts were done at all stations (stations fNery 100 meters inelevation) fran 5000-6800' on the East, west, and Central trails. Endangeredspecies seen or heard included Maui Parrotbill {Pseudonester xanthophrys);Crested Honeycreeper {Palmeria dolei); and Po'ouli (Melanprosops phaeosana);an '0' 0 (Moho sp.) like song was heard for 10 minutes at the 6500' level ofL'1e West Hanawi Trail.

A correlation and regression analysis done by the USFWS Mauna Loa FieldStation revealed that Maui rainforest areas with average levels of pig damagehad lOWOJ densities of endangered bird species than areas undisturbed by pig.,;or other feral ungulates. The analysis took into account the effects ofhabitat type, geograhic area, and elevation. Po'ouli densities were 57% lowerin areas of typical pig damage, Maui Parrotbill 46% lower, and CrestedHoneycreepe~ 5% lower. Po'ouli densities have declined dramatically at thetype locality from 1975 to 1985.

The feasibility of erectir~ ~ fence to enclose a portion of the upperHanawi drainage fr:m the 5000-680Q: elevation is bei!l3 looked into.

The pilot study on soil loss in areas heavily inpacted by pig dig(jingrevealed an average loss of 23 mn of soil in one 4-month period.

Statistical analysis of bird counts, foraging behavior, and breedingphenology data is being crunched by the USFWS Mauna Loa Field Station and willbe: reported on when the information becomes available.

Recommendations:

1. That the Division of Forestry and Wildlife continue to participate iniIlteragency bi.-:d surveys, especially for endangered species.

2. 'mat fonnaland informal bird survey field data from all the islands berecorded and stored at sane central location for historical documentationof native and introduced species' expansions and declines, as well as forresource management use.

W-18-R-IO: R-~I-D -4- 10/1/84 to 9/30/85

3. That formal forest bird surveys be conducted in selected locationsthroughout the year in order to better understand changes in speciesdistributior." abundance, and habitats over time, and especially to monitorpositive or negative changes in endangered forest bird FQPUlations orhabitats.

4. 1hat the Division of Forestry and Wildlife continue to exanu.ne the currentstatus of native endangered forest bird populations and habitats, andformulate management strategies to stabilize and recover FQPUlations andhabitats and to prevent future endangerment.

Sul:rnitted by~ Approved by:

lOWD L. WALKERWildlif,= Biology Program Manager

Janua-ry 24, 1986.~

_____2111111l1 ._!_...I,..__:=!!!!!!!!II!III~_•• _

t§~ 2.tJt :iUtIfI'IIEn!: . z/g·.

Perio::l Covered:July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985

Project No.:

,MD-AfA",-__DevIs

~iborIGillOnLemonSafley

Project Title: Statewide Non-Game\arWilliams _ ....---;;;;.;._Er1da.JBered Species WhiteProgram Lobdell

SEstudy Title: Waterbird Investigatio~ile:H",=...' ..;",-;;...\...~__f: ...--IC..

Job Title: Evaluation of Endangenrlwaterbird Habitat Ii!prOl7e-ments

JOf.\ PRCX;RESS REPORl'

W-18-R-I0

R-III-E(a)

Hawaii

Job No.:

State:

Job SegTIent: Kauai

Sumnary:

Five stilt nests were llPIlitored at the Mana Pc>n;js Wildlife Sa."lctuaryduring the spring and SUIIm:!r of 1985. 'Ihree of the five nests wereconstructed on artificial floating nests structures. Ninety-five percent(95%) of the eggs in the nests IOOnitored were believed to have hatchedsuccessfully, but chick survival at the ponds was very low.

T\<io nests constructed on natural soostrate were vulnerable to floodingbut were successful in producing hatchlings. No heavy rains occurred thatwould have caused flooding this year.

L"ldicaHons this year were that productivity at the Mana PoOOs SanctuarylIEly have been limited by factors other than lack of safe nesting sites. '!hecarrying capacity of the habitat for young birds seemed to li.,nit the I1lJIlIber ofstilts nesting at the Mana Ponds Sanctuary.

ObjectiV'es:

To evaluate artificial nesting and loafing structures for acceptabilityand use :by endangered waterbird species at selected habitat areas on KauaL

To evaluate various potential waterbird food and CXNer plants fortransplanting into habitats lacking them.

Waterbird habitats at the Mana Ponds SanctLlary were visited every twoweeks betwee.'1 March and July, except during June, v.hen personnel was assignedto other field work. Searches were made for Hawaiian Stilt nests andinfornation was recorded on: the type of nest substrate, i1e5t elevation anddistance to water, clutch size, and the apparent fate of each nest. '!he

--------_...,_..._------------,--,-------------------

W-18-R-IO: JR-III-E(a) -2- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

behavior of adult bids was used as an indicator of the presence of survivin::!chicks that could not be seen. Observations of illrnature birds were noted andused for determinin-] nestin::! su=ess.

No food or cover plant transplanting was attempted this year because ofthe inability to control Umbrella sedge (£Yperus alternifolius) in the ManaBrackish Pond.

Findings:

Table 1 shows the r,esults of stilt nest observations made at the ManaPonds Sanctuary durin::! the sprin::! and sl.lIIirer of 1985. Figures 1 and 2 showthe locations of stilt nests monitored in 1985.

Only five stilt nests were observed at Mana this year. 'Ihree of the fivewere constructed 011 floating nest structures: two 011 Type B (tire x logconstruction) and one on Type A (log x sheet metal construction). ~ fewnests were observed to prOl7ide a reliable measure of preference between theD.1O structure types. Other factors such as structure location and habitualuse of the same nest site in subsequent years may have been IIDre inp)rtant tostilts in selectin::! nests sites than nest structure configuration.

One of the two nests on natural substrate would have been susceptible todestruction by floodin:j if a rainfall bad raised the ;.rater level IIDre than 20em. 'Ihe other nest on natural substr3te could have survived rising water upto one (1) meter above normal. None of ::he nests on natural substrate weredestroyed by flooding this year since weacner was abnormally dry.

Repetitive use of the same artificial nesting st:tucture in Slbsequentye.:>rs by the same pair of stilts seened to occur. ~'Ver, individual nestingbiras were not marked and t.~is hypothesis could not be verified.

Despite the fact that there were several other artificial nest structuresand r.estin:j islands were available within the Mana Base Porrl, the breedingpopulation seemed to reach a maximum with three pairs of birds. Never weremore t.l-)an three pairs of stilts seen at the Mana Base Pond at arrt one time.Single pairs of stilts nested at the two smaller Mana Brackish Ponds duringthe same period but the carryin:j capacity of those habitats seemed to limitthe ntmlber of birds in each pond to one pair each. Lack of safe nesting sitesdoes not seem to be the only limiHn::! factor to stilt production at the ManaPonds. Space to rear YOUn::! birds may also be an iIIportant consideration.Both of the small brackish ponds had very limited shallow water shoreline andhad become seriously overgrown with Umbrella sedge.

___1 &. 1__1__=.__1 _

W-18-R-10: R-III-E(a) -3- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

The fate of each nest could not be determined w~th any certainty thisyear. visits to the ponds were too infrequent to observe actual hatching andbceeding activities. When on subsequent visits, nests were found with eggstotally missing, it .IaS assumed that all of these eggs hatched successfully.As was found in previ.ous years, most four egg clutches hatched and no remainswere found. In only one nest was a single addled egg found ¥.hich did rothatch. If egg predation had occurred, egg shell remains would likely haveremained on the nest..

Only tw::> of the stilt chicks produced from the three nests at the ManaBase Pond were actually seen during visits there. Others may have survivedbut were not seen anong shore edge vegetation. The adult birds behaved asthough there were additional chicks in hiding. No chicks were seen at theMana Brackish Ponds at all although it appeared that the nests there containedsuccessfully hatched eggs. The adult birds abandoned the brackish pondsaltogether after their eggs hatched indicating that no chicks survived afterleavirq the nest.

Even though the floating nest structures were successfully used by stiltsfor nesting and incubation, the actual irrprovement in £cproduetion appeared tobe low. The habitat at the Mana Ponds ~ared to lack the necessary featuresfor goOO chick survival. O1ick mortalities may be the result of predation.Possible predators include: Feral cats, Black-crowned Night Herons(Nycticorax nycticorax) and Pueo (Asio flallilIeus).

Experimental food and cover planting was not undertaken this year becausethe transplant sites had becane overgrown with Unt>reila sedge, and no mean~ tocontrol lt effectively has been found.

Recommenc1atio~ :

That a final report, sUll'lllarizing the results of this study be prepared.

Submitted By: Awroved By:

=t4~r 1~ ~-Thomas c. Telfer~1 Ronald L. WalkerDistrict Wildlife Biologist Wildlife Biology Program Manager

Date:

2 a

Administrator

au

W-18-R-10: R-III-E(a)

Table 1

STILT NESTING RESULTS AT THE MANA PONDS WILDLIFE SANCTUARYIsland of Kauai - 1985

10/01/84 to 09/3D/85

Nest Nest Nes t Lateral Distance Date Nest Cl utch EstimatedNo. Substrate* Elevation of Nest to ~Jater Discovered Size Hatch Da te Nest Fate

f4ana Base Pond

85-1 Type B Floating 15 em 40 em 03-29-85 4 04-05-85 All 4 eggs apparently hatched85-2 Earthen Islet 20 em 125 em 04-20-85 4 04-20-85 All 4 eggs apparently hatched85-3 Earthen Islet 110 em 185 em 05-23-85 4 05-30-85 A: 1 4 eggs apparently hatched

Mana Brackish Pond

85-4 Type A Floating 10 em 35 em 04-19-85 4 05-01-35 All 4 eggs apparently hatched85-5 Type B Floating 15 em 40 em 03-29-85 4 04-15-85 3 of 4 eggs hatched, one egg

cracked and addled in nest.

* Type A Floating Nest Structure is constructed of logs, polyurethane foam and sheet metalType B Floating Nest Structure is constructed of logs, tire, polyurethane foam and sheet metalEarthen Islets are manmade mounds of coral sand and sandstone.

I

I

W-18-R-10~-III-E(a} Figure 1 10/1!84- to 9/30/85

LOCATIONS OF STILT NESTS AT MANA BASE POND, KAUAI - 1985

<. .

• Natural Stilt Nest

::. Shrubs

'.' .

'. ~"""',.

. . .. .

.. '-" ,"

.. '

. ..... ,

o Nesting Structure (Type ItAU)

-p. Nesting Structure (Type UBI')

,.L Nest on Structure

~ Water Area

/

/I

___, ..., IW"!lI!__, >.....,__.... WIlIIIi.. _

W··18-R-10 R-IlI-E{a) 10/1/84 to 9/30/85

Figure 2

'. ,

Waste Arei;l

Waste Area

Waste Area

Sugar Cane

. .

r....-----·----------------- /\ --------~

\

\

WasteArea

LOCATIONS OF STILT NESTA AT MANA BRACKISH PONDSIsland of Kauai - 1985

I

~ Water Area

I/;/: Umbrella P1a1U~-------

Sugar Cane

• Natural Nest Site

-

.0 Nesting Structure Type "A"

• 111111 ••_: ••__._=__1 .... _

Ent:

State: Hawaii

Project No.: W-1S-lil-10

ARD-AFA _Davis

I..--Friberg

Project Title: Statewide ~~I1andF:;' _EI1da!ijered ~W;Program ---Williams _",/__/-",>_'_

Study Title: Waterbird Inves~lgns---SE

Job Title: Statewide WaterbirdMarking, lobIrerent,fE ri j

Disease Stl.ll:!X

R-III-F

Period Covered:July 1. 1984 to June 30, 1985

Job No.:

SIlIIIMry:

Due to the lass of the principal investigator, no work ..as accomplishedon this project dur~ this report~ period.

Job Cbjectives:

To determine the inter-islaOO lIPVements of the Hawaiian root, stilt, andgallinule in Hawaii.

To determine the extent of possible continental nrigrator:," individuals inthe Hawaiian coot population.

To determine Ioihat diseases, internal am external parasites are found inHawaiian root, stilt, and gallinule in Baio/aii.

Beo ....endations:

A new principal investigator should be narred, and this jeb should becontinued.

SWnitted By: Awroved By:

Date: _...:sep~~ember 13, 1985

ator

___• 1_.-II1II_111__11 1

r

State: Hawaii

Project No.: W-18··R-lO

Perioo Co'leroo:July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985

R-IV-A

Project Title: sta~ Non-Game amE:rx1ar¥1erea~~ / ...ProgrMRD-AFA _

['c, J:SJob Title: EndaI¥Jereci:~esRecovery

Plans GilsonLemenSafley

v/'''./ii!iams ~//f-;;'- /;- - /

V"'!:teLundell

SlJmary: Sf. (/J - / t -;:? . /0

State biologists participated in reviewing drafts or~~ of Reeoe2ZjPlans, as well as prograus imolvin3 protected species am their habitats.

Job ~.:

Cbjectives:

1. To identify factors affecting the survival of endangered wildlifespecies in Hawaii.

2. To participate in the developilE!Ot, revision, am ilq;>lementation ofthe follOirli.n;J recovery plans:

a. Neneb. Palilac. Alalad. Laysan IlI.x::ke. Hawaiian water Birdsf. Hawaii Forest Birdsg. Kauai FOrest Birds

h. Maui-MOlokai Forest Birdsi. Newell's Shearwater an:i Dark

nmpri Petrelj. ~rthwestemHawaiian Islarrls

Passerines Reco'lery Plank. Hawaiian Hawk Recovery Plan1. Hawaiian Monk seal

Procedures:

Assigned personnel attended meetings of the various recovery teams aOOprovided input am an exchange of data. Personnel performed such tasks asreviewi.ng draft reo::nery plar.s including essential habitat delineations aOOreviewi.ng proposed projecL.. inYolvin3 protected species am their habitats.

FiOOinc;Js:••

Meetings werE; attended or o:mnents on drafts were SUNIl; tted for thefollowing projects: Revised Pallia Recovery Plan, Revised Hawaiian WaterbirdReoovery Plan, OJE;rview of Endan3erd Species Needs in Hawaii, A Synopsis ofRecovery Plans, 'nle Proposed Designation of Critical Habitat for the HawaiianMonk seal in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands am Forest Bird Coomunities ofthe Hawaiian Islands: 'lbeir Dynamics, Ecology, ani Conservation.

___11= 1121 1 ..111__0 """" _

W-18-R-10: R-IV-A -2- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

Recovery plans a:ttpleted and awroved by the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService now incl~!: Laysan D.1ck (12/82), Nene (2/83), Hawaiian Dark-RI:mpedPetrel and Newell's Manx Shearwater (2/83), Hawaiian Monk seal (3/83),Maui-Molokai Forest Bird (5/84), Hawaiian Hawk (5/84), Hawaii Forest Bird(2/83), Kauai Forest Birds Recovery Plan (7/83), Hawaiian Wate:cbirds (6/78under revision), Pcllila (1/78 umer revision).

Reconmendations:

'!hat this job be discontinued because all recovery plans have beenCCJli>leted.

Sul:mi.tted By: AwrOl7ed By:

~~tterfi dNong Wildlif Biologist

Date: August 15, 1985

~~L. walkerWildlife Biology Program Manager

••1112__1111" =2_111: 1__111£__&1'__1 _

Peried Covered:July 1, 1980 to June 30, 1985

Project No.:

< .... ,'".-

ARD-AFA _DavisFribergGilsonLemon

. .%afleyProject Title: Statewide N'&l&M

Endangered~ ----Program SE ----

Study Title: Alala Investiwn <' "f

Job Title: Limited Surveys of Alalaam Alaia Habitats

FINAL REPORI'

W-18-R-I0

R-V-;<'//

Hawaii

Job No.:

State:

SUlllllary:

Results of phenology and alala food habits studies showed that crows wereopportunistic feeders. Flower nectar arrl fruit were consumed seasonally inrelation to ~~eir availability. -

Surveys of alala on Mt. Hnalalai arrl Mauna U>a provided information onbird abunda.-:ce, flock distribution arrl population trend. Alala were found atHualalai Raoch (1-2 birds), Kaloko Subdivision (2 birds), Honaunau ForestReserve (1 bird) am M::CaOOless Raoch (1 bird). Bird JOOVements canplicatedthe count, but at least four arrl possibly six different crows were detected.No active nests were found am there was no iOOication of reproductiveactivity in 1985. A "best guess" estimate of alala population size was made.Between 8 am 18 birds were thought to remain in the wild. '!he known nurrberof alala decreased 81 percent from 1980 to 1985.

Job Objectives:

1. To locate arrl map all present arrl potential alala habitat on theislarrl of Hawaii.

2. To determine the habitat preferences arrl requirements of alala.

3. To determine the per ied of flower ing and fruiting in species ofplants used as food by alala.

4. To obtain an annual index of alala population size and locatebreeding territories in selected areas.

5. To monitor the breeding success of nesting alala and to increasefledgling survival.

Procedures:

Methods and final results of alala habitat studies arrl recoIllleldationsfor sanctuary develo;:ment were presented in a manuscript entitled Habitat

.-.' l1li 1121_112 • •__••:, _

W-18-R-lO: R-V-A -2- 7/1/80 to 6/30/85

Relationships of the Hawaiian Crow and Preserve Design. This paper has beensubmitted to the Journal of Wildlife Managenent for publication.

Information on the flowering and fruiting patterns of important alalafood plants was obtained from sampling stations on Hualalai, in the KalokoSubdivision area (3,400 ft. c~ zvation). Ten mature specimens of each specieswere selected and marked wlth flagging tape. Plants were then sanpled once amonth with the aid of binoculars. '!he percentage of branches with flOl\'ers andthe relative percent of ripe fruit was estimated to the nearest 5 percent.Only flowers and fruit usable by alala were counted. Field work was conductedfrom November 1983 to October 1984.

Information on the seasonal food habits of alala were collected byobserving foraging bires and identifying the items consumed. Each item fedupon was considered as one observation regardless of the amount eaten.Feeding observations were obtained over a 9-year pericrl (1976-l985) and fromall areas. Data were lIlOst f£equently recorded during th<2 spring and SUIIIller..nen birds were in their breeding territories, but some observations were madeeach month.

Spring surveys of alala were conducted by biologists from the StateDivision of Forestrj and Wildlife (OOF1lW), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service(USFWS) and The Conservation Agency (private). All participants were given aday of training prior to the surveys. This in:::luded instructions in bird andplant identification and survey teclmiques.

Transects previously established at Puu Waawaa Rardl, Palani Rar¥::h,Kaloko Subdivision a."ld Honaunau Forest Reserve were used again this year forsampling birds. Counts were conducted in the early lIlOrning hours, the periodof greatest alala vocal activity. Q)servers were assigned survey routes byrandall draws and given maps showing the loca'~ion of marked transect heads.Transects were then located in the field and walked from top to bottom alongan assi'Jrled compass course. Crow and other endangered species were countedfor 5 minutes at each sampling station (e-"ery 1/4 mile). The detectiondistanoe, directia.Tl to bird, type of observation (visual, audio oraudiojvisual) and elevation of all sightings were recorded. OIlly one trip wasmade along each transect. However, areas yielding alala contacts were visitedagain and searched for evidence of nesting activity.

Weather conditions for the counts were considered goOO. Skies weregenerally overcast, but there was little rain or wind.

One new ':ransect was established at t-t;Candless Rardl. This route wasused to sampl.e birds in a narrow section of State owned land known as Waiea.Access to other portions of the ranch was denied. Standard survey techniques

......, ,.. ••__••_11 " _

W-18-R-IO: R-V-A -3- 7/1/80 to 6/30/85

were employed on this transect but one observer was aided by an electroniclistening device (Sony Professional Walkman Recorder, Model DG-C; SonyEle-..."tret Condenser Microphone, Model FX:M-929 LT; and a 16 ir:ch-diameterparabolic reflector). This enabled him to listen for crow calls up to 1/2mile <:May on either side of the State parcel. Listening sessions were alsoconducted before first light and again at dusk. Systenatic surveys were notconducted at Hualalai Ranch because the Manager denied access to surveyteams. Ho\Yever, he did allow the project leader to check nest sites in theAinahou section of the rar:ch and gave permission to reIlK)Ve any birds thatmight be nesting there.

Findings:

?lant phenology and a] ala food habits

Phenology studies yielding information on the peric1icHy of floweringand fruiting in seven key alala food plants. Species examined were bananapoka (Passiflora !lOllissima), ohia lehua (Metrosideros collina), olapa(Cheirodendron trigynum), oha (ClerllOntia.§?E.), mamake (Pipturus~.), pilo(Coprosma .§?E.) and ieie (Freycinentia arborea). Banana poka is the onlynon-native food plant used extensively by alala. The others are endemic,sub-canopy species, except for the indigenous ohia Iohich is an em:rgent tree.All are COllillOnly fOtlI'rl in the rain forest envircnment. The following brieflydescribes each species, its use by alala and reviews Iilenological data:

Banal13 poka. This clirrbing, woody vine is a merrtJer of the passion flowerfamily. It produces large pink flowers and banana-shaped fl';:t that areyello.v 'flhen ripe. The plant is considered a noxious weed since it smothersnative undergrowth aTld trees. Banana poka is a recent introduction to theHawaL::.. Islands, being first observed near Puu Wa<:Maa Ranch in 1921 (La Rosa,1984). This species was abundant on Mt. Hualalai, but was not found in alalahabitat on Mauna Loa (South Kona). Alala are particularly fond of r-d<a flowernectar ,and fruit. They open the ',;:tar tube [Hypathium) at the flower's baseto extract nectar. Fruit is tor .;lj?aI"t to obtain the pulp.

Passiflora !lOllissima produced flowers and fruit throughout the year.The incidence of flower ing increased slightly in the winter, with a peak inDecent>er. Fruiting was !lOre seasonal with an increase in the spring. Thegreatest prodtlctiw of ripe fruit was recorded in April. La Rosa (1984)studied banana poka at the Kaloka Subdivision (4,788 ft. elevation) from May1980 to Decer!tJer 1981. She found that this plant produced flowers and fruitcontinuously with ,ar.nual peaks in August and January, respectively.

Ohia lehua. Ohia is the most ubiquitous tree in HCMaii' s native rainforests. This species reaches a height of 100 feet and produces conspicuous

_______=_, ' 0.' _

W-18-R-IO: R-V-A -4- 7/1/80 to 6/30/85

blossoms of yellow, salmon, red ot: white. 'Ibe tree is of major importance toalala for perching, feeding and nesting. Crows forage in the canopy forinsec'"-.s and dip there beak amorY;j the flower I s tufted stamens to obtain honey.Invertebrates are also gleaned from the trunk and liIrbs.

Flowering in ollia was seasonal. Blossoms were lOO5t abundant in thespring with peak production during May and June. 'Ibis Fhenophase wasessentially finished by August. Bridges et al. (1981) studied ohia in lowerYaL'1 forests on Mauna Loa (3,971 ft. elevation). '!hey found that the treeflowered at low levels without pronounced peaks fran OCtober thru June.FlO-oVering \<las disrupted from early July thru septenber.

Olapa. 'Ibis subcanopy tree belongs to the panax fa.'llily. It produces clustersof small berries vtlich are black men ripe. Crows utilize large numbers ofthese berries as a food source. Olapa exhibited a distinct seasonal patternof fruiting. Ripe berries were present from Novenber thru June with a peak inMarch, April and May. No ripe fruit was available on any of the marked treesin August, Septerrber and October.

Oha. 0113 is a m:IJOer of the lobelia family. This shrub-like plant bearsorange colored berries of mediun size. Alala break open the soft pericarp andfeed on the pulp and seeds. Cha also exhibited a strorY;j annual periodicity.Ripe fruit was produced fran April through August with a peak in July. 'Ibisitem was not available dur ing the remainder of the year.

Ma11aki. Mamaki is related to the nettle family. It may bE shrubby ortree-like in form depending on growth conditions. This species is extrem:lysensitive to browsirY;j and is 0l1€ of the first plants to dinappear Iotlen nativeforests are grazed by cattle. It was abundant at the Kaloko Subdivision studysite, but alIOOSt absent on ;,djacent Palani Ran:::h pastures. Crows are forrl ofthe vtlite, mulberry-like fruit produced by this plant.

Fruiting of rnarnaki was alIOOSt continuous. This food iter.~ was availableevery m:mth except January. Production increased gradully fran: February witha shallow peak in May. Fruiting activity '1ecreased gradually thereafter.

PiJo. ~nis subcanopy tree is a nenber of the coffee family. It yields anabunctant suWly of 3l1la1l reddish-orange berries. These alon:! with ieie flONerbracts are the staple food of alala in the late fall and early winter. piloexhibited a strong seasonal pattelm of fruiting. Ripe berries were firstnoted L-1 June. Production increased sr.arply thereafter, reaching a peak inDecell'ber. No usable fruit w-aS present during April, May and June.

Ieie. Ieie is a woody vine in the screw pine family.rain forests bela.v awroxirnately 4,000 feet elevation.

It is restricted to'Ibis plant produces

W-18-R-IO: R-V-A -5- 7/1/80 to 6/30/85

large, colorful inflorescences cxmposed of cylirrlrical spikes and edibleflower bracts. These flowers are a traditional alala food item. Flowers ofthe ieie were only available seasonally. They were first noted in August,reaching a peak of production in Novent>er. Flower ing ended by January.

The timi.ng of fllY....ering and fruiting in preferred alala food plants wascanpared with the incidence of alala use to illustrate how the plant resourcewas utilized relative to its availability. Variations in monthly phenologicalactivity w-ere related to monthly alala use patterns by plotting values of bothmeasurements against ti.ne of year and then connecting the points with a line.Results showed a direct relationship between the two curves (figure 1).Flowering and fruiting peaks generally coincided with <:bserved use of items byalala. The data also indicated that alala are flexible in their feedL'19habits, shifting fran one item to another depending en mat was available.Correlation of the data points would undoubtedly il1prove if phenologyinforrnatien were collected over a longer period of time and the alala foodsalnple size was larger. Lamoureux (l973) found that phenology observationsTIBlSt be made over several years as t.l1ere may be ccnsiderab1e annual variationsin the phenophase of individual plant species.

AIAIA S'mTOS AND DISTRIBlJI'IOO

A total of 62 man-days was expended conducting alala surveys during the1984-85 study period. The location and dates of these surveys were asfollows: Puu Waawaa Ranch - April 9, Palani Ranch - April 10, Honaunau ForestRe;,;erve - April 11, Kaloko Subdivision - April 10 and 12, ~ess Rar:ch April 16 and 17, Hualalai Ranch - April 26 and June 5, Kipuka Alala - April 29a'1d 30, Uwer Puu Anahulu (military area) - May and Honema1ino - May 30.

P.~ala were found at four locations, but sightings probably represent atotal of four birds. One or two crows were heard en Hualalai Ranch on Apr il 9and a pair was sighted the next day at Kaloko Subdivision. These may havebeen the same birds because the Hualalai pair is known to forage in thesubdivision. A single bird was heard at Honaunau Forest Reserve on April 11and another was heard at McCandless Ranch en April 16. A~ biologistreported a possible audio detection of an alala in the upfer Puu Anahulusection of Pohakuloa Training Area on May 1. This area was subsequentlychecked by a OOFAW biologist, but no crows were found (table 1). 'I'wo alalawere found on Mt. Hualalai last year and none en Mauna Loa. However,McCandless Ranc.h \YclS not surveyed at that ti.Ire.

Coverage of alala habitat an Mt. HLalalai and at Honaunau Forest Reservewas thooght to be adequate enough to detect most resident birds. Otherlocations were not searcl' s extensively and sane alala were probablymissed. All known breedll" _erritories were checked, however, except for

___II I1I1 I1I11 III.III ..~---------------

W-18-R-IO: R-V-A -6- 7/1/80 to 6/30/85

-

those at McCandless Rarch. No active nests or youn:J were found and there wasno indication of any reproductive activity during the 1985 breeding season.No reproduction was docunented last year, either.

Incidental reports of alala were obtained in several instances. Huntersat HOnaUl'laU Forest Reserve heard one crCM on December 9, 1984 while pighunting. 'This bird was detected at about 3,600 feet elevation near thesouthern forest boundary (M. Nakahara, pers. ccmnun.). Two more crows wereobserved by a Kaloko Subdivision resident at his horre on August 10, 1984(3,700 ft. elevation). 'This individual regularly watches for alala, but hadnot seen any birds at Kaloko for 2 years prior to this observation.Mr. Ray salley of McCandless Ranc.l-} indicated (4/16/85) that he had not heardcrows on t.~ Ranch for over 1 year, but, that an errp10yee had heard 07le 6months earlier •

Survey data are not adequate for COlllp1.:mg reliable alala populationestimates for all areas. However, our results do provide 5C:iOO indication oft.~ species abundance. At least two birds were present on Mt. Hualalai with apossible maximun of four. Estimates on Mauna Loa were lOOre difficult. weheard one alala at Honaunau Forest Reserve and possibly two or thn..>e otherescaped detection. At McCandless Raoch, we were able to accurately surveyabout 22 percent of the Ranch's prine alala habitat using the electroniclistening device. Based on our detection of one alala and reports fran ranchpersonnel we placed the resident population at about five birds. 'The onlyother areas known to s\lRX>rt alala in recent years are the Kau Forest Reserveand Hol1OOlalino - Kapua tracts. Limited surveys in both of these areas havefailed to produce any crCM sightings since 1976 and 1983, respectively. It islikely that less than six birds remain in those areas. Based on the aboveinformation, there may be as feN as 8 (two on Hualalai, one at Honaunau ForestReserve and five at McCandless Raoch) and not lOOre than 18 alala left in thewild.

'Th,e knCMn number of alala declined sharply during the project period(1980-8'5). 'This can be best shown by reviewiN3 annual survey results. Atleast 21 different alala were known to exist in 1980. Only four could befound :in 198'5 (tables 2 and 3), even though the amount of survey effortincreased. 'This indicates an 81 percent loss of birds C/Iler the 5 yearperiod. 'The above figures do not include crCM sightiN3s fran »:::Candlessexcept for 198'5 (one bird). If counts could have been made in that area,results would undoubtedly shCM the same trend.

It see.IlE certain that alala are headed for extinction within the next fewyears. Reproduction in the wild has virtually ceased and birds are being lostthrough attrition. '!be best chance for preventing total extinction, at thispoint, is through captive propagation. Every effort lllust be made to capture

--

W-18-R-10: R-V-A -7- 7/1/80 to 6/30/85

the remaining wild alala for use as captive breeding stock. Only nine birdsare currently in captivity and lIDst are closely related. Loss of flockviability may occur through inbreeding if new birds are not acquired.

ReconiIendations :

1. '!hat alala be captured from the wild as soon as possible for use inthe captiVie rearing program.

2. '!hat the State owned portion of M::Candless Ranch (Waiea section) beintensively surveyed for tile presence of alala and other endangeredforest birds.

Subrnitted By:

~G.~_·Jon G. Giffin ~District Wildlife Biologist -, ...... -

Date: August 30, 1985

AWroved By:

"'=~~Ronald L. WalkerWildlife Biology Program Manager

~~~Jl..r- LIBERr K. IJ\NIX;RAF

11" Administrator

W-18-R-IO: R-V-A -8-

LITEFATORE CITED

7/1/80 to 6/30/85

Bridges, K.W.; C.B .. LaID::>ureux; D. Mueller-D:>llbois; P.Q. Tomich; J.R. Leeper;J.W. Beardsley; 'iv.A. Steffan, .K. Paik; am K.C. S\ID3. 1981 .. TemporalVariation of Organism Groups Studied. Pages 391-422 in D. Ml.leller-Dontx:>is,R.W. Bridges and H.L. Carson, Eds. Island Ecosystems:- Biologicalorganization in selected Hawaiian Conmunities. US/IBP Synthesis SeriesUS. Hutchinson Ross Publishing Co., Stroudsburg, Penn. am Woods Hole,fJ'.ass. 583 pp.

Giffin, J.G.; J.M. Scott; and S. Mountainspring. Unpublished report. Habitatrelationship of the Hawaiian crow am preserve design.

Larnoureux, C.H. 1973. Phenology am growth of Hawaiian plants. A prelim:i.naryreport. International Biological Program Tech. Rept. 24. Dept. of Botany,University of Hawaii, Honolulu. 62 pp.

La Rosa, A.M. 1984. 'Ihe biology am ecology of Passiflora mollissima inHawaii. COOperative National Park Resources Studies Unit Tech. Rept. SO.Dept. of Botcmy, University of Hawaii, Honolulu. 167 pp.

---,-------,--------------_.----,-----,~,----,---------------------

SPECIES ,%T F M A M J J A S 0 N D

Banana PokaFlower Necta 1\

80(Passiflora I \

m@llissima) I \60\

I \ n = 89! \

I \ 40\

I \

I \

I \,--- I I 20, ,

~,, ,

0,

Banana Poka 80

Fruit(same as abo" ) n - ~l

/

/~,

// \

2C" \/

\/ -/

/

, - 0, -- -- - -- -

80Ohia flower n - 34-nectar

(Metrosideros 6Ccollina)

/--- -\

4C\I \

I \

I \

2C\J \

I \

----\ 0- - --

I Ohia fruit 8C!. (Clennontia ~ ) n - 21-

I 6C

4C

I /~,

I,

/ '"', 2C/'

J

/,

// ,

~ "-/ , -,

"~

"- - ,0/ - ----, / --- --.

Figure 1. Monthly availability of flowers and ripe fruit as compared to observeduse of these items by alala.n = total number of alala feeding bouts.

availibility of flowers or ripe fruit.

- - - - - - - - - observed use by alala.

•

S ecies J F M A M J J A s o N D %

I,I ,

I ,

~' , .-',,- ,

........ J -~ -..- > .... .

o

20

.; ... -...... 0" ........

11

n = 22

n

"J \\

\,\,,

\,,,',

IJ

II

J

JI

II

I}'umaki Fruid,(Pipturus Ialbidus)

OlapaBerries(Cl:!eiroden-droll trigynum)

o.........., ', f

/'\/ ,

1/ \

, ,, ,/ \

/ \ ·0, ,

n - 7

n - 8

"", '-, ,/ ,, ,

.' '-,

Pilo berries(Coprosma I~)

II leie Flowers

(Freycinetaarborea)

• • &11

Table 1. Summary of the 1984-85

Alala Detections

AREA DATE ELEV. (IT. ) NLlIffiER NUMBERHEARD OBSERVED

Hualalai Ranch 4-9-85 5,,400 1 or 2

Kaloko Subdivision 4-10-85 2,400 24-12-85 3,600 *1

Honaunau Forest 4-11-85 4,300 1Reserve

NcCandless Ranch

PUll Anahulu

4-16-85

5-1-85

5,270

5,200

1

*1

*possible audio detection

5 & "II

•

Table 2. Breeding status and age classes* of theknown alala population of Hualalai as

indicated by post-breeding season surveys1977-1985

Puu Waa"aa Ranch 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 19B3 1984 1985

Breeding adults 0 0 NO SURVEY 2 2 0 (\ 0 0Non-breeding adults 0 2 " 0 0 0 0 0 0Juveniles 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 0Fledglings 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 0Unclassified 5 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 0

Sub-Totals 5 2 ? 3 2 o o o o-------------------,-------,----------.---

Hualalai Ranch 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985

Breeding adults 8 4 NO SURVEY 0 2 2 2 1 0Non-breeding adults 2 4 " 3 0 0 0 0 0Juveniles 0 1 " 1 0 0 0 1 0Fledglings 1 1 " 0 0 0 1 0 0Unclassified 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 0

Sub-Totals 11 10 ? 4 2 2 2 2 o

Kaloko Subdivision 1977 1978 1979 1980 198" 1982 1983 1984 1985

Breeding adults 0 0 NO SURVEY 0 0 0 0 0 0Non-breeding adults 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 0Juveniles 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 0Fledglings 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 0Unclassified 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 0 2

Sub-Totals o o ? o o o o o 2

----_....------_........_-----_..._...._--,-_._-------------------

Table 2. Breeding status and age classes * of theknown alala population on Hualalai as


Palani Ranch 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985

Breeding adults 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0Non-breeding adults 0 0 ? 0 0 0 0 0 0Juveniles 1 0 ? 0 0 0 0 0 0Fledglings 0 0 ? 0 0 0 0 0 0Unclassified 0 0 ? 0 0 0 0 0 0

Sub-totals

HUALt,LAI TOTALS

3

19

2

14

2+

2+

2

9

o

4

o

2

o

3

o

2

o

2

* Fledglings known to have died and those salvaged for captive breeding stock arenot included i~ the table.

? IndicaU,s insufficient survey data.

+ Indicates more hi.rds were suspected to use the area, but not documented.

2 , Eil

~ . l

Table 3. Breeding status and age classes* of theknown alala population on Mauna Loa as


Honaunau Forest Reserve 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985

Breeding adults 4,

6 8 2 4 0 0 00

Non-breeding adults 0 0 ? ? 1 0 3 0 0Juveniles 0 1 ? 1 2 1 0 0 0Fledglings 2 , 1 1 0 2 0 0 0•Unclassified 0 0 ? ? 0 1 0 0 1

Sub-totals 6 8 7 10+ 5 8 3 0 1

McCandless Ranch 1977 1978 1979 1981 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985

Breeding adults 4 6 8 N 0 S U R V E Y M A D E 0Non-breeding adults 1 2 ? " " " 0Juveniles 0 2 ? " " " 0Fledglings 3 0 3 " " " 0Unclassified 3 0 ? " " " 1

Sub-totals 11 10 11 ? ? ? ? ? 1

Honomalino 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985

Breeding adults 0 NO SURVEYS 2 0 0 0 0 0Non-breeding adults 0 .. " 0 2 1 1 0 0Juveniles 0 " " 0 0 0 0 0 0Fledglings 0 " " 0 0 0 0 0 0Unclassif ied 0 " " 0 0 0 0 0 0

Sub-totals

MA.UNA LOA TOTALSTOTALS FR. TAB. 1 & 2

o

1736

?

IS32

?

1820

2

12+21+

2

711

i

911

1

47

o

o2

2

24

*Fledglings known to have died and those salvaged for captive breeding stock are notincluded in the table.

? Indicated insufficient survey data.+ Indicated more birds were suspected to use the area, but not documented.

__II "I~ • __•__.II__I. ---------

toI-18-R-IO: a-VI-A(a) -2- 7/1)84 to 6/30/85

Tatt.:.lers (iieterosce1us incanum), aD:1 Barred Doves C~ia striata) were alsoseen. Evidence of owl predation on Bulwer's PetrelS{BUlweria bulwerii) wasnoted.

No survey of i:aula RDck seabird sanctuary was conducted durir¥J the reportperiod.

Background:

ihis was the seventh year of the general seabird salvage project on Kauaiand the fifth year th<llt it has been reported as a Pittman-Robertson project.Messrs. Daniel Moriarty aD:1 Kip BottaDly of the O.S. Fish and Wildlife Serviceam Mr. DaNid Boynton, a private citizen volunteer, assisted with the pick-up,bardir¥J, and release of fallen seabirds on northern am western Kauai..Mr. 'lhanas Kaiakapu was hired by the Division of Forestry aD:1 wildlife on at.eIIp:Irary basis during Oct:ober cmd Nc'Jveii:leJ:,~ to carry out the -::>ajority ofthe pick-up, hospital i ~tion. ~, and record keepin;Jdurir¥J the salvageproject. A large l.Ulber of vohmteers assisted in the collection of fallenbirds throughout Kauai and depoSited them.at. the aid stati.ols provided.

Procedures:

Eleven sbearwater aid statioos were established at all lKauai COunty FireStations aD:1 at seweral resort areas, as in previous years, to serve ascollection points for birds fourd by the general ptblic. News releasesinstrl£ting the plblic en what to do with fallen seabirds were prepared aniaired on two local radio stations in three DenSfEiPers.

Aid stations were checked on a daily basis for birds turned in by thepublic. Each bird was examined for injuries, weighed, banded aOO transportedto a gentle release site at either Kukti Point or Kilauea !'Oint, Kauai, loilerethey were permitted to fly out to sea at will. Birds that did not ~t franthe pen overnight were presumed to have internal injuries and werehospitalized. Hospita1ization involved twice daily feeding with frozen SDe1t,and re-hydratien with seawater aD:1 Karo corn syrup (100 cx:/qt.) orally via acatheter tube. Severely injured birds were euthanized with chloroform. A fewhealthy birds were -tossed into the air- at various coastal locations when itwas ilx:onveni.ent to take thEm to a release station.

'lhe bard rnmters, pick-up date, pick-up location, aid statim code,sector cede, age c:lass, release .location, release date, weight and additionalCOIlIlents (if any) were recorded in stan:3ardize:l data forms for later analysis.

All fallen birds were categorized into one of four groups: (1) banded,released alive; (~~) alive, released unhanded, (3) captive, died unbanded, and

__1 ..... ._1__1 _

Job 5egment: Island of Kauai

Job Title: Limited Sw::;v~ym InvenOOry of seaibJIds in theState Of BaiWClii

State: Hawaii

Project No.: W-18-IR-IO

Job No.: R-.VI-A (a)

Period CCNered:July 1, 1984 OJ June 30, 1985

Cooperator:U.S. Fish & Wildlife service

Sllmnary:

Project Title:

SOdy Title:

ARD-AFA _

DavisFr ibergGilsonLemonSafley

t/Wi!!iams --:.' _

Statewu:.:=ana=== _EOOanger~ProgrClll! "----

File' 10· - / S;- . /"seabird rnvestigahons

nJrirJ; the 1984-85 seabird salvage project on Kauai, 1,362 seabirds wererecorded. Of these, 1,337 were Newe1l'sSbearwaters (Puffinus auricularisIle<ielli) 1 8 were Dark-rtmpei! Petrels {Pterodrcma~ia sarQiichensisl 2were Band-nmped SOOnn Petrels (OC:eanodrooa castro), ard 1 was a Bonin Petrel(pterodrana l:lypoleuca). Ninety (90%) percent of the seabirds recorded thisyear were successfully returned 00 the wild.

'Jhere was a 20% decline in the mmVer of birds in t.lle fallout this yearfran last year. Effects of drought, predation, am lCN productivity nay haveteen the cause of the decline noted.

The distribution of faJ1 0ut was aI:noIlle.l. Fallout was ha.=;y on mrthernan:] eastern Kauai but noticeably depressed 00 southm:n Kauai. ']he reasons forthe c::harqes in distribution may have included: drought, predation, lightshielding, an:] unusual weather o:>mitions. Fallout increased at Kapaa,despite the erection of street light shields but decreased sharply at theKauai Surf fbtel lrihere light shields were erected.

FlXlI' banded Newell's Shearwaters were recovered during this reportsegment inclooing two cross-fostered birds at Kilauea Point ard bro previoosfallO\.tt victims.

'Jhi.rteen Laysan Albatross (Eiicmedia iJlmJtabilis) nests were moniOOred atthe Pacific MissilE! Range Facility, Barking sands. 'I\¥o nests producedsuccessful fledglings. 'lhree nestlings were transplanted 00 Sea Life Park,Oahu, arrl eight chicks perished as a result of dog predation, paKVirusinfection, or plastic ingestion.

'Jhe Mokuaeae Seabird sanctuary was surveyed on 5eptalber 13, 1984. .~

total of 133 Wedge--tailed Sbearwater (Puffinus mifieus) chicks were found.Heavy nest predation by Mynahs (Acridotheres trl.Stis) had occurreG. BrownBoobies (Sula leUCX?gaster), Q:eat Frigatebirds (Fregata ~r), to'.anderi.n;J

___i ,_iiII. •__..._Rl_IIIIII'__I _

W-lS-R-lO: R-VI-A(a) -4- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

surfboard. wedge-tailed Shearwater burrows were examined foe c::b:icks.Evidence of predation, am evideroe that Newell's Shearwater cross-fosteredbirds ha:1 returned as also investigated. All other seabirds seen on the isletwere tallied.

Fi.ndi.ngs:

seabird salvage PrClject

Table 1 SlJIIIMdzes the 1984 seabird salvage Project results by speciesam status category. As in years past, over 98% of the birds recorded wereNewell's Shearwaters. ~e Dark-r'"(E!U Petrels were recovered this year thanever before. Two Band-rupped storm R!trels were recovered on October 29 andNcNeniber 1, respectively, in the vicinity of Kekaha.

em Bonin Is1aIYi Petrel was turned in at the Lihue Aid Station onNov-e:ooer 12, 1984. It re:;ruired hOSpitaliZation and waS held mill Noveibec 24when it was released. StaIXlaId ornithological measurements were taken franthis bird to confirm its species: Total length, 290 DID; w:iD3 span, 700 DID;culmen, 25.6 DID; nare, 19.0 DID; tarsus, 30.S DID; mid-toe, 35.8 DID; nail, 6.911m; wi"¥J, 210 BID; and tail 8.5 lIIIl.

Other incidental birds in the seabird salvage inclOOed: 8 Madge tailedShearwaters, and 6 iilite-tailed '1xopic birds.

'!he survi'l7al rate of birds recorded dur ing this year' s salvage projectwas 90%.

Table 2 SllllMrizes the Newell's Sbearwater fallout results for the sevenyears that the project bas been oon:hJcted. A twenty percent drop in the totalI'lUIIi::ler of fallen birds occurred this year fran last year. '!he reason for thisdecline is not clear. Several factors could individually or in <XlIIDinationhave caused the decline in fallout noted, ir¥::ltxUng: (1) productivity offledglings was poor this year; (2) overall weather factors (sl.ac:ked tradewin:lsand/or lack of rainfall and cloudy periods); (3) heavy predation losses arxl(4) the constant use of light shields at the Kauai Surf Resort Ibtel throughthe peale fallout period.

PrE.'Ciation 00 Slearwater eggs by rats was considered heavy in the Kalaheonesting colony in 1984. '!be unusually dry weather I'Sf have lD1llde shearwatercolonies llDre SUSCE~ible to rat predatioo then normal. '!be 1984 falloutdistributioo was abnormal and may have influenced the OYerall fallout totals.'!he possible ;:easons for the abnormal distribution are discussed later in thisreport.

__..1__...._ .......

1

__••

",

• -...l

W-18-R-10: R-\t-j;.A(a) -3- '1/1/84 to 6/30/85

(4) dea:i on the road (this category included all ItncIY1 IllOrtalities exceptthose that died in captivity).

All baming infoJ:lllation was reported to the U.S. Fish and Wildlifeservice Bird banding Laboratory and kept on file at the Divisioo of Forestryand Wildlife offices in Lihue and HonolulU.

An analysis was made of the fallout data 00 a chrooological basis todetermine daily fallout trends and to determine relationships betwee, fallout,lOOOil'l phases and weather. phemmena at various locations arOl.1OO the island.O1mparisons were made r.n.th the data collected in previous years to determineannual fallout trends and distributional cbaz:qes.

Between April and o:::t:ober, a special effort was Bade to cbeck roa:i killsand live fallen adult birds for hams. All birds fall iBj duriD3 this periodwould have been at least one year old and the changes of their beiD3 tandedwould be high.

Sheet metal light shields originally constructed for a light attractionabatement study were PIt in place 00 all major f10cdligbts at the Kauai SUrfResort lbtel lIilere as DaIly as 596 sMarwaters have fallen duriD3 a sin3leseason. 'lhese shields were kept in place during all of October and Nc7.reJberand then relOOlTed.

Laysan Albatross Nesting 00 Kauai.

Regu1.aL" v~.;_t.<; were made to 13 Laysan Albatross nest sites at the PacificMissile Range Facility, Barking Sands, betpe en Dece I er 1984 and March 1985 tofollow their nesting success and to doonent limiting factors. On March 29,1985, three chicks were taken fran their nests and transplanted to Sea LifePark, Oahu, for artificial rearing. '1hese chicks were hatched in an areaprop:>se::1 for aircraft taxiway construction. Experi.ne'ltal chicktransplantation was considered a p:lSSible solution to future nest sitefixatioo in un tmdesirable area. ~ chicks were shipped via COiIIIercialairlines in cardboard boxes with a minimum of harxlling time.

'Ihrough a cooperative project, the u.S. Fish and Wildlife service and 'lheNature Oonservancy of Hawaii funded the shiel.<iin; of gcNemIlent owned streetlights in Kapaa and waipou1.i. An analysis of shearwater fallout distributionwas llOOe by corrparing fallout in light shielded areas, with unshielded areas,in order to measure the effectiveness of that method of reducing fallout.

Mokaueae Islet Sanctuary Survey

Messrs. Telfer, M:>riarty, and Bottanly surveyed M:>kuaeae Islet offKilauea Point, Kauai 00 Sept.elrber 13, 1984. Access to the islet was by

W-18-R-IO: R-VI-A(a) -6- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

the southern nesting colonies (leeward Kauai) may have suffered eitherindirectly or directly fran drought oonclitions. Windward nesting areas on theother hc.lIld, receiving more moisture, may have experienced great'.er nestingsuo::ess. ltk:>isture could be related to nest site stability, hlBiilidity necessaryfor good egg viability, am/or differential effects 00 predators andconsequent predation by rats ar¥i cats.

lIdditionally, the 1984 fallout season was atypically calm.. Tradewindswere nearly absent during IDLX:h of the fledging seaS<K1. I have notice:i 'lolhiletossin;J yol.lI¥J SheaIwaters into the air at the shoreline, that they invariablyturn downw:iD:3 'lolhen flyin;J out to sea. It could be that during normal years,tradewinds cause most of the }'OUll3 birds leavin;J the Lihue depression tofollow the coastline southward Were they are funneled into NawUiwili Bay amthen are "trawed" by t±.e lights of the Kana i surf Hotel. ~is may explainthe inordinately high I1'mtJer of birds that have fal1e'l at the Kauai. SUrf Hotelin past years. BoweI7er, in 1984 many of the birds going to sea between Kapaaand Li..'1ue m;rj not have been force:i southwaro. a.long the coastline becanse ofthe lack of tradewinds ar¥i were attracted to bright lights in the RQaa-wailuaarea. Future analysis of win:! speed am win:! directia1 data will be needed tostudy this hypothesis.

Table 5 presents information on four banded Nen]] 's Shearwatersrecovered durin;J this report segment. '1'W'O of the recol7eries werecross-fostered birds transplanted to Kilauea Point in 1980. Evidently, bothof these birds were pr0spectin3 for nest sites ar¥i fell in the yatd of theRefuge ~ters as a result of exterior floodljghts. Both birds were intheir 4th year of life em:i were release'! back to the wild the next day. '!hese~re the sea:md ar¥i third-fostered birds recovered at Kilauea Point to date.'!he boo other balxi recol7eries involved birds that bad been picked up duringthe annual salvage project. Cne was recovered at Poipu almost one yearlater. It was an adult bird that was originally recol7ered at Kokee during athundel: storm on August 4, 1983 ar¥i released at waimea Pier. It was recoveredon August 6, 1984 at Poipl 'obere it was again released back to the wild. '!hedistarx::e between recovery p:>ints was substantial (in excess of 20 miles, seeFigure 3). '!his iOOicated that adult birds have travel routes to am frantheir nesting groun:is fran IDJ1tiple directions. Durin;J an Oi7erDi.ght fieldtrip tel the southern Alakai. Swaq;> in June, 1985 imividl'laJ Newell'sShearwclterS ar¥i a Dark-~ Pet.rel ~e heard passing fran north to southevidently crossin::J WeI the top of the islan:i to reach nest sites on thesouthem side of the islam.

'!he fourth rE!CCNery involved a bird that was origi.."la1.ly banded as afledgling on NoIlell:i:ler 3, 1981 at the Kauai Surf. It was found dead threeyear:: and six months later (06-21-85) on the wailua Bridge six miles to thenorth.

---,.._----_..._-------_..._--,--------------------

W-18-~lO: R-VI-A(a) -5- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

Total mortalities irerease1 this year r::Ner last year. Part of this myhave been due to bE!tter recording of adult fallout during the April throughSepte1iJer period prior to the setting up of aid stations. During that period,40 of 58 birds recxlrded were found dead. 1lduJ.ts that fell and survived duringthis period may h<l'.i'E! been more adept at getting airborne again 00 their own:Hetv:::e, adult mortalities may not be as high as it aweared.

Figure 1 show:s, 1984 daily fallout of Newell's Shearwaters in relationshipto !I¥Xln J;bases. An uniDlCX3al fallout peak resulted lohich was preceeded andfoll0we:3 ~( a full IOOa:'1. AltbOl,JJh the new mooo oo.:urred near the expectedfledging peak, (3rd week of~) no unusually high fallout occurred as itdid in 1979, when r::Ner 100 birds fell 00 one night.

Figure 2 shows the distribution of Eilearwater fallout by individual aidstations throughout OCtober an:1 NovE!lltler, 1984. Peak fallout periods variedin different parts of the island in 1984, variatioo was not as great as it wasin 1983. Daily fallout was fairly consistent with the top quartile (75%+)between OCtober 19 and 30, in 1984.

'!he distribution of shearwater fallout by districts and sectors ispresented in Table 3. ~e figures in this table incllXie on1~r those birds ofknown fallout locations; therefore, the results are skewed towards thoselocations where locatioo reporting by the public was good. Sel7enty-sevenpercent of the birds turned in this year were of known fallout location10hereas only 53% were of reported locations in 1983.

Table 4 gives a more accurate picture of the islaId-wide falloutdistribution. It consists of the n11liJer of birds reported at knc:M1 locatioosplus the nLJIi:>er of birds turned in without location informatioo asaunknownsa • ~e latter, however, were located by their aid statioo codes.('Ibis assl'lIled that the finder of a bird was most likely to deposit it at theaid staUoo nearest to lohere it was picked up.)

'1h~a data in Table 4 reveals aberrant distribution fran what lx:curred inpreviOUlo; years. Of particular note was a 23% increase in fallout in theKap3a-Wiailua District and a 30% decrease in fallout at the Kauai Surf ibtel.To further oooplicate analysis, clfProximately 80% of the g<nernment maintainedst.reet lights in Kapaa and waipouli had recently been fitted with lightshields. we expected a decrease in fallout within the Kapaa District becauseof the street light shielding yet the cootrary occurred. On the other hard,drastic reduction in fallout occurred at the Kauai Surf .Totel with shieldedlights. Light shielding alone did not seem to be the oo·.y factor affectingthe Shearwater fallout distributioo noted. Generally, '.lOUthern Kauaidistricts experienced fallout declines 1oI1ereas northerrl and eastern Kauaidistricts experienced increases in fallout. I believe that productivity in

________1 1 ", _

W-18-R-IO: R-VI-A(a) -8- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

2. '!hat rronit.oring of the seabird salvage project results be continuedas a means: of evaluating threatened. aOO en3angered seabird p"pzl ationstatus anCll to learn rrore about the light attractial problem.

3. '!hat future rronitoring of the nesting atteDpts by cross-fosteredNewell t s Shearwaters at Kilauea Point be cowred by this job sinceJob R-VI-E~ will be terminated.

Subnitted By:

.~c-~ JffIW'lhallas C. TelferDistrict Wildlife Biologist

Approved By:

Ronald L. walkerWildlife Biology Program Manager

Date:

-

SEP I I 1985

W-18-~10: ~VI-A(a) -7- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

Laysan Albatross NE~ting

Figure 4 showsl the location of thirteen Laysan Albatross nests discolreredin 1984-85 at Pacific Missile Range Facility, BarkirJ1 5arx:ls.Olicks frannests 85-2, 85-4 and 85-8 were taken fran their nests on March 29, 1985 aooshipped to sea Life~ Park, oahu for artificial rearirJ1. TWo other chicks(nests 85-12 and 85-14) evidently reached maturity and successfully fledged.,'!hese nests were located in the northern part of the military base aOO werenot considered an I.lIldue hazard to aircraft. '!he other eight chicks died of~ causes. Probable causes inclOOed: dog predatic:n m the chicks a."'V3/ortheir parents, poxvirus infections and in one case~ of plastic. Onedead chick was foun:1 ~l'i.th several pieces of waste plastic in itsproventriculus. '!hI:; plastic had evidently lodged there as a result of theadult picki.n:3 it up at sea aoo inadvertently feedin:l it to the chick.

Several adult or sub-a3ult Laysan Albatrosses were killed by dogs duringthe breedi.n:3 season. '1hree of them "''ere banded birds: (1ll7-93857,1367-34254, and 1367-34268). Several birds were involved in conflicts withdogs in urban-residential areas an:} required res:::ue. Birds were picked up atSpouting Ebrn, the Poi~ Loran Station, and Puhi Slb-division aoo releasedback to the wild. ~riarty (~) recorded rn.merous dog kills alOIY3 thenorthern coast of Kauai. between Princeville and Anahola. One nest was tendedby an adult within the Kilauea Point SanctuaIy area 00t heavy rains washed outthe nest soon after the chick hatched, and the chick died.

Mokuaeae sanctuary Survey

I:Uring the 5epte!rtler 14 survey of Mokuaeae Islet, 133 wedge-tailedShearwater chicks were counted. Twenty-three Wedge-tailed Shearwater eggswere found destroyed (presumably by ~). No evi.deoce was found toindicate that cross-fostered Newell's Shearwaters had returned to MokuaeaeIslet arrl nested successfully.

other birds rer.;ecded at M:>kuaeae Islet Sanctuary included: 4 BrownBoobies, 18 Great Frigate birds, 2 Wanderi.n:3 Tattlers, and 3 Barred Do'les. Inaddition, 26 dead Bulwer' s Petrels were seen that were evidently killed byBarn Owls.

No surveys of Kaula Rock or other seabird sanctuar ies within Kauai County.....ere accooplished duri.n:3 this job segment.

R.ecarmen1ations :

1. '!hat this job be continued, to llPI1itor the status of seabirdfXjpulations in the State of Hawaii.

I

W-::18··R-10: R-VI-A(a) -10- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

Table 2

RESULTS OF THE NEWELL'S SHEARWATER SALVAGE EFFORT ON KAUAI ISLAND, HAWAII

1978 to 1984

Banded Alive Total Captive Dead Total Total ApparentReleased Released Released Died On the Known Birds Percent

YEAR Alive Unbanded Alive Unbanded Road* Dead Recorded Survived

1978 859 2 861 18 144 162 1,023 84%

1979 1,299 105 1,404 20 141 161 1,565 90%

1980 1,297 24 1,321 37 160 197 1,518 87%

1981 1,120 3 1,123 27 89 116 1,239 91%

1982 1,418 12 1,430 33 78 111 1,541 93%

1983 1,560 29 1,589 5 114 119 1,708 93%

1984 1,019 206 1,225 13 124 124 1,362 90%

TOTALS 7,713 381 8,953 153 850 1,003 9,956 90%

*Includes all known mortalities other than those that occurred in captivity

W-la-~lO: R-VI-A(a) -u-

Table 4

*COMPUTED NEWELL<S SHEARWATER FALLOUT DISTRIBUTIONIsland of Kauai 1984

Shearwaters of Known Shearwaters of Total Birds PercentDistrict Fallout Locations Unknown Locations In District Change**

Hanalei-Princeville 104 (ll%) 25 (9%) 129 (1 U',) [+ 4%]

Kilauea-Anahola 55 {6%} 2 (1%) 57 (5%) [+ 3%]

Kapaa-Wai1ua 389 (42%) 118 (43%) 507 (42%) [+23%]

Lihue 160 (17%) 89 (32%) 249 (21%) [+ 5%]

Kauai Surf Resort 55 (6%) 0 (00%) 55 (5%) (-30%]

Ko loa-Poi pu 78 (9%) 12 (4%) 90 (7%) [- 3%]

Hanapepe-Lawai 47 {5%} 13 (5%) 60 (5%) [- 2%]

Waimea-Olokele 22 (3%) 16 (6%) 38 {3%} [HIC ]

Barking SandS-Kekaha 12 (1%) 0 (o%) 12 (1%) [H/C ]

Na Pal i-Kokee 0 (OX) 0 (OX) 0 (OX) [H/C ]

* Fallout totals are computed from birds of known fallout locations (ie. thosebirds for which the finder recorded the pick up location) and the total numbers ofshearwaters at each aid station of unknown pick up location. In the latter case.the bird was assumed to have fallen in the same district as the aid station in whichit was deposited.

** This column represents percent change from the previous year's distributionpercentage.

_______....._. • '__n _

.18-~lO: . R-VI-A(a) -11- 7/l/84to 6/30/85

Table 3

DISTRIBUTION OF FALLEN NL . :LL'S SHEARWATERS BYDISTRICTS AND SECTORS ON KAUAI

1984

District SectorTOTAL FALLEN BIRDS

Sector District Percent*

0-- (O.O%)

47-- (5.1%)

160-- 07.4%}

Hanalei-Princeville "'-...... Hanalei Town -------- 2786

- 104 -- (11.3%)Princeville ----------

Kilauea-Anahola -=::::::::: Kilauea 505

- 55 - ( 6. :iX)- Anahola------------

Kealia 10Kapaa Town 156 ---;:>

Kapaa-Wailua Waipouli 121 . 389 --{42.2%}Wailua 89Wailua Homesteads 13Hanamaul u-Kapaia 17

<Lihue Town 92

Lihue Depression Nawiliwili 42Puhi 8Kipu 1

Kauai Surf Kauai Surf Hotel 55 55 ------ (6.0%)

~Ko loa 5 ________

Koloa-Poipu Kukuiula 2 78 (8.5%)Poipu 71Salt Pond 0Hanapepe 19

Hanapepe-Lawai Eleele 7Port Allen 13Kalaheo 5Lawai 3

____ Waimea 15~Waimea-Olokele~. Pakala 61 22 ------{2.4%)

---- 010kele-Kaumakani ------Barking Sands-Kekaha 0:::::- Barking Sands. 2 12 (1.3%)

......... Kekaha 10 -Nil Pa 1i - Kokee Na Pa 1i 0 -=::::::::==--

Kokee 0-

Unknown ------ Unknown ------- 276 ------ 276

*includes only numbers of birds from known fallout locations. Numbers in parenthesesrepresent percentages of the total 922 birds collected from known locations.

----_.__......_- , --..,~I__' ----------- _

5 10DECEMBER

7/1/84 to 6/30/85

N M F Q

i • VI .,

L Q

ct

15 20tlOVEMBE~

•F Mi

0:I

5 10NOVEMBER

I

NM

•

-14F~gure 1

L Q

()

ii!I .

: : ,~ j

i

•!;i

I

I !i ! !.' '

~"';':--Availbb1e Moon1ight--....... ,I=I . ~_ I

I' '" • I II I:; Numbers of tla l1y l:n". Shearwater: !:• •. r •! t . Fa11 out \: ; !! \.: : \: : ~.. ' . .'• • • • •: ~ : :

• • • 0

: I' : ~• • • • •e I 1 • •• • • •: I • : \I I II I I. ~ . .• • • •e. • .:, • I'., ".. : ~

'. .' ~ ..I'.... :.. i\.. , . . .

.. ! .. ~ I,t .. il '..

o \ " •

.. ••••• J '.~ t \

.0 • ' •

• "..e

'.. ..e .....' ...... .

~ORRELATION BETWEEN LUNAR PHASES AND NUMBERS OF F~LLEN NEWELL'S SHEARWATERS• ,f' . • . i '! I· i; I : j

: . fs1and of. Ka~ai ':' 1984 '; ! I j l .,I) I I ' j

I ! ;

. ,

,t : '. .', '

1- - ~ •.

25SEPTEMBER

F ; iAL -,120L • f-

0 : .1:

U ; 105T

, ,..

"l' ~I ; I ; .~ ,r I . I. ..r0 ~__-':""' "';"' -,

n$O,, ,

.._~ i' ~. :,o ;:1~5"A ,1 1 0 ;1

l~_..

I dlS0L f' I. , - ,t

V !-, .;; ~, ... ,

135

o _~. 90F

; , 15

!:. 75

·;·0

SH 'E ~; 60A 'R •W ;. :45AT

., .... ; ,

~ :.' 30

S

W-18-R-10: R-VI-A(a)

I

W-18-R--10: R-VI-A(a) -16-7/1/84 to 6/30~5

I

tt'.'

I''''

II to'

.,.,'P.,;.-

ISLAND OF KAUAIKAUAI COUNTY, HAWAII

JULY 1948

LOCAnON MAP

MAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Vii'

--

W-1B~R-10:R-VI-A(a) -15- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

Figure 2

DISTRIBUTION OF NEWELL'S SHEARWATER FALLOUT RECOVERIES AT INDIVIDUAL AID STATIONS - 1984

(Showing Variability of Heavy Fallout Peaks Between Districts)

Aid 0 C T 0 B E R 0 C T 0 B E R 0 C T 0 B E R N 0 V E MB E R N 0 V E MB E RStation 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 02 04 06 08 10 12 14 16 18 20-

WAIMEA ·. ~ ~ e • .. .. j~~ .... ~~''''''~C,'' ·. ..HANAPEPE ·. .. .fi~ .. ..... ••,.~ . .. .. ...It ....... ·. ..KALAHEO ..] ~~ **** ~~ I·. • <I •• .. ..KOLOA ..... .. .. .. .!.~~..~~.. If........,C..... ·. .. ..... ......POIPU .. ·. .. ..... .. J~~88 . ·. .. ..LIHUE .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. .. ·. ·......r., .."'............,...,..•~( ................. .. .. .......KAUAI SURF .. .........~'8........888880 . .. ..KAPAA ·. .. .. ·....................... ~~~~~~~~'.&8~~!~ .. ~~ .. ~~~~ .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ......

KILAUEA IfL. ~~ .... ~~88..~~~ ........ ..PRINCEVILLE ·. .. .. .......... . .. .. . .. ... .. . 88~~~~~~ .. ......... ....... .. .. .. .. .. .........

HANALEI ** [ill.. .. .. .......... .. .. ...... ·. .. ...... ..

COMPOSITE............ ~~8881~~8888fi888008888.. 08~~"*TOTAL .. ·.................. ·. ............................................... .. ............. " ......

,-

Key to Symbols: Days on which fallout fell within the lower half of the aid station fallout range (1-50%) = .Days on which fallout fell within the 3rd quartile of the aid station fallout range (51-75%) = ~~~~~

Days on which fallout fell within the 4th quartile of the aid station fal10ur range (76-100%)= 88888

I

I

-l.7-

Figure 4

7/J./84 to 6/30/85

LAYSAN ALBATROSS NEST LOCATIONSPacific Missile Range Facility

Barking Sands, Kauai

1985

W-18-R- W:R-VI-A(a) 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

II JS

c"

I

tI

.! \,;.........

,/

; /.' j

i.. /

;;

Albatross Nest Locations

"

\

/

85-0.

(

.....I .

II,.r,

..r

/

Mgn4

Point\

\.

/

:I•,•,•r•,••,r

.I"SS

'I" S S

A'IOR

.....

SlC:J

s••,I,•••••,r

-,

, 4.

Period Covered:

R-vr-Ai[b)

Project No.:

JOB PRCX;RESS RE:PORl' ARD-MA _Davis ~'

v-Friberg .E'+~__Project Title: Statewide Non-Gane~

Enda'1gered Species~ _,..'~__

Job Title: Limited Survey and~ - - .1['Seabirds in the Sta§ofJ4iili -.-. SE ~.....""=",,...

July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985 Job SegIoo.nt: /oa.~Ll

File:-¢ 0-,'<-1\-10

W-18-R-IO

HawaiiState:

Job No.:

Cooperators: U. S. Fish and Wildlife Servicecarrie GriffithJack SwensonJohn En:Jbr in;}

Sl.lllIllary :

Seabird surveys were conducted cooperatively with the U. S. Fish andWildlife Service on Laysan, Lisianski, and Pearl and Hermes durin;} the reportperiod. Cooperators also IlOnitored seabird activities on Kure Atoll andManana Island.

A brief SUIlIllarY of each trip's observation is included in this report.

Field reconnaissance and interpretation of aerial photography activitiesto refine vegetative type delineations on Green Island, Kure Atoll was notconducted.

Objectives:

To IlOnitor the abundance, population trends, and limiting factors onvarious species of seabirds at selected seabird colonies to preserve theirintegrity and make management recorrrnendations and decisions.

Procedures:

Day and/or night surveys of seabird colonies in oonolulu County were madein order to doctnnent their extent and composition, to determine populationtrends, and to identify limiting factors. These surveys were brief andconducted by individuals or teams of people. Wildlife biologists fran theU. S. Fish and ~lildlife Service and the State flew to Tern Island, FrenchFrigate Shoals, and there boarded the R/V Feresa for Laysan, Lisiarlski a.1dPearl and Hermes.

Findin:Js :

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

In cooperation with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service seabird surveyswere conducted on Laysan, Lisianski, Pearl and Hermes Reef (HawaiianIslands National Wildlife Refuge) and Midway Island between July 4, 1984ani uly 19, 1984. A detailed report of the findin:Js are filed at theU S. Fish arld Wildlife Service's Office of Refuges, Hawaii. Listed inTable 1 are the seabirds seen on each island and their reproductivestages (the data for Laysan is not available at this writing).

all -,

W-18-R-10; R-VI-A(b)

Manana Island

-2- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

Red-taiJ ed tropicbird nesting activities on Manana was monitored by aresearcher (.Jack Swenson) between May-Septellber 1984 duriN:) the course ofhis weC,ge-tailed shearwater work. Of the ten nests he observed, fivenests were successful in fledging young.

On June 15, 1985, the Sierra Club conducted a field trip to'1ananaIsland. The field trip leader (John Engbring) reported that therelatively wet I..inter was responsible for the Iroderately well developedvegetation which is OCM beginning to dry. He reported that no rabbitswere seen and that 15 Black-crowned night herons were seen on theisland. Black-crowned night herons are known to prey on young chicks.'!he sUlllllary of seabird observations are listed iJl Table II.

Kure Atoll

A National Marine Fisheries Service I s Hawaiian Monk Seal researcher(Ms. carrie Griffith) volunteered to document seabird observations andher data of April 17 and 18, 1985 is summarized in table III. Fieldreconnaissance and interpretation of aerial photography activities torefine vegetative type delineation on Green Island, Kure Atoll was notconducted.

Reconmendation:

It is recomnended that this job be continued.

PREPARED BY:

(';1

~~~-~AALPH S. SAITODistrict Wildlife Biologist, Oahu

APpIDJED BY:

Wildlife Biology Program !'1anager

Date: ~~-(f- LlBERr K. IANrGRA.F, Administrator

___, ..... ••__,__& _

TABLE I. LISIANSKIJuly 12,-14, 1984

SPEX::IES BREEDIN:; STA'IUS

Black-footed Most chicks had fledged;Albatross remainder near fledging.

Laysan Most chicks had fledged;Albatross remainder near fleding.

Bonin Petrel No live Bonin were seenor heard

Bulwer Petrel None seen or heard

Wedge-tailed Q1 eggsShearwater

Few adults were seen on the Island.

Few adults were seen on the Island.Many near fledging chicks were dead

4 adults and a juvenile were fourrldead (fresh).

Q1ristmasShearwater

Sooty StormPetrel

Red-tailedTropicbird

Brown Booby

Red-footedBooby

GreatFr igatebird

Sooty Tern

Gray-backedTern

Downy chicks

,None seen or heard

4 Nests with eggs;remainder with c.':Iicksfran all downy to fullyfeathered.

50 nests were counted.Phenology ranged fran eggsto fully feathered andsome chicks may havefledged.

360 nests were counted.Phenology ranged from eggsto fully feathered chicks.

i 409 nests were counted onthe island. Phenologyranged fran eggs to chicks

I,.ith down on throat and

I

breast.

,Eggs and chicks of allIstages were observed.

Many young had fledged;remaining chicks nearIfledgling .

Difficult to sample populationusing transects - 6 nests wererecorded on transects.

Twenty-seven nests were locatedduring transect surveys.

SJrall colonies scattered wer theinterior of island.

Small colonies were locatedthroughout island, primarily inassociation to scaevola.

Occurred throughout islandprimarily it'"! association withscaevola and in proximity to redfooted booby nests.

Most colonies were on the westISide & southern end of the island.

__��1 1_111:__.. ...._ ....11 _

TABLE I. LISIANSKI (o:>ntinued)

SPOCIES

Brown Noddy

Black Noddy

White Tern

BREEDING STA'lUS

l'!J.l stages fran egg tofully feathered.

1\10 nests seen.

'Ihree eggs and threechicks were observedduring transect counts.

160 nests were cClUnted on transectsextrapolates to 2500 nests for theislam.

Birds were roosting on SCaevola,pisonia and dead ironwood.

At least 30 adults were seen.

___••• ....., •__....__...,,__• 11 _

TABLE I. PEARL AND HER-1ES REEFJuly 15-17, 1984

Southeast Island

SPECIES BREED:m; STA'IDS NOTES

Laysan F'ledglings were present inAlbatross relatively small ntmlbers;

lTost had fledged.

Black-footed Fledglings were present inAlbatross relatively small numbers;

lTost had fledged.

Bulwer Petrel None observed

Wedge-tailed 1Q1 eggs.Shearwater

I

IChristmas INone observed.

Shearwater

Sooty Storm None observed.Petrel

Red-tailed Three nests with chicksTropicbird having secondary and

tertiary wing feathersarpearing.

Masked Booby 10 nests observed, chicksranged fran all downy

lapprox. adult size tofully feathered.

iBrown Booby i12 nests observed, chicks

ranged fran primaries amIrectrices visible; noscapulars to fullyfeathered.

Red-footed INo nests observed.Booby I

I

Great No nests observed.Frigatebird I

ISooty Tern If'iost chicks ranged fr<XU

Iback feathered, no down,Idown on ventral and flanksI to chest feathered; downon lower belly and flanks

,only.I

i

___• • '_...__h,OI",_. _

'mBLE I. PEARL AND BEa1ES REEF (oontinued)

Southeast Island

•

SPOCIES

Gray-backedTern

Brown Noddy

Black Noddy

White Tern

•

BREEDING STA'lUS

1!'I.lOst chicks ranged frOOlscapul.ars and dorsalfeathers in pin stage to

. chest feathered: down onlower belly and flanksonly.

25 nests observed, 17Iwith eggs, chicks in allIdowny stage.

INo nesting

INo nesting

I

"iii

Few birds roosting.

Birds seen in flight.

TABLE I: PEARL AND HEIMES REEF (continued)

North Islarrl, Grass Islarrl, Island

SPOCIES BREEDING STA'IUS

Laysan & Black E'ledglings present on allAlbatrosses ii.slands~ Irost had fledged.

Wedge-tailedShearwater


Masked Booby

BrQ\oll1 Booby

Red-footedBooby

GreatFrigatebird

Sooty Tern

Burrows observed on allislaOOs.

Nests observed on allislands in low densityctdcks ranged fran alldowny to traces of downon lower back only.

Ih~rth Island: 17 nests

Iin all stages.Little North Island: II

',nests in all stages.Seal/Kittery: 40 nests

Ifran all downy 1/2 adultsize to fully feathered.

jGrass Islarrl - 10 nests.IiNone observed.

ISeal/Kittery: NoneiGrass Islarrl: NoneINorth rslarrl: 29 nests,I chicks in stages fran alli downy 1/2 adult size toIfully feathered, nestsIwere in solanum nelsoniIIISeal/Kittery: 7 nests, Total direct counts.I chicks range franI scapu1ars > 3 an~ prilmaries and secondariesnot erupted to down halfgone, clear from head

I and win;}5 •

IGrass Island: 25 nests~ICl1icks sarre stages asI above.INorth Island: 87 nests;I frOOl egg to chicks rangingi from scapulars eruptedI < 3 an to retrices > 3 an;Idt?Wl1 just clearing head andIWlI1g.

INorth Island, Grass Island,Iand Seal;-Kittery: Nonei nesting.

_____• ,_..0 0 ,__0 _

TABLE I: PEARL AND HER-1ES REEF (oontinued)

·

BREEDING STA'lUS

North Island, Grass Island,

SPE:IES

Seal/Kittery Island= _

IGray-backed

Tern

Brown Noddy

Black Noddy

White Tern

North Island: Noneobserved.Grass Island: Nesting.Seal/Kittery: NestingI(total count = 10 observed)

I North Island: 43 nestslobserveCl in sample count:

from egss Q chicks withchest feathE:::-ed; down onlower belly and flanks only.G!."ass Islcro: 82 nests I(total di.rect count): fromeggs to chicks fullyfeatherej - no down.Seal/Kit~: 41 nests(total direct count): fromeggs to chicks with backfeathered, no down; down onventral and flanks.

North Island, Grass Island,and Seal/Kittery Island none.

None seen on the islands.

I

\

TABLE I: MIrw.yJuly 18, 1985

SPOCIES BREEDm:; STATUS NarES

Laysan Fledglings in many areasAlbatross h.~ scars fran pox lesions

In the housing areas this season,10,000 albatross chicks werepicked up after dying of variouscauses.

----_.........._-,-----_._-_....,--,-----------

TABLE II: MANANA ISL.l\NDJune 15, 1985

SPOCIES

Sooty Tern

Brown Noddy

BREEDING STATUS

No eggs; chicks aboutthree-fourth grown presentin low numbers.

P'E!\\' on eggs.

10,000 plus present scattered incolonies Cl~Ong slopL~ outerflanks of the cr.ater. Approximately 1,000 circled high abovethe northwest tip of the island.

Abundant but muCh less than SootyTerns.

Wedge-tailed On eggsShea..--water

Bulwer Petrel Six active nests wereobserved, no young noticed.


2 nest sites were observedone three-fourths grown;chicks seen.

Several pairs seen flying O',erthe islam in the rrornin:j.

_____.._1112......1_ ......

l1li..

11

.... --

-

TABLE III: KURE ATCLLApril 17-18, 1985

SPElCIES BREEDING STA'roS

Laysan Chicks stages fran alldowny awroximately 1/2adult size to primaries andrectrices visible.

Black-footed Sarre statusAlbatross

Red-foot.ed

Masked Booby

Brcwn Booby

Brown Noddy

Black Noddy

O1ristmasShearwater

Wedge-tailedShearwater

White Tern

At least 101 nests wereI.. • •I:-:ountea, however, th15 15not a complete count.

3 nests with eggs, 3 nestslwithout eggs, U chicksfran naked to all. Downyapproximately adult size.

3 eggs and 29 chicks frandown appearing on back toscapulars unite in midline: down still on wings.

1

CA1 nests.

CA1 nests.

IDiffiOJlt to make total count inscaevola.

30 adults seen.

24 adults seen.

3 adults seen.

Adults seen.

65 adults seen.

State: Hawaii

Project No.: W-18-R-10

Study No.: R-VI

JOB PRCGRESS REPORr

Project Title:

Study Title:

ARD·AFA,-__DavisFribergGilsonLemon

Statewide Non~¥.mdEndangered ~~flIS ,< .

Program , >;hd:II :::.-=-~-_-:.=seabird Investiqations -_. "---,

Jet> Segment: Maui

Job No.: R-VI-A(c)

Pedro Ccwered:July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985

Jet> Title:/1"/ .kJ' " ~- /

Limited Suney arrl Inven~

tory of seabirds in theState of Hawaii

Cbservations of seabirds at Pauwalu Point Wildlife sanctuary includedgreat frigatebirds, o:mnon noddy terns, am Yihite-tailed tropicbirds. Therewere no nestL'19 atterrpts by Ioedge-tailed mea.rwaters.

Objective:

To nonitor the abundance, population trends arrl limiting factors ofseabirds at selected sites 00 Maui.

Procedures:

Surveys of seabird colonies at certain areas on Maui were made todocument their extent to determine populatioo trends am to identify liroitirl:jfactors.

Findings: ,

Seabhd surveys were conducted at Pauwalu Point Wildlife Sanctuary duringperiodic inspections of the area arrl facilities. Whenever the area wasvisite:l, frigatebirds were observed soaring aboIIe the cliffs of the Pointand/or roosting 00 the adjacent Moku Mana Islet. The frigatebirds ·were seenroosting or perching on Moku Mana, but never on other adjacent islets or thePoint. The mlIlber of frigatebirds did not exceed 30 during visits to thesanctuary. '!he limiting factor may be the availability of roosting space onMoku Mana Islet.

'Ihe roost comoon seabird in the area is the o:xmon noddy tern. On oneoccasion, over 300 terns were counted aloll3 the cliff faces. Countill3 wasmade extremely difficult due to the constant lIPITeIOCnt of these birds.White-tailed tropicbirds were cbserved soarill3 above the cliffs of the Point.

2 ,

W-18-R-10: R-VI -2- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

'!here ~ed to be no nestiIYJ attempts by wedge-tailed shearwaters onPauwalu Point. Qlly old nestiIYJ burrows were located this year.

Reco!mlendations:

'!hat seabird surveys continue to be conducted at Pauwalu Point WildlifeSanctuary am the adjacent offshore islets.

Sutxnitted By:

~wr~~Meyer L. Ueoka ~District Wildlife Biologist

Date: NOV 20 i985

Approve? By:

~~Ronald L. walkerWildlife Bi Program Manager

, . trator

__.'- 11 1 .,'__, _

JOB PROGRESS REPORT

Monitoring for the return ofShearwaters during 1985 revealed thatto Kilauea Point, but did not nest.

Hawaii

Job No.: R-VI-B

j-I r W-I;?-K'/{:cross-fostdiil«i NeWell 'S

birds continued to return

Proj. Title: Statewide Pittman- Robertson program

.1=""0 5/;", /.?~Study Title: Seabl"!'l!" J livesnga

tionsARD_AFA _

D~,<!~Job Title: Newell'~I~arwater

Nesting~y Establishmentt.~y on theIsland <$afl9¥laio _

vWilliams -t=wWhiteLobdellSE

U.8. Fish & WildlifeService

Summary:

Cooperator:

Period Covered:January 1, 1985 toDecember 31, 1985

Project No.: W-18-R-IO

Sixteen of 38 burrows checked at the Kalaheo Nesting Colonyin 1985, were active. Four of the nests failed as a result offeral cat and rat predation. A total of twelve nestlings werebanded before they fledged in October.

A final report for this job was prepared.

Objectives:

To determine the success of experimental Newell's Shearwaternesting colony establishment by means of Newell's egg trans?lantsinto established wedge-tailed Shearwater (foster parent nests incoastal, or offshore islet habitats free from grou~d predatorsand away from light attraction hazards, and to de~ermine natalnesting colony productivity and limiting factors.

Procedures:

Monitoring for the return of transplanted birds at KilaueaPoint Refuge Area was accomplished by resident u.s. Fish andWildlife service personnel during the night time hours bylistening for the vocalizations of breeding birds returning tothe nesting grcunds. Ground searches were made within the refugearea to locate nesting Newell's Shearwaters from the crossfostering experiment conducted between 1978 and 1980.

Known Newell's shearwater nest burrows were checked in theKalaheo Colony to determine the status of nesting success andcauses of mortalities. Standardized measurements were made ofeach nestling, and butt-end stainless steel leg bands wereapplied to each bird enccuntered.

1

& • a

W-18-R-IO: Job No. R-VI-B 1/1/85 to 12/31/85

An analysis of the results was made fOl the entire five yearstudy, and a final report was drafted.

Findings: Monitoring for the Return of Cross-fostered Birds

Vocalizations of returning cross-fostered Newell'sShearwaters were again heard with regularity between May andSeptember 1985 as in previous years. No birds fell to the groundat Kilauea Point this year, nor were band recoveries recorced.No nesting burrows were found to confirm that Newell's shearwaternesting colony transplantation was successfull. A tentativeconclusion was drawn: The cross-fostering experiment wassuccessful only to the point that foster parent rearing can beachieved with Wedge-tailed shearwaters, and that cross-fosteredNewell's shearwaters will site-imprint upon their fledging areaand return repeatedly during the nesting season each year. Sofar, it appears that the experiment failed to produce a viablenew nesting colony in a coastal habitat. Perhaps more time willbe needed to be certain that nesting by the cross-fostered birdshas failed, but birds five years old have been documented at thesite, and have not yet bred. It may be that other stimuli willbe needed to establish a breeding colony, such as vocalizationsof other birds of their species on the ground, or olfactory cuesassociated with that particular species. Little is known aboutthe requirements of Newell's shearwaters prospecting new breedingareas, or the behavioral requirements for nest site selection.

1985 Nesting Season Monitoring at the Kalaheo Colony

A total of 38 Newell's Shearwater nesting burrows werechecked during 1985. Only 16 burrows (42%) were active. Manyburrows had been abandoned becaus~ of past feral cat predationand nest site damage resulting from Hurricane Iwa in November of1982. Of the 16 active burrows, 4 failed to produce successfulfledglings. Feral cats killed two young nestlings in theirburrows, and two eggs were found destroyed, presumably by rats.Twelve nestlings survived to fledge their nests. These birdswere measured and banded.

A final report was prepared for this job which summarizesthe results of the five year study.

Recommendations:

1. That this job be terminated as a separate study, andthat a final report be prepared.

2. That follow-up observations for the return and nestingof cross-fostered Newell's shearwaters at KilaueaPoint and routine monitoring of natural nestingcolonies be accomplished in the future as part of(Project W-18-R: Job R-VI-A, Limited survey and

2

E. Mil

W-18-R-lO: Job No. R-VI-B 1/1/85 to 12131/85

Inventory of Seabirds in the S~te of Hawaii, Kauaisegment).

3. That consideration be given to the utilization ofrecorded vocalizations, decoys and olfactory baits asan additional enticement for nesting colonyestablishment by Newell's Shearwaters at Kilauea Point.

Prepared by::

Date -'"J""lJ:.!,;N'-,_-..,::6:-;.::9..:.8.:..5 _

Approved by:

c£4*'j~~Lm'Rm~ALDL.WKERd--Wildlife Progra~ Manager

f

3

---, 1_. 1 ...1'__....__-------------_.

FINAL REPORT

State: Hawaii

Project Type: Research

Project Title: Statewide Pittman-R~bertson Program


Newell's Shearwater Nesting Colony EstablishnentStudy on the ~sland of Kauai

Period Covered: July.!.L 1980 to June 30, 1985

Project Objective:

To determine the success of experimental Newell's Shearwaternesting colony establishment by means of Newell's egg transplantsinto established Wedge-tailed Shearwater {foster parent} nests incoastal, or offshore islet habitats free from ground predatorsand away from light attraction hazards, and to determine natalnesting colony productivity and limiting factors.

R-VI-B

R-VI-B

R-VI-B

R-VI-B

R·-· 'I-B

SUMMARY:

TITLE

Newell's Shearwater Nesting ColonyEstablishment Study on the Islandof Kauai





SEGMENT

W-18-R-6

W-18-R-7

W-18-R-B

W-18-R-9

W-18-R-10

&

Between 1978 and 1985, over 10,000 fledgling Newell'sshearwaters (Puffinus auricularis newelli) are k~own to have beendowned because of their attraction to bright urban lights on theIsland of Kauai, Hawaii. Since fledgling birds fly from theirmountain nesting grounds to the sea at night, they must pass overbright city lights, where they often become night-blinded and flyinto obstructions and fall stunned to the ground. This is a new

1

Ail

problem for a species already classed as "threatened" because ofits extirpation from other Hawaiian islands by the small Indianmongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus).

This study was undertaken to te~t and follow up theexperimental nesting colony transpla~tation of Newell'sshearwaters to coastal areas, where the problems of urban lightsand predators could be eliminated. Nesting colony establishmentwas attempted by cross-fostering: The transplanting of 90Newell's shear~'ater eggs into the existing nests of foster parentwedge-tailed shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus) at Kilauea Point,Kauai. Seventy-nine percent of the transplanted eggs hatched,and 94% of the hatchlings successfully fledged. Three and onehalf years after fledging, vocalizations of the cross-fosteredbirds were first heard at Kilauea Point. In 1983 and 1984, threebanded cross-fostered birds were recovered, verifying the successof site imprinting. However, no confirmation of nesting by thecross-fostered Newell's shearwaters at Kilauea Point has beenmade to date.

A natural Newell's shearwater nesting colony was monitoredat Kalaheo, revealing the annual loss of 25% to 71% of activenests between 1981 and 1985. Nest losses were primarily due toferal cat predation and secondarily to rats.

A description was made of 30 active nesting burrows.Physical measurements were taken from several nestlings todetermine their rate of growth. This information was used formaking "quality" comparisons to the cross-fostered nestlings.The chronology of the Newell's shearwater nesting season was alsodocumented.

INTRODUCTION:

Increased urban lighting on the Island of Kauai, Hawaii, hasresulted in new problems for the threatened Newell's shearwaterin recent years. Because of their inherent attraction to brightlights, young fledgling birds departing their mountain nestinggrounds for the ocean for the first time, are drawn towards urbanareas. Becoming temporarily blinded and confused, they fly intowires, buildings, trees and vehicles. Usually they fall to theground only stunned, but sometimes they are injured or killed.

Between 1978 and 1985 over 10,000 fledgling shearwaters fellnear bright lights on Kauai. Over 90% of those collected werereleased successfully back to the wild. This "fallout"phenomenon however, has become a source of increasing concern.Urbanization continues and the problem is likely to increase.Newell's shearwaters were once found on all of the major HawaiianIslands, but have been extirpated from all but the Island ofKauai, presumably because of the introduced mongoose which is avoracious predator of ground nesting birds. Kauai is the laststronghold of the Newell's shearwater and the light attracti0nproblem poses an additional threat to their future.

2

____1- ._, 1 ' 1 .. ....l

1 ,,

A cooperative pilot study, involving personnel of the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service and the Hawaii Division of Fish andGame was undertaken in 1978 and 1979. The objective was toexperimentally transplant Newell's shearwat~r. eggs into fosterparent Wedge-tailed shearwater nests in coastal habitat atMokuap.ae Islet and Kilauea Point, Kauai. Thirty-five of 47 eggstransferred during those years were successtully hatched, rearedand fledged by the surrogate parent birds. Herein we report theresults of the experimental Newell's shearwater eg<J transplantingstudy between 1980 and 1985~ the successful return oftransplanted birds to Kilauea Point as adults and their breedingstatus. Various details, of the nesting biology. chickdevelopment, and nesting success of naturally reared Newell'sshearwaters in the Kalaheo breeding colony were obtained andcompared with similar information collected from the crossfostered birds.

JUSTIFICATION AND OBJECTIVES:

Because t~e initial experiment seemed to be successful andthere was potential opportunity to mitigate the light attractionproblem by transplanting and establishing Newell's shearwaternesting colonies in coastal areas, we decided to continue theState of Hawaii's involvement in the transplant and follow-upwork as a pittman-Robertson project.

The objectives of the study were: (I) to determine thesuccess of experimental Newell's shearwater nesting colonyestablishment, by transplanting Newell's eggs into existingWedge-tailed shearwater (foster parent) nests in coastal, oroffshore islet habitats free from ground predators and away fromlight attraction hazards, and (2) To determine productivity andlimiting factors in a natural Newell's shearwater nesting colony,so that the information learned could be used to improve thesuccess of future nest transplanting attempts.

METHODS:

Searches for Newell's shearwater nesting burrows were madeat three breeding colonies on Kauai during the months of April,May and June, 1980 (see fig. I). All new nests found weremarked with numbered aluminum tags. Each colony was mapped foreasy nest location in subsequent years. Nests were located bysearching for burrow entrances under tree roots and fallen logson steep embankments. The status of each nest was determined byreaching into the burrow and feeling for the parent bird. Inthe case of long burrows, we inserted a length of fern frond intothe burrow. If a deep burrow was occupied, the bird wouldusually bite the frond, signaling its presence.

The Kaluahonu and the Kalaheo nesting colonies wereaccessible by vehicle and foot~ however, the Anaholacolony required access by helicopter.

readilynesting

On July 1, 1980, 25 eggs were taken from Newell's shearwater

3

___•• ,_111 , :__:1111,__.,. _

burrows in the Kalaheo colony and transported within a few hoursto surrogate vledge-tailed shearwater nests at Kilauea Point,Kauai. Similarly on July 3rd, seven eggs were taken fromNewell's burrows at Kaluahonu and on July 9th~12 eggs were takenfrom the Anahola colony for transplanting at Kilauea Point.

All Newell's shearwater eggs were transported in mouldedplastic cases lined with polyurethane foam to prevent breakageand to insulate them from cold air. At the time the eggs weretaken, each incubating Newell's shearwater adult was banded witha U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monel butt-end leg band andreplaced into its burrow. . Thirty-two of the eggs were- -weighedwith a spring scale and measured for length and width withvernier calipers.

The surrogate parent Wedge-tailed shearwater nests used foregg transplants were selected for secureness against possiblesoil erosion, and egg predation by the the common Indian mynah(Acridotheres tristis). The location of the site used forsurrogate nests is shown in figure 2. The wedge-tailedshearwater eggs removed from the surrogate parent nests wereturned over to another researcher for a separate study.

Each week following the egg transplant, burrows were checkedto record the status of each nest. The estimated, and in somecases the actual, date of hatching was determined so that wecould record growth rates. Notes were kept on featherdevelopment, disease and other causes of mortality. Measurementsincluded: weight in grams, the length of culmen, tarsus, mid-toe(without nail), nail and wing. Once the hatchlings became fullyfeathered, they were banded with monel butt-end leg bands. Theapproximate date that each bird fledged was recorded.

No additional Newell's shearwater eggattempted after 19BO, since enough birdsfledged from previous transplants to test thethe method.

transplants werehad successfullyeffectiveness of

Monitoring for the return of previously transplanted andsite--imprinted Newell's shearwaters was accomplished by Fish andWildlife Service refuge personnel at Kilauea Point, during April,May and June each year after the transplants were made. This wasdone by listening at the nesting colony for typical night-timevocalizatons of birds when they normally come in to their .Jests.

The nesting success within the natural Newell's shearwatercolony at Kalaheo was monitored during the spring months from1981 to 1985. Visits were made to previously marked burrows thathad been verified as active nests prior to 19B1. The status ofeach nest was determined by examining burrows for the presence ofegg remains or chicks. Young birds were weighed with a hangingspring scale and measured with vernier calipers. Thesemeasurements were used to compare with those taken previouslyfrom foster reared chicks at Kilauea Point in 1980. We couldthen evaluate the "quality· of the cross-fostered nestlings

4

---- ,---------------_._-_._--,.__._--------------------

produced in previous years with that of the naturally rearedbirds.

Notes were kept on the apparent causes Qf mortalities foundin the Kalaheo colony between July and September each year. Thedegree of nesting succeps was determined by following the fate ofknown active nests up to the approximate date that fledgingoccurred. Nestlings that survived through mid-September werebanded with monel leg bands with the hope that some of thesebirds might be recovered in the annual shearwater salvage projectand reveal the flight paths of out-going birds.

RESULTS: Cross-fostering Experiment

The results of the experimental transplant of Newell'sshearwater eggs to Kilauea Point are reported in a paper by Byrdet al. (1981). See Appendix I. This paper compares Newell'sand wedge-tailed shearwaters, hatching success, fate of chicks,nesting chronology and growth rates of the cross-fosteredNewell's snearwaters raised by wedge-tailed parent birds. Theresults of this paper respond to some of the objectives of thisstudy.

The cross-fostering experiment was considered verysuccessful so far as the rearing and fledging of transplantedNewell's eggs was concerned but, the actual establishment of anew Newell's shearwater nesting colony by this method is yet tobe determined.

Follow-up on Newell's shearwater Nesting Colonywith Cross-fostered Birds

Establishment

Monitoring for the return of cross-fostered Newell'sshearwaters at Kilauea Point was begun in the spring of 1981. Noreturning shearwaters were detected that year. During May andJune of 1982 however, vocalizations of Newell's shearwaters wereheard during the evening and early morning hours. The calls werecontinual and not momentary, as might occur with transitory birdsthat were just passing through the area. This was the firstindication that the cross-fostered birds had imprinted upon theKilauea site from which they fledged several years earlier.However, there was no on-the-ground verification that the birdsheard were those of the original cross-fostered stock. It tookthree and one-half years from the first release in 1978, todocument returnees by vocalizations alone.

Between 1 July and 28 September 1983, night-time vocalizations of Newell's shearwaters were regularly heard at KilaueaPoint. Refuge personnel saw several Newell's shearwaterscircling over the tops of coconut palms near the headquartersbuildings about 150 yards inland from the cross-foster nestsites, but it did not appear that the birds were interested inthe exact site from which they themselves fledged.

On July 11, 1983 confirmation that the cross-fostered

5

___1.· ...... ... 23,, _

Newell's shearwaters had indeed imprinted on the Kilauea Pointsite was obtained. Refuge personnel recovered a bird of the 1978(1st) transplant. It had fledged from Kilauea Point four yearsand nine months earlier. Ground searches i~the area however,revealed no nests of Newell's shearwaters.

In 1984, two of the previously cross-fostered birds wererecovered. Both of them were of the 1980 hatching year, makingthem between three and one-half and four years of age atrecovery. One of these birds was attracted to bright lights atKilauea Point; the other was picked up near Anini Beach, about3.7 miles west of its original fledging site. The latter wasexamined for breeding status by the presence or absence of abrood patch. It had none and was therefore presumed to be a nonbreeder.

As many as seven individual Newell's shearwaters were heardcircling the vicinity of the Kilauea Point Refugeduring the spring of 1985, yet upon searchingburrows, none have yet been located to confirm thatindeed occurred. Either the nesting habitat is notthem or Newell's shearwaters reach a nesting age atage than previously suspected.

headquartersfor nestingnesting hassuitable fora much older

On the basis of the afore-mentioned findings, we cantentatively conclude that the cross-fostering experiment wassuccessful in rearing, fledging and imprinting Newell'sshearwaters on coastal habitat, but that it failed to result inthe establishment of a viable coasta~ Newell's shearwater nestingcolony.

Nest Monitoring at the Kalaheo Colony

Table 1 indicates the numbers, status and fate of activenesting burrows monitored from 1981 through 1985 at the Kalaheocolony.

Between 1979 and 1980, a total of 43 Newell's shearwatereggs was removed from the nests of incubating adults at theKalaheo nesting colony for use in the transplant study. Theremoval of these eggs early in incubation caused no observabledessE!rtion of nesting burrows, even though eggs were taken inconsecutive years. All birds seemed to be strongly attached tothe same burrow year after year. Burrow abandonment was causedonly by feral cat predation and physical destruction of burrowsthat resulted from Hurricane Iwa and uprooted trees.

Predation was the single most important cause of nestfailures at the Kalaheo colony. Between 25% and 71% of theactive nests checked at the Kalaheo colony during the five yearstudy failed. The average annual nest loss was 44%. The highestyear of mortality occurred during 1982, when feral cats killedthirteen adult birds and two chicks early in the nesting season.Six other nests were destroyed, but the actual causes could notbe determined, for lack of direct evidence. Feral cats may have

6

been responsihle for these too, since oftentimes birds werekilled and dragged away from the burrows where they could not befound.

Because both the adult birds in a pair share incubationduties, the loss of one parent during incubation sometimesresulted in nest abandonment. If one of the adults was killedafter the chick had hatched, the other adult usually tried toraise the chick alone, but was often unsuccessful. Adult mortalities therefore, had a much greater total impact on thepopulation than did chick mortalities, since both the adult andits offspring succumbed when an adult was killed. In someburrows where a single adult was killed, the 2~t~ ~vU.U returnthe following year with another bird, but a large number ofburrows were abandoned after only one of the adults in a burrowwas killed. In no case during the 5 year study did a new pairof birds take up the use of an abandoned burrow previously usedby other birds.

Description of Nesting Burrows

Table 2 shows the dimensional measurements of 30Newell's Shearwater burrows within the Kalaheo nestingEntrance widths averaged 13.8 cm. and entrance heights9.9 cm.. Burrow depths ranged between 46 cm and 175averaged 87 em.

activecolony.

averagedcm and

Nearly all burrow entrances were constructed on slopes. Thedegree of slope varied from 10 degrees to 80 degrees. Burrowswere in most cases dug beneath fallen logs, large tree roots ordense mats of Uluhe fern (Dicranopteris spP.) which served toshore up entrances against erosion. Some burrows were dugdirectly into dirt banks perpendicular to the direction of slope,while others followed the contour 3 to 4 inches under the surfaceof the ground. The latter type was usually associated with heavyUluhe fern ground cover, which is not susceptible to cave-insbecause it has a thick root mass.

Nesting chambers (enlargements at the back end of theburrow) were sometimes as large as 30 em in diameter, but with aceiling to floor height of 12 to 15 cm. Chamber floors wererelatively flat and lined with dry leaves of Ohia (Metrosideroscollina) and fern leaves and stems. Even though rainfall at theKalaheo nesting colony approached 254 em. (100 inches) annually,the burrows were quite dry inside. Obstructions such as largetree roots or stones were found within the tunnels of someburrows, which the birds were capable of passing, but which mayserve to restrict easy access to predators.

The direction of the burrow openings were quite variable. Inthe Kalaheo colony, there are steep ridges running southeastwardfrom a high bluff. Burrow entrances are found on all availableslopes of these ridges with no appar~nt preference towards thewindward or leeward sides. Most burrows were found near thecrests of ridges, where alighting into the air from the ground

7

==_=��IIIII cllir�L�a caa .,__naa _

would be the easiest. Travel routes above ground, but underdense vegetation were commonly found, and ~ere one means oflocating burrows. These travel routes are apparently used bybirds that cannot land near their burrow entrance because ofheavy overstory vegetation.

Physical Measurements of Developing Nestlings

Mensural characteristics of developing Newell's shearwaternestlings provided some basis for comparison between naturallyrearec birds and those raised by foster parent wedge-tailedshearwaters in the cross-fJstering study (Byrd et al. 1984).

Figures 3 through 6 show average growth curves of fourmorphological characteristics of nestlings at the Kalaheo colonyfrom 1981 to 1984. Weight curves indicated steady growth throughmid-September, at which time feeding by parent birds slowed orstopped. The average nestling lost approximately 30 grams beforefledging. Average weight loss of fallen fledglings recovered inthe lowlands after being attracted to lights was approximately 80grams less than the average pre-fledging weight. This shows thatconsiderable energy is expended by young birds during their firstflight.

The wide range of weights encountered on a given day infigure 3 indicates the presence of different aged chicks in thesample. The maximum levels of the weight ranges indicated theoldest birds in the population, whereas the lowest levels in theweight ranges indicated the youngest birds in the sample on aparticular date. The culmen and tarsus growth curves (figs.4 and 5) are constant and gradual during the first month ofdevelopment, but they level off during the last two months. Thegrowth of the young chick in weight and physical size is largelyaccomplished during the first month and a half, then energy israpidly shifted to contour and flight feather production, asshown by the wing length growth curve (see figure 6).

Nesting Season Chronology

Study at the Kalaheo nesting colon~ revealed that birdsfirst return to renovate their burrows and breed about mid-April.Laying begins early in May and hatching occurs two months laterin early July. There is a relatively long incubation period of62 days Adults brood their young for less than a week, thenboth auu~ts alternately return to feed the chick and stay at thenest during the night hours for short periods. Rearing takesnearly three months. The earliest fledglings depart their nestsat the end of September. The peak of fledging takes place duringduring the third week of October, but a few stragglers will leaveas late as the first week of December (see figure 7). All birdsleave the Hawaiian area for the winter months and remain inequatorial areas until the following spring (King and Gould1967) .

The age at first breeding has not been determined, but is

8

-------~----~--

most likely after th~ third year of life. There is someindicacion thet sexually immature bird~ do select nest sites anddig burrows a year or t~o before they lay their first egg. Somebirds have been observed excavating burrows Lrte in the nestingseason. but were not incubating eggs and were presumed to beimmature non-breeders. Of the many Newell's shearwater nestlingsbanded at the Kalaheo colony, none have been encountered again insuusequent years, not even as fallen birds in the annual salvageproject.

CONCLUSIONS:

1. The cross-fostering of Newell's shearwaters with wedgetailed shearwater parent birds at coastal habitats, was veryvery successful in producing healthy Newell's shearwaterfledglings.

2. Cross-fostered Newell's shearwaters successfully imprint~d

upon their surrogate nesting colony and returned thererepeatedly after reaching 3 y~3rs of age.

3. The actual establishment of a Newell's shearwater breedingcolony in a coastal area using the cross-fostering techniqueappears not to be successful to date. Additional inducementssuch as the use of decoys, recorded vocalizations or olfactory baits may be needed to im~rove the chances of nestingcolony establishment.

4. Additional information on the nesting biology of Newell'sshearwaters was learned, including the timing of each stageof the breeding cycle, development of chicks, identificationof limiting factors on the [,opulation, add nest sitecharacteristics.

RECOL<1MENDATIONS:

1. Continued follow-up on the possible establishment of nests bythe cross-fostered birds at Kilauea point should be Q~comp

lished.

.

2. Consideration should be given to testing the userecorded vocalizations and olfactory bails asinducements to nesting colony establishmentpoint.

of decoys,additiona:J.

al Kilauea

3. continued monitoring of known Newell's shearwatercolonies for heavy predation should be accomplishedneed for predator cOHtrol should be assessed.

nestingand the

LITERATURE CITED:

BYRD, G. V., J. S. Sincock, T. C. Telfer, D. I. Moriarty and B.G. Brady. 1984. A cross fostering experiment with Newell'sshearwaters. J. Wildl. Manage. 48(1):163-168.

9

--_.._--------

KING, W. B., AND P. J. GOULD. 1967. The status of Newell's raceof the Manx shearwater. Living Bird 6:163-186.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

Much of the work accomplished during the course of thisstudy was provided by the cooperator: U.S. Fish and WildlifeService Refuge personnel; G. Vernon Byrd, Barry Brady, DanielMoriarty, Richard Bottomly, John Sincock and Noreen Bautista,particularly during the transplant follow-up portion of the jobat Kilauea Point Seabird Refuge and Administrative site.

John Sanchez and Ronald Walker of the Division of Forestryand Wildlife, Department of Land and Natural Resources, providedlogistical support and review of the report drafts,. respectively.

Approved by:

~~~~p,RN~ L~ERWildlife Program Manager

JUN - 6 :986date : _

10

___II.n__IIl"IIf"I_IIIE ••__.....1111111-_1_-----------------

W-18-R: R-VI-B Final Report

Table 1

Status and Fat:e of Newell's Sheanvater Nests at Kalaheo, Kauai

1981 - 1985

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 Average

Number ofBurrows Checked 36 39 47 44 38 40.8

Number of 22 24 14 17 16 18.6Active Burrows ( 58%) (66%) (30%) (39%) (42%) (46%)

Nests Known 9 17 4 7 4 8.2to Have Failed (4l% ) (71% ) (29%) (41%) (25%) (44 %)

Nests Known to 13 7 10 10 12 10.4Have Produced (59%) (29% ) (71%) (59%) (75%) (56%)Fledglings

Causes Identi tied Owls? Feral Hurri- Rats Ratsfor Nest F~. ~~~ ures Rats Cats C3.ne and

Lla Cats

____1'111'_ ..__..... • ., _


Table 2

Hensural Characteristics of 30 Newell's Shearwater Burrowsat the Kalaheo Colony, 1932

Entrance in Cill.

Height Width DepthEntranceExposure

EntranceSlope 0

OverstoryVegetation

U.S10.216.61l.525.08.92.9"L97.68.98.9

10.28.98.9

1 1 ..1..1..:>

8.98.93.9

11.58.98.97.68.98.98.9

1l.510.210.21l.51l.5

9.9

19.01:3.317.914.019.017.920.212.816.610.212.814.010.215.312.810.215.316.617.912.812.88.9

11. ')10.210.212.31l.51l.516.61l.5

13.8

74.039.0

100.066.0

?*89.0

105.094.0

175.046.072.094.0

102.073.077.084.064.0

102.084.0

100.0104.0

77.084.072.092.074.079.097.0

102.073.0

87.7

Southeast 10South 25Soatheast 75South 75Northeast 10Southeast 15Southeast 65East 45Northeast 15East 20Southeast 45East 35Southeast 80Southeast 75East 25East-Southeast 60South 30South 45Southeast 50South 25Southeast 20Northeast 50Northeast 70Northeast 70South 15Southeast 50East 60South 45Northeast 10Southeast 10

r'1ean Averages

lJluhe FernlJluhejOhiaUluhejOhiaUluhejOhiat'lcssjOhia RootsUluhejOhiaUluhejOhiaUluheThimbleberryUluheUluhejOhiaUluhe/logU1uheTree RootsTree RootsUluhe/Tree RootsUluhe/logUluh~

UluheUluhe/logUluheOhia RootsUluheUluheTree Root" 'MossOhia Roo~s

Ohia/UluheSandalwood/U1uheOhia/mossU1uhe/log

*Depth could not be measured because entrance was atypical: A mazeof tree roots.

Figure 1

I

--

Kapaa'- _.

Lihue.

II,

. -,,--'

,'-

Kilauea Point"'¥ Cross-fostering

Nest Site

,,

J;,. 'I. '

Kl~auea

• Anahola Mtn.'i Nesting.

Colony

...,\II

,I

I

I

\\ ,

I, JJ, ,, ,

-~

•Koloa

\,I

/III

\\ ,

Kaluahonu:-Jesting Colony

•

,I

IIII

/.;; ,,

/~/ \

I I

•~;l!,lcevill~, ,

}, .I I

/J,

•

Kalaheo• Nesting

Colony

MT. ~'JAIALEALE

,.I

/

•Kalaheo

,,,\

•,,,",....

\ ..•

/

,,

,/

/

...........

,II

••J

/I ,

1/

I,J

J

/,I

I

-

,I

--

(/,,

I

I,\ ,

\\

I

.,.---- ....

I

J

;;

/I

,I

t

I :I /

/Kokee- ~ ~

~ ~

'- ..-~

1/I

I~

, I.-J,

,;

I

NEWELL'S SHEARWATER NESTING COLONIES AND

CROSS-FOSTER NEST SITE

653 4

Mana

2I f I

scale in ml.

1o

•

Rivers

Newell's ShearwatNesting ColoniesCross-FosterTransplant SiteTowns•

•

p • Kauai

C>~s::Jo

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS 0•


Figure 2

/

Locations of RecoveredNlewell's Shearwatersfrom Cross-fosterir,gexperiment.

Location of Newell'sShearwater Vocalizations 1983-1985

Location of Wedge-tailNests used fo~ Newell'sC: 'oss-fostering

Wedq~-tailed Shean-laterNesting Colony

LOCA'l'ION MAP

-:...

", ..... .. .

."..--,I

U,S.F.W.S. Administrative Siteand Seabird Refuge

Kilauea Point, Kauai, Hawaii

NETNELL , S SHEARI"1ATEH CROSS-FOSTER

NEST SITES AND RECOVERY LOCATIONS

o C E A N

.'

. '

...

., ,

," , .

Lighthouse': .'o 0 ','

, ..

'. .

. . .

. . .

, .

£:to'«: :;;;.

k{. ':H .•~ '0 .

">: Q,

~

;...,

----- -

aCE A N

--

!:<;

f~""Io ..ua.e_

~dmin

Bldn

•••lIli•••••III.IIZ••••••••••••·IIE.II••I••illlllt•••••••••••••••••••••

Figure 3. Growth Curve of Newell's ShearwaterChicks at Kalaheo Colony - WEIGHT

JULY AUGUST SF.PTEr.,SER OCT.

A I BCD E F \ r;

i ! I ~ 'j I-I' :"r\-l-tl-~ -- \! _\_1 j :--j' i 11

, . '\ I . _. .. -. ~ - j -I - 1 -j . . ]L ~ J - ~ l' - - _L - - - -II 1_ t~ t -: 1- I I 1

1000 L ; i - .. j' - '1 I.. - - . f -1-~ I ~. I'j -~ I - I - - - ---< - - ! - I - -1- I ..... i ~

959 ~,~ i ~..: -_ L j _ -,.::: :-t~·.. -.:. - =i - ~'1 ±L 1.::1' , i !900;-;1t-i,ll'l~fj,t -JI""-1-1t-!-- l:

'1 jIll, ----1_.__ \ __1 -1--1-1-1_1---1-1 - ,I

:~: [-1 1-- =-1: II \--1~=j '::j-=Jt .:: :'1: ,'j I !+=r i-t' 1; i7soHJ- _'\_'1 U-EI.I.~JF 1\ \: i-;Jl i I; : :\:700[-; -[-1:' '.1-I-I'jl.rr-l'h:::l' I,ll ;XI 1-1:: : 1

6,0 r:T: -'-j'-1"\ 1~1' -r-t-:-\-t-"'4--- 'It·jl-h:-F1l::::'111 '1' I 1600 I-!' - - - " - j .\.., -j" J 1 j! . ,-, "., I',· !'-1-- _ .. 11-.- -'-' -, ,.1.1·1 t-' I ,.'550', - '" '. ,.. l' -il' _.. , ' I 'I ; ; -1 -+ "-1" I , ' 1L l - I 1 I ! - t - - - i - - ~ t • • 1-- :- - ~ • 1 I. -.

~~~ ~.! -I \~U \tt;- 'i J4, j ~ -- :: I I- 'L -'1..1 :11 1 I \ \

+J 400 ~~t::-t-:::l::-1-i:-11-=1. i -Ij' ..11' - tI . r::1 i- --j:: \ 1:-1'::1; ;-).c 350 I • I· 1:..:..j • t-WI" , ,- ,-.- 'H I "

,~ 300 ~'::'H.+::tI~-l~I' 1-1'-=1~"'~1+-i;+ -~~i:ri~ =!=1 r i~~ 250'-'11'-\ L ,- j-j--,-- T'-:r l--r-1--1 ~ I"

~~~ (ft1I:-::I~:I' ~-ttJ:='::'1' ~4lr:I,,~-\jl~~1~ Fil~j:#j~'-fI\ -1~\5 n , I . - - -+ ! ,. .. -\ .. 3- ..,,' -; - l~, I -,. ,-. t- - r I r- -,' -1',.. .... - r'--'->--t--1"~-'" ..0 __ 1_ _ _ _ i__ ~ __ l i_~~_._l..l 1

Figure 4. Growth Curve of Newell's ShearwaterChicks ~t Kalaheo Colony - CU~~N

..,

i- i 1, '

2

4

A=July 27, B=Aug76, C=Aug.31, D=Sept.9, E=Sept.16,F=Sept. 28, G=Oct.12

_ ...1 11111111 ..1 ....., _

--------,.------------------------- ---....

Figure 5 GrowthChicks

Curve of Newell'sat Kalaheo Colony

ShearwaterTARSUS

J ;,.; L Y

38", "

30,--,-

74 i-

AUGUST S

B clL PTE M B E R

D E FOf: T.

--~. ,, ,. ,

72

6864

:s 60 ;

U 56 ~

c: 52 -,-.-'..... 48 i

.r.: 44

+J 40tr> 36C0 32

....:l 28 --,-~') 24::l

20~m1-1 16(tj

12E-<8

4

0 ---

ij L

-;--:-'--, .

, ,-,--..~l __~_

, -'-

_.=-:. r=r=~-,---t- .1_ !

-~,~

--~-'--

---~~--; :"';~-_1 __,__' _

~,_l.'+_'_'

n4_~

:._.L~__'_.-":_-'-'-"t~; :

-:-7+-f----7, '-'--

! r:: : "

Figure 6 GrowthChicks

Curve of Newell'sat Kalaheo Colony

ShearwaterWING

i\UGU5T C TG

I 1 ,, .i i t• j

-1, ,1 T ;

~ -

,H

i

I t=t1-t j..'j

;

\1i, . ,, ,l

~--l

Ii I

1 I '.--j,t 1 ; i

, t t-t--11 '1! ! 1 iIi'

I t! I j I-i -j i, ',,-'I; t1 I 1.

I'ji

1 -

1,

i..B cl

I,,i,ri;,

.j

1I,

--! ji,

I. ,

J n L Y , I.- ' -1 _J

j

440t

420 t,400 :-_

3P I)

360

340

37 G

3f:i 0

:s: 21::()iU 2 (, rJ,

c: 240-,.-l

22n

~ 200-+J 180tr>l::: U~O

8 ll:f)....:l

120tr> 100C..... 803: 60

40

20

0

h=,July 27, B=Aug.26, C=Aug.31, D=Sept.9, E=Sept.16.F=SepL.28, G=Oct.12

Figure 7.

MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER

~ --I--- -j-- ---l--I----l-- --- ---- ---1-+-- -I-I-- --- --1----f--- __~~:-~_ =--=l~:j=--__ ,__ _ - -1-+--+--1-- -- - _-__ =~ _-__ ~_--_ :-= -_- _-=C-:-,---- ,+ ,- -1-+-+--+-1-+-+-1-+--+-- f----I- ---- --- --- -- ---f---

~I 3~~j~3~~E--t:=~=t~-1---=1--- i-1--I--+--+-1-I-++--+-- -~-I------t-----+---+--------l=-:--:

-1--- -- -- --- - - --- ----I--- --1- ---1-- - l--+-- - -+--- - --- -- --- --- --

~~+- +--- -1--- - 1- 1---i-- t:;q.: LAY IfIG '--fl.,- -- --- - -- -- -- --1-- - --1-- --- --- --- --- - -- -I--- ---

~$~±:~~~~b.i.~=~!~-+-_--I-_-+-+--1-- =;= ==-_ __ _~ ==I-+=-=- -:-=~+-+-1-4--l--l---t---+---I---+-j-1- --f---f---f--I----f--+-+- -- -4- --- ---1--1---1-

Newell's Shearwater Nesting Chronology

Island of Kauai, Hawaii

I

Appendix I W-18-R: R-VI-B Final Report

A CROSS-FOSTERING EXPERIMENT WITH NEWELL'SRACE OF MANX SHEARWATER

G. VEHNON BYRD,' U.S. FISh and WddOle Service. Box67. Kilauea. HI 96754; JOHN L. SINCOCK. U.S. FISh and1Midlife Service. RR 1. Box 197. Koloa. HI 96756: THOMASC. TELFER. Hawaii Department at Land and Natural Resources. Box 1671, Uhue. HI 96766; and DANfEL I. MORIARTY and BARRY G. BRADY. U.S. Msh and Wildlife Service.Box 87. KJt.auea. HI 96754.

Newell"s race of Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus newelli) once bred on allthe large islands of the main HawaiianIslands group, but by 1908 the race hadbeen extirpated, or nearly so, from everyisland except Kauai (King and Gould1967), where a breeding population ofseveral thousand still occurs. This shearwater is officially designated as a "threatened species" (U.S. Dep: Inter. 1980),

Predation by introduced mammals,particularly the mongoose (Herpestes aurupunctatus), is considered the primarycause of the shearwater population's decline (Munro 1960). Kauai was the laststronghold. presumablv because the islandwas free of mongooses: but evidence since1976 indicates that an accidental introd uction rna v ha ve occurred. resulting in asmall population (T C. Telfer. unpubl.data)

"ewell's chearwaters nest on steepmountain slopes covered bv dense ferns(e.g .. DkTanopteTis linecTis) (Sincock andSwedberg 1969). In these isolated colonies. protection of nesting birds frompredators bv fencing or p;edator eradication would be difficult. An additionalthreat is night lighting along the coastline.Since 1960. manv resorts h'ave been constructed to accommodate the greatly in-

) Present address Aladdin Rt &n: 160E, C.olville.\VA 9'Jll~

). Wild, \lanage 48(!' ISIH

creased number of tourists now visitingKauai. Shearwaters, particularly fledglings on their first flight, collide with manmade objects or alight in confusion because of lights (Hadley 1961, King andGould 1967, Sincock and Swedberg 1969).At least 1,500 birds/year in 1979 and 1980were grounded along the coastal highway,and mortality would have been high except for a successful recovery effort (Telfer 1979, Sincock 1981).

An experimental cross-fo>1:ering program was conducted from 1978 to 1980as part of an overall plan to ensure survival of this threatened shearwater. Theobjective was to determine the feasibilitvof establishing a colony of Newell's shea;water in a coastal area or on an offshoreislet where they would be secure frommammals and lights. The project was considered feasible because some populationsof Manx shearwaters nest in coastal habitats elsewhere (Harris 1966), and a potentially suitable foster parent, the wedgetailed shearwater (Puffinus pacificu.s), wasavailable.

This paper reports on a program thattested suitability of wedge-tailed shearwaters to incubate eggs and rear chicks of"ewell's shearwaters, and evaluated the"normality" of cross-fostered fledglings.The average growth rates of chicks arepresented, and the chronology of breeding,is compared with that of Kauai's wildpopulation of Newell's shearwaters.

STUDY AREA

The study was conducted at KilaueaPoint Wildlife Administrative Site and

Ib3

--_.._---_.,..._------_...._--_.._"',,-_..._-------------------

-,-------_.",-,----------------

SHORT CoMMlJl':lCATIONS 165

Tat»e 1. CharacteristICS 01 Newelrs and wedge-tailed shearwaters on Kauai Island. HawaH, 1978-&1.

'I'W(·H", ~""<Irwdl(" \'I.·t."d~... fajL...1 d ..... r ..... I..'(:h..r..l,I"",lll" s Sll R"II~r' S f ')n R>lnK'-

\\"eig.hL g

:\duit :3:2 387.7 46.0 260-46.S H3 3893 307 320-510Fledgling .~).) ·>:,94 44.7 195-~..t2 65 420.1 4:16 2'iO-5<JOE~~ SIT-*:'". ,-:1 il \

Lt'n;::th :J-t 60.7 2.4 5".9-67.1 79 61.1 1 7 S7.6-64.7\\":dth '14 41.9 14 3/).3-44..5 79 41.1 J 2 ·38.8- 46.6H"rr<J," Size. ('In

Entrance !wight 19 9.9 1.8 7.6-J6.6 64 12.0 20 80-15.0Entrance \~...~dth 19 13.': ;3.J 89-20.2 64 !9.4 32 }1.0-25.0Burro\.. depth 19 8-- 22.2 4t 0-175.0 64 50.0 10.1 31.0-780. ;.1

duced in size to favor returning Newell'sshean"aters, which appear to prefersmaller entrances than wedge-tailedshearwaters. The remaining burrows chosen" ere particularly durable-lookingearthen burrows.

:\t Kilauea Point, burrows were checkedat least every 4 days during hatching andAedging and at least weekly at other times.Eggs were moved to Mokuaeae Island onlyin 1979; ,isits were at intervals of 1-3weeks Chicks were measured and\\(·jghed at each visit; linear In~asure

1Il('Jlts Wert- rnade with vernier calipers towithin O. J iIlm, and weights were taken\\ ith a spring scale to within 1 g. StandardI.,d, measurements and weights werema,k of Al'dglings rl'l'overed during thesah ai!e upt'rations.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Comparison of Newell's andWedge-tailed Shearwaters

\Vedge-tailed shearwaters were aboutthe same weight as "eweil's shearwaters,and c'gg size of the two species did notdiffer (F > 0.05) (Table 1). Wedge-tailedshear\'.ater burro\v entrances were largerl F < 0(5). but burrows were shallowerthan those constr Ided by "ewell's shear-

J Wildl \bllage 41;( I) 1%4

waters in the relatively deep soils of theisland's interior (Table I).

Hatching Success

Sixty-five Newell's shearwater eggs weretransferred to Kilauea Point and 25 toMokuaeae Island. Shallenberger (1973)discovered that wedge-tailed shearwatersmay be experimentally induced to incubate artificial eggs of differing sizes. Consequently it was not surprising that thevincubated the similar-sized Newell'sshearwater eggs.

Hatching success was relatively high ..tKilauea Point each year and much higherthan at \'lokuaeae Island in 1979 (Table2). The difference was the rate of egg predation. The introduced ('ommon myna(Acridotheres tristis) is a major predatoron the eggs of wedge-tailed shearwaters(Byrd 1979b, Byrd anrt Boynton 1979). In1978, a myna control program involvingshooting and scare devices was initiatedlate in the laying period and no Newell'sshearwater eggs were lost. In 1979 and1980, chicken eggs treated with bird repellents were successfully used to reducepredation by condilioning minas not toeat eggs at Kilauea Point (Byrd and Moriarty 1980). Treated eggs were not used

___1111 1 11__11__11111__1 _

166 SHOHT CO\t\ll'~IC.4,.nONS

Tab{e 2. Fate 01 transpl.3ntec NeweWs shearwater eggs at Study areas, 1978--80.

X fc'gg.s tr"ln~pbrlk·d

S ('"'ggs hatch....dil.atchmg su("('I:-ss. ';X chicks fh·dgt'dFledging SllU'I-:'>".

Eggs [)rod llcl,'

J. fl""dg!iIlg

\I,,.j.,,,",~.....,i..,ll,w;< f', ...nl hl...".l

1~/7'i iY~ I YSt} :\11 \<,..r~ ~----i :"rnhil....,J._--------

9 I" ~;3 65 ..,~90., _.,

'J r:) :1.'5 .57 14 71li~) 100 Kl 88 :)f) 79

.<, \., :1=1 54 1:3 Gj.,~~J 100 9~ 95 9:1 9~.")9 lOt) 77 8.3 5''J ,4

at Mokuaeae Island early enough in theseason and. as a result, 44% of the Newell's shearwater eggs were taken (Table 2).At Kilauea Point, two Newell's shearwaiereggs were taken bv mynas in 1980 and athird egg disappeared. Five eggs were incubated full-term but failed to hatch in! 980. It is unlikely that any damage resulted from transportation. as the addledeggs were from separate groups transported on three different dates and mostof the eggs in each group hatched. In other studies 01 shearwaters. infertili' .. wasan insignificant mortality factor Harris1969).

Disturbance 01 birds or eggs !w humansand their pets mas have contributed tolow SlICC""S in I:JSO. That sear, in contrastto 1970 alld 1979. reluge personnel werenot present at til(' study area during the ·l

hours/iday ~tw area was open to the public, and increased disturbance (K·curred.

Another po"ibilits is that food W".s particuiarly' scarce in i~hO. causing birds toeno !ncub~ti()n shifts \\,t'H before relie .... ingInatcs returnf'·d Although eggs of severalspecies 01 procelleriids are normally subjected to pprind~: :;f ih__-giect (Boersnla andWheelwright 1979'. prolonged inatkncb.nce might res"lt in the death of embrvos. \Vhakver the influence, it affectedthe entir(' colonv. \Vedge-tailed shearwaters had low('r hatching success in 1980

.-..._r:.,W. .1 ..,

(70%) than in 1978 and 1979 (over 80%.calculated from Byrd et al. 19&3).

The overall hatching success of crossfostered eggs (78.9%) was almost identicalto that in undisturbed burrows of thenominate race of Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus puffinus) in Wales (Harris1966). Year for year, success of crossfostered eggs was as good as, or better than,that of wedge-tailed shearwater eggs atKilauea Point (Byrd et al. 198:3).

Fate of Chicks

Over 94% of chicks from eJS1!,' thathatched subsequenily fledged (Table 2)Only foUl chicks were lost during thestudy. One 6-day-old hird was found deadoutside a burrow from which it had obviously been ejected. Another chick diedwithin its first week of life after it remained partially wapped in the chorioallantois (C Whitto·x, unpuh!. data). Twoolder chicks disappeared after their burrows partially colla~>d. It is likely thesechicks were taken by <-'Ommon barn-owls(Tyto alba), known shearwater predators(Byrd and Telfer 1980) The overall fledging success (94.4%) was similar to thehighest recorded for P. p. puffinus inWales (Harris 1966) and slightly higherthan that recorded for wedge-tailed shearwaters at Kilauea Point (Byrd et al. 198.'3)

J Wildl 'tallage. 48( I) 19'>4

&11

SHORT Co\rMUNICATIONS 167

Tabie 3. Growth· ratBS of Newell's shearwater chicks fostered by wedge-tailed shearwaters at Kitauea Point. Kauai. 1978-80,

Corn"·latlon F1.-d~IUl!: w"i~h! fl(-dging p'-.-iodc'oe$- l,,"i (daHl('"lent

Y"a; {;'>:np":1? ",;".di",,~ :rjb .\' ,1) ~. , SO

19713 w. ~ 400e _~_n""" 097:3 7 375.0 87.:3

"'950 6.3

J979 'n-, = -44Dc-" n""" 0.974 1:3 36b9 490 1:3. 915 3.11980 \\ = -i..:j()e-...n- 0.973 '''.9 361.4 49.0 :2.-'3, 906 4.1

~ s.... I,,,·~\.·;, l!;';'-~ If:i'''~i

"(;',n,·l..li",n {~",·ffx.,·...l 01 hr",-..ri/.~l ,.Lt.,

Nesting Chronology

Cross-fostered eggs hatched from 17july to 3 August (i = 26 jul) 1978, 17 to25 July (i = 21 Jul) 1979, and 14 to 2-5july (f = 18 jul) 1980. These dates were7-14 days earlier than the mean hatchingdates for wedge-tailed shearwater eggs atKilauea Point (Byrd et aL 1983). Crossfostered chicks fledged during the last halfof October and first week of Novemberwith little annual variation.

Hatching dales were similar to thosepreviously reported for Newell's shearwaters on Kauai (Sincock and Swedberg1969), and fledging dates were within thepeaks of fledging calculated for groundedNewell's shearwater chicks recovered onKaua; from 1978 to 1980. Therefore,Hedging periods for cross-fostered chickswere similar to those of nonlosterec' ',eweWs shearwaler chicks.

Growth Rates

The average growth rate for crossfostered chicks varied slightly from 1978to 1980 (Table 3). Chicks grew more slowly in 1978 than in other years, but thedifferences in fledging weights (Table 3)were not large (P > 0.05). The fledgingperiod ranged from 88 to 100 days (i =

92.4). There were no differences (P>0.05) among years in fledging periods,measurements, or weights of cross-fosteredchicks.

Cross-fostered chicks were slightlyheavier (P > 0.05) and had longer culmen, tarsi, and middle t<'eS than chicksraised by their own parents (Table 4).Wing and tail feathers continue to groweven after fledging. so cross-fostered chickslast measured up to :3 days before fledgingwould be expected to have lower averagemeasurements (as they did) than nonfos-

Table 4 V,.er;-sura) Charac~erjstlCS of NeweR's she8l"1Nater fledglings. Hawan. 197~O.

(:p;..~·f'>'.t,·H"<i

( .hM '<':!'--".", , Sf) H..IllC;"

Cu!nlf"rJ. nnn ';0 :3:11 L2 :"30 H-:1.S.5T arSlJ5. mal .'50 47.4 11 ~~~-.';O ()\fiddle to(':'_ nU;;l

\VitL dd>\ ;3"; 5')'; Z,4 440-59.0'ViI hoot e!.;, \'1. ').-1 46:1 2 2 4 J .0-.50.2

\Ving. mm '3:3 22Sn 6.1 212-240TaiL mm 36 790 :31 72-87\\'eight, g 44 :364,fj 55.2 2.'30-470

J. \VjkH \1an2ge 4h\l'iI9H4

( ):i"...~~

, <.;1) R';in~'"

&~:3 328 J 1 299--35,~

860 469 Ib 40.1-57.0

369 50:; 21 40.2-58.636i> 4:3.6 23 37.9-49.9&';9 ~'3Z.7 .; 7.0 204-2.55582 81.7 3.3 70-908S5 3-'39.4 44.7 195-442

- , Eil

168 SHORT COMMt;NiCAT(O~S

tered chicks usually measured the da\' after they fledged.

MANAGEMENTRECOMMENDATIONS

Wedge-tailed shearwaters are suitablefoster parents for Newetrs raee of \hnxshearwaters. No unusual mortality factorswere detected for eross-fostere:l eggs orchicks, and fledglings were apparentlynormal i,.. both size and timing of departure. The next phase of the project is todetermine if fledglings return (at 3-5 yearsof age) to Kilauea Point or Mokuaeae Island to nest when sexually mature. Artificial burrows with entrance sizes smallerthan those preferred by wedge-tailedshearwaters should be provided to reduceinterspecific competition for nest sites. IfNewell's shearwaters successfully nest atKilauea Point or Mokuaeae Island, eggscould be transplanted to other protectedlocations in Hawaii.

Acknowledgments.-The project wasfinanced by the US Fish and WildL Servoand the Hawaii Oep. of Land and Nat.Resour. We thank J B. Andre, R. A. Broshears, J. V. Gravning, R. L. Ittner, K. O.\-kTavish, H. L Seshiki, R.I'. Schulmdster, and S. U. Sehulmeister for field assistance. T. N. Pettit analyzed the chickgrowth rates, and A. L. Newman a!lowedus to use unpublished data on weights ofwedge-tailed shearwaters. Helpful suggestions during rnanuscript preparation '\\'ereprovided bv C E. Braun, K E. Evans, C.B. Kepler, \1. 0 Naughton, A. I~. Newman, R J. Shdlenberger, C F. Zeillemaker. and t\-\·o anonyrnous referees.

LITERATURE CITEDBOERS\'!:';., p, D., A:"D :". T \V!H·:UY·tUCHT 1979

Egg neglect un lhf> PrcW:..-e-llariif'Jrmes: reproducti"'e adaptations in !he fork-taiied storm-petrelCondor b1.157-,lo:)

BYRD. G, V. 1979a. Artificial nest structures usedby wedge-tailed shearwaters al Kilauea Point,Kauai. 'Elepaio 40010-12

1979b. Common rnyn~, predation 011

wedge-tailed shearwater e-ggs. 'Elepaio 39h!J.70.

---, A!\'D D. S. BoYNTOl'<. 1979. The dbtrilm·tion and status of wedge-tailed shearwaten. 011

Kauai. 'Elepaio 39,129-13L---. :\~D D. MORL-\RTY. 1980. Treated chicJU'J1

eggs TOOUce predation on shearwater eggs. 'Elepaio 41.13-15.

---, ---, AND B. BRAD'. 1983. The breeding biology of wedge-tailed sh-earwater at Kilauea Point. Hawaii. Condor 85:292-296.

---, "'0 T. C. TELFER. 1980. Barn owls preyen birds in Hawaii. 'Elepaio 41 :35--36.

---. AND C. F. ZEILLEMAKER 1981 Seabirdsof Kilauea Point, Kauai Island. Hawaii. "Elepaio41:Qi-70.

H ..... DL£y. T. H. 1961. Shean....ater calamity on Kauai.'Elepai<J 2L60-61

HARRIS, M P. 1966. Breeding biology of the Manxshearwater Puffin"" puffinus, Ibis IORI7-33,

1009. Food as a factor controlling thebreeding of Puffin"s IheTminieri. Ibi., l! U39..156.

Kl~G. \\'. 8., AND P. J. GOULD. 1967. The statusof !\e""elrs race of the Manx shearwater. LivingBird 6,163-186.

MlJ"RO, G. C 1960. Birds of Hawaii. Charles E.Tuttle Co., Tokyo, Japan. 192pp.

RICKLEFS, R. E. 1967. A graphical method of fitting equations to gro'\\.1:h curves. Ecology 48:978983.

---. 1968. Patterns of grov.1:h in birds. Ibis il0:419-451.

SH.-'I.LLE:'\.'BERGER, R. 1. 1973. Breeding biology,homing behavior, and communication patternsof the wedge-tailed shearwater. Ph.D. The<.iis,Lniv. California, Los Angeles. 418pp.

S!:\C(X';K, J. L. 1981 Saving the ;\ewelrs shear~

\\'aler- Pages 76-78 in Proc. Hawaii For. \VildJCon£.. Dep_ Land and Nat. Rescur., Hondulu.

---. A:-':D G. E_ SWEDBERG. 1969. Rediscover}of the nesting grounds of Xewelrs !\hnx shearwater (Puffinu.s puffinu$ neu::elli), v.--ith initialobser'_'ations_ Condor 71:69-71.

TEU"'EK, T C_ 1979. Successful ~ewe!rs shearwater salvage on Kauai, °Elepaio 19·71

U.S DEP:\RT\1E:'\.:T OF I''TER!OR. 1980 Republi.cation of lists of endangered and thre-.ateneJspe-eit"5 and rorrt-"ction of technical errors in finalrul~'-s. Fed. Reg. 45;3.3767 -:33781.

Receit--ed 2 April 1962A.ccepted 22 February 196-3_

] Wild!. Manage. 4&)11984

!

Job Title: Evaluation of Endanqered Waterbird Habitat II!pcolfements


State: Hawaii

File: d£ V,(- /?-<:-/c,J:c/ :7co! ('

e~kJ-?:'~.d'"~ /. ;(it..

-,~'~', ·· ... l

Em: 64 ?"'<i~ARD-AFA _Davis _. _FribergGilson _lemon _

Sflfley~illiama @

WhiteLobdellSE

FINAL REPORl'

Stau'Wide Non-Game and Endangered Species Progrcn:~

Project Type: Research

Job Title:

16890

Joo Segment: Island of Kauai

Period Covered: October 1, 1980 to SeptelIber 30, 1985

Project Objective:

To evaluate floating nest structures for acceptability and use byeIXlangered waterbird species at selected habitats on KauaL Final report.

JOB 00. TITLE

R-III-E

R-III-E{a)

Evaluation of Endangered Waterbird HabitatImprovements

Evaluation of Endangered Waterbird HabitatImprovements on Kauai

W-18-R-6

W-18-R-7

R-III-E(a) Evaluation of Endangered Waterbird HabitatImprovements on Kauai

W-18-R-9

R-III-E(a) Evaluation of Endangered Waterbird HabitatImprovements on Kauai

A study was conducted at the Mana Ponds Waterbird Sanctuary during theHawaiian Stilt (Hi.mantopus himantopus knudseni) nesting seasons fran 1981 to1985 to evaluate the effectiveness of man-made floating structures as a !leansof reducing nest: losses to flooding.

The nuntJer and success rates of twenty nine stilt nests on two types offloating structures aTld on natural substrates was determi.ned. Sixteenfloating structures were available for stilt nesting at the beginning of the

___•• .ZI I__....__UJI [""" ...J

Island of KauaiFinal Report

-2- 10/1/80 to 9/30/85

study; but hurricane damage and weed overgrowth reduced the number ofavailable floating structures to ten by the end of the study.

Slightly lOOre nests were constructed and better hatching achieved onfloating structures than on natur,al substrates. Little difference was foundbetween the two types of available floating structures, so felr as use bynesting stilts W"clS concerned. However, type "B" structures ~lere nine percentlOOre successful in producing successful nests than type "A" structures were.

The location of the floating structures within the poOO, and theconformation ot the nest material supplied thereon, appeared to be more:inp:>rtant to selection by stilts for nesting than the structure's design. Itappeared that some stilt pairs habitually used the 5alre nest sites onsubsequent years.

The survival of chicks after they had successfully left the nest appearedto be poor. Predation losses to feral cats, dogs, Black-c:cowned Herons andPueo were suspected.

Koloa, Black-crowned Night Herons and Wandering Tattlers were the onlyother species seen on the floating structures and they only used them forresting and feeding.

The life expectancy of the floating structures exceeds five years. Theirmaterial cost was $35.00 and could probably be made less expensive by the useof additional scrap material.

The Hawaiian Stilt (Himantopus himantopus knudseni) historically hadlarge natural habitat areas in ;..bich to nest on Kauai. Due to large scaledrainage of swanp and marsh lands for agriculture and urban developJalts,nearly all of the natural stilt nesting habitat was destroyed. Birds residingon Kauai have been forc.'ed to utilize man made habitats and as a result, lIJJ5tnest in localities not well suited to them, such as steep sided reservoirs andsugar plantation lIlld settling basins that are subject to highly variable waterlevels and predat.ors.

In recent years, stilt nests have been located at only four habitats onKauai: 'Ihe Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge, Lihue Plantation Settling Basin{only during th~; lOOst sev<;re dry year} and at the Mctna Base Pond and MctnaBrackish Pond.

The ~'ana Ponds are but small remnants of a once large swarrp whidl wasdrained fOl sugarcane production in the early 19005. Sub-surface brackishwater frOOl the Mana floodplain is pumped into the ocean and fresh water is


-3- 1011/80 to 9/30/85

brought in for surface irrigation of sugarcane. After periods of heavy rain,the ptmpS are unzlble to keep up with the rising water table, and the risingwater floods the nests of stilts.

Man-made nesting islets were constructed at the Mana B.:.se Pond in 1980 toreduce predation losses. These iSlets were found to be subject to floodingafter heavy rains. Therefore, experimental floating nest structures wereconsidered as a possible solution to the problem.

JUSTIFICATlOO AND OBJECTIVES

Man-made nestir:q islets for Hawaiian Stilts were found to be highlysusceptable to flooding at the Mana Ponds Sanctuary due to rapidly changingwater levels.

This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of floating nest~uuctures for their acceptability and use by endangered waterbirds,particularly the Hawaiian Stilt. The study was conducted wer five nestin;Jseasons from 1981 through 1985. Follow up surveys were also to be made on thestatus of experimentally transplanted waterbird food and cover plants.

NE'l'fODS:

Sixteen floating nest structures constructed at the Mana Ponds waterbirdSanctuary on Kauai in August 1980 were visited periodically between Februaryand August each year to determine their use by Hawaiian Stilts for nesting.Notes were kept on the type of nest structure used, it's location, clutch sizeand 'hatching success. Stilt nests constructed on man-made islets were alsomonitored for eatparison to those constructed on the floating structures.

Two types of experimental floating nest structures were used: (l) Type"A" ~lhich consisted of a four foot square fraIre of barked pine logs, coveredwith a deck of galvanized steel roofing. The hollow space beneath the deckingwas filled with polyurethane foam, mixed from a COOiIercial kit for floatation(See figure 1 for details): (2) Type "B" structure was constructed with a 3foot diameter discarded truck tire fitted with a round galvanized steel deckplate. The interior of the tire was filled with polyurethane foam forfloatation. Five foot long barked pine logs were attached to the perimeter ofthe tire to provide sui:::m=rged mass and to stabilize the structure against thereeking action of waves (See figure 2 for construction details). Concreteblocks and polypropylene rope served to anchor the structures. Coral chunks,sand and dry grass were piled upon both types of floating nest structuresseveral IlOnths ahead of the nesting season to provide nest substrate material.

The locations of each nesting structure and the locations of stilt.nestsmonitored during the five year study, are shown in figures 3 and 4 •

.,i

.·-·~------~-----'---"-"""-"""-"""-"""'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''- -- a


-4- 10/1/80 to 9/30/85

Measurements were made of the height above and lateral distance to thewater's edge from each nest, so that cooparisons could be made between nestson natural substrate and those on floating structures.

Cbservations of other bird species using the structures for resting orloafing were also recorded. Notes were also kept on the observations of youngstilt chicks at the Mana Ponds as an indication of nesting success at thestudy area.

No transplant of food items and follow-up was accomplished as plarmed.Permanent water level changes that occurred in the Mana Brackish Pond, causedsevere ClTEO.Jrowth of Urlbrella sedge (Cyperus alternifolius) and the transplantmaterial, Spikerusb (E.'.eocharis geniculata) was totally covered ClTer.

'Ihe Mana Base Pond and the Mana Brackish Ponds are located on leewardKau.:li 0.3 and 0.5 miles respectively, north of the Pacific Mis.sile Rangeentrance at Mana, Kauai. (See figure 5.) The Base Pond is a 5,.5 acreabandoned coral sand borrow site that is connected with the Ka\lo'aiele drainagesystem, through which brackish water is pomped into the coean. '!his pond isoften high in salinity because of evaporation within the pond. lolost of thetime, water is flowing out of the pond and into the ditch system, but afterheavy rains, fresh water inundates the pond and salinity is lowered.vegetation at the pond is salt tolerant, yet there is always extensive openmu:1 flats and coral sand shoreline fvr shorebirds to feed on. Pickleweed(Batis maritima). water Hissop (Bacopa lOOlleri) and Indian Fleabane (Plucheaindica) are conmon shoreline plants at the Mana Base Pond. The two ManaBrackish Ponds totalling 3.7 acres are similar to the Mana Base Pond exceptthat they do not have a direct connection with the drainage ditch system.Their water levels rise and fall with the surface of the exposed water table.The 'water in these ponds is low in salinity, and is bordered with Californiagrass (Brachiaria mutica), Umbrella Sedge (CypeI:US alternifolius) and Cattail(!:iEha angustata). These ponds have very little exposed mudflat or shoreli.'1efor birds to feed on except when water levels are very low.

RESULTS:

Nest Site Availability

A total of 16 (8 Type "A'" and 8 Type "Bn) nesting structures was

available at the beginning of the study in 1981. Table 1 shows the locationsand attrition rates of available nesting structures ClTer the five year studyperiod. Only ten of the original sixteen structures remained during the lastyear of the study. Loss of structures was attributed to two causes: HurricaneIwa (November, 1982) which caused four of the structures to drift high

• •

Island of KauaiFinal Heport

-5- 10/1/80 to 9/30/85

•

aground, making them unsalvageable, and bIo others were lost because oflowered water lE!Ii'els in the Brackish Ponds which caused overgrowth by lmi::>rellaSedge. water lE~vels dropped in the ponds permanenUy in 1982 because KekahaSugar Plantation changed over to drip irrigation fran furrow irrigation,reducing the aIOCilIDt of overflow water making it to the pond..

By the eoo of the study, a total of 63 nest structure years (NSY '" 1structure available for one year) were available to Hawaiian Stilts. Of these63 NSYs, 33 were of 'type "A" and 30 ',;ere of Type "B". 'Iherefore, theavailability of each type of structure for stilt nesting was nearly equal forthe five year study period.

All of the structures that survived the Hurricane or were not OITergrownwith umbrella sedge were checked each year to see that they had available nestmaterial and were properly anchored. Following Hurricane lwa, bIo Type "B"structures were re-located to new positions. Both of these nest structureswere used by stilts after they had be&"! lOOVed indicating it was thestructure's location within the pond not the structure itself that wasattractive to stilts.

Corrparison Between Floating Structures and Natural Substratesfor u..~ by Nesting Stilts

Table 2 shows the total number of stilt nest m::mitored at the Mana PondsSanctuary by nest sie type. A total of 29 stilt nests was discovered androcmitored during the five year study. Of these, 15 (52%) were built onfloating nest structures and 14 (48%) on natural substrates.

In view of the abundance of nesting islets, particularly at the Mana BasePond, acceptability aTJrl use of the floating structures by stilts wasrematrkably high. There were many potential nest sites for stilts to a.oosefrOIlI.

The variability in t.~e mmber of nests at the Mana Ponds fran year toyear was influenced by nesting season rainfall. A severe drought during 1984forced stilts, that normally may have nested elsewhere, to nest at Mana.During that year coopetition for nest sites was greater and more birds usednatttral substrates for nesting than in other years.

Seven indi.vidual nest stJ:uctures were used one time only, one was usedduring two successive nesting seasons and another was used for threesuccessive year's. Natural substrate nest sites were similarly used insuccessive years. Continual use of the same nest site suggested that the samepair used the same locations year after year although this was not confirmedwith banded or marked birds.

a 2


-6- 10/1/80 to 9/30/85

'lhe fact that stilts used two of the floating structures during the veryfirst year of availability (1981), iOOicated that they were highly acceptablefor nesting. In 1982, a year heavy rainfall, 86 percent of all nestsdiSCO'lered were located on floating structures. There may have been atendency by stilts to select for. floating structures because of the unusuallyheavy rainfall that year.

Tlrelve of the fourteen nests built on I"'.atural substrate were constructedon m.an-mad€ islets within the Mana Base Pond. Small islets are highlyselected for by stilts as nesting areas. No nest was found on substrate thatwas not surrounded by water. Two nests were constructed on top of a largelimestone boulder in the Mana Brackish Pond.

The elevation of nests above the water' s surface on floating structuresaveraged 13.3 an for Type "A" and 15 em for Type "B" structures respectively.Nests on natural substrate varied greatly in elevation above the mean levelfrom 20 an to liD an and averaged 49 em. Elevations of nests on naturalsubstrate up to a meter above the water were not U1lCOIlIOOl1. Some of these werenevertheless stili subject to flooding during heavy rainstorms.

Lateral distances of nests to the water on both types of floatingstructures was 40 an. On natural substrate lateral distances ranged from 25an to 185 an and averaged 94 CllI.

Nesting material, both on natural substrate and floating nest structures,were the same in most cases. Small limestone petbles usually lined a cupshaped depression. Even though some of this material was available upon thefloating structures, it appeared that stilts may have carried additionalpebbles from the shore to their nests. All nest sites but two, were devoid ofveg,etation. One of the two exceptions was located on a man-made islet amongsparse growth of Bacopa. The other was one of the floating struc':ures thathad grown a few small umbrella sedge seedlings at the juncture of _we> logs.

Good visibility in all directions seemed to be a high priority for nestsite selection by stilts. Stilts seemed to select nesting areas where largechunks of limestone were available as a windbreak. we purposely placed someof these chunks on the floati.ng structures at the beginning of the study withthe hope that it would iIx::rease their acceV...ance as nest sites.

Conparisons Between Type "A" and Type "BR Structures

Nearly eq[UCll numbers of Type RAR and Type RB" nest structures were usedby stilts during the study period. Type RA" was used for 8 nests and Type "Bn

was used for 7 nests. Twenty-four percent of Type RAR structures availablewere used by stilts for nesting whereas 23 percent of the Type RBn structureswere used (See Table 3). In 1982, forty percent of all available nest

___.... ,_... •__.... .'11 ......... .

--"--:--------------------------""'1""'----------_


--7- 10/1/80 to 9/30/85

strLctures at th,~ Mana Ponds were used by nesting stilts. It did not appo.rthat nest structure type played an iIr{lortant role in nest site selection. 'Ibelocation of the structure in the pond, and the ];hysical properties ofmaterials providErl on top of the structures, and territorial behavior may havebeen inportant factors to the birds selecting them, tut no conclusions couldbe drawn fran the results. .

Hatching Success Comparisons

Table 4 shows clutch sizes and the apparent hatching success rate of eachnest JlOI"ritored at the Mana Ponds during the five year study.

Nests on floatJing structures had only a four percent better hatchingsuccess than nests on natural substrate. '!he average clutch size on floatingstructures was 4 eggs tut was only 3.6 on natural substrates. 'lliis indicatedthat early nest abandonment may have been greater on natural substrate nestthan on floating structures.

In 1982 there were six nests on floating structures and only one onnatural substrate. Half of those on the floating structur,es and the singleone on natural substrate were destroyed. '!he latter one was flooded by highwater, but those on the floating structures were not. Exceptionally heavyrainfall may have caused the birds on the structures to abandon their nests.'!he eggs were intact following the heavy rains but much of the surrourrlingnest material had eroded away.

Type liB" floating structures had the highest hatching success rate(75%). 'Ibis may have been partly due to the structures's design. '!heatta-Jled logs may have provided IOOre stability and better protected the nestfran wave action.

Many IOOre of the natural substrate nests "lOuld have been destroyed byflooding were it not for several years of drought. Normal spring rain stormsoccurred ol"'~y once during the five year study.

Click Survival

Although the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness ofthe floating nest structures for successful nesting, the end desired resultwas to increase the net productivity of stilts. It appeared that both typesof floating structures were successful in providing safe nesting sites butonce the chicks left the nest" survival appeared to be low. Rarely were IOOrethan two or three young flightless chicks seen at any of the ponds at one timeindicating that there was either high IOOrtality of young chicks or theyremained well hidden in shoreline vegetation during their early stages ofdevelopnent.

---------,--------,--",,,-_._---------------


-8-

-------------

10/1/80 to 9/30/85

Feral cats, dogs, Black-crOYll'led Night Herons (Nycticorax Nycticoraxhoactli), and Pueo (Asio flarrmeus), are potential predators of young stiltchicks. On 12 N>ril 1983 a Wandering Tattler (Heteroscelus incanus) wasobserved as it alighted upon a floating nest structure after an adult stiltwas flushed off its nest. Egg predation did net occur because of my presencebut the attracti.on of Tattlers to unattended Stilt eggs may occur when thereis a lot of nest: disturbance.

Use of Structure for Loafing and Use of Structuresby Other waterbirds

Stilu.: only were observed using the floati.n;} structures for nesting andwere never seen utilizing them for loafing or roosting.

Other species of birds observed utilizing the floating nest structureswere Black-crowned Night Herons, Koloa (Ares wyvilliana) and wanderingTattlers. All of these birds used the st-ruetures for lOafing. '!here was roochevidence that Herons and Koloa used them l'tlile feeding. Several nestingstructures were seen with remains of Talipia §2. and crayfish (Procanbarusclarkii) left upon on them by these birds.

Despite the fact t.l1at the Hawaiian Gallinule (Gallinula chloropussandwichensis), Hawaiian Coot (Fulica americana aJae) and Koloa are CXIli'Onlyfound at the Mana Ponds, no attellpts at nesting on the floating structures byt.<)em was noted.

ElTaluation of Floating Nest Structure Design and Costs

Most of the materials used for the floati.n;} nest structures were scrapitems: Pine logs, truck tires and sheet metal. Only the polyurethane foamfor floatation and the anchor rope and concrete block anchors were purchased.'!he material cost per structure was about $35.00. '!he labor (excludingsupervision) was prOl7ided through a Youth Conservation Corps SUIIt!ler workpro~iect. Material costs could further be reduced by utilizing scrap styrofoampad;ing material for floatation bonded together with the liquid polyurethanefoam mixture.

Nest structures could perhaps be imprOl7ed if they were made larger.Natural substrate nests were located higher aI:x:l'I7e the mean water level andfurther away from the water' s edge than the nests on floating structures.'lherefore, stilts would probably use structures that are larger and higher offthe water. Laxger structures would, however, probably require a mechanicalhoist to place them in the water l'tlereas the ones we built could be handcarried•

..............._....,_........__.. .,' --

------------------


-9- 10/1/80 to 9/30/85

'!he single anchor rope design, which permitted the floating structure todrift down wind of the anchor with enough slack to conpensate for changes inwater level, seemed to work well. Originally, it was feared that rotation ofthe structures due to c:han;}ing wind direction would not be acceptable tonesting stilts. However, that wa,s not the case.

<XlCLUSIOOS:

1. Both Type "An alxl Type "B" floating nest structures were readilyaccepted and usee by the Hawaiian Stilt for nesting.

2. Floating;cest structures were found to be slightly JIDre successfulthan natural substrate nest sites in producing viable nests.Floating structures rNJY have been llIlCh JIDre successful had there notbeen several dry years during the study when no floOOing occurred.

3. Floating structures were slightly JIDre attactive to stilts fornesting than the available natural substrate sites 1¥ere.

4. Stilts may habitnal1y nest in the sane site (structures or islets) onsubsequent years.

5. '!he location of the floating structure within the pond or theconposition of the substrate material provided on them, may be rooreillp>rtant in nest site selection than the overall structure design.

6. Both of the nest structure types used have a longevit-y of JIDre than 5years and if properly anchored could be useful for up to 10 years.

7. '!he cost of the structures could be reduced by using JIDre scrapmaterials.

Prepared By: Approved By:

Program Manager

• LlOO:x:iRAFAdiilW'liStrator

L.Wildlife BioI

Date:

'I'fDoll\S C. TELFER VWildlife Biologist

JUN - 6 [SSG

--_1 .&1 1 11__1 -----------


-10-

Tab1e 1

10/1/80 to 9/30/85

NUMBERS AND TYPES OF FLOATING NEST STRUCTURES AVAILABLE FOR STILT NESTINGAT THE MANA PONDS, K~UAI

1981-85

Type "A" :rype o'B" Tota 1 Struct~lres

Year Structure Structure Available

1981 8 .g 16

1982 8 7 15

1983 6 5 11

1984 6 5 11

1985 5 5 10

Total NSY* 33 30 63

*NSY ="Nest Structure Years" (one nest available for one year isequal to a NSY)

.-....... 2...... 1__••_ ...'11__11111 _

- ----- -------~-~~~~~-----------------------..Island of KauaiFinal Report

-11-

Table 2

10/1/80 to 9/30/85

TOTAL NUMBER OF STILT NESTS f40NITORED AT THE MANA PO~DS SANCTUARY

BY NEST SITE TYPE 1981-1985

NESTS ON NESTS ONFLOATING STRUCTURES NATURAL SUBSTRATES TOTAL

Year Type "An Type "B" Earthen Islet Limestone Rock NESTS

1981 1 (25%) , (25%) 2 (50%) 0 (0%) 4I

1982 4 (57% ) 2 (29%) 1 (14%) 0 (0%) 7

1983 1 (25%) 1 (25%) 1 (25%) 1 (25%) 4

1384 1 (11%) 1 (11%) 6 (57%) 1 (11%) 9

1985 1 (20%) 2 (40%) 2 (40%) 0 (0%) 5

TOTALS 8 (28%) 7 (2d%) 12 (41%) 2 (7%) 29

~ ~15 (52%) 14 (48%)

Floating Structures Natural Substrates

Table 3

COt1PARISON OF USE BETWEEN TYPE "A" AND TYPE "B" STRUCTURE

Year TYPE "A" TYPE uBI! TOTALS

1981 1/8 (i 3%) 1/8 ( 13%) 2/16 (13% )

1982 4/8 (50%) 2/7 (29%) 5/15 (40%)

1983 1/6 (17% ) 1/5 (20%) 2/11 (18%)

1934 1/6 (17% ) 1/5 (20%) 2/11 (135;)

1935 1/5 (24%) 2/5 (40%) 3/10 (30%)

TOTALS 8/33 (24%) 7/30 (23%) 15/63 (24%)

-_....._..........__, .._----_.,"-_._-------------~-

.. Island of KauaiFinal Report

-12- 1011/80 to 9/30/85

Table 4

INDIVIDUAL STILT NEST CLUTCH SIZE AND HATCHING SUCCESS BY NEST SUBSTRATE TYPE

Mana Ponds Sanctuary, Kauai1981-85

[68%]Eggs

I Earthen Limestone Annual I Unusual WeatherYear TYPE "Au TYPE "B" Islet Rock Total Conditions

1981 4 (4) 4 (4) 4 (3) 0 16 (7) Normal4 (O)F* [44%]

1982 4 (3) 4 (3) 4 (O)F* 0 28 (10) Heavy rains caused4 (4) 4 (O}R* [36%] flooding and/or4 (O)R* abandonment of4 (O)R* nests

1983 I 4 (2) 4 (3) 4 (3) 1 (o) 13 (8) Followed Hurricane[62%] Iwa, Very Dry.

1984 4 (4) 4 (4) 4 (4 ) 4 ~3} 30 (25) Drought conditions4 (4) [83%] No flooding occur2 (O}A 1 red.4 (3) I4 (3)1 (?)A I

1985 4 (4) 4 (4) 4 (4) 0 20 (19) Dry year, no heavy4 (3) 4 (4) [95%] I rains occurred.

Total 32 (21) 28 (21) 42 (28) 5 (3) 107 (73)

PercentHatched

66% 75%

~/60 (42)

Floating Structures[70%J

67% 60%

V47 (31)

Natural Substrates[66%]

68%

1

AverageClutch 4.0Size

4.0 3.8 2.5

Number in parentheses indicate number of eggs that successfully hatched.*R = Heavy rain probably caused abandonment.*F = Nest flooded because of rising water levels.*A = Nest abandoned for unknown reasons .

• ..~

Island. of KauaiFinal Report

-13-

Fi gure 1

10/1/80 to 9/30/85

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF EXPERIMENTAL FLOATING NEST STRUCTURE

TYPE "A"

4' Barked Pin~ Log

~

3' Barked Pine Log

Heavy Duty Copper WireFaster.s Logs Together

., - ~

.~. ~ ... ~- , - .-

- -. - .. . .

Roofing NailedThrough to

Logs

10' PolypropyleneRope

Corrugated Galvanized Met~~

Roofing 4' x 4'

~~~~;::=- 2" " 2" Boards to. contain nestmaterials

Limestone Chunks and CoralSand Plus Grass for Nest

Material

Island of RauaiFinal Report

-14-

Figure 2

to 9/30/85

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF EXPERIMENTAL FLOATING NEST STRUCTURE

TYPE "B"

TYPE "B"

S' Barked Pine Logs(to stabilize thetire fro:m waveaction)

3' dia. Truck Tire

::.--\V-r-:---- Galvanized steel platefas=ened to tire withlag screws

Length of 1- plasticpipe~ to contain nestmaterial, nailed totire

Heavy duty copper wirefastens logs and tire

~I

polyurethan~ Foam (floatation)

Limestone chunks andcoral sand plus grass

for nest material

_ ....__,_....................,.......... .... 111· •..,.11__... .............

.. ': Island of KauaiF:i.nal Report

-15- 10/1/80 to 9/30/854

Figure 3LOCATIONS OF STILT NESTS AT MANA SASE POND, KAUAI 1981-1985

* Locations of Stilt Nest on Natural Substrateo Type "A" Floating Nest Structure~ Type "S" Floating Nest Structure

· ..

· .

·..

.. '

..~ .. 'I 1

/

Replacement of FloatingStructure AfterHurricane Iwa(Nov. 1982)

Structure Used for Nesting(2) = Number of Years Used for Nests

Open Water Area

•. . '. Shrubs

(oj,

'-

/

-------------~ ---------- - ---- - ---

~ : . . ~ '-

Islarrl of KauaiFinal Report

-16- 10/l/80 to 9/30/85l

Figure 4

LOCATIONS OF STILT NESTS AT I4ANA BRACKISH PONDS. KAUAI: 1981-1985

' .... . ~ ...

.. ".

. . .. '

. '." I •

S UGAR CAN E

.,

WASTE AREA

WAS TEA REA

- ;..

._. .

..- . -.... ."

Open Water Area

" ,lIlnbre11 a Sedge OveFllrpwth: '- ,-' ",.. .." .

Type "B" Floating Nest Structure

Type "A" Floating Nest Structure

~ Locations of Stilt Nests on Natural Substrate

.SUS ARC A N E-

r - Replacement of - :\. Floating Str'u;;:'t e

..::, After HurricaneII-Ia (Nov. 1982)

..... Nests on -', '-Floating Struct re

.. '. . . .. . '.

. ,-

. .. ' . ...

10/1/80 to 9/30/85f',

"

I. Islam of KauriFinal Report

LOCATION MAP:

J7

-17Figure 5

MANA PONDS WATERBIRD SANCTUARY, KAUAI

\

_ .._--_....._-------,-,---------

Ent:

JOB PR:X;RESS REPORI'

11420

State: Hawaii

Project No.: ~18-R-I0

Job No.: R-II-A

Cooperator: U.S. Fish and WildlifeService

Period Covered:January 1 to December 31, 1985

ARD-AFA _DavisFribergGilsonlemonSafley.... Williams _WhiteLobdellSE

File:#- IA,/-/?-R-N; '/1'"Project Title: Statewide Non-Game

and Enda1"gered SpeciesProgram

Job Title: Inventory of Palila onMauna Kea, Island ofHawaii

Surrmary:

Counts of Palila were made on Mauna Kea duri!"9 the non-breedi1"9 (February26-28 and March 14 ar~ 19) and breeding seasons (July 16-18 and 24, 1985).Birds were counted at 350 sampling stations along 17 differ.ent transects. Theestil'llated Palila population was 1,317 birds in the winter and 1,867 birds inthe SUlliIler. Limited breedi!"9 success was indicated in 1985 based on censusr.esults. OJanges in Palila distribution were noted between winter and slll1l1Ercounts. Birds were llPre widely dispersed duri!"9 the latter period.

Objective:

To obtain annual population trend data of Palila on 1'1auna Kea and toidentify inimical factors.

Procedures:

Pallila (Loxioides bai11eui) were censused on Mauna Kea during thenon-breeding (February 26-28 and March 14 and 19, 1985) and breeding seasons(July 16-18 and 24, 1985). Personnel from the U.S. Fis.'1 and Wildlife Service,NationaLl Park Service at Volcal1o and State Division of Forestry and Wildlifeparticipated in th,e cou.;'lts. Information was collected on the abundance anddistribution of Pac1.ila thoughout their entire range. AkiaPJlaau (Hemignathusllllilroi) were present in the survey area and their nUllDers were also recorded.BotanicaLl data, including the phenological stages of Mama.ne (Sophorachrysophylla) and Naio (MyoPJrum sandwicense) were also obtained, but resultsare not reported here.

III_"._"__1_.: :1&&__....211. _

W-18-R-10: R-II-A -2- 1/1/85 to 12/31/85

Adverse weather corrlitions during the winter count prevent..."'d itscOl1Fletion in February. Strong winds arrl heavy rainfall were experienced insome areas. A snow' storm also occurred on February 27th. This stormdeposited snow in the surrmit area (down to 9,000 ft. elev.) arrl caused countsat Halepohaku to be cancelled. Weather for the sunmner census was consideredexcellent for counting birds. Skies were clear arrl wims were calm.

A total of 17 permanent transects were established throughout the Palilarange in 1980 and 1981 (Fig. 1). These routes were used again this year forthe census. Observers were assigned transects by randcm draws. Tney walkeddown the transects, stopping at sampling stations every 150 Ireters to count

. biI:ds. Six-minute counts were made at each station using the variablecircular plot method (Re-yno1ds, et al., 1980). The detection distance arrltype of observation (visual, audio, or audio/visual) were recorded for eachbird encountered.

Birds seen or heard between stations were noted on forms, but notincluded in the totals. Counts were only made between 7:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.when Palila were IOOst vocal. One census trip was m&.de along eact transectexcept for transects H02 arrl n03. These were each surveyed twice.Approximately 30 miles of transects were traversed on foot an:i 350 timedcounts were made at sanpling stations during each surv(;y.

Data were compiled at the end of the counts an:i analyzed to assess Palilapopulation trerrl a~ changes in bird distribution. Estimates of Palilapopulation size were calculated by USFWS Biologists using the Irethods of~~y and Scott (1979, 1981).

t;" • ~ •< ~n(nngs:

Non-breeding season count (February arrl March;. A total of 70 Palila wascounted at sarrpling stations during the winter census. These birds wererecorded on 10 of the 17 transects surveyed with COl'nts rangin::j from zero to48 (Table 1). Preliminary census results placed the estimated population sizeat 1,317 birds (95% CI = 852 - 1,782).

Palila were restricted to mama'1e and naio forests between Puu Na'1aha andPuu Mali. Elevational distribution of G~e species ran::jed from 6,600 to 9,320feet (T'able 2). The greatest density of birds was centered in the vicinity ofPUll Laau. Transect H02 yielded G'1e greatest nUJJtJer: of Palila contacts.

A co.~rison of winter survey results L'1 1984 and 1985 indicate that theestL~ated numbers of Palila decreased 35% durin::j G~e latter year. No reasonfor G'1is decline ~GS apparent. Bird distribution for the two years wassimilar except G~a,t a density cell in the vicinity of transect n07 was

• &Ii

W-18-R-I0:: R-II-A -3- 1/1/85 to 12/31/85

missing in 1985. An unusual observation was the detection of a single Palilaon transect #116. No birds have been encountered on that transect since itwas established in 1981.

Breeding season count (July). A total of 66 PaUla was counted ontransects during the sumner census. Birds were found on il of the 17transects with counts ranging from zero to 27. The total population wasestimated at 1,867 birds (95% CT: 1,191 - 2,543).

Bird densities were greatest in the Puu Laau area.large den.'3ity ceil occurred in the vicinity of transectlLrnits of occurrence ~iere from 7,060 to 9,320 feet.

However, a fairly#ill. E1evational

The sU!llf.er Palila estimate decreased from 2,021 birds in 1984 to 1,867 in1985 or approximately 8 percent. This decline may not be biologicallysignif icant since large annual fluctuations in bird numbers are known to occuron Mauna Kea.

Seasonal changes in abundance and distribution. The Palila populationestimate increased by more than 500 birds bebieen the winter am summersuneys in 1985. This suggests that limited reproduction did occur during tl1esummer breeding season and that some birds successfully fledged young. palilanormally breed from March through september with a peak in reproductiveactivity in June, July and August (van Riper, 1978).

The distribution of PaUla changed somewhat between the tvIo counts.Birds appeared to be more dispersed in the sUIlller. Density decreased in areaI (transects 101-108) and increased in area II (transects 109-117). Similarchanges in distribution ~e also noted the previous year.

Akiapo1aau. Small numbers of Akiapolaau inhabit the rnarnane-naio foreston Mauna Kea but their primary hc"itat is mesic ohia-koa forests at lowerelevati.ons. None of these endangered birds was encountered on transectsdur ing the winter count and only one was sighted dur ing the summer count(Table 3).

Recorrmendati.ons :

1. That OOFPJ'i' and USF'tB continue their joint effort to census Palila onMauna Kea.

2. That non--breeding season counts be made annually for the purpose ofdetermining Pa1ila population trends.

3. That a breeding season COll.l1t be made every five years.

• &11

W-18-R-IO: R-II-A -4- 1/1/85 to 12/31/85

4. 'Ihat a breeding areas below the Mauna Kea Forest boundary (portionsof that S!tate-owneed parcels at Kaohe and Humuula) be protected frangrazing and be reforested with mamane to increase forest width.

References:

Ramsey, F. L. and J. M. Scott. 1979. Estimating population densities franvariable cHcular plot surveys. pp. 155-81 in R. M. Cormack,G. P. Patel, and D. S. Robson (eds.). Scmpling biological populations.Stat. Fco1. Serv., vol. 5. Int. co-op. Pub1. House. Fairland, MD.

1981. Analysis of bird survey datausing a lOOdification of &nlen's nethod. pp. 483-87 in C. J. Ralph andJ. M. SCott (eds.). Estimating numbers of terrestrial birds. Studies mAvian Biology 6.

Reynolds, R. T., J. M. SCott, and R. A. Nussbaum. 1980. A variable circularplot method for estimating bird numbers. Condor 82:309-313.

Scott, J. M., S. Mountainspring, C. van Riper, III, C. B. Kepler, J. D. Jacobi,T. A. Burr, arrl J. G. Giffin. 1984. Annual variation in thedistribution, abundance, and habitat response of the Palila (Loxioidesbailleui). The Auk 101:647-64 •

........1111II1III11III 2 _.��12._1 _

W-18-R-IO: R-II-A -5- 1/1/85 to 12/31/85

van Riper, III, C. 1978. The breeding ecology of the Amakihi (Loxops virens)and PaUla (Psittirostra bailleui) on Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Ph.D,Dissertation. Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Hawaii. 165 pp.

Prepared By: AppI:OITed By:

SUl:xnitted By: T

Adm·

~~Iar-R:NMD L. WM.KERWildlife Biol<;xJ"}, Prcgr Manager

I" !March 3, 1986Date:

JOO G. GIFFINWildlife Biologist

___1 =1_122 = =1,__... _

I.

Figure 1. Locatio'l of PalilaTransects on ~Iauna

Kca, bl.:lnd of !I:"l\"aii .

.'

,,,

· J../ .L/ 0,,) LV .LL./ ...).J..I U.J

I: 12.5000

5CiiLE:

,..:r:=:z=========0.5 I

.......~_~~=~~~~ __.... ~~.__. i I

W:18-R-10: R-II-A-.. -7-

" ,..... ,..... ,,', '. " .. ',:,- " .- ~

1/1/85 to 12/31/85

TABLE 1

Counts of Palila Recorded at Transect Stations on Mauna Kea,1980 - 1985

Number of BirdsTRANSECT NUNBER OF FEB. JAN. FEB. FEB. FEB. JULY FEB. JULY

NUMBER STATIONS 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1984 1985 1985

101 34 12 6 8 1 15 5 1 5*102 37 87 106 72 55 56 49 48 27*103 25 28 67 20 16 9 17 10 11

104 24 0 23 4 6 0 7 3 0105 21 2 4 1 0 0 0 0 2106 20 2 4 13 1 0 0 0 2107 27 3 17 4 3 6 0 1 1108 49 2 2 1 5 1 1 0 0109 20 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 0110 24 2 3 7 1 1 0 1 1111 14 4 3 6 5 0 4 1 12112 5

, 2 0 1 3 0 2 0I

113 7 0 i 4 0 2 0 0 2114 8 10 2 1 0 3 0 2 2115 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0116 16 Not Surveyed 0 0 0 0 0 1 0117 8 Not Surveyed 0 0 0 0 2 0 1

TOTALS 348 153 243 152 97 96 85 70 66

*Combined total of tlvo counts.

__.III__..I!I&I__.. I_..__.II..... I1111_~_.._---

;' W-18-R-IO: R-II-A -8-

TABLE 2

12/31/85

Estimated Population Size and Elevational Distribution (ft.)of Pa1ila on Mauna Kea, 1980 - 1985

Estimated* E1evationalNumber 95% C1 Range (ft.)

Pa1il a

Feb. 1980 3,350 2,240 - 4,480 6,900 - 9,360

Jan. 1981 6,410 4,690 - 1i,131 6,700 - 9,160

Feb. 1982 3,305 2,323 - 4,287 7,000 - 9,600

Feb. 1983 2,268 1,584 - 2,951 6,600 - 9,360

Feb. 1984 2,022 1,407 - 2,637 6,560 - 9,270

July 1984 2,021 1,269 - 2,773 7,440 - 9,300

Feb. 1985 1,317 352 - 1,782 6,600 - 9,320

July 1985 1,867 1,191 - 2,543 7,060 - 9,320

*USFWS preliminary estimates.

---,----_._------_. ',__"_-----------------

,-w...18-R-IO: R-II-A -9-

TABLE 3

1/1/85 to 12/31/85

Counts of Akiapo1aau Recorded at Transects on Mauna Kea,1980 - 1985

Number of BirdsTRANSECT NUMBER OF FEB, JAN. FEB. FEB. FEB. JULY FEB. JULYNUMBER STATIONS 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1984 1985 1985

101 34 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0102 37 16 0 0 3 5 0 0 0103 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0104 24 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0105 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0106 20 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0107 27 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0108 49 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0109 20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0110 24 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0111 14 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0112 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0113 7 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0'14 8 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 1115 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0116 16 Not Surveyed 0 0 0 0 0 0 0117 8 Not Surveyed 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTALS 348 19 30 0 3 5 2 0 1

________=IlIIII I_•••I, _

State: Hawaii

Project No.: W-18-R-IO

Job No.: R-I-B

JOB PRCGRESS REPORI'

Project Title:

study Title:

Ent: r1'-8-r6ARO-AFAPl _DavisFribergGilsonlemon_$6fley

""Williams (..<"

Statewide NG~i,aOO :Endangered ~lesProgra!ll

. F.ile: HI !A/-I?r:~Nene Inv'E!stlgatwns

Period Covered: Jcb Title:July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985

i::y?5StmIillary :

Survey of the NenePopulation on Maui

a

Counts of 45 nene in December and 46 in January were the high lIDnt."1lycounts for the year. '!he nene population was estinated at 128 in HalekalaCrater. Four young fledged successfully. '.lhree "wild" pairs near theNational Park Headquarters reared six YOUIl3. A total of 26.67 ioches of rainwas reo:>rded during the critical gosling rearing period (JaIlllarY and February)in the eastern section of Baleakala Crater which is a major nestin:} area forNene (Nesochen sandwicensis) on MauL Last year, the area received 28.20jnches of rain duril'l3 the sane rearing period.

Objective:

To estimate survival, to determine distribution and to approx':natepopulation trends of nene en Maui.

Procedures:

Previously collected data on field observations of banded nene wasanalyz,ed with reference to survival. New data on banded birds was gathered inthe eastern section of Haleakala Crater. Data on group comp:>sition, specificobserv,ation site and banded and unhanded ratio was recorded. Cbservations ofyoung birds were noted as IreasUres of nestil'J3 success. Banded-unbanded ratioswere used in the Lincoln Index to estinate population size and awroximatetrends t.hen compared with results of previous years.

Duril'J3 the breedil'J3 season, surveys were concentrated in known orsuspected nesting areas and were directed towards the location of lY"csts. Dataon clutch size, gosling production and mortality was collected wheneverpossible. Related information on parent birds was recorded, including sex andbaOO identification if bands were present. Causes of <:bserved mortality,e.g., predation or incleme.!1t weather, were identified ...henever possible.

a a

W-18-R-lO: R-I-B

FindirBs:

-2-

Weather

7/1/84 to 6/30/85

'Ihis year, the 216.78 ioches of rainfall experienced in the Paliku areaof Haleakala Crater was 88.68 inches IIPre thal1 the total amount of IIPisturereceived last year during the same period (Tables IA an:} 18). The 74.67inches of rain recorded during the November to February breeding season werehigher than the acc1!!IlJJated rainfall for each of the previOllS two breedirBseasons (Table I). The early stages of brood rearing occur during January an:}

February for most successful nesting pairs, and as a result this IIPisture wasvital for gosling survival. This early~ of brood rearing had anaccumulated rainfall of 26.67 ioches, si:milar to the 2(1.20 inches recorded att.':he rain gauge last year. Three years ago, the Janllar'.1 an:} Febl:uary rainfalltotal was a mere 0.70 inch.

Monthly Count

The results of monthly counts of nene in Haleakala Crater during thisreport period are SUllIIlarized in Table III. Bill Hahn and Peter Connally franHaleakala National Park provided assistance on saoo of the surveys.Once-a-month surveys in the Crater were limited to five IIPnths during thisreport segment due to manpower limitations.

Counts of 45 nene in December am 46 in January were the high IIPnthlyCOll.'1ts obtained this year. Last year, a high count of 45 nene was recorded inFebruary as compared to 38 for this year's !"ebruary count.

For the first time since the start of the Nene Restoration Project onMaui, the m:>nthly surveys have consistently resulted in a higher number ofunbanded nene than banded birds. '!here have been reports by National Parkpersonnel of unban:led nene sightings in groups of 8 to 11 birds.

'lhe mean ratio of 36% banded nene to 64% unbanded nene was computed franthe five mont..'1ly counts conducted during t:l:>is report period (Table III).CoiTparative1y, the differential mea., ratio reported last year was 52% bandedto 47% unhanded. The rota! of 46 baOOed nene identified indiVidually thisyear was 16 less tha.. the mmt>er obtained during last year's surveys.

Applying the total banded oount am the mean baOOed to unbanded ratio tothe Linooln Index resulted in aCCillj:ljted flOpulation estimate of 128 nene inthe eastern section of F..aleakala Crater. Yearly population estimates of nenespannin:! seven years are presented in Table IV.

2 Mil

W-18-R-IO: R-I-B -3-

Previous Releases

7/1/84 to 6/30/85

captive reared nene have not been released in Haleakala Crater since Julyof 1977. Table V· indicates previously released nene <bserved duri.n;J thisreport segment in Haleakala Crater. Of the 48 nene released in 1977, 16 (33%)were accounted for dur ing surveys this year as ccmpared to 22 last year, 20 in1982-83 and 23 in 1981-82.

According to color band arrangements recorded for nine nen4:! this year,their existence in the wild has been for IOOre than 10 years. Last year 16nene and the year before 18 nene appeared to have SIlrVived a decade orlonger. The band COIIbinations for two nene place their release date at 1968,and age at 17 years if disruption of band arrangements did not occur throughloss of bands.

Identification of release classes could not be determined for II nene(sane as last year) due to disruptions in band combinations. Although releaseclass identification was not possible, differentiation of banded birds in IOOStcases was maic,tained. The result of band wear and loss of one or IOOre birdsis probably tl,..: cause for the disruption of color band arrangements.

Movements

Three unbanded nene were observed in the Haleakala Fanch pasture abovethe eucalyptus grove in February of this year. These three birds remained inthe area for about two weeks.

Reproduction

A sunmary of the nene nesting efforts recorded in Haleakala Crater thispast breeding season is presented in Table VI. A total of six active nenenests WC'.s located in the eastern section of Haleakala Crater. Nesting effortalso included four nene pairs observed with goslil'¥Js or fledged youl'¥J andlisted in Table V as "location unknown" nest sites.

Four fledged young were observed this year as ccmpared to eight recordedfor the previous year. The transmitter fitted on the gander becamedisconn.:cted fran the surgical tubing harness, so further trackil'¥J was notpossible. However" the pair was sighted at Holua in June with a fledged••otl!l3. Failure to relocate known nesting pairs resulted in the undeterminedf ate of goslings.

Nene nesting efforts at the Haleakala National Park Headquarter's pen ands.rrroundil'¥J area a..::e surrmarized in Table VII. The three eqgs produced by theone penned pair failed to hatch. Of the three "wild" pairs t.iKlt producedyoung, the nest site of only one pair was known. '!he three "wild" pairs weresuccessful in rear ing six YOUl'¥J.

___, 0 m ,__. _

W-18-R-IO: R-I-B -4- 7/1/84 to 6/30/85

Mortality

'!he decomposed carcass of an adult nene was fouOO in the Waikane area.'!he intact color ban:1 arrangement identified the nene as a Hawaii reared birdreleased in 1977. Evidence of diarrhea indicated that the bird may have beensick.

Recoimendations:

1. '!hat this job continue with the use of telenetric equitxnent to locateand follow family groups.

2. '!hat no further releases of captive-reared nene continue for the timebein3 in order to determine the populatioo trerXls am whether or notthe current Haleakala population is self-sustaining.

3. '.!hat past a'ld current nene sightin3s be plotted 00 a map in futurereports.

Date:

Submitted By:

Meyer L. H. UeokaDistrict Wildlife Biologist

NOV 25 1985

1\WrOlTed By:

\~ ~_nJ~~er '

ogram Manager

......•..__..'••111 , _

- 5-

Table IA

Rainfall Record at Pa1iku ShowingAnnual Totals for Twelve (12) Years

Rainfall inYear Inches

1973 118.24

1974 180.88

1975 179.76

1976 97.92

1977 109.66

1978 142.51

1979 187.71

1980 211.11

1981 96.67

1982 277.79

1983 74.90

1984 135.30

________' 11 _

Table IB

Monthly Rainfall Totals at Pa1ikuIncluding the Fiscal Year July 1984 to June 1985

Month and Year

January 1984

February 1984

March 1984

April 1984

May 1984

June 1984

July 1984

August 1984

September 1984

October 1984

November 1984

December 1984

January 1985

February 1985

March 1985

April 1985

May 1985

June 1985

Rainfall in Inches

14.10

14.10

1.50

29.50

10.60

0.50

3.90

9.00

2.50

1.60

19.10

28.90

17.97

8.70

81.00

28.50

11.80

3.81

216.78

Table II

The 12-year Rainfall Total Recorded atPaliku November through February Breeding Season

Month Rainfall in Inches

November 1973 - February 1974 73.20










November 1983 - Febrtlary 1984 47.70


--------------_.._---,--,---------------

- 8 -

Table III

Ratio of Banded to Unbanded NeneDuring the Period July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985

No. Nene Number Number Percent Percent NumberMonth Seen Banded Unbanded Banded Unbanded Unclassified

July

August

September

October

November

December 45 12 21 36% 64% 12

January 46 12 24 33% 67% 10

february 38 14 24 36% 647- 0

March

April 20 8 12 40% 60% 0

May

June 34 11 18 37% 63% 5

183 57 99 36%* 64%* 27

*Indicate mean figures

2 W/I

- 9 -

Table IV

Yearly Population Estimate of Nene in theEastern Section of Haleakala Crater Over a 7-year Period

Year Population Estimate

1978-79 1061979-80 1181980-81 1301981-82 1081982-83 1121983-84 1191984-85 128

-----_...._------------"',--,.._---------------'

YearReleased

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1968

1969

1970

1972

1973

1976

1977

- 10 -

Table V

Record of Nene from Prior Releases SeenDuring the Period July 1, 1984 to June 30, 1985

Percent of BirdsNo. of Birds No. of Birds Seen Released Seen

Released Report Period Report Period

35 0 0

29 0 0

28 0 0

34 0 0

25 0 0

20 2 10

72 0 0

55 2 3

44 2 4

50 3 6

34 9 26

48 16 33

~ ~~~ ~-~~'~--~--=----'-----"""---"

-11-

Table VI

Nene Nests Located During the1984-1985 Breeding Seaso~ on Maui

Nest ill

Nest 112

Nest 113

Lower horse pasture. Pair, unbanded male and WGW-WH female. Whenfound, nest contained three eggs. When later checked, three eggsappeared to have hatched. Pair observed in pasture with two young.

Near release pen. Pair, GYR-R male and AL fem8.1e. When found,nest contained three eggs. Transmitter attached to male. When laterchecked, three eggs appeared to have hatched. When tracked withreceiver, pair with three young. When tracked again, pair with halfgrown young. ~~en tracked again, pair with three-fourths grownyoung. Pair observed with fledged young.

Kuiki Pali. Pair, unbanded male and GYR-Y female. When found,nest contained two eggs. When later checked, nest contained threeeggs. When later checked, three eggs appeared to have hatched.Fate of brooJ unkno~'11.

Nest ft4 aili PUJ. Pair, G/RW male and unbanded female.contained three eggs. When later checked, threehave hatched. Fate of brood unknown.

,/hen found, nesteggs appeared to

Nest tiS

Nest #6

Laie F:ats. Pair, unhanded male and unbanded female. When found,ne~t contained two eggs. Wnen later chec~ed, nest abandoned, noeggs hatched. Cause of the abandonment unknown.

Waikane. Pair, unbanded male and R-RYR female. ~~en found, nes'contained four eggs. ~~en later checked, four eggs appeared tohave hatched. Fate of brood unknown.

Nes t ;:7 Location unkno~TI. Pair, unbanded male andseen with two goslings along Paliku Trail.unKnown.

unbanded female.Fate of goslin~s

Pair

Nest !i8

Nest il9

Location unkno~TI. Pair, uclbanded male and unbanded female. Pairseen with one gosling near Paliku visitor's cabin. Fate of goslingunknown.

Location unknown. Pair, -YR male and WY-WGB female. Pair seen withhalf grown young near Paliku visitor's cabin. Pair observed withfledged young.

Kest fIlO Location unkno~~.

observed with twoPair, Tw- wale and unbanded female.

fledged young.Pair

----,-----_..,-----_."-------_...,,-_.,-------------------------

Penned Pair iiI

WHd Pair il2

WHd Pair 1i3

Wild Pair il4

- 12 -

Table VII

Nene Nests at Haleakala National Park HeadquartersDuring 1984-1985 Breeding Season

Produced three eggs. None hatched.

Nested near gas pump she~. Produced five eggs. Two eggshatched. Two young fledged.

Nest location unknown. Pair observed with t""'O fledged young.

Nest location unknown. Pair observed with two fledged young.

- ---------- --------------------- ----------------------

Ent g-/f-mARD-AFA _DavisFribergGilsonLemonSofley

~/i;;iams L-"...-/

Statewi~:W~pjjGaIre andEr1da.rYJer&f speciesProgram

Waterbird ~~l'~a(i1>hs//-/' //

Project TiUe:

Study Title:

JOB PRCGRESS REPORl'7817C

Project No.: W-18-·R-IO

Study lb.: R-III

State: Hawaii

Job No.: R-III-E{b)

Period Covered:OCt. 1, 1984 to Sept. 30, 1985

Job Title: Evaluation of EndangeredWaterbird Habitat ImprOlTeIrel1ts

Job Segment: Maui

Stmllary:

Three of 10 islets UIXier observation at Kanaha R>nd were utilized :f/Hawaiian stilts (Himantopus nexicana kntx'lseni) for nesting. During theperiod, CNer six million gallons of water were pumped into Kanaha R>nd tomaintain water barriers arouOO the islets. '!he boundary fencing reduced thefrequency of dog entry am the dumping of trash in the Kanaha Pond WildlifeSanctuary area.

Chjectives:

To evaluate predator-proofing projects am the utilization ofartificially created islets for nesting and resting by endangered waterbirdspecies at selected sites on ¥.aui.

Procedures:

Field observations were made in the area of constructed islets at KanahaPond Wildlife Sanctuary. Data 00 the islets used for nesting, reproductivesuccess aro use for resting by species were collected. Chservations arrlanalyses were made on imprOlTements to reduce disturbance and predation onwildlife at Kanaha R>nd.

Findin:;IS:

Artificial Nestinc;, Islets

'Ibis year, 10 constructed islets were m::mitored during the stilt breedingseason. Of the 10 islets, only three were sites for active stilt nests.'Ihese three islets have been used for nesting dur ing previous breedingseasons. 'lhe islets were constructed with a rock foundation to~ withcrusher waste. Since their construction five years ago, six islets have neverbeen used as nesting sites by Hawaiian stilts.

•

W-18-R-IO: R-III -2- 10/1/84 to 9/30/85

Since adult stilts and their broods aba."1don nest sites soon afterhatching, the islet provided protection against cats and IlPngooses only duringthe periro of egg-layi.n3 and incubation.

Deepwell Rnnp

Over six milli.on gallons of water pumped into Kanaha Pond through thedeepwell pulp during the stilt breeding season. Pullping water into the pondrraintained water barriers around the islets fthich prevented cats and IlPngoosesfran entering onto the islets. It is after hatchi.n3 fthen brooels becane mobileand IlPITe to the edge of the pond to f(.>ed that they become IlPst vulnerable tomongoose attacks.

Fencing

Prior to the installation of the !:lclt.mJary fencing, the frequent entry ofdogs L"1to Kanaha PorP was one of the major management problems. Dogs werecbserved chasi.n3 and harassing waterbirds, and suspected of killi.n3 stiltchicks. '!he fenciI'l3 greatly reduced the entry of dogs and the dunpi.n3 oftrash within the wildlife san;t:uary area.

Re<xmnendation:

'!hat evalation of habitat imprOl1enEnt projects continue for another yearto obtain furt..~er inforrration on the habitat requirements of the Hawaiianstilt.

ROOJIL. WalkerWildlife Biology ~ogram Manager

Awroved By:

~~~

Sutmitted By:

M~~~~~"'-''''''~~='':::''''-_---District Wildlife Biologist

Date: JAN 271986

r

Documents

~I · HAWAII DOCl,'HENT $105,700 OMS ... Previously a:>llected data on field observations of banded birds will be analyzed with reference to survival. ... Presence or absence of extremely