Radar study of seabirds and bats on windward Hawaii

Author:

Cooper, Brian A., Day, Robert H., Reynolds, Michelle H.

Title:

Radar study of seabirds and bats on windward Hawaii

Periodical:

Pacific Science

Year:

1997

Volume:

51

Pages:

97-106

Subject:

Hawaiian hoary bat Petrels Shearwaters

Summary:

This document discusses the factors that contributed to the decline of three species of Hawaii's seabird populations -- the Hawaiian dark-rumped petrel (Pterodroma phaeopygia sandwichensis), Newell's shearwater or Aʻo (Puffinus auricularis newelli), and the Band-rumped storm-petrel (Oceanodroma castro). It also discusses the factors that contributed to the decline of Hawaii's only endemic land mammal, the Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus). These seabirds and bat occur on the island of Hawaiʻi and appeared to be on the State of Hawaii's Endangered Species List as indicated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1992. Predation to the seabirds was by the introduction of common barn owls (Tyto alba), cats (Felis catus), dogs (Canis familiaris), rats (Rattus norvegicus, R. rattus, and R. exulans), and mongooses (Herpestes auropunctatus), as well as a change in landscape that included structures that were equipped with bright lights as the lighting attracted the birds that lead to collisions. A decrease in the availability of areas that were suitable to nesting was also a contributing factor in the decline of the seabirds. While threats to the Hawaiian hoary bat were largely unstudied, bat populations have been threatened throughout the world due to habitat loss, pesticides, disturbances to roots, as well as reptilian, avian, and mammalian predation. Based on the results of previous surveys and on the knowledge of the species' biology, nocturnal seabird and bat populations were studied at 11 sampling sites on the windward side of the island of Hawaiʻi from 6 - 13 June 1994. A modified marine surveillance radar was used to study the presence, absence, abundance and flight activity of these four nocturnal species.

Label:

Birds - General

URL:

http://hdl.handle.net/10125/3099

Date:

1997

Collection:

Periodicals