---
title: "Lights, wires and predators: the Newell's Shearwaters of Hawaii face several problems"
---

# Lights, wires and predators: the Newell's Shearwaters of Hawaii face several problems

The [39th Annual Meeting ](http://www.pacificseabirdgroup.org/index.php?f=meeting&t=Annual Meeting&s=1)of the [Pacific Seabird Group](http://www.pacificseabirdgroup.org/)  was held on the island of Oahu, Hawaii over 7-11 February 2012.  A Special Paper Session on Hawaii endemics included seven presentations on the globally [Endangered](http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=3939) Newell's Shearwater *Puffinus newelli*.  This species, endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, is at risk from alien terrestrial predators, human disturbance, collisions with utility poles and lines and from the downing of fledglings disorientated by bright lights at night.

 Learn more about the plight of Newell's Shearwater and conservation actions being taken from the Kaua'i Seabird Habitat Conservation Plan ([KSHCP](http://www.kauai-seabirdhcp.info/)), the [Save our Shearwaters](http://kauaihumane.org/services/saveourshearwaters) project of the [Kaua'i Humane Society](http://kauaihumane.org/) and the Kaua'i Endangered Seabird Recovery Project ([KESRP](http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/photos/kauai-shearwater-release/Shearwater.JPG/view)).

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Shearwaters/Shearwaters/newells_shearwater_sep_2011_eric_vanderwerf.jpg)  
Newell's Shearwater.  Photograph by Eric Vanderwerf

 **Meeting Presentations:**

 Ainley, David & Zajanc, David.  Modeling the demise and rebirth of west Maui's Newell's Shearwater and Hawaiian Petrel colonies.

 Deringer, Cary V. & Pitt, William C.  Ornithological radar surveying for Hawaiian Petrels and Newell's Shearwaters in Waipi'o and Pololū Valleys, Kohala Mountain, Hawai'i.

 Erichsen, Andrea.  The Kauai Seabird Habitat Conservation Program - a long-term approach for mitigating effects of seabird light attraction and utility collision.

 Griesemer, Adam, J. & Holmes, Nick D.  Newell's Shearwater population modeling:  what does potential recovery look like?

 Joyce, Trevor W. & Ballance, Lisa T.  Marine spatial habitat use of Newell's Shearwater and Hawaiian Petrel in the eastern Tropical Pacific.

 Raine, André & Holmes, Nick.  Ensuring a future for the Newell's Shearwater.

 Troy, Jeff, R., Holmes, Nick D., Veech, Joseph A. & Green, M. Clay.  Terrestrial habitat suitability modelling for Newell's Shearwaters on Kaua'i.

 Abstracts of all the presentations listed above can be found at [http://www.pacificseabirdgroup.org/2012mtg/PSG2012.AbstractBook.pdf](http://www.pacificseabirdgroup.org/2012mtg/PSG2012.AbstractBook.pdf).

 **Selected References:**

 Griesemer, A.M. & Holmes, N.D. 2011.  Newell's shearwater population modelling for Habitat Conservation Plan and Recovery Planning.  [*Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit**Technical Report* No. 176](http://www.kauai-seabirdhcp.info/documents/hcp.html).  68 pp.

 Troy, J.R., Holmes, N.D. & Green, M.C. 2011.  Modeling artificial light viewed by fledgling seabirds.  [*Ecosphere*2(10):109. doi:10.1890/ES11-00094.1](http://www.esajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1890/ES11-00094.1).

 Search on "[Newell's](https://www.acap.aq/component/option,com_search/ordering,/searchphrase,all/searchword,Newell/'s)" to find earlier items on the shearwater in *ACAP Latest News.*

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 17 February 2012*