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title: "Monitoring Wedge-tailed Shearwaters at Freeman Seabird Preserve, Oahu, Hawaii"
---

# Monitoring Wedge-tailed Shearwaters at Freeman Seabird Preserve, Oahu, Hawaii

Like many other petrels, the Wedge-tailed Shearwater *Puffinus pacificus* is impacted by introduced mammalian predators (i.e. rats, cats) and by human development and encroachment of their colonies (i.e. trampling of burrows, light pollution).

 At Black Point, a small Wedge-tailed Shearwater colony persists in a residential neighbourhood on the south shore of O'ahu, Hawaii.  As the result of a donation of coastal land in 2007 the [Hawaii Audubon Society](http://hawaiiaudubon.com/) established the [Freeman Seabird Preserve](http://www.hawaiiaudubon.com/newsletter/el1107.pdf) at the southern tip of Black Point.

 The site supports between 78-106 active nests, according to colony-wide counts in July of 2009 and 2010.  In 2009, the overall reproductive success was 67.7%, hatching success 71.0% and fledging success 95.4%.  In 2010, the overall reproductive success was 72.6%, hatching success 87.8% and fledging success 82.7%.  Median hatching date was significantly later in 2010, compared to 2009.  These monitoring results suggest that the breeding phenology and chick provisioning of the Freeman Preserve Wedge-tailed Shearwaters were influenced by inter-annual variability in the marine environment.

 These results underscore the importance of understanding varying regional oceanographic conditions when assessing seabird responses to local habitat restoration and predator-control efforts.  Furthermore, this monitoring programme highlights the value of the Freeman Seabird Preserve for educating students and the public about wedgie ecology and conservation.

 [adapted from a paper by David Hyrenbach]

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Shearwaters/Wedge_tailed/wedge-tailed shearwater_alan_burger.jpg "Wedge-tailed Shearwater.  Photograph by Alan Burger")

 **Reference:**

 Hyrenbach, K.D. 2011.  Tale of two years: monitoring Wedge-tailed Shearwaters at Freeman Seabird Preserve in Black Point, O'ahu.  [*‘Elepaio*71:17-20](http://www.pelagicos.net/pdfs/el0411.pdf).

 John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 27 February 2012