There were white tailed deer, red foxes, coyotes, rabbits, racoons, groundhogs, squirrels, woodpeckers, robins, blue jays, hawks, hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and oh so many more. We had a large backyard, and plenty of space to share with these wild animals. For me, watching the wildlife in my backyard was a special treat – it’s like a free zoo but the animals aren’t in captivity! While this has always been my mentality, I’ve learned that not everyone shares this sentiment.

For my internship with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, I am documenting the nesting sites of Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, a native Hawaiian seabird, on the island of Oahu. While most of these birds have been forced to nest on small, offshore islands due to urbanization of the main island, there are still some birds nesting along the coast. Like many humans, these birds enjoy beach front property, and often dig their burrow-nests under shrubs along the shoreline, sometimes nesting in front of or on ocean-front residences. While Wedge-tailed Shearwaters are welcome with open arms by some residents, others consider them a nuisance because of their loud mating calls.

Especially in Hawaii, seabirds are revered for their ecological, cultural, and spiritual importance. Seabirds play a key role in nutrient cycling from sea to land by transporting nitrogen and phosphorous to land through their guano. Fishermen rely on seabirds over the ocean as indicators of where the fish are biting. Seabirds also played a major role in guiding the first Polynesian voyagers to discover the Hawaiian Islands. In Hawaii, many people feel a spiritual connection to the native seabirds, a connection fostered by time spent appreciating their presence. For a society that has coexisted with shearwaters for so long, it can be disheartening to see some people disrespecting the birds by allowing their pets to attack them, trampling their burrows, and destroying their habitat.

 How do we encourage residents to embrace the presence of the Wedge-tailed Shearwaters rather than trying to fight it? One suggestion to help newcomers be more understanding is to have realtors inform buyers of the presence of nesting shearwaters before they move in. Wedge-tailed Shearwaters do have a rather spooky breeding call, but I think if people know to expect it, they might actually enjoy listening to them. As a kid, I used to get so excited whenever I heard the coyotes yapping at night. I would open my window and listen carefully, picturing these wild dogs running through the field across from my house. But what if it’s people who already live here who are against the birds? I don’t have a perfect solution, but the best thing I can think to do, is to continue admiring and appreciating the shearwaters in public. Be excited when you see shearwaters up close, take photos from a respectful distance, and treat it like a special experience, because it is. Maybe if the shearwater-haters see how special these birds are to others, they will open their minds and choose to coexist with the wildlife in their backyards.

Agency: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Program: US Fish & Wildlife Service - DFP

Location: Honolulu Refuges and Monuments Office