This week I joined the Pohakuloa Training Area Seabird Team on the slopes of Mauna Loa to detect and study the nesting behavior of the endangered Hawaiian Band-rumped Storm Petrel. The Seabird Team was able to find the first confirmed active burrow for the species in 2015 thanks to Makalani, a search-trained Springer Spaniel, who was able detect the presence of the Band-rumped Storm Petrel in the expansive fields of lava on Mauna Loa. This week I was able to join the Seabird Project Team and Makalani in the field, which resulted in the finding of two more potential burrows as well as a found carcass of the species. Subsequently, the team will set up cameras on the potential burrows to confirm their active status. During my time on PTA I took measurements of all confirmed and active burrows to find out more about the elusive nesting ecology of this rare species. Stay tuned for results!
Aloha, Carmen
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Carmen AntakyGraduate Student and Project Leader for the 'Akē'akē Project Archives
April 2019
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