Creating Safe Homes for Hawaii's Native Seabirds | WILD HOPE

All around the world, seabirds provide a critical link between land and sea. On Hawai’i, ecologists are working to protect two vital shearwater species that helped life first take hold across these islands.

While seabirds predominantly reside at sea, they return to land to breed and raise their young. In this process, they deposit mineral-rich nutrients that sustain the whole island ecosystem. But the arrival of human settlers introduced non-native predators and extensive development. Together, these compromised many seabird habitats — and decimated their populations. Several species are now teetering on the brink of extinction.

The Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project engages a multifaceted approach to protect these crucial birds: eliminating invasive predators, restoring native plants, and monitoring burrows for fledgling success. In one instance, they have established a dedicated sanctuary complete with artificial burrows, bird-shaped decoys, and audio speakers to attract one highly endangered shearwater species. Through their efforts, the team gives seabirds a chance to raise the next generation on the very islands they helped bring to life.

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[TazzieTiger]

Stories like this gives us hope that we can help to prevent the extinction of other endangered species if we all work together. Fantastic documentary!

[Pumpkintiti]

Awesome I simply love this, I love what you have done for the Hawaiian bird community! They are now thriving YES!! 😙🤗

[blessedbeauty]

- This is truly amazing. I don't think people realize that those birds created those islands after volcanos && people are the same ones who also ruined it. Glad to see *some smart, caring* folks restoring what others destroyed. 🏝

[ed-ho]

Considering without seabirds humanity would not even be able to live on the Islands since their guano started soil on the Island/allowed for plants to grow these beautiful birds well deserve to be revered, all of nature is interdependent humans are entirely dependent for their existence on other species. I am hopeful humanity is evolving, excellent documentary thank-you.

[theck]

Really excellent program. Thank you so much! It’s great to see these innovations to save the birds and make habitat for them. 🌈🌈🌈🌈😊😊😊😊

[AlligatorGod]

Loved seeing this. Lived around there for a couple years -we called that spot “crying babies” because when we were out there at night, the cries of the birds made it sound like you were surrounded by the wailing haunting cries of thousands of ghost babies. Used to love going out there at sunset watching them all fly and roost home for the night. It warms my heart to hear how good they’re doing. I also used to see those cages and thought many times to destroy them, thinking people were out to pouch on the birds -I’m glad I didn’t ! Might wanna put up a sign on those

[Alternatives_Universum]

Great work. However, I wish they could do the same for the Hawaiian Honey Creepers. Because those are even more endangered than the sea birds and their only way of survival is a multitude of fenced eco-santuary free of invasive species, just like the ones we saw it in the video. I wish Hawaiians would focus more on the Honey Creepers. Beause seabrds also survive on other islands whereas Honey Creepers only exist on Hawaii.

[PhallusBreath]

"Bad luck to kill a seabird." - Thomas Wake

[critterfreek]

Last time I checked, birds are HATCHED, not born.

[itsmeagain]

Great program but what about Hawaii’s homeless people, no homes for them?

[MrNick-ogqm]

You don’t think this title is a little screwed up? You know, because of all the Hawaiian people that lost their homes, possessions, and loved ones, Who aren’t receiving help and aid from the government aren’t being allowed to rebuild their homes, have to ask permission to be allowed onto their property, and are pretty much being forced off the island (I’m sure this is a perfect storm of incompetence and happenstance, of course) So it’s in bad taste and disrespect when public broadcast puts out a segment called building homes for birds in Hawaii and the first sentence tells us all about how humans are screwing up the bird habitat in Hawaii, well good news government funded broadcasting because of no assistance from the government. There will be less humans on Hawaii.

[BMWSRRR]

❤ I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news but humanity is like a plague. we will destroy nature in search of our identity by destroying our identity.

The irony.