Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the world's premiere system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants...
on the northwest coast of the island of Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
History
Kīlauea LighthouseKilauea Light
Kīlauea Lighthouse is located on Kīlauea Point on the island of Kauai, Hawaii in the Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge.-History:Kīlauea Point, a narrow, lava peninsula protruding from the northern shore of Kauai, was purchased from the Kīlauea Sugar Plantation Company in 1909 for one US...
was built in 1913. In 1976, the Coast Guard deactivated the lighthouse and replaced it with an automatic beacon. In 1979, the lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The refuge was established in 1985 to preserve and enhance seabird
Seabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
nesting colonies
Bird colony
A bird colony is a large congregation of individuals of one or more species of bird that nest or roost in close proximity at a particular location. Many kinds of birds are known to congregate in groups of varying size; a congregation of nesting birds is called a breeding colony...
after the property was transferred from the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
. In 1988, the refuge was expanded to include Crater Hill and Mōkōlea Point.
Management activities
Management programs protect the seabird nesting habitat and cooperate with the State of HawaiiHawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
to monitor the nēnē population and a newly discovered Newell's Shearwater
Newell's Shearwater
Newell's Shearwater or Hawaiian Shearwater is a seabird belonging to the genus Puffinus in the family Procellariidae. It belongs to a confusing group of shearwaters which are difficult to identify and whose classification is controversial...
population. Management efforts are trapping predators, under contract with Wildlife Services; mowing to provide habitat and food sources for nēnē Branta sandvicensis
Hawaiian Goose
The Nene, also known as Nēnē and Hawaiian Goose, is a species of goose endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The official bird of the state of Hawaii, the Nene is exclusively found in the wild on the islands of Maui, Kauai and Hawaii...
); and constructing and maintaining fences to keep dogs off the refuge.
Predator control and a predator proof fence line around the perimeter of the refuge protect breeding seabirds and nēnē. Native and endangered plants are reintroduced and alien species removed. Native coastal plants, such as naupaka (Scaevola
Scaevola
Scaevola is a genus of flowering plants in the Goodenia family, Goodeniaceae. It consists of more than 130 tropical species, with the center of diversity being Australia and Polynesia, including Hawaii....
spp.), ilima (Sida fallax
Sida fallax
Sida fallax, known as ilima in Hawaiian, is a species of herbaceous flowering plant in the Hibiscus family, Malvaceae, that occurs on most of the Pacific Islands. The flowers are small, in diameter, have five petals, and are a golden yellow in color. Plants may be erect or prostrate and are found...
), hala (Pandanus tectorius
Pandanus tectorius
Pandanus tectorius is a species of Pandanus that is native to Malesia, eastern Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Common names include Thatch Screwpine, Hala , Bacua , and Vacquois ....
), āheahea (Chenopodium
Chenopodium
Chenopodium is a genus of about 150 species of perennial or annual herbaceous flowering plants known as the goosefoots, which occur almost anywhere in the world. It is placed in the family Amaranthaceae in the APG II system; older classifications separate it and its relatives as Chenopodiaceae, but...
oahuense), akoko (Euphorbia spp.), have been restored on the refuge. An endangered plant restoration program gives species such as the rare ōlulu (Brighamia insignis
Brighamia insignis
Brighamia insignis, commonly known as Ōlulu or Alula in Hawaiian, or colloquially as cabbage on a stick, is a critically endangered species of Hawaiian lobelioid in the bellflower family, Campanulaceae. It is native to the islands of Kauai and Niihau...
) a chance to survive on the point. Habitat management also includes opening and maintaining nesting areas for the recently colonizing Laysan Albatross
Laysan Albatross
The Laysan Albatross, Phoebastria immutabilis, is a large seabird that ranges across the North Pacific. This small two-tone gull-like albatross is the second most common seabird in the Hawaiian Islands, with an estimated population of 2.5 million birds, and is currently expanding its range to new...
and improving feeding habitat for nēnē.
A volunteer corps of 150 helps in all facets of refuge operations.
Birds of Kilauea Point
Each year, thousands of migratory seabirds use Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge for nesting, foraging, or resting. Laysan Albatrosses, Red-footed Boobies, Brown Boobies, Red-tailed and White-tailed Tropicbirds, Great Frigatebirds, and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters all visit the refuge. In addition, migratory shorebirds, such as the kōlea, can be seen August through May. A small population of endangered nēnē were reintroduced on the refuge in the 1990s .Ā (Red-footed Booby
Red-footed Booby
The Red-footed Booby, Sula sula, is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. As suggested by the name, adults always have red feet, but the colour of the plumage varies. They are powerful and agile fliers, but they are clumsy in takeoffs and landings...
, Sula sula) are Kīlauea's most visible seabird. They nest in trees and shrubs, incubating their eggs by covering then with their large, webbed feet. These birds stay closer to land than other Hawaiian seabirds, typically returning to their roosts at night.
- Mōlī (Laysan AlbatrossLaysan AlbatrossThe Laysan Albatross, Phoebastria immutabilis, is a large seabird that ranges across the North Pacific. This small two-tone gull-like albatross is the second most common seabird in the Hawaiian Islands, with an estimated population of 2.5 million birds, and is currently expanding its range to new...
, Phoebastria immutabilis) navigate across thousands of miles of open ocean to return to their nesting grounds, mostly on remote Pacific islands. They have elaborate courtship rituals, which include sky-pointing, bill-clapping, and bowing. Mōlī can be seen from November to July at Kīlauea Point.
- Kaupu (Black-footed AlbatrossBlack-footed AlbatrossThe Black-footed Albatross, Phoebastria nigripes, is a large seabird from the North Pacific of the albatross family Diomedeidae. It is one of three species of albatross that range in the northern hemisphere, nesting on isolated tropical islands...
, Phoebastria nigripes) are large, dark gray seabirds with white around bill and under eye that can occasionally be seen flying off of Kīlauea Point. Unlike the Mōlī, it prefers windswept, sandy spots away from human habitation. A large population of kaupu nest on Midway AtollMidway AtollMidway Atoll is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, near the northwestern end of the Hawaiian archipelago, about one-third of the way between Honolulu, Hawaii, and Tokyo, Japan. Unique among the Hawaiian islands, Midway observes UTC-11 , eleven hours behind Coordinated Universal Time and one hour...
.
Ā (Brown Booby
Brown Booby
The Brown Booby is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. The adult brown booby reaches about in length. Its head and upper body are covered in dark brown, with the remainder being a contrasting white. The juvenile form is gray-brown with darkening on the head, wings and tail...
, Sula leucogaster) are frequently sighted fishing offshore and seen roosting along the Nā Pali Coast
Na Pali Coast State Park
Nā Pali Coast State Park encompasses of land and is located in the center of the rugged along the northwest side of Kauai, the oldest inhabited Hawaiian island. The Nā Pali coast itself extends southwest starting at Kee Beach extending all the way to Polihale State Park. The pali rise as high as...
, but they do not nest on Kauai. In recent years, however, nesting sites have been observed on nearby islands.
Iwa (Great Frigatebird
Great Frigatebird
The Great Frigatebird is a large dispersive seabird in the frigatebird family. Major nesting populations are found in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, as well as a population in the South Atlantic....
, Fregata minor) are supremely adapted for flight, with a wingspan of 7 ft (2.1 m). This bird seldom lands on the water because its short legs and long wingspan make it very difficult to take off from the water. The iwa snatches food from the water’s surface or forces other birds to drop their catch - earning its Hawaiian language
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
name iwa which translates to "thief". Iwa can be seen year-round at Kīlauea Point.
- Koaeula (Red-tailed TropicbirdRed-tailed TropicbirdThe Red-tailed Tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda, is a seabird that nests across the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the rarest of the tropicbirds, yet is still a widespread bird that is not considered threatened. It nests in colonies on oceanic islands....
, Phaethon rubricauda) are gull-sized birds with white plumage and long red tail streamers. Koaeula put on spectacular aerial courtship displays during their breeding season, and nest under shrubs and on cliffs.
- Koaekea (White-tailed TropicbirdWhite-tailed TropicbirdThe White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus, is a tropicbird, smallest of three closely related seabirds of the tropical oceans and smallest member of the order Phaethontiformes. It occurs in the tropical Atlantic, western Pacific and Indian Oceans...
, Phaethon lepturus) are smaller than Red-tailed Tropicbirds. They nest on cliffs and can also be seen at Waimea CanyonWaimea Canyon State ParkWaimea Canyon, also known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, is a large canyon, approximately ten miles long and up to 3,000 feet deep, located on the western side of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands. Waimea is Hawaiian for "reddish water," a reference to the erosion of the canyon's red soil...
and Nā Pali Coast State ParkNa Pali Coast State ParkNā Pali Coast State Park encompasses of land and is located in the center of the rugged along the northwest side of Kauai, the oldest inhabited Hawaiian island. The Nā Pali coast itself extends southwest starting at Kee Beach extending all the way to Polihale State Park. The pali rise as high as...
s on Kauai. They are gull-sized birds have white plumage and long tail streamers.
- Nēnē (Hawaiian GooseHawaiian GooseThe Nene, also known as Nēnē and Hawaiian Goose, is a species of goose endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. The official bird of the state of Hawaii, the Nene is exclusively found in the wild on the islands of Maui, Kauai and Hawaii...
, Branta sandvicensis) have dark furrows on their cream colored necks, long legs, and reduced foot webbing. They feed on tender leaves, grasses, and berries. Nēnē disappeared from Kaua 100 years ago. With the escape of captive pairs into the wild in 1982 and active reintroduction efforts, they are now making a comeback.
- Kōlea (Pacific Golden PloverPacific Golden PloverThe Pacific Golden Plover is a medium-sized plover.The 23–26 cm long breeding adult is spotted gold and black on the crown, back and wings. Its face and neck are black with a white border and it has a black breast and a dark rump. The legs are black...
, Pluvialis fulva) migrate to Hawaii in the fall from their arctic breeding grounds. These shorebirds establish winter feeding territories on lawns and golf courses and natural habitats in open fields. Kōlea have a habit of running in short bursts, then stopping to search for insects. The kōlea can be seen from August to April on Kauai.
- Uaukani (Wedge-tailed ShearwaterWedge-tailed ShearwaterThe Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Puffinus pacificus is a medium-large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. It is one of the shearwater species that is sometimes referred to as a Muttonbird, like the Sooty Shearwater of New Zealand and the Short-tailed Shearwater of Australia...
, Puffinus pacificus) spend the winter at sea, traveling as far as the Gulf of Panama, and return to Hawaii in the spring to breed. They nest in burrows that provide protection from predators and intense tropical weather. Adults leave the colony by day to fish and return at dusk to feed their chicks. At night, courting shearwaters make eerie moaning sounds, which inspired their Hawaiian name uaukani. Uaukani can be seen from March to November.
Ao (Newell's Shearwater
Newell's Shearwater
Newell's Shearwater or Hawaiian Shearwater is a seabird belonging to the genus Puffinus in the family Procellariidae. It belongs to a confusing group of shearwaters which are difficult to identify and whose classification is controversial...
, Puffinus newelli) is a medium-sized shearwater measuring 12–14 in (30.5–35.6 cm) with a wing span of 30–35 in (76.2–88.9 cm). It has a glossy black back and white belly and a black bill that is sharply hooked at the tip. Its claws are well adapted for burrow excavation and climbing.
Ulili (Wandering Tattler
Wandering Tattler
The Wandering Tattler, Tringa incana , is a medium-sized wading bird. It is similar in appearance to the closely related Gray-tailed Tattler, T. brevipes...
, Tringa incana) is about the same size as the kōlea, 11 in (27.9 cm) from bill to tail. They are slate-gray in color with very yellow legs.
Akekeke (Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy Turnstone
The Ruddy Turnstone is a small wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria. It is now classified in the sandpiper family Scolopacidae but was formerly sometimes placed in the plover family Charadriidae...
, Arenaria interpres) is a small shorebird easily identified by the bold black and white pattern on its wings, and its black “necklace.” Named for its feeding behavior, the Ruddy Turnstone uses its strong neck and bill to turn over stones in search of prey. It can be seen year round on Kauai but is abundant in spring and fall.
Other Wildlife
- Groups of naia (Spinner DolphinSpinner DolphinThe Spinner Dolphin is a small dolphin found in off-shore tropical waters around the world. It is famous for its acrobatic displays in which they spin longitudinally along their axis as they leap through the air.-Taxonomy:...
, Stenella longirostris) play close to shore in spring and summer, entertaining visitors with leaps and spins.
- Endangered koholā (Humpback WhaleHumpback WhaleThe humpback whale is a species of baleen whale. One of the larger rorqual species, adults range in length from and weigh approximately . The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is an acrobatic animal, often breaching and slapping the...
, Megaptera novaeangliae), which migrate from AlaskaAlaskaAlaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
to Hawaii each year to mate, give birth, and rear their young, swim offshore from December to April. Koholā can be seen offshore of Kīlauea Point from November to April. Prime time for whale watching is between January and March.
Ilio-holo-i-ka-uaua (Hawaiian Monk Seal
Hawaiian Monk Seal
The Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus schauinslandi, is an endangered species of earless seal in the Phocidae family that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands....
, Monachus schauinslandi) can occasionally be seen hauling out on rocks below the cliffs. Most of these endangered seals live in the remote northwestern area of the Hawaiian Islands and are a rare sight on Hawaii's main islands.
- Honu (Green turtle, Chelonia mydas) sometimes bob in the waves below Kīlauea Point. Although turtles may be seen mating in Kauai waters, honu typically mate and nest at the place of their birth in the French Frigate ShoalsFrench Frigate ShoalsThe French Frigate Shoals is the largest atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Its name commemorates French explorer Jean-François de La Pérouse, who nearly lost two frigates when attempting to navigate the shoals...
in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.