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Enclosure Improvement Plans for
Waterbird Patients
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The ae'o / Hawaiian Stilt is just one of the many waterbird species we work with. |
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While our name implies we focus on shearwaters, we actually rehabilitate all native birds, including waterbirds! The care for these birds differs greatly from that of our seabird patients as they have different diets and natural habitats. For instance, we can't put a Hawaiian Stilt on one of our conditioning pools for seabirds. It'd be far too large and deep for a bird that prefers to wade in shallow wetlands!
Over the past few years, the number of waterbirds we admit has been steadily increasing. Last year alone, over 200 waterbirds came to SOS! In March we admitted 5 different waterbird species.
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This waterbird pool is the first step in expanding our waterbird care. |
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With this increase in waterbirds, we are working to expand our housing and care capacities for these species. One of our next projects is creating a designated waterbird pen to allow a bigger space for our birds in care. We are currently tweaking the final design and dimensions and plan to start construction soon! We have also recently set up a separate waterbird pool in addition to our two large seabird conditioning pools. Like our seabird patients, waterbirds benefit from pooling to waterproof their plumage, get exercise, and in some cases, recover from injuries. This waterbird pen will allow more ample space for patients to swim prior to release, which will even better prepare them to be back out in the wild.
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Do you remember the koloa maoli / Hawaiian Duck from our February Newsletter? S/he has gotten much bigger since then and is the first bird being housed in our new waterbird pool. |
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This expansion of our waterbird care is made possible by a Pacific Birds Partnership Grant that we received in 2022. This grant is funding our waterbird pen construction and additional incubators to enhance our care for waterbirds in need. Mahalo nui loa Pacific Birds Habitat Joint Venture for allowing us to expand and improve our enclosures for our feathered friends! |
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BSV321 hiding in his/her foliage filled crate. |
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This ‘alae ‘ula / Hawaiian Gallinule, BSV321, came to SOS on February 21. Upon admission, we identified a fracture and dislocated knuckle in two toes on the left foot, and a dislocated knuckle on the right foot. Splints were applied to the patient’s feet to stabilize these injuries and reduce pain. The bird was also lethargic upon arrival at SOS and was constantly in a hunched posture.
Once the bird was stabilized, we took x-rays of the ‘alae ‘ula’s feet to confirm the fracture and dislocations. X-rays like this help us to understand and visualize injuries so that we can properly treat them. There are several kinds of fractures, which can impact what kind of splint we apply as well as how long we will keep the splint on the bird. Not only can we see fractures, but also inflammation and potential damage to the soft tissue of the bird. We take additional x-rays throughout the healing process to see how well the injury is recovering such as if inflammation is going down, fractures are calcifying well, or are correctly aligned.
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The outside of the Frink Center for Wildlife that our Rehabilitation Manager was able to tour while attending the NWRA Symposium |
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The wildlife rehabilitation field is always developing and here at SOS we are always learning! Part of our continuing education includes attending annual conferences. Over the past month and a half our Program Manager and Rehabilitation Manager attended the Pacific Seabird Group (PSG) Annual Meeting and National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA) Annual Symposium, respectively. PSG is "a society of professional seabird researchers and managers dedicated to the study and conservation of seabirds and their environment." Learn more about the group here. NWRA's mission statement is that "NWRA is dedicated to improving and promoting the profession of wildlife rehabilitation and its contributions to preserving natural ecosystems". Read more about NWRA's work here.
These events are important in keeping our patient care up-to-date. Attending presentations and workshops, as well as keeping connected to other seabird and wildlife groups, helps us to integrate the latest research and practices into our work. At the NWRA conference, our Rehabilitation Manager was able to tour Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research and their L. Leon Campbell & Alice P. Campbell Wildlife Response Building, which was completed in 2015 and has state-of-the-art facilities for oiled wildlife response. She also attended presentations on topics such as use of sedation in the decontamination process for birds, detergent efficacy in cleaning oiled wildlife, avian ophthalmology, HPAI (avian flu), and many more! |
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Earth Day
Earth Day is just around the corner and SOS has a lot planned! We will be celebrating on Earth Day (April 22) at ʻĀina Day with National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTGB) and Kaua'i Invasive Species Committee (KISC). The event will take place at NTGB South Shore Visitor Center. Come see our booth and get a tour of the McBryde Garden! You can also find us at PMRF’s Earth Day event on April 28th. This year’s theme is “Invest in Our Planet.”
Coffee Borer Beetle Control
Coffee borer beetles have been causing damage to Hawai’i’s coffee crops, statewide. As proposed by University of Hawai’i’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Research (CTAHR), releasing a species of wasp may be the solution. Learn more here.
Sunset Tour
Join Friends of Kaua'i Wildlife Refuges for their Guided Sunset Tour fundraising event on April 11th in Princeville. Proceeds will go to conservation and education efforts around the island, as well as future Refuge community events. Register here. |
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SOS is an Unincorporated Nonprofit Association and fiscally sponsored by the Hawai'i Wildlife Center, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt, non-profit organization.
As the only Federal and State permitted wildlife facility on Kaua‘i, Save Our Shearwaters provides life-saving care to Hawai'i’s native birds in need. When you donate, you help us continue to rescue, rehabilitate, and release native wildlife. Mahalo nui loa from all of us at SOS (our feathered friends included)!
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