Author: Cooper, B. A., Day, R. H.
Year: 1998
Title: Summer Behavior and Mortality of Dark-Rumepd Petrels and Newell's Shearwaters at Power Lines on Kauai
Journal: Colonial Waterbirds
Volume: 21
Issue: 1
Pages: 11-19
Keywords: Behavior; collision; Dark-rumped Petrel; Hawaii; mortality; Newell's Shearwater; power lines; Pterodroma phaeopygia sandwichensis; Puffinus auricularis newelli

Abstract: We studied crossing distances, behavior, and mortality of Dark-ruped Petrels (Pterodroma phaeopygia sandwichensis) and Newell's Shearwaters (Puffinus auricularis newelli) around a power line on Kauai. Hawaii, in the summers of 1993-1994. Both species crossed this power line at significantly smaller distances in the morning (while flying to sea) than in the evening (while flying inland). In the morning, birds flew at higher flight altitudes at locations~800 m inland than at nearby coastal locations. Approximately 5% of each species exhibited behavioral responses while crossing power lines; only Dark-rumped Petrels exhibited a significantly higher frequency of response in the morning than in the evening, however. Most of the Newell's Shearwaters that were killed in summer collided with power lines while on their way to sea, primarily at power lines <100 m from the coast and in valleys. Approximately 20% of the shearwaters killed were adults; most of the remainder were subadult, nonbreeding birds.