What the latest research tells us about the growing threats facing our ocean birds — and what we can do.
The Pacific Seabird Group held it’s all virtual annual meeting in February 2026. PC: Pacific Seabird Group
Last month, our team had the exciting opportunity to join researchers, conservationists, and seabird enthusiasts from across the Pacific at the Pacific Seabird Group 2026 Annual Meeting. In a first for the organization, the entire conference was fully virtual — a great choice for a conference dedicated to protecting species on the front lines of climate change. No planes, minimal carbon footprint, just five days of engaging virtual discussions on the latest research.
This year’s theme — “Seabirds: Connecting Oceans, Islands, and People” — was a reminder that the health of seabirds is deeply intertwined with the status of our oceans, our islands, and our own communities. Over five days of presentations, posters, and engaging virtual field trips spanning from Toronto to the Philippines’ Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, a clear theme emerged: our manu kai (seabirds) are facing an increasingly urgent situation, and the window for effective action is narrowing.
Presentation topics included: the use of AI to advance seabird science and conservation, contaminants and disease, population dynamics and distribution, movement and migration, breeding biology, and several other topics.
A Laysan Albatross chick on East Island, French Frigate Shoals (Kānemiloha‘i in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. PC: Lindsey Kramer (HWF/USFWS)
Climate Change: An Accelerating Threat
Seabirds are navigating a range of serious threats including habitat loss, invasive predators, light pollution, disease, bycatch, prey depletion, and pollution. A changing climate compounds these threats. Rising seas and beach erosion are destroying critical coastal areas where most species nest. Shifts in ocean temperatures are disrupting fish populations that seabirds rely on to feed themselves and their chicks. For species already struggling, these additional stressors can be the difference between survival and collapse.
The catastrophic 2023 season in Peru, described in a plenary talk by Dr. Carlos Zavalaga of the University of Science of Lima-Perú, illustrated just how devastating this convergence can be. Seabird colonies there were struck simultaneously by avian influenza, El Niño climate impacts, and Tropical Cyclone Yaku — a perfect storm of compounding crises that caused severe population decline. Recovery has been slow, and research teams continue to monitor seabird populations closely. This alarming case study highlights what climate disruption can mean for seabird populations in the future.
On-the-Ground Research: What Teams Are Finding
The ʻUaʻu of Haleakalā: The Hawaiian Petrel (ʻuaʻu, Pterodroma sandwichensis) was once abundant in Haleakalā National Park. Today, habitat loss and predation by feral cats and mongoose have pushed them to a threatened status. Monitoring programs have been running since the 1990s, and that long-term data is proving invaluable for understanding and protecting this endemic bird.
Fledgling Hazards for ʻUaʻu Kani on Lānaʻi: Wedge-tailed shearwaters (ʻuaʻu kani, Ardenna pacifica) face a particularly dangerous obstacle when fledging on Lānaʻi: entanglement in kiawe tree branches. New programs are now working to clear kiawe from fledging flight paths, improving survival odds for young birds making their first journey to the sea.
Introduced predators, such as feral cats and mongoose, have a severe impact on ground nesting seabirds. PC: Lindsey Young
Light Pollution and Seabird Fallouts: Many seabirds, especially shearwaters, are strongly attracted to artificial light, often causing disorientation and crash-landings in populated areas. HWF and others have long campaigned for reductions in light pollution for both native birds and nesting turtles / hatchlings alike. Maui has responded with a dedicated light ordinance designed to reduce these incidents. If you encounter a downed seabird, please reach out to the appropriate local organization:
- Maui — Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project: 808-573-BIRD (2473)
- Oʻahu / Hawaiʻi Island — Hawaiʻi Wildlife Center: (808) 884-5000
- Molokaʻi — DOFAW: (808) 553-1745
- Kauaʻi — Save Our Shearwaters: (808) 635-5117
Seabirds unfortunately frequently interact with marine debris, like these double-crested cormorants at Tommy Thompson Park. PC: Cole Swanson
Offshore Wind and Seabird Interactions As offshore wind energy development expands, its interaction with seabirds is growing in complexity. Some species learn to avoid turbine areas entirely, while others are drawn to them. Understanding which species face the greatest risk is an important and growing area of study.
A Mural Worth the Trip: A magnificent new 80-foot mosaic mural titled “Ka Pae ʻĀina O Hawaiʻi Nei” now welcomes visitors to the Kīlauea Point National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center on Kauaʻi. Depicting the topography of the Hawaiian Archipelago alongside its cultural history and native wildlife, the mural is a beautiful tribute to what we are working to protect.
The Takeaway
The science is clear: our seabirds face serious, complex, and compunding threats. Updated policies and stronger protections for seabirds are urgently needed. The continued dedication of researchers, conservationists, and communities rallying to protect them will be vital going forward. Events like the Pacific Seabird Group Annual Meeting remind us of just how connected we all are — across oceans, islands, and generations — in this shared responsibility. Science, community, and collaboration can make a real difference.
To learn more about Pacific Seabird Group research and find opportunities to get involved, visit pacificseabirdgroup.org.
Together, we can help our manu kai keep soaring.
