Seabird recovery group asks Maui public to report downed birds during fallout season

Maui residents and visitors should watch for grounded seabirds through December and call a hotline if they find one, according to the Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project.

October through December is peak seabird fallout season on Maui, when young birds leave their burrows and fly out to sea for the first time, according to the seabird recovery group. The season includes juvenile ʻuaʻu kani (wedge-tailed shearwaters) and ʻuaʻu (Hawaiian petrels), which are listed as endangered.

The birds navigate to the ocean by the stars and moon, the group said. Artificial lights on buildings and other infrastructure can confuse them. Disoriented birds may hit buildings or power lines, or fall to the ground from exhaustion. Grounded birds are vulnerable to vehicles and predators, the release said.

People may find the birds on roads, in parking lots, on lanais and in parks.

The Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project, which acts as an agent of the Hawaiʻi Division of Forestry and Wildlife, recovers the birds but relies on the public to locate them, according to the release.

What to do if you find a bird

The project asks anyone who finds a downed seabird to:

• Place the bird in a well-ventilated box.
• Put the box in a protected, cool and dark area.
• Give the bird no food or water.
• Call Maui’s fallout hotline at 808-573-2473 (808-573-BIRD).

A trained responder will collect the bird following state protocols, the group said.

Most properly handled seabirds can be released safely, according to the project. It reported that more than 300 seabirds were recovered on Maui after fallout incidents in 2025, and most were released successfully at sea.

Reducing light pollution

Seabirds spend most of their lives on the open ocean and return to land only to breed and raise chicks, the release said. It described artificial lighting as one of their greatest threats.

The project recommends that businesses and residents turn off unnecessary outdoor lights, close blinds at night, and use warm-toned, fully shielded fixtures that direct light downward. The group said those steps also help preserve Maui’s night skies.

More information is available on the project’s Found a Bird page. Details on dark-sky-friendly lighting are in Maui County Ordinance 5434.