Download ELEPAIO

Battles Won in the War to Save an Endangered Hawaiian Flycatcher
Philip Taylor
O‘ahu Army Natural Resources Program
The O‘ahu ‘Elepaio
Chasiempis ibidis
• Species listed as endangered under U.S. Endangered Species Act and by State of Hawai‘i
•Once widespread, currently estimated to occupy four percent of their original range
• Population estimated at less than 1,500 birds
The O‘ahu ‘Elepaio ‐ Threats
‐ Nest predation by alien rodents, primarily the black rat (Rattus rattus)
‐ Diseases such as avian pox virus and avian malaria carried by alien mosquitoes ‐Habitat loss and degradation from development, invasive alien plants, and wildfires
O‘ahu ‘Elepaio with Bromeliad mosquito (Wyeomyia mitchellii)
Pox
OANRP and the O‘ahu ‘Elepaio
‘Elepaio Management Areas (year started)
• On‐site: Schofield Barracks (1996), Makua Valley (1996)
• Off‐site, Waianae Mtns: Honouliuli Preserve (2005), Palehua (2007), Makaha (2005‐2009)
• Off‐site, Koolau Mountains – Moanalua Valley (2006), Waikane Valley (2007‐2008)
Rodent Control Methods
• Rodents controlled using a combination of snap traps and flavored poison mini‐bars (0.005% diphacinone) placed inside plastic bait stations
• Number of bait stations and snap traps varies among sites
• Rodent control conducted during the ‘Elepaio breeding season (December – June)
• Rodent control has been used to protect ‘Elepaio nests since 1997 in several areas by DOFAW, U.S. Army, TNCH, U.S. Navy, C&C Board of Water Supply, Honolulu Zoo
Rodent Control Effort by Year
100
90
# Pairs Managed
80
70
60
50
Total all sites
40
Pair target
30
20
10
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Year
2010
2011
2012
‘Elepaio Monitoring Methods
• ‘Elepaio territories are visited yearly, noting the location and age of all birds observed and color band combinations
• Nests are searched for and monitored to determine reproduction of each pair each year
• ‘Elepaio captured with mist‐nets and marked with a standard aluminum band and a unique combination of three colored plastic bands
17 Years old!!
120
100
# of Pairs
80
SBW pairs
60
Ekahanui pairs
Palehua pairs
Moanalua pairs
40
Pairs all sites
20
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Year
‘Elepaio Population Size Over Time
‘Elepaio Reproduction by Year
Reproduction (fledglings/managed pair)
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Year
2010
2011
2012
Surveys
N. Haleauau
S. Haleauau
Banana & Baby Water
Survey Area
Mohiakea
SBW
Elepaio pair
Elepaio single male
N. Ekahanui Surveys
Survey Area
Ekahanui
MU
Survey Area
Ekahanui
MU
2009
Elepaio pair
Elepaio single male
2012
Elepaio pair
Elepaio single male
Thanks!
Special thanks to Matthew Burt, Eric VanderWerf, Steve Mosher, Krista Winger and Pono Pacific!