Seabird Prey

Family: Diomedeidae
Order: Procellariiformes

Description

The albatrosses are large seabirds with very long wings. They have a unique flight, soaring on the wind currents above the waves, hardly ever flapping their wings, possibly even sleeping on the wing. This flight requires strong winds, and in the absence of these winds, they will be found swimming on the water's surface. They also forage on the surface of the water; some may dive under water, while others dabble at the surface. Albatrosses may live a very long time, more than 40 or 50 years in some cases. The majority of albatrosses live in the Southern Hemisphere and breed during the southern spring and summer. Even those that breed in the Northern Hemisphere breed during our winter. Two separate tubes are located on either side of the albatross's bill.

Species Found in Hawaii

Black-foot Albatross and Laysan Albatross (rarely Short-tailed Albatross)

Family: Procellariidae
Order: Procellariiformes

Description

This group is diverse and ranges widely in size. A common trait that all members of this family share is that their nostrils are located in a single tube at the top of their bills. Most maneuver well in high winds, and many migrate long distances. Most, but not all, nest in burrows. Those that do nest in burrows visit them only at night. The well-developed sense of smell of the shearwaters may help them find their burrows in the dark.

Species Found in Hawaii

Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Christmas Shearwater, Newell's Shearwater, Dark-rumped Petrel, Bonin Petrel, and Bulwer's Petrel

Family: Hydrobatidae
Order: Procellariiformes

 Description

The smallest of the seabirds, the storm-petrels are usually predominantly dark brown or black, with white or light markings. Many are migratory, and all are nocturnal at the nesting colonies. They fly very close to the water, and much of their feeding is done in flight. Incubation time and the time from hatching to fledging are highly variable because bad weather may prevent the adults from returning to the nest for several days. Eggs can hatch even if incubation is interrupted for up to 25 days, and young can survive extended periods of time between feedings, up to 3 weeks, by going into torpor, a sort of mini-hibernation to save energy. The ability of the egg to survive with suspended incubation and for the chick to become torpid are important for survival, since the adults spend a lot of time away from the nest looking for food that can be hard to find.

Species Found in Hawaii

Tristram's Storm-petrel and Band-rumped Storm-petrel

Family: Phaethontidae
Order: Pelecaniformes  

Description

The tropicbirds are medium-sized seabirds with exceptionally long, narrow, central tail feathers that drag gracefully behind them in flight. They are predominantly white in color, with black markings on their face, back, and wings. They are typically found in tropical waters, where they fly with quick, strong wing-beats, or float on the water with their tails cocked. Although they sometimes nest in colonies when the conditions are right, they are not generally social, and are usually found alone at sea. Tropicbirds feed on flying fish, squid, and other aquatic creatures, mainly by plunge-diving into the water. They are highly pelagic, coming to land largely to breed. They first breed at 2 to 4 years, are monogamous, and form long-term pair bonds. They nest in crevices or burrows, and both sexes help build the nest, incubate the single egg, and care for the chick for a number of months before it fledges.

Species Found in Hawaii

Red-tailed Tropicbird and White-tailed Tropicbird

Family: Sulidae
Order: Pelecaniformes

 Description

Boobies are large seabirds with long, heavy, pointed wings and long tails. Many members of this group are white. They are strong flyers, alternating between powerful wing beats and long glides. Most are sociable, nesting in colonies and foraging in flocks. They eat fish, squid, and other aquatic creatures, which they catch with spectacular plunge-dives. Their eyes are set forward on their heads, and this gives them binocular vision that aids them in foraging. When they plunge into the water, they use their wings to swim. They begin breeding at 2 to 6 years. Gannets and boobies are monogamous, and often form long-term pair bonds. Males bring nest material, and females build the nests. Both members of the pair help incubate the young by tucking 1 to 3 eggs under their webbed feet. Incubation lasts up to eight weeks, and the parents alternate in 3-day shifts. Some species do not fledge until they are almost 6 months old, and are commonly dependent on both parents for up to 9 months after that. Boobies are found in tropical waters.

Species Found in Hawaii

 Red-footed Booby, Brown Booby and Masked Booby (rarely Nazca Booby)

Family: Fregatidae
Order: Pelecaniformes

Description

Frigatebirds are large, lightweight birds. All five species in this family are mostly black, with long, pointed wings and tails and long, hooked bills. They are exceptional gliders and can hang in the air for hours without flapping their wings. Because they cannot take off from the water, they do not swim, but they will dip down to the water's surface and grab food, or steal food from other birds. They typically eat flying fish, squid, jellyfish, and other sea creatures at the water's surface. They are not migratory but may wander widely, and generally land on islands or shoreline trees to rest. They are colonial nesters, and males display by inflating large throat pouches. Frigatebirds are one of few seabirds that are sexually dimorphic: females generally have more white on their mostly-black plumage, and are about 24% larger than males. Females build nests with materials gathered by males, and both sexes help incubate and feed a single chick. Frigatebirds are long-lived birds with prolonged nesting cycles. Young can be dependent on the adults for up to two years, and do not begin to nest until they are between 5 and 11 years old. Once they begin breeding, they nest once every 1 to 4 years.

Species Found in Hawaii

Great Frigatebird

Family: Sternidae
Order: Charadriiformes

Description

Terns are a distinctive group of aerial fish feeders. They are closely related to gulls (Laridae) but are more specialized in terms of nesting habitat, diet and foraging methods, and their morphology reflects these specializations They are in general medium to large birds, typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. They have longish bills and webbed feet. They are lighter bodied and more streamlined than gulls, and look elegant in flight with long tails and long narrow wings. Terns in the genus Sterna have deeply forked tails, while the noddies (genera Anous, Procelsterna, Gygis) have unusual 'notched wedge' shaped tails, the longest tail feathers being the middle-outer, not the central nor the outermost. Terns forage in flight, swooping to catch fish or insects. They dive headfirst into the water for fish. Although they are likely to be near water, they spend less time swimming than gulls.

Species Found in Hawaii

Sooty Tern, Gray-backed Tern, White Tern, Black Noddy, Brown Noddy, and Blue-gray Noddy