Meeting Abstract
Artificial lights at night cause high mortality in fledgling seabirds due to attraction and subsequent grounding. Seabirds species of concern on Kaua’i are the Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), Newell’s shearwater (Puffinus newelli), and the Wedge-tailed shearwater (Ardenna pacifica). P. newelli fledglings have the highest rates of light attraction on Kauai of all three species of concern, suggesting differences in behavior and/or vision between species as well as between fledglings and adults. Previous studies on migratory birds suggest that the color of light can affect attraction. To understand visual sensitivity, light color, and light attraction, the speed and strength of response of the retina to different colors of light was measured in all three species of concern. Seabirds attracted to light and rescued by Save Our Shearwaters were anesthetized, then retinal response to flashing LED lights was measured using electroretinography. Up to five different intensities of light were tested using three different colors of light- ultraviolet (385nm), blue (450nm), and white light (peak at 594nm). Seventeen juveniles representing all three species of concern and three adult A. pacifica were tested in the first year. Preliminary results suggest each species responds quickest to white light and slowest to UV light. P. newelli have the strongest response to blue light, and A. pacifica have the strongest response to white light, indicating interspecific differences in visual sensitivity. These results have implications for conservation management of artificial light near seabird colonies.
