Hawaiian Petrel Life History

Habitat

Hawaiian Petrels breed only in the main Hawaiian Islands. Their stronghold is the higher elevations (2,500–3,000 meters or 8,200–9,800 feet) of Haleakala, a dormant volcano that makes up half the land area of the island of Maui. At most known breeding sites, Hawaiian Petrels nest in dry subalpine areas with sparse shrubby vegetation, but at suspected nesting locations on Lanai, Molokai, and Kauai, birds excavate burrows underneath dense vegetation. At sea, Hawaiian Petrels forage in warm, moderately saline ocean waters (averaging 26.7°C and 3.44% salinity).

Food

Hawaiian Petrels feed mainly on squid, fish, and crustaceans, foraging both day and night. They often join mixed-species seabird flocks associated with schools of yellowfin tuna and other predatory fish that drive prey to the ocean surface. Hawaiian Petrels feed by swooping down and plucking prey from the water surface, resting on the water to seize live prey or scavenge carrion, and pattering on the surface to pick at food items.

Nesting

Nest Placement

Both adults contribute to nest construction. Nest burrow is usually more than 1 meter (3.3 feet) long and is often placed at the base of rock outcrops.

Nest Description

Adults make a shallow cup of vegetation when shrubs and grasses are available. Nest may also be built from debris, or in some cases the female lays the egg directly on the ground.

Nesting Facts

Behavior

Like other Pterodroma species (often called gadfly petrels), Hawaiian Petrels are master aerialists known for their agility and grace wheeling high into the air as they navigate strong winds with scarcely a wingbeat. In lighter winds they fly low over the water with a mix of strong wingbeats and easy glides, or make low arcs as they change direction. At sea, Hawaiian Petrels often occur singly or in pairs. They also join mixed species feeding flocks associated with schools of predatory fish.

Hawaiian Petrels nest in loose breeding colonies, where they are active at night. Pairs are probably monogamous, and like many other seabirds, are likely highly faithful to mates and nest sites. Both sexes excavate the nest burrow, incubate the single egg, and feed the chick. Foraging adults may range 1,500 km (930 miles) from nesting colonies during the breeding season, with the chick remaining alone for up to three weeks at a time. The nestling stays in the nest for about 110 days and during this time may grow to almost two times the weight of an adult before fasting and returning to a typical adult weight before fledging.

Conservation

The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists Hawaiian Petrel's conservation status as Endangered, estimates the global population size at 7,500–16,600 mature individuals, and notes a rapid population decline on Kauai. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 8,500 individuals and rates Hawaiian Petrel an 18 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, designating it a Red Alert Tipping Point species. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists this species as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Predation by introduced rats, domestic cats, and Indian mongoose is the major source of Hawaiian Petrel mortality and breeding failure. The largest breeding population occurs on Maui, at Haleakala National Park, where the National Park Service maintains an active predator control program.

Credits

Bailey, C. N., T. R. Simons, and P. Pyle (2025). Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis), version 1.1. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald and B. K. Keeney, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.hawpet1.01.1

BirdLife International. 2018. Pterodroma sandwichensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22698017A132378813. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22698017A132378813.en.

Floyd, T. (2025). Field Guide to the Birds of the United States and Canada. Eighth edition. National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.

Howell, S. N. G. (2012). Petrels, Albatrosses, and Storm-Petrels of North America: A Photographic Guide. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA.

Pratt, H.D., Bruner, P.L. and Berrett, D.G. (1987). A Field Guide to the Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, New Jersey.

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