Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Ardenna pacifica) nesting success in human-dominated coastal environments

Many seabird populations are declining globally, but successful conservation efforts have led to population expansion of some species into human-dominated landscapes. Thus, there is an increased potential for direct human and seabird interactions for certain species in human-occupied areas, with nest-site characteristics potentially affecting the susceptibility of nests to human disturbance. We assessed the effect of human activity and nest-site characteristics on Wedge-tailed Shearwater ( Ardenna pacifica, ʻ ua ʻ u kani ) nesting success at two breeding colonies, one with human exposure and one without, located in Kailua, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi. Human activity was measured by recording the frequency of people who entered a 5 m buffer around each nest. Nests were checked every two to three days to monitor nest success. The effect of human activity and nest-site characteristics on nesting success was determined using a variety of combinations of variables within binomial logistic regression models and AICc model selection. Nest-site characteristics among nests at both sites and human activity at the human-exposed site did not show a significant effect on nesting success. Our results suggest Wedge-tailed Shearwaters may experience some tolerance of human activity immediately around their nests—as long as burrow collapse does not occur. Given the small sample sizes and a single season of data collection, additional studies are needed to better understand the effect of human disturbance on Wedge-tailed Shearwaters. Infrastructure, such as fencing and signage, may be effective at reducing human-caused nest failure and may allow humans and disturbance-tolerant seabird species to coexist in shared coastal environments.