Above Kaua‘i's remote northwest coast, an unlikely whine fills the air. A helicopter glides out of the sky and hovers just above impassable, 3,000-foot-high cliffs that are preferred nesting grounds for the world's remaining colonies of the Newell's Shearwater and Hawaiian Petrel. The seabirds, endemic to Hawai‘i, face pressure from all sides. Development has carved up much of their habitat. Predators from feral cats to wild pigs kill thousands of the birds every year. And powerlines and urban lights on the island often prove deadly.
The chopper helps biologists keep tabs on the health of remote seabird populations. Distributed among the colonies here are dozens of textbook-sized bioacoustic sound meters, placed there before the birds returned to nest. No part of the treacherous terrain is out of reach. These devices record vocalizations until nesting season ends. Then, it's time to deploy the helicopter to collect them for their sound data. Dangling from 100 feet of rope, a grappling hook descends from the stationary chopper until it snags and carefully lifts a three-pound wooden basket containing a sound meter.
Saving Birds with Sound | American Bird Conservancy
The chopper helps biologists keep tabs on the health of remote seabird populations. Distributed among the colonies here are dozens of textbook-sized bioacoustic sound meters, placed there before the birds returned to nest. No part of the treacherous terrain is out of reach. These devices record vocalizations until nesting season ends. Then, it's time to deploy the helicopter to collect them for their sound data. Dangling from 100 feet of rope, a grappling hook descends from the stationary chopper until it snags and carefully lifts a three-pound wooden basket containing a sound meter.
Saving Birds with Sound | American Bird Conservancy