Kaʻula Rock / Kaʻula Island | bird sanctuary

USA / Hawaii / Kekaha /
 island, bird sanctuary

Kaʻula Rock is a tuff crater that lies 23 miles west-southwest of Kawaihoa Point on Niʻihau. The island is 108 acres in size and approximately 170 m at the highest point.

Kaʻula, protected as the Kaʻula Islet Seabird Sanctuary, is renowned for its diversity of nesting seabirds. Currently there are 18 species of nesting seabirds and a survey in April of 1984 revealed 92,000 birds on the island.. Nesting species include Red footed Booby (Sula sula), Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster), Masked Booby (Sula Dactylatra) Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutablis), Black-footed Albatross (Phoebastria nigripes), Black Noddy (Anous minutus melanogenys), Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus), Fairy Tern (Gygis alba), Wedge tail Shearwater (Puffinus pacificus), Christmas Shearwater (Puffinus nativitatis), Newell's Shearwater (Puffinus newelli), Bulwer's Petrel (Bulweria bulwerii), Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda), White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus), and Great Frigate Bird (Frigata minor).

The use of Kaʻula as a U.S. Navy gunnery site has killed thousands of seabirds. The rocky island is so littered with unexploded ordnance that it is dangerous for biologists to attempt to assess the effects of bombing.

In addition, rats were discovered during a survey of the island in 1998. Rats pose a serious threat to vulnerable ground nesting seabirds. They prey on eggs, young, and adults and have contributed to the demise of seabird colonies around the world Plans are being made to eradicate them from the island.

Introduced Barn Owls also pose a threat to nesting seabirds by eating chicks and adults.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   21°39'16"N   160°32'27"W
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This article was last modified 5 months ago