After years of restoration efforts, the Nature Conservancy Hawai‘i and Palmyra announced that a grey-backed tern chick has been spotted at Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, confirming that seabird attraction efforts on the island are working.Palmyra Island Conservation Strategy Lead Katie Franklin is thrilled with this news, which shows signs of success for her team.
"The discovery of this chick is very exciting because it signals we are moving in the right direction with our seabird restoration efforts at Palmyra," said Katie Franklin, Palmyra Island Conservation Strategy Lead, in a press release. "We are collaborating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to enhance Palmyra's seabird habitat and maintain social attraction sites across the atoll to encourage seabirds extirpated from the atoll to come home and settle down."
The grey-backed tern chick is one of eight seabird species known to the area that went missing from the atoll in recent years, likely because of a rat infestation during World War II. Thousands of U.S. troops stationed on Palmyra Atoll introduced rats to the ecosystem during the war, which preyed on crabs and seabirds, disrupting the natural balance.
Rats were successfully eradicated from Palmyra Atoll in 2011, and in 2020, scientists implemented seabird decoys and other techniques to attract the eight missing species back to the island, according to the press release.
"It is very exciting to observe this grey-backed tern chick at Palmyra," said Hannah Martin, TNC Palmyra conservation science volunteer, in a press release. "An important part of our work as Science Volunteers at Palmyra is to maintain the social attraction sites and record observations or indications of the seabirds we're trying to attract back to Palmyra. It's very rewarding to see a first indicator of success!"
According to the eBird website, the grey-backed tern, described as a medium-sized tern of the tropical Pacific, nests on the ground and occasionally on ledges on tropical islands. It is rarely seen from the shore. With a gray back and a white patch on its forehead, the grey-backed tern possesses a distinct forked tail.
Seabirds play a vital role in the ecosystem of Palmyra Island, with almost 30% of them considered endangered species. While the grey-backed tern itself is not classified as endangered, it remains threatened by predators due to its practice of laying only one egg per season.
According to the press release, birds such as the grey-backed tern contribute to the island's overall health. Their guano supports the well-being of trees, wildlife on land, as well as marine life such as coral and fish. Providing predator-free havens like Palmyra Atoll is crucial in allowing these birds to restore their populations.
The sighting of the grey-backed tern chick signifies a milestone in the restoration efforts at Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. With ongoing collaboration between conservation organizations and government agencies, the hope is to continue attracting seabirds back to the island, promoting a thriving ecosystem and safeguarding the future of these magnificent creatures.