{"id":218763,"date":"2025-07-16T15:36:23","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T01:36:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=218763"},"modified":"2025-07-16T16:07:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T02:07:59","slug":"manu-o-ku-rescue-uh-manoa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/07\/16\/manu-o-ku-rescue-uh-manoa\/","title":{"rendered":"Manu-o-K\u016b (white tern) rescue on UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa campus highlights conservation efforts"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
\"Manu-o-K\u016b
Manu-o-K\u016b chick<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa students discovered a fallen manu-o-K\u016b (white tern) chick at Bilger Hall on May 20, they reached out to conservationist group Hui Manu-O-K\u016b<\/a> to successfully rescue the native Hawaiian seabird.<\/p>\n

\"Manu<\/a>
Tap image to view Instagram video<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hui Manu-O-K\u016b volunteers and campus arboretum curator N\u014dweo Kai were able to return the chick to its nest cup on a kukui branch three floors high, where its parent anxiously awaited.<\/p>\n

This rescue was one of many that Hui Manu-o-K\u016b has facilitated since the group formed in 2016.<\/p>\n

Manu-o-K\u016b do not build nests, but instead balance their eggs on tree branches, and made headlines in 2017 by delaying renovation to the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> State Art Museum when a pair laid their egg on a broken l\u0101nai railing. When the chicks hatch, they grip their branch with their large feet and sharp claws while the parents fly to the ocean to hunt small fish and squid. Although chicks\u2019 feet are strong, they can sometimes be blown or knocked off their branches.<\/p>\n

If someone finds a chick on the ground or an injured manu-o-K\u016b, call their hotline at (808) 379-7555 for assistance. So far, they have fielded more than 700 calls.<\/p>\n

“Anything that any of us can do to make a difference in the life of a single bird, you know, in a big picture makes a difference,” said Hui Manu-o-K\u016b Coordinator Rich Downs.<\/p>\n

Special bird, special campus<\/h2>\n

These birds are also commonly known as white terns or are referred to by their scientific name Gygis alba<\/em>, but the name manu-o-K\u016b itself is culturally significant, literally translating to “bird of K\u016b.” Historic representations of the Hawaiian god of war, K\u016b, have often included feathers.<\/p>\n

Prior to the discovery of a pair on Koko Head in 1961, the terns were not known to breed on Oʻahu<\/span>.<\/p>\n

“With the loss of every species, our lives become a little less rich,” said Downs. “Especially here in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>, where there are so few native species left.”<\/p>\n

The official bird of the City and County of Honolulu, which can be found throughout the Pacific, Southern Atlantic and Indian Oceans, now has a thriving population in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> thanks to the efforts of groups like Hui Manu-o-K\u016b.<\/p>\n

Manu-o-K\u016b are unique for their tolerance of humans. Rather than shying away from people, like many birds do, manu-o-K\u016b are curious and even form relationships. In fact, for some families, manu-o-K\u016b are ʻaumakua<\/span>, or ancestral gods.<\/p>\n

Oʻahu<\/span>, UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa home to many<\/h2>\n

Beyond the Northwest Hawaiian Islands, Oʻahu<\/span> has the highest population of these beloved birds in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>, with UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa being one of the busiest locations for breeding.<\/p>\n

\"Manu-o-K\u016b
Manu-o-K\u016b<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

An accredited arboretum<\/a>, the M\u0101noa campus has attracted manu-o-K\u016b to about 300 trees now marked for breeding use with blue tape.<\/p>\n

Managed predators through efforts such as designated cat feeding stations and rat traps, and a variety of trimmed trees make UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa a perfect place for manu-o-K\u016b to call home.<\/p>\n

“Trees, globally, play a huge role. They\u2019re part of this huge enterprise that sustains life on earth,” said Kai. “We have a unique set of trees that go along with this wonderful university.”<\/p>\n

Kai hopes that in future, students will take interest in forming a group that can help to work directly with Hui Manu-o-K\u016b.<\/p>\n

To get involved in upcoming events, visit the Hui Manu-o-K\u016b website<\/a>, follow them on Facebook at “White Tern Citizen Science” and on Instagram at @hui_manuoku<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2014By Josslyn Rose<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The group Hui Manu-O-K\u016b helped to save a white tern chick at Bilger Hall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":218384,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[665,1314,73,9],"class_list":["post-218763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","tag-conservation","tag-manoa-sustainability","tag-sustainability","tag-uh-manoa","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/manoa-manuoku-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/218763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=218763"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/218763\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":218795,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/218763\/revisions\/218795"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/218384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=218763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=218763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=218763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}