Attach_2_-_SOW_Investigation_of_Social_Attraction_Techniques_for_Red-footed_Boobies_at_MCBH_06-29-17.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

Investigation of Social Attraction Techniques for Red-Footed Boobies at MCBH

Introduction and Overview

Red-footed boobies (Sula sula) are seabirds found on O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and throughout the tropics. On O‘ahu, a red-footed booby colony of approximately 2,000 individuals occurs at Ulupa‘u Crater, Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i (MCBH). Ulupa‘u Crater is used by the Marine Corps as a weapons range. Fire is a major threat to this colony and has resulted in the direct mortality as well as loss of roosting and nesting habitat. Occasionally, errant shots from weapons training have caused mortality of red-footed boobies. To address these impacts, the Marine Corps have developed a network of firebreaks, fire hydrants, and water cannons. In addition, in an attempt to encourage the boobies to move to habitat outside the firebreak road, artificial nesting platforms were installed. The platforms are used very little for nesting, and occasionally for roosting. Although habitat is available outside the training area and training continues, red-footed boobies continue to remain and return to the area to breed.

Red-footed boobies are attracted to breeding sites that already have red-footed boobies present and habitually return to the same location to nest each year. Therefore, it is unlikely red-footed boobies will colonize unoccupied habitat on its own. Social attraction methods (i.e., visual and/or acoustic) have been successfully used to attract adult seabirds to a specific site for the purpose of establishing a breeding colony. The proposed project involves using social attraction techniques to attract red-footed boobies too locations outside of the current breeding colony and away from the training impact area. Red-footed booby decoys will be used as a visual cue and red-footed booby playback calls as the acoustic cue. In addition to social attraction techniques, roosting/nesting trees will be removed (outside of the breeding season) from a selected site within the weapons range to encourage red-footed boobies to relocate to suitable habitat outside of the impact area.

Objective

The objective of this investigation is to determine the success rate of utilizing social attraction techniques (e.g., decoys and audio) and habitat management to relocate a portion of the red-footed booby colony to one or two areas located outside the impact area of the Kaneohe Bay Range Training Facility.

Scope of Work

The project will be conducted at the Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i located in Kaneohe on the island of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Two attraction sites have been selected based upon red-footed booby habitat preferences and Marine Corps mission requirements. One site occurs within Ulupa‘u Crater and is adjacent to the existing colony and the second site occurs on the outside slope of Ulupa‘u Crater. Both sites have been approved by MCBH. The tree removal site at Ulupa‘u Crater was selected based upon the area within the colony that receives high impact levels due to weapons training and lowest nesting success. Photos of both attraction sites and the tree removal site can be found within the document, RFBO Social Attraction Project Summary.

The investigation will be conducted in two phases. Phase one involves: working out logistics; purchasing supplies and specialized equipment (e.g., red-footed booby decoys, audio recording/playback equipment, bird banding supplies, satellite tags or other temporary bird tracking device); recording red-footed booby calls at the colony to be used for playback; installing decoys and equipment; maintaining decoys and playback equipment at the sites; and monitoring the effects of decoys and audio playback with regards to attracting birds to the selected sites.

Phase two involves: removing nesting trees located adjacent to the range impact zone;

capturing birds to band and place temporary tracking devices (minimum of 20 birds);

tracking red-footed boobies to observe their response to the tree removal and determine their location post tree removal; continued maintenance of decoys and playback equipment at the sites; and continued monitoring of the effects of decoys and audio playback with regards to attracting birds to the selected sites. Tree removal will be the responsibility of MCBH, and will be conducted in coordination with this investigation.

Tree removal must take place during the non-breeding season within the months of September through October. Banding of birds and placement of tracking devices must be completed prior to tree removal.

Monitoring and maintenance of decoys and equipment will be conducted on a monthly basis, likely on the weekend based upon access to the sites (e.g., training occurs infrequently on the weekends, but nearly every weekday). Monitoring for the presence of red-footed boobies is best conducted at day break when roosting birds are present at the colony or right before it gets dark when the birds would be returning to the colony to roost for the night. Information to be recorded includes but is not limited to the number of birds within 100 feet (30.5 meters) of each attraction site (note if birds flyby), number of birds roosting at each attraction site, photo documentation of birds at the attraction sites. Monthly site visits would also include maintenance of decoys and playback equipment. Decoys will be maintained in the correct position and in good shape and playback equipment maintained in good working condition and batteries replaced as needed.

Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office (PIFWO) Biologists, MCBH Environmental Staff, and the Contractor will collaborate and work out details regarding preparations (e.g., logistics, decoy design) and conducting field work. Funds will be provided to the Contractor to purchase equipment and supplies for the project, salary for work conducted during Phases one and two including data analysis and preparation of Annual Reports and the Final Report.

Government Furnished Equipment, Materials/Information, or Personnel

Oversight of the project and field assistance will be provided by a PIFWO Biologist from the O‘ahu, Kaua‘i, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and America Samoa Team.

Additional field assistance will be provided by another PIFWO Biologist from this same Team. MCBH Environmental Staff will coordinate site visits and collaborate with PIFWO Biologists and the Contractor throughout the project.

Tree removal activities will be conducted by MCBH personnel. The capturing of red-footed boobies for banding and placement of tracking devices takes place within the tree removal site, which occurs within an unexploded ordnance area. Therefore, an Explosive Ordnance Division escort and Medical Corpsmen support is required and will be provided by MCBH during this portion of the project.

Period of Performance

Phase 1: Preparation/ Equipment & Supply Acquisition/Install & Maintain Decoys &

Equipment/Data Collection/ Monthly Monitoring – FY 2017 Phase 2: Bird Capturing, Banding, Tracking Device/Bird tracking/Tree

Removal/Maintain Decoys & Equipment/Data Collection/Monthly Monitoring

– FY 2018

Maintain Decoys & Equipment/Data Collection/Monthly Monitoring – FY 2019 Data Analysis/Deliver Final Report – FY 2020

To be completed by September 30, 2020.

Deliverables

Decoys The red-footed booby decoys need to be of sufficient quality, similar in appearance to the species, and withstand the elements (e.g., sun, wind, salt spray). If the decoy is made of wood, it must be resistant to termites. Refer to the document, Red-footed Booby Decoy Specification Sheet for additional details regarding the decoy design. The contractor will work with the PIFWO Biologist and MCBH Environmental Staff to develop the final red-footed booby decoy design.

Decoys need to be designed, fabricated (150 – 200), and delivered. Approximately 150 decoys (75 per site) will be securely mounted in a tree or similar elevated position and maintained and monitored monthly. Decoys must be installed by March 1, 2018 and maintained (in the correct position and in good shape) on a monthly basis at the two attraction sites through September 30, 2019. Once the project is completed, all decoys will be turned over to MCBH. Based on market research, we estimate decoys of sufficient quality will cost approximately $125 per decoy.

Audio Sound recordings of red-footed booby calls need to be conducted at the red-footed booby colony at Ulupa‘u Crater. These recordings will be used for the playbacks. All audio equipment must have a self-contained power source, and operate for long periods without maintenance/recharge due to limited site access. Playbacks need to be audible from 100 feet (30.5 meters) in all directions of the playback device and be of sound quality and volume similar to the existing colony at Ulupa‘u Crater. Auditory equipment must be installed by March 1, 2018 and maintained (kept in good working condition and batteries replaced as needed) on a monthly basis at the two attraction sites through September 30, 2019. Once the project is completed, all equipment purchased with project funds will be turned over to MCBH.

Red-footed booby banding and tracking device It is the responsibility of the contractor to obtain the necessary permits and equipment for capturing, handling, banding, and placement of tracking devices on the red-footed boobies (minimum 20 birds). Banding and placement of tracking devices must be conducted prior to tree removal and done in coordination with MCBH Environmental Staff.

Tracking device must be temporary and not impair health or function of the red-footed boobies.

Reporting

(1) Annual Reports –Due at the end of all fiscal years (September 30th), except final year

a. Accomplishments

b. Monthly Attraction Site Observations

c. Basic data summary

(2) Draft Project Report (due to MCBH and USFWS within 6 months of completing all data collection)

a. Abstract

b. Introduction

c. Methods

d. Results

e. Discussion

f. Recommendations

g. Photo Documentation

h. GIS data (see document GIS format Statement of Work)

(3) Final Project Report due 60 days following receipt of Draft comments to MCBH and

USFWS.

Availability

The project occurs on a military installation and both attraction sites occur within active training areas. Therefore, access to the project sites will have to be done in coordination with MCBH Environmental Staff well in advance of field work.