Friends of Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge

03/16/2026

Happy anniversary to the National Wildlife Refuge System! March 14, 1903.

Happy birthday to the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Back in 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt set aside a small island in Florida called Pelican Island to protect nesting birds. That one decision kicked off what would become a nationwide network of protected lands dedicated to wildlife.

Today, the Refuge System includes more than 570 national wildlife refuges across the United States. These places protect critical habitat for birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and plants, while also giving people a chance to connect with the outdoors.

Check out these numbers. National wildlife refuges receive:

🦌2.63 million annual hunting visits
🐟8.61 million annual fishing visits
🚶‍➡️4,197 miles of public trails and boardwalks, water and snow included
🚗7,352 lane miles of public roads

From quiet marshes and coastal estuaries to sweeping prairies and desert landscapes, these lands were set aside for wildlife, but they also welcome people who want to recreate, hunt, fish, photograph wildlife, and explore.

Happy birthday to the refuges.

Photo of an American avocet and chick at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge National by Jean Zuo (sharetheexperience)

03/15/2026

☀️Your Sunday Morning Moment on Kuaihelani brought to you by USFWS volunteer, Sophie Elliott!

"Not having any tall trees on Eastern Island means that birds like the 'Iwa (Great Frigatebird) roost and nest much lower to the ground, giving us incredible views! This one is a young bird, the orange head is a dead giveaway. As it gets older it will develop the iconic red gular pouch if it is male, or a white chest if it is female."

Hawaiian saying: Kīkaha ka ‘iwa, he lā makani.
When the frigatebird soars, it is a windy day.
The ‘Iwa bird is known for its mastery of the wind, floating and soaring in the heights with an innate trust in their wings and internal compass.

Learn more on our website:
https://friendsofmidway.org/explore/wildlife-plants/birds/great-frigatebird/

03/13/2026

🥳 The Kaʻupu (Black-footed Albatross) who was translocated from Midway Atoll to Oʻahu in 2021 has returned successfully this year!

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03/13/2026

Some places change your heart forever. 💙

For many of us, Midway Atoll—Kuaihelani, The Backbone of Heaven—is one of those places.

We’re proud to share a special interview with our Executive Administrator, Krystal Winn, who works every day for Friends of Midway Atoll to help people around the world stay connected to this remarkable refuge and the seabirds that call it home.

The interview is led by Hob Osterlund—a beloved advocate for Mōlī (Laysan albatross), founder of the Kauaʻi Albatross Network, and author of "Holy Mōlī: Albatross and Other Ancestors."

We’re honored by this heartfelt collaboration and grateful for the opportunity to share the story behind the work happening for Kuaihelani.

This interview was originally published on the blog of The Safina Center, and we’re grateful to share it with our FOMA ‘ohana.

💙 Read the full interview here:
https://friendsofmidway.org/the-backbone-of-heaven-kuaihelani-midway-atoll-interview/

Mahalo to you for being part of the community that helps protect Kuaihelani.

03/11/2026

Not just albatross chicks on Kuaihelani! 🐣

Meet this incredibly fluffy Tristram’s Storm-Petrel chick—just 18 days old in February—tucked safely inside a human-made nest box on Midway. These tiny seabirds start hatching around late December and are ready to fledge by early May. These carefully designed artificial burrows were put together by USFWS biologists Sarah Youngren and Dan Rapp. Thanks to these burrows, more chicks like this one are getting a safe start.

Mahalo to Dan Rapp for the video.

This year, a record 20 pairs used these burrows! 🙌

Your help in supporting volunteers & staff like Dan & Sarah continues conservation efforts like this.
Join the FOMA hui (family) today: https://friendsofmidway.org/fb-donate-membership
🌊🐦

Never miss out on the latest news - sign up for our free newsletter:
https://friendsofmidway.org/subscribe-newsletter

03/08/2026

Sunday Morning Moment 🌿

This week, we’re taking a short break from our feathered friends to spotlight another important part of life on Kuaihelani.

Restoring native plants—like loulu, naio, milo, and nehe—happens year-round on Midway Atoll, whether there are zero or hundreds of thousands of albatross present. Propagation and outplanting help rebuild native habitat that supports seabirds and other wildlife across the atoll, carried out by dedicated staff and volunteers.

Mahalo to USFWS volunteer Sophie Elliott for sharing these behind-the-scenes photos of the greenhouse and restoration work in action.

"In the Greenhouse we hand water every single plant to we can make sure they are all getting exactly what they need depending on weather conditions and species requirements. This is me watering our young pōpolo.

Myself, Ayla Liss and Surakit Tongprapa (known here as Tao) - another Verbesina Tech - finish up a loulu outplanting, complete with orange protective fencing so they aren't trampled by birds. You can see I am leaving a gap in the fencing, this is to allow any Bonin Petrels that may accidentally get inside the fencing to be able to safely escape!

Once plants grow big enough to stop needing such specialist conditions they are moved to our Shadehouse. This is roofed with shadecloth to allow the plants to benefit from rain, and also has automated driplines which provides fertilizer for the plants. In the photo are young loulu on driplines in the background. The Laysan ducks love the Shadehouse as it provides a constant source of fresh water and invertebrates! These ducklings are around 10 days old."

🌱To learn more, including videos by previous volunteers, check out our blog:
https://friendsofmidway.org/why-volunteers-need-your-help-in-their-work-restoring-native-plants/

🥰 Contribute to this important conservation effort - help continue the volunteer program on Kuaihelani:
https://friendsofmidway.org/fb-donate-membership

03/07/2026

Even as albatross chicks grow bigger and begin spending more time on their own, some parents aren’t quite ready to stop brooding. ❤️

Last month, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service volunteer Dan Rapp captured this sweet moment on Kuaihelani showing a determined albatross parent continuing to brood its chick… while the chick patiently allows it. It's almost as if the parent reassures its chick that it's fine, everything's fine, while preening them.

Just like human parents who have a hard time letting their kids “leave the nest,” albatross parents go through the same transition.

🎥 Watch this glimpse of chick growth and a little extra parental devotion.

03/05/2026

🪽Mōlī (Laysan Albatross) chick ready for takeoff!☁️

"Hey, that looks fun, I can do it too! Or not!" - chick, probably

🐥While little ones all over Kuaihelani are very eager to be in the air like the adults they see, they are still in practice mode. Later down the road, they'll be up to the task of getting higher than nest height. For now, they'll stretch and train those muscles needed for an eventual 6-foot wingspan!

As a reminder, all videos posted here will be up on our YouTube channel to watch over and over and over again. Because we always need more albatross chick videos to watch! ❤

🎥Mahalo nui loa to USFWS volunteer Dan Rapp for this video taken a few days ago.

03/04/2026

🌊Celebrate the One-Year Anniversary of the Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary!

NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is warmly inviting you to a FREE evening of pilina (connection), reflection, and learning celebrating one year of strengthened protections for Papahānaumokuākea as a National Marine Sanctuary, which includes Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll).

📍 Waikīkī Aquarium
📅 March 7
🕔 Evening gathering: 5:00–8:00 p.m.

During the day (10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.), enjoy family-friendly activities highlighting ocean stewardship and the importance of safeguarding Papahānaumokuākea for future generations.

📜 Background: The final rule designating the marine portions of Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary was published January 16, 2025, and became effective March 3, 2025 — establishing enduring protections under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act.

Let’s gather to uplift this milestone and affirm that these protections are here to stay - which includes the beautiful Kuaihelani.

🎟️ Register (free) on Eventbrite and please share with your networks:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/one-year-anniversary-of-papahanaumokuakea-national-marine-sanctuary-tickets-1983893544998?aff=oddtdtcreator

03/01/2026

🌺 Aloha kakahiaka, FOMA hui! 🌺
Good morning to our FOMA family—let’s start the day with a little nighttime magic from Midway. 🌙💭

Meet two of the seabirds from Kuaihelani (Midway Atoll):
ʻAkihikeʻehiʻale — Tristram’s Storm Petrel (smaller)
Nunulu — Bonin Petrel

🎥 Today we’re sharing an evening trail cam video filmed in late December 2024 by a dedicated U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service volunteer and bird counter Greg Joder. Turn up the sound and you’ll hear ʻAkihikeʻehiʻale calling—and occasionally negotiating space—with their Bonin Petrel neighbors.

The video features man-made nest boxes on Sand Island, originally designed and installed years ago by USFWS biologists Dan Rapp and Sarah Youngren. These nest boxes have played an important role in helping storm petrels return to Midway Atoll.

ʻAkihikeʻehiʻale are one of many seabird species with at least half of their global breeding population found within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Like the Nunulu, they were likely wiped out on Midway after black rats were introduced in 1943. Following rat eradication in 1996, sightings slowly returned—leading to confirmed breeding in 2016. 🐣

With a global population estimated at just ~20,000 birds and a reliance on low-lying islands, Tristram’s Storm Petrels remain a conservation priority.

▶️ Watch the video here:
https://youtu.be/mH76hSIwmwA?si=6pyC5KBDNANVP-6m

🔗 Learn more about these fascinating seabirds and see how the nest boxes were built:
https://friendsofmidway.org/tristrams-storm-petrels/

❤Support Kuaihelani & continue conservation of these beautiful birds:
https://friendsofmidway.org/fb-donate-membership

Mahalo for starting your morning with us—and with the birds of Kuaihelani. 💙
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02/26/2026

🧠🌿 Birds, Brains & Aging — A Surprising Connection

Did you enjoy looking for birds? 🐦According to new research, long-term fun identifying birds may help the brain become better at pattern recognition and could even build resilience against age-related cognitive decline.

Whether you’re spotting albatross gliding over the Pacific or dowitchers probing a wetland, your birdwatching hobby might be doing more for you than you realize! 👀

🔗 Read more about the science behind birding and the brain:
https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/birdwatching-slows-ageing



National Audubon Society Hawaii Audubon Society Albatross Lovers USFWS Migratory Birds Hawaii Bird Lovers Hob Osterlund

Birdwatching gives you the perfect triad of skills to slow your cognitive decline and experience healthier ageing, study finds

02/24/2026

Life among albatrosses changes you forever. 💙

When Dr. Heidi Auman first arrived on Midway Atoll in 1993, she expected rigorous fieldwork. What she didn’t expect was how deeply the albatrosses — and their stories — would stay with her.

“Inside the chicks lay the scattered remnants of our modern world — bottle caps, discarded lighters, bits of toys…”

For nearly seven years, Heidi lived among hundreds of thousands of albatrosses, documenting some of the earliest evidence of plastic ingestion and toxic contamination in seabirds. Her work revealed a sobering truth: 97% of Laysan albatross chicks studied had plastic in their stomachs.

Yet her story is not only about loss — it’s also about resilience, beauty, and the enduring power of these birds to inspire change.

“Their struggle with plastic pollution is not a failure of the birds. It is a mirror held up to us.”

We’re honored to share Heidi’s reflections and grateful for her continued advocacy as a member of Friends of Midway Atoll. 💙

Full article:
https://friendsofmidway.org/living-with-albatrosses-reflections-of-my-research-on-midway-atoll/