Tree trimming tips for arborists and homeowners

Tree Care Best Practices Near Manu-o-Kū Breeding Sites
 
Plan for Manu-o-Kū: Check the Breeding Range Map at www.whiteterns.org to find out if the trees youʻre pruning have known breeding sites. Before pruning, check carefully throughout the tree crown for signs of incubating adults, eggs or chicks. Call the Manu-o-Kū Hotline (808-379-7555) for assistance in determining if Manu-o-Kū are nesting in a tree.
 
Buddy Up: The trained manu-o-Kū observer on the ground helps the worker aloft by watching the incubating audlt or chick for signs of distress.
 
Mind the Buffer Zone: The behavior-defined buffer zone is breached when the incubating adult or check gets up, moves in a nervous manner, or moves away. If this happens, back away slowly.
 
Right Tools:  Within 20 feet of breeding activity, use electric saws. Within 10 feet of a chick, use hand tools. Avoid workinig less that 10 feet from an uncubating adult.
 
DO:
  • Practice non-threatening behavior such as turning away your eyes and body, and moving calmly and slowly.
  • Allow the incubating adult or chick to get used to your presence.
  • Retain breeding branches even if no active breeding is observed as nesting branches are very often reused.
  • Prune to improve crown densisty, to simultaneously allow adult access and to preserve canopy cover for eggs and chicks.
  • Move a fallen chick off the ground and move it to a safer location.
  • Downland and read the full guidlines at alohaarborist.com, then click on the Manu-o-Kū tab.
 
DON’T:
  • Approach a breeding site from above, as this will cause alarm.
  • Vibrate, strike of shake a branch where breeding site is located.
  • Drop debris onto the breeding site or a branch hosting the breeding site.
  • Remove a branch or tree containing a flightless chick or egg without a permit.
  • Keep working or keep information to yourself if a chick or egg has been harmed or killed – call one of these contacts:
    • Hui Manu-o-Kū Hotline: 808-379-7555
    • USFWS Office of Law Enforcement (OLE): 808-861-8525
    • DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW): 808-973-9778, 808-643-3567

Use our manu-o-Kū Nest Map to find specific trees that host nests

Before heading out to a project, or even on site, you can use this map to identify specific trees that are hosting, or have hosted, manu-o-Kū nests. Please be aware that the Nest Map cannot account for every nest in Honolulu. There will be nests that we don't know about so make sure to carefully inspect every tree. If you do find an undocumented nest, please tell us about it here.

Click the image below to download Aloha Arborist Association's June 2019 
​Tree Care Guidelines and Best Practices for Manu-o-Kū Breeding Sites