'Ou or Bulwer's Petrel
Named after James Bulwer the 'Ou is also for some people of Hawai'i an aumakua or protective guardian spirit. A pelagic bird who spends most of its life out at sea it is one of the smallest with a wingspan of 23-26". Dark charcoal brown with a pale white diagonal stripe under its wing the Bulwer's Petrel feeds on the surface of fish, squid and small plankton.

  

The Bulwer's Petrel is usually found alone when out at sea.
 
 

During breeding season the Bulwer's Petrel seek land on a rocky or sandy island to lay one single egg in a burrow or rock crevice. The 53 days of incubation is carried out by both sexes.

The offshore Mokulua Islands in Hawaii is a bird sanctuary but is also a popular destination for kayakers who land ashore. The birds nest under the ground in burrows and many visitors who walk around the island step on the burrows causing it to cave in and kill the baby birds.

    
 
The Bulwer's Petrel lays only one egg a year.
 

  The Mokulua Islands are also the breeding grounds of the Shear Water Wedged Tail. The Bulwer's Petrels come to the islands first to choose a burrow that has been left over from the year before. If the petrel chooes too large a burrow the shearwater will arrive and push out the petrel and its egg.
The Bulwer's Petrel is for some people of Hawai'i, an 'aumakua or protective guardian spirit.

 

The Bulwer's Petrel also nest on Johnston's Atoll. Someof them will migrate to the Mokulua Islands during the month of May through October and some will stay on the Johnston's Atoll. This atoll is restricted and considered a bird sanctuary which ensures less human impact on their habitat. The Mokolua Islands are also considered a Hawaii State Bird Sanctuary however increased human impact to these islands have endangered the birds nesting areas.