High schools on Hawaii’s Kauai island to play day games again this fall to protect seabirds

HONOLULU — High school students on Hawaii’s Kauai island will be playing football in the daytime again this fall to make sure their stadium lights don’t harm threatened and endangered seabirds.
The Kauai Interscholastic Federation on Wednesday said teams would play night games until the fledging season begins and young seabirds begin leaving their nests to head out to sea on Sept. 15.
Four early evening games will be played when the moon is expected to be bright, and not when fledging activity will be at its peak.
The teams must avoid night games because the stadium lights confuse and distract seabirds following the moon and stars while migrating to the ocean.
Kauai teams follow the schedule to keep the county in compliance with federal laws protecting the endangered and threatened seabirds.