Official websites use .mil
Secure .mil websites use HTTPS
Birds fly and nest in the bird sanctuary on Wilkes Island at Wake Atoll April 11, 2017. The sanctuary has approximately 40,000 birds and 12 species on an island less than one square mile in size. The U.S. Air Force, through partnerships with agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, have worked in recent years to restore Wake Atoll to a more natural habit for its bird population and rid the three islands of invasive plant species. Wake Atoll, made up of the tropical islands of Wilkes, Wake and Peale, is located approximately 2,138 nautical miles west of Honolulu, has a population of roughly 100 residents including Air Force personnel and American and Thai contractors, and is managed by the Pacific Air Forces Regional Support Center under 11th Air Force at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska