#endangered bird

In a landmark collaboration between science and education, six Hawaiʻi high school students have successfully produced the first-ever draft genome of the palila—a critically endangered, finch-billed Hawaiian Honeycreeper endemic to the islands.

“Four Hawaiian honeycreepers are at risk of extinction within the next ten years: akikiki ~1 year; kiwikiu ~6 years; akekee ~8 years; and akohekohe ~10 years. If we lose these special birds, we also lose the essential roles they perform within the native ecosystem and a piece of Hawaiian culture. Unless we take significant action now, they will be gone forever.”

A sign waving rally was held Saturday in Kahului, asking the state to complete a full Environmental Impact Statement for their planned “Mosquito Control Research Using Wolbachia-based Incompatible Insect Technique” project.

Christmas, or Mele, is nine-years-old and believed to be the oldest living ʻakiapōlāʻau in the wild.

Haleakalā National Park is seeking public input on an environmental assessment for the “Suppression of Non-native Mosquito Populations to Address the Impacts of Avian Malaria on Threatened and Endangered Forest Birds on Maui.” The assessment will determine the impacts of using a new technique to manage mosquitoes in East Maui.

On Kaua‘i, Maui, and Hawai‘i Island, mosquito trapping surveys now have a sense of urgency, with three species of honeycreepers (‘akikiki, ‘akeke‘e, kiwikiu) on the precipice of extinction in the wild in under five years.

Significant federal dollars are headed to Hawai‘i to help address the extinction crisis facing at least four species of native Hawaiian birds.

Biologists monitoring the area found that the population of more than 70 birds recorded in 2015 had declined to just five in 2021.  

The discovery Wednesday of a single rare Kiwikiu bird on Maui, found alive and well after perviously presumed dead for 605 days, is cause for hope among experts working to save the species from extinction.

The project, which was supported by the County of Kaua‘i’s ‘Rise to Work’ program, uses street art to introduce Kaua‘i residents to endangered birds, and to the idea that both cats and birds are protected when cats are kept indoors.

“We have forests that are similar to the forest on Hawai‘i Island where ʻalalā were released. There are abundant food resources in our Maui Nui forests; abundant trees that would be suitable for nesting platforms. And we do not have the ʻio predation risk, because we don’t have ‘io here,” Duvall said.

Maui Brewing Company in Lahaina hosts the event, with half the pub profits from house beers sold going towards the protection of native birds and endangered species on Maui. 

Six endangered birds were released into the newly restored Pu‘u Mali area on Mauna Kea’s northern flank on Sunday and Monday.

A new study from Kauaʻi’s Alakaʻi Wilderness shows different how management may enable long-term survival of the Puaiohi, a critically endangered native thrush.

Members of The ‘Alalā Project say that the reintroduction of captive-raised birds without the benefit of experienced ‘Alalā already in the wild is challenging.

Although the birds had been observed doing well and eating from feeders placed in the area, three ‘Alalā, or Hawaiian crow, were found dead over the last week.

The Maui Ocean Center will host its first voluntary public cleanup of the new year this coming weekend at Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge.

By Wendy Osher The state will consider the expenditure of more than $1 million in federal funds for six landowner incentive program projects across Hawaii.  Nearly half of the funding would go to Tri-Isle Resource Conservation & Development Inc. for watershed forest protection at Kahikinui, Maui.  The allocation would be used to protect an estimated […]

There’s new hope for a critically endangered forest bird on Maui.  Results from a two week survey conducted in September suggest that the Maui Parrotbill numbers are showing signs of stability. Teams from the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project estimated there are about 20 parrotbills per square kilometer of forest, that’s more than double the […]

An adult nÄ“nÄ“ was killed on the road at Haleakalā National Park on Sunday (December 28, 2008).  Motorists traveling to the park are asked to please drive slowly and cautiously.  In addition to permanent signs along the park’s road to inform motorists of nÄ“nÄ“ crossing the road, park biologists placed special signs along areas where […]