About Those Birds

On October 13, twelve birds were released into the Alaka’i Wilderness Preserve, which is a mountainous region on the island of Kauai. The puaiohi (Kaua’i thrush) is an endangered species that is part of a program to breed and then release into the wild. This species is only found on Kauai. For the last ten years government and private organizations have facilitated the captive breeding and release program.

Each of the birds has a band and a radio-transmitter, which allows the birds to be monitored for up to 30 days. This enables the scientists to know if the individual birds make it in the wild or if the release was unsuccessful. Since the program started, 188 birds have been released back into their natural habitat. However, before the birds can be released staff had to go in and rid the release site of rats. Rats are a major threat, not only to the puaiohi but to many other bird species among the islands.

David Leonard, a biologist for the Department of Land and Natural Resources – Division of Forestry and Wildlife states that the:

Release of captive birds is one strategy to ensure that the puaiohi does not go extinct; however, it cannot be the only strategy. Restoration efforts also need to include long term and landscape scale control of alien plants and non-native predators, and we are exploring innovative and cost effective approaches to achieve these. For example, we are determining if puaiohi will use rat-proof structures for nesting.

With other efforts in place, like habitat restoration and conservation, birds may well survive much longer into our future.

In 1994, there may have been as few as 200 puaiohi in the wild. Then in 1996, eggs were transferred to the San Diego Zoo’s Keauhou Bird Conservation Center. Since then the center has been able to annually release birds into the wild.

With the assistance of state and federal funds, the Division of Forestry and Wildlife set up the Kaua’i Endangered Forest Bird Recovery Project. With the assistance of biologists, information is taken on the puaiohi in order to serve the species better in the wild. Also, since the bird is listed as endangered financial aid is given to Hawaii by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to collect information and help protect birds like the puaiohi.

With efforts like these it seems that the puaiohi will not go extinct now. Its is when species loss is taken seriously that the species will be able to recover. The puaiohi loss is taken seriously and it is on its way to recovery.

Click here for the full article.

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The Japanese white-eye is a cute little bird introduced to Hawaii in the late 1920s to control bug populations. There wasn’t much thought into introducing a new, unusual species to a new habitat and even since then there hasn’t really been a problem. However, researchers have recently noticed that the populations of white-eyes have increased over the years and that some native birds are declining. The researchers noticed that the native bird’s offspring were smaller and malnutrition where white-eyes were in greater numbers. The native birds also suffer from shorter beaks and cannot get food properly. The malnutritioned birds are more susceptible to other threats, such as parasites and disease.

It really seems that Hawaii’s birds cannot catch a break. Not only do they have decreasing habitat, a multitude of other invasive species, and parasites – they have a fellow bird that’s slowly killing them off. I really wish something could be done about such things, but its easier said than done.

Pictured: Japanese white-eye, the offender

Click here for the full article from Science Daily.

‘Till next time – enjoy!

Everybody knows of Hawaii. They know its lush, tropical forests with the exotic flora and fauna, but what people don’t know is that Hawaii has the most imperiled species of all the states. 330 species of plants and animals are in peril in Hawaii. That is a huge number for such a small state out in the middle of the Pacific. It’s also extremely bad because much of the plants and animals of Hawaii are very specialized, once we lose them – they are gone, forever. A recent article published in the San Francisco Chronicle discusses a few of the endangered species in Hawaii and what you can do to help them. Visit the article to see more. I’m going to take it one step further and show many of the endangered endemic bird species of Hawaii.

It’s extremely saddening to see that some beautiful creatures are dying out and that we, as humans, are causing it. Hawaii is losing its flora and fauna due to invasive species and habitat loss. These animals have no where to go when their environment is gone. They live on an island, they can’t go anywhere.

Hawaii’s Most Imperiled Species

- Newell’s Shearwater, Puffinus auricularis newelli

• • Hawaiian Name: ‘A’o
  • IUCN Status: Threatened
  • Why this bird is threatened: Animals, such as the mongoose, cats, and rats, that were introduced to the island ate this bird because it is a ground-nesting seabird. Habitat loss and chick migration confusion due to lights are causing this bird’s populations to degrade even more.

- Hawaiian Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis

• • Hawaiian Name: ‘Alae ‘ula
  • IUCN Status: Endangered
  • Why this bird is threatened: Loss of habitat, invasive species, pollution, hunting and disease are decimating this bird’s populations. This bird’s total population was down to 57 in the 1960s, however through good conservation, the population is up to about 500.

11 of Hawaii’s Critically Endangered Birds

1. Laysan Duck, Anas laysanensis

2. Nihoa Finch, Telespiza ultima

3. ʻŌʻū, Psittirostra psittacea

4. Palila, Loxioides bailleui

5. Maui Parrotbill, Pseudonestor xanthophrys

6. Nukupu’u, Hemignathus lucidus

7. ‘Akikiki, Oreomystis bairdi

Source: Surfbirds.com

8. O’ahu ‘Alauahio, Paroreomyza maculata

9. ‘Akeke’e, Loxops caeruleirostris

10. ‘Akohekohe, Palmeria dolei

11. Po’ouli, Melamprosops phaeosoma

Birds are so beautiful, why are we letting them die?

‘Till next time – enjoy!