RELEASING MOSQUITOES TO HELP KAUA‘I’S FOREST BIRDS
ALAKAʻI PLATEAU, Kauaʻi – It seems counterintuitive to release hundreds of thousands of mosquitoes into an area where the insects are spreading avian malaria and bringing several species of Hawaiian honeycreepers to the precipice of extinction.
Nonetheless, staff from the Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project (KFBRP) heralded Thursday’s first release of male mosquitoes, into a state forest reserve on the vast Alakaʻi Plateau, as momentous.
Ten years of planning, permitting and community outreach led the team and its partners, to the release of male mosquitoes that are reproductively incompatible with female mosquitoes, which bite and spread the often-deadly disease.
“Incompatible Insect Technology, or IIT, leads to mosquito population suppression, and we hope it will reduce the amount of avian malaria which is driving the declines of native forest birds,” explained Dr. Lisa ‘Cali’ Crampton, the head of KFBRP.
IIT has been deployed successfully around the world. This is the first time it’s been used on Kaua‘i as a biological control to try and severely reduce the number of malaria-carrying mosquitoes. “It is a tried and true and safe technique that has been used hundreds of times,” Crampton said.
The mosquitoes are flown from a facility in California and each week, half a million bugs will be loaded onto a helicopter in biodegradable cones that resemble an ice cream sugar cone.
The deployment helicopters are outfitted with a specially designed tube which directs each cone out of the bottom of the aircraft, where they float to the ground. “We do this twice a week to ensure there’s a very, very high likelihood that a wild female will encounter one of the incompatible males. We’re really trying to interrupt the reproductive cycle,” explained Crampton.
She says she is very hopeful, a sentiment shared by DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife planner Justin Hite. He spent a decade leading KFBRP field teams into the remote areas favored by species like the ‘akikiki and the ‘akeke’e, two of the honeycreepers with such low numbers they’re likely to completely disappear from the wilds in the next year or two.
Hite observed yesterday’s releases and said, “We hope this really moves the needle for these species.”
The bird recovery teams are employing what Crampton calls, “integrated pest management.” In addition to the IIT releases, they’re using a common larvicide known as BTi, which targets one phase of the mosquito life cycle – the larval phase. It’s been used on the ground on the Alakaʻi for nine years, and over the past year it’s also been applied from helicopters. IIT targets the adult stage and the egg production stage. “So, the idea is the BTi reduces populations of adult mosquitoes to begin with, making it more likely that females will encounter one of these incompatible males,” according to Crampton.
The insurance they have for the continued existence of the most critically endangered birds, are conservation breeding populations. Crampton said that once IIT and BTi have been used for a year or so over the best forest bird habitat on Kaua‘i, they remain hopeful birds in the conservation programs, or their offspring will one day be released back into the wild.
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RESOURCES
(All images/video Courtesy: DLNR)
HD video – Releasing Mosquitoes to Help Kaua‘i’s Forest Birds (web feature):
HD video – First IIT releases on Kaua‘i media clips (Feb. 13, 2025):
Photographs – First IIT releases on Kaua‘i (Feb. 13, 2025):
Media Contact:
Dan Dennison
Communications Director
Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources
BLESSING THE “BIRDS” CRITICAL TO SAVING KAUA‘I’S FOREST BIRDS
BLESSING THE “BIRDS” CRITICAL TO SAVING KAUA‘I’S FOREST BIRDS
Annual Field Season Blessing Recognizes the Importance of Helicopters
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 4, 2024
LĪHUʻE, Kaua‘i — In a hangar on the north end of the Līhuʻe International Airport, more than two dozen people gathered on Monday to bless the beginning of another field season
Typically, the annual blessings are conducted at Kōkeʻe, near the Alaka‘i Plateau where, for nearly 20 years, staff from the Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project (KFBRP) have worked to save the island’s native forest birds from extinction.
Dr. Lisa ‘Cali’ Crampton leads KFBRP and says she has a real-world vision of how critical helicopters are to the mission.
“When we started doing all the work we do in the Alaka‘i the only air support we had was to get our food and our really heavy supplies in and out of the Alaka‘i and we did all the rest of the things we needed to do on foot,” Crampton said.
That involved commuting on foot over arduous terrain. Crampton says that took a major toll on workers and it reduced the time they spent in the field working with birds. She added, “Working with our partners to find the budget that we needed to be able to increase the amount of air support we have for our operations has been critical.”
Justin Hite, formerly with KFBRP, but now working as a planner with the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), echoed Crampton’s comments. “Physically, just getting to the different spots where the work’s going to take place is a two-hour drive, plus a seven-hour hike. To do the work in a productive way you’ve got to have air support,” Hite explained.
The helicopters will be especially indispensable this field season for a two-pronged mosquito control effort in Kaua‘i’s mountains, where forest bird populations have been decimated by the advance of avian malaria from lower elevations due to global warming.
Beginning next week, helicopters will begin dropping cones full of male mosquitoes that are incompatible with local females so their matings are inviable, thus reducing their population. For the past year teams have also used choppers to spread a biological larvicide, which is targeted bacteria to eliminate mosquito larvae in standing water.
“In the past we’ve tried to reduce populations with hand treatments and it’s like finding a needle in a haystack trying to find every little water source there is in the Alaka‘i Plateau because essentially it’s a swamp,” Crampton said.
Thirdly this season, helicopters will serve as a kind of intensive neo-natal care transport for the eggs of ‘anianiau as the team begins a conservation breeding program for the species to serve as an insurance population. “If we can’t get those eggs out in a timely fashion by helicopter, the program won’t work because it’s too dangerous and too time consuming to hike tiny little eggs out, Crampton explained
Hite and his 18-month-old daughter watched members of Ka ʻImi Naʻauao O Hawaiʻi Nei Institute perform ‘oli and chants to bless the upcoming field season. He said his daughter loves helicopters. “As soon as we pulled up here to the airport there were about five or six flying at once and she was spinning in all directions. She doesn’t call them helicopters yet. I think she calls all flying birds and other flying things nēnē,” Hite joked.
Staff from Jack Harter Helicopters joined the blessing. “It’s just been a great teamwork kind of thing. We just appreciate having you guys around, because you may know it or not, but Jack Harter died a few years ago,” said the company’s special projects director Casey Riemer.
“The first time I went flying with him, he talked about the birds in his narration. Talked about how they’re worried about the temperature rising high and the mosquitoes getting up there. So, now we’re doing something to help keep it from going further,” he added.
The company’s website even includes a tab where customers can donate to the cause. Full circle indeed.
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RESOURCES
(All images/video courtesy: DLNR)
HD video – Birds for Birds-Blessing Kaua‘i Forest Bird Field Season (web feature)
HD video – Kaua‘i forest bird field season blessing (Feb. 3, 2025):
(Shot sheet/transcription attached)
Photographs – Kaua‘i forest bird field season blessing (Feb. 3, 2025):
Learn more:
https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/wildlife/birds/
Media Contact:
Dan Dennison
Communications Director
Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources
808-587-0396
Email: Dlnr.comms@hawaii.gov
KAUAʻI AVIAN RESCUE AND RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS MOVING TO SINGLE SITE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 10, 2025
HONOLULU – The cancellation of a decades-long set-aside of land from the state of Hawai‘i to the County of Kaua‘i has paved the way for Kaua‘i’s renowned forest bird and seabird recovery and protection programs to move into a joint facility.
Today, the state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR), approved Kaua‘i Mayor Derek Kawakami’s request to cancel Governor’s Executive Order (EO) 4045. The first EO, in 1955, was issued to the county as the Hanapēpē Dog Pound site.
The Kauaʻi Humane Society utilized the property for 46 years and subsequently, in 2015, the BLNR approved the use of the premises for Hawaiian stewardship programs.
In the DLNR Land Division submittal to the land board, Mayor Kawakami indicated the site is no long being used for stewardship and while the county has tried to maintain it and fenced it off, squatters have moved in. The county will remove the squatters and their personal effects before the cancellation takes effect.
The property will be utilized for the benefit of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, College of Natural Sciences, Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit (PCSU) on behalf of the Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project (KFBRP), the Kaua‘i Endangered Seabird Recovery Project (KESRP), and the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaiʻi (RCUH). The term of the no-cost lease is 25 years.
Dr. Shaya Honarvar, PCSU Director and Principal Investigator for KFBRP and KESRP said, “Our mission is to protect and restore Hawaii’s native species, ecosystems, and cultural resources. The forest bird and seabird recovery projects on Kaua‘i epitomize this mission by combining research and conservation of federally and state protected native birds; some of which would already be extinct without the intervention of the project’s talented and dedicated teams.”
From the BLNR submission, “Due to the recent dramatic declines in forest bird populations on Kaua‘i and new advances in technologies to address their primary threat, mosquito-borne diseases, KFBRP’s budget and staff have recently increased almost two-fold. KFBRP has outgrown the small commercial real estate property it has rented since 2011. Meanwhile, KESRP has been occupying a small container at the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) base yard but needs to find a permanent home.”
Dr. Lisa ‘Cali’ Crampton, KFBRP Project Leader, said, “This allows us to share staff knowledge and skills more easily. A major synergy will be having space for cross- training, not only with our seabird partners, but also with our DLNR colleagues. There are many overlaps between various types of avian research and conservation, so being together provides great learning opportunities.”
The property is very close to where DLNR/DOFAW is developing a westside base yard. DOFAW Kaua‘i Branch Manager Sheri S. Mann said, “We hope to break ground in the next six months. The proximity of these projects, who we already collaborate with frequently, is going to enhance our shared endangered bird protection mission.”
“With the extinction crisis we’re facing, having a shared baseyard will allow us to streamline field operations, share equipment, vehicles, and other resources. Having a united front allows us to expand our outreach to the community. It’s not just about doing the critical conservation work—it’s about showing how important our native species are to the health of our ecosystems and the cultural heritage that makes our island so special,” said Dr. Julia Diegmann, KFBRP planner.
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RESOURCES
(All images/video Courtesy: DLNR)
HD video – Media clips of KFBRP and KESRP (various dates and locations on Kaua‘i):
Photographs – KFBRP and KESRP (various dates and locations on Kaua‘i):
Media contact:
Dan Dennison
Communications Director
Dept. of Land and Natural Resources, State of Hawai‘i
Phone: 808-587-0396
Email: dlnr.comms@hawaii.gov
YEAR OF THE FOREST BIRDS MARKED CHANGES FOR BIRDS, HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
YEAR OF THE FOREST BIRDS MARKED CHANGES FOR BIRDS, HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Wild Populations Faced New Threats and Saw New Opportunities in a Momentous Year
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 19, 2024
HONOLULU – 2024 was “Makahiki o nā Manu Nahele: Year of the Forest Birds,” officially proclaimed by Governor Josh Green, M.D., in January. An estimated 47,000 people engaged in bird-related education events over the year with the goal of raising awareness about Hawaiian forest birds and their plight. But for the birds themselves, it was a complicated year filled with both troubling declines and new rays of hope.
The most critically endangered forest birds continued to experience declines. Kauaʻi’s ʻakikiki is now considered functionally extinct in the wild, with five or fewer wild birds remaining. Declines in wild populations of Kauaʻi’s ʻanianiau and ʻakekeʻe and Maui’s kiwikiu spurred additional collections of birds for captive breeding populations which attempt to prevent extinctions. On Hawaiʻi Island, the population of palila has declined to around 500 individuals, driven largely by invasive predators like cats, rats and mongooses.
2024 was also a year of inspiring persistence for forest birds. Five ʻalalā (Hawaiian crow) were released into the forests of Maui in recent weeks, marking a historic return to the wild after years of existing only in captive breeding centers.
On Kauaʻi, one of the last remaining wild ʻakikiki, a female named Pakele, was seen with a potential mate named Liko. On Maui, a kiwikiu known as MAPA1 continues to be seen in Maui’s forests years after researchers thought the bird had disappeared due to disease.
As these birds cling to existence, new developments in conservation tools are providing hope for a healthier future.
Conservation crews with the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project spent 2024 implementing the Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) to reduce the number of mosquitoes in forests, thereby reducing the threat of avian malaria.
The tool is set to expand to Kauaʻi in 2025, hopefully in time to save Pakele, Liko and any offspring they might have. The partnership Birds, Not Mosquitoes released a new documentary in 2024 titled Vanishing Voices, which details the threat of avian malaria and the hope presented by the IIT. The documentary is now available online (see link below).
Another sign of hope for forest birds is an increase in awareness among Hawaiʻi residents. A recent pair of surveys by the Coordinating Group on Alien Pest Species and American Bird Conservancy found that the proportion of Hawaiʻi residents who could not name a Hawaiian forest bird dropped from 59% in 2017 to 24% in 2024.
As the Year of the Forest Bird closes, students from across Hawaiʻi submitted video messages to DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) sharing how they learned about birds in their classrooms and why they hope that these birds will continue to be part of Hawaiʻi for generations to come. Those videos will be shared on Instagram by accounts from DOFAW and partners in the Year of the Forest Birds campaign, which include the Kauaʻi and Maui Forest Bird Recovery Projects, Kamehameha Schools, Bishop Museum, Birds Not Mosquitoes, The American Bird Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy and others.
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RESOURCES
(All images/video courtesy: DLNR)
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/vmnoi2lyzt24tbdyrfjae/ANnxDP5bkHqd2iIHwNQ_D5M?rlkey=8tts5ux1sj5hv7recoegfcmm5&st=9br6pajy&dl=0
Photographs – Year of the Forest Bird Proclamation (Jan. 12, 2024): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/msjtfidcts72m2x3fvpva/AIUSXYplt_fTrIOzqTU-BQ4?rlkey=2ps68vyzjeejq5p28b3p0cf0e&st=hi5kqi2s&dl=0
Year of the Forest Bird education resources and partner connections: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/manu
Vanishing Voices documentary and IIT information: https://birdsnotmosquitoes.org
Media Contact:
Patti Jette
Communications Specialist
Hawaiʻi Dept. of Land and Natural Resources
Communications Office: 808-587-0396
Email: dlnr.comms@hawaii.gov
KFBRP WINTER Newsletter 2024
Hot off the press: Our 2024 KFBRP Winter Newsletter!
2024 has been a monumental year for KFBRP and our forest birds, filled with challenges, progress, and hope. As we look ahead to 2025, our mission to protect Kauaʻi’s precious native forest birds remains more urgent than ever. Join us in the fight to prevent further extinctions and celebrate the milestones we’ve achieved together.
Click here to read the newsletter online or download a printable version here.
Mahalo to our Mosquito Field Associate Jennifer Jackson for this year’s layout!
Here’s a sneak peek of what’s inside:
2024 in Review
Exciting Plans for 2025
Celebrating Makahiki o nā Manu Nāhele
Safeguarding the ‘Anianiau
A Closer Look at Saving Kauaʻi’s Puaiohi
New Conservation Actions for Kauaʻi’s Rapidly Declining Avifauna
Advancements in Malaria Control for Kauaʻi’s Birds
Protecting Native Birds Through Mosquito Management
Meet Our New Team Members
Shop Our New KFBRP Merchandise
Mahalo and Gratitude for Your Support!
Mahalo nui loa for standing with us in 2024. We couldn’t do this work without your incredible support and dedication. Together, we are making a difference!
PBS Hawai’i broadcast of “When Silence Becomes The Song”
As you may know, ‘Forest Calls’ (and its main media project, the documentary film titled “When Silence Becomes The Song”) wrapped up over a year ago. After a lengthy re-edit (based on the comments the film director received during the various islands’ virtual and in-person screenings) and months of conversation with PBS Hawai’i, we finally have a date for the television premiere broadcast. It is scheduled for this week, Thursday, November 21st at 8:30pm (HST). There will also be a re-broadcast on the following Sunday (November 24th at 1:00pm (HST)).
PBS Hawai’i has already uploaded the film online, so if you want to see the latest/final version of the documentary before/after any of these dates, you can go to:
Furthermore, PBS Hawai’i put the film on the cover of their November program guide. Here’s a link to that guide:
An important component of ‘Forest Calls’ is its website, as it explains how the various media projects came about, who was involved, etc. The website also provides a ton of very useful information about conservation work, biodiversity, and the importance of resisting extinction. The interviews in the ‘Resources’ page are particularly interesting and insightful. The link for the website is:
Mahalo to everyone who has been part of this important endeavor. And please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions and/or comments.
Wings and Woodland – A Tribute to Native Birds and Forests – RSVP and SIGN UP
YOU ARE INVITED! Wings and Woodland – A Tribute to Native Birds and Forests
Forest Bird Art Exhibit with Special Events
Date: November 2-8
Location: KSA Gallery at Kukui Grove Center
Opening Hours: 11/2 9am-3pm, 11/3 12pm-6:30PM, 11/4 12pm-6:30pm 11/5 12pm-6pm, 11/6 10am-6:30pm, 11/7 10am -6pm, Nov 8 Art Pick-up by 3pm
Join us as we celebrate the beauty of our native birds and forests. These events will take place at the KSA Gallery at Kukui Grove Center
REGISTER NOW!
Opening Reception:
Date: November 1st Time: 6:00 PM Cost: FREE
Refreshments will be provided.
Documentary Showings of Vanishing Voices: Saving our Hawaiian Forest Birds (during the Community Climate Fair)
Date: November 2rd Time: 11am, 12&1pm Location: near the food court Cost: FREE
Plants for the Birds: Native Plant Show & Tell with NTBG
Date: November 3rd Time: 1-3pm Location: KSA Gallery Cost: FREE
FREE plant for all attendees! LIMITED SEATING,
Mana I Ke Mele Kāhea – Power Of The Calling Song
Date: November 3rd Time: 4-6:30pm Location: KSA Gallery Cost: FREE
Presented by ‘Ōiwi Artist and Kumu Hula Kēhaulani Kekua
LIMITED SEATING,
Culture to Canvas- Make your own native bird art!
Date. November 4rd and November 6th Time: 4-6:30pm Location: KSA Gallery Cost: $50/$55
LIMITED SEATING,
Kahili Pa’a Lima Workshop
Date. November 6th and November 7th Time: 10am-12pm Location: KSA Gallery Cost: $40
LIMITED SEATING,
ART SUBMISSIONS DUE 10/25. Submission guidelines here.
Invitation to Documentary Screening: “Vanishing Voices – Saving Our Hawaiian Forest Birds” with Expert Panel Discussion
YOU ARE INVITED!
American Bird Conservancy is hosting a special screening of the documentary “Vanishing Voices – Saving Our Hawaiian Forest Birds”** at the **Kauaʻi Community College Performing Arts Center (KCC PAC)** on **Monday, September 30th at 6:00 PM.
This captivating film explores the critical efforts to save Hawai‘i’s unique and endangered forest birds, featuring Kaua’i Forest Bird Recovery Project among others. Following the screening, there will be an expert panel for Q&A with:
– Dr. Lisa “Cali” Crampton, Project Leader, Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project
– Justin Hite, DLNR/DOFAW Mosquito Control Project
– Graham Talaber, Naturalist and Photographer
This is an excellent opportunity to learn about these rare species and the innovative strategies being employed to protect them. We hope you can join us for this inspiring event.
Event Brite Sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/free-screening-of-vanishing-voices-saving-our-hawaiian-forest-birds-documentary-tickets-1024532372907?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
We look forward to seeing you there!
Wings of the Alakaʻi: A Puaiohi’s Brave First Flight
by Jack Alexander
Puaiohi are a skulky, secretive bird in the Thrush family. They will sit still and stay hidden for as long as you look for them, then suddenly reappear with one loud call. Their harsh, grating call is the best way to find and follow them. Follow them long enough during the breeding season, and they might just lead you back to their nest. Puaiohi build nests of interwoven grass and twigs on small ledges of streamside cliffs in the Alakaʻi Plateau, and during the spring of 2024, field crews from Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project followed Puaiohi back to as many of these nests as possible to track nesting success of the endangered bird. Puaiohi are threatened by introduced species like rats and cats who predate on eggs, chicks, and incubating mothers. Thatʻs why every chick that successfully leaves the nest, an event known as fledging, is cause for celebration.
Back in May, I was walking down a small stream close to camp to check on a few Puaiohi pairs I knew were incubating chicks. We monitor active nests every 3-4 days during the breeding season to track how many chicks successfully fledge, giving new hope for the survival of the species. That day, I was passing right by a nest my coworker had checked the day before. I planned on walking right by without stopping, as to stay out of the way of any worried parents, but when I glanced over I saw a big ball of grey and white feathers. It was one of the chicks, and it was standing on the rim, ready to fledge. Immediately, my coworker and I started to look for somewhere to sit down and watch. We had to see this.
We found a nice clearing under some ʻōhiʻa, maybe 40 yards from the cliff wall. We could see the two chicks through our binoculars, the older one bravely looking out across the stream. A dense patch of ferns make great landing pads for Puaiohi on their first flight. Over the next hour and a half, we watched this chick make the terrifying decision to fly away from the nest. Luckily for this bird, Puaiohi are actually much safer away from the nest, where they can quickly fly away from predators. The inner turmoil was obvious in the bird’s behavior. It would flap its wings a bit, then step back and reassess. At one point, it seemed to actually start flying, but didn’t manage to let go of the nest. It went completely horizontal before doing a 180 and stepping right back up to its perch.
Eventually, though, the young Puaiohi took off from its nest, flying at a steep angle to the ground across the stream. For the next several weeks, it wouldn’t go far while it learned to fly and forage for itself. In the meantime, frequent visits from mom and dad would mean free meals of ‘ōlapa, lapalapa, kanawao, and ōhelo berries.
Not all Puaiohi chicks are this lucky. Many are eaten before they ever get the chance to fledge. At KFBRP, we deploy hundreds of rat traps in key Puaiohi habitat to prevent their decline, but we can only do so much. I feel incredibly lucky to have seen this event, and I know that this bird will always represent to me the hope and hard work of all the good people working to conserve Kauaʻi’s native ecosystems.