Thinking Like an ‘Akeke‘e: The Nest Searching Process

/in , /by

by Ke Coco Deng

5/30/2025

With the number of ‘akeke‘e steadily decreasing due to avian malaria, it is always exciting to see them in the wild. ‘Akeke‘e is a forest bird endemic to Kaua‘i. Even in their core habitat in the Alaka‘i Wilderness Preserve, ‘akeke‘e can be challenging to find as they forage high in the canopy on the buds of ʻōhiʻa. We treasure the time we spend living and working with them in the wild. One of our objectives this season is ‘akeke‘e nest searching: combing through miles of dense rainforest to find the nests of this increasingly elusive bird. Every nest is a valuable data point that grants us more knowledge about the life history of this critically endangered species.

To find an ‘akeke‘e nest, one must learn to think like an ‘akeke‘e. Nest searching requires a deep understanding of bird behavior. During the breeding season, ‘akeke‘e like to call and sing close to their nests to establish their territories. Our field technicians monitor ‘akeke‘e activity closely throughout the season, making note of when and where they are seen and heard so we can determine where they are likely to be nesting. This season, we have observed ‘akeke‘e singing, calling, and foraging over our Halepa‘akai field camp. Our crew have spent several weeks searching for nests in this area.

In April, field technician Ke Coco Deng discovered an ‘akeke‘e nest close to Halepa‘akai camp. She followed begging calls to a moss-lined nest with chicks, high up in the branches of an ʻōhiʻa lehua. All of our nests receive unique names to help us identify them. She named this nest “WARD,” as in protection, to lend good fortune to the nest and to the future of ‘akeke‘e. The name also refers to how we ward off threats to our forest birds through conservation so that they can continue to resist extinction. We made detailed observations about the chick rearing behavior of ‘akeke‘e at this nest, which may be important for future research and conservation.

A few weeks passed before our next nest update. We heard bird calls over Halepa‘akai camp and looked up to see an ‘akeke‘e family—two adults and two fledglings! The fledglings were making beginner attempts at foraging, slowly prying apart the buds of an ʻōhiʻa ha in search of insects. Though the bills of ‘akeke‘e have adapted to feed from insects inside ʻōhiʻa buds, practice makes perfect! Soon, the fledglings will be masters of foraging like their parents, finding insects in seconds. As ‘akeke‘e numbers continue to decline, it is heartening to see young birds joining the population. To help protect these vulnerable fledglings from mosquito-borne diseases like avian malaria, mosquito control efforts are currently being deployed on Kaua‘i. We hope to share the Alaka‘i with these birds for some time yet.

PBS Hawai’i broadcast of “When Silence Becomes The Song”

/in , , , /by
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.

KAUA‘I TEAM TRYING TO SAVE NATIVE HONEYCREEPERS PRESSES ON

/in , , /by

(ALAKA‘I PLATEAU, KAUA‘I) – From a remote camp, perched on a  narrow 3,000-foot cliff, near the top of Wainiha Valley, Justin Hite, and his team from the Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project (KFBRP), are in the midst of another field season. A season, that is probably the last for the diminutive native Hawaiian honeycreeper, the ‘akikiki.

“This is one of the last places where we’re still seeing a ton of native forest birds, where everywhere else, just in the last couple of years they’ve quickly and suddenly vanished. And we think it’s because of mosquitoes,” Hite explained during a recent eight-day-long egg collection trip.

The usually upbeat and hopeful KFBRP Field Supervisor has lost some of his optimism this season, as before their very eyes he and his crew are likely seeing the last ‘akikiki remaining in the wild. It’s not unexpected, as other members of KFBRP have been documenting increases of disease-carrying mosquitoes on the plateau.

Regulators are on the verge of approving landscape control of mosquitoes in the mountains of Kaua‘i using the Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT),  to reduce the likelihood that forest birds will be impacted by avian malaria, carried by female mosquitoes.

While permitting and approval is underway, the KFBRP team continues work in what is arguably some of the toughest terrain around.

Robby Kohley, Director of Aviculture with Pacific Rim Conservation, is the on-site expert working with the forest bird team in the Mohihi region of the plateau.

He’s worked across the Hawaiian Islands and in Alaska and commented, “Each project comes with a different set of challenges. The logistics problems of this project are quite high. Between the weather (mostly wet, muddy, and incredibly steep), and the lack of luck ‘akikiki are having with nests this year, I’d say this one ranks really high on the challenge scale.”

Since late January the recovery teams have been flying into the field, hiking to field camp, and then from there trudging through knee deep mud on unimproved pig trails to reach ‘akikiki nests that had been previously spotted.

Using a camera, mounted on a long pole, they’re able to see the condition of the tiny eggs. If they appear to be in good shape, they then rig up a tethered ladder system to get a team member high into the forest canopy to collect eggs. They’ll climb as high as 48-feet to get them.

So far, they’ve successfully rescued ten ‘akikiki eggs that are placed in a portable incubator and carried, ever so gently, up the trail to camp. They’re then flown out to a brooder house in Koke‘e State Park and then eventually to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Keauhou Bird Conservation Center at Volcano.

Hite notes ‘akikiki in the wild are very good at breeding. However, if avian malaria doesn’t  strike them down first, rats are picking them off one-by-one.

“This year is an out-of-control level of nest failures,” Hite explained. Typically, the team finds 30 nests each season and almost all of them would fledge young into the wild. “We spotted a female ‘akikiki sitting on two eggs and when we came back two days later to collect the eggs, we found broken, rat-chewed eggshells on the ground.”

Now the field team has the added pressure of trying to control the rat population by setting out dozens of rat traps. If it’s not one thing it’s another and such is the trial and error, learn as you go attitude necessary to do this kind of work.

Adding to the mental, emotional, and physical stress these dedicated and passionate folks face daily, is the opposition to IIT from a small number of opponents.

At the end of a recent eight-day stint in the field he observed, “These birds are only here. They’ve been here the whole time, long before people arrived in the islands. They’re quiet, unassuming, and wonderful. If we lose them, it’s a huge loss, it’s terrible.”

Clearly the human dimension of the fight to save ‘akikiki and other native forest birds is critical. Watch the short video, Saving ‘Akikiki – The Field Team Presses On, at the link below.

Another ʻAkikiki Rescued from the ʻAlakai

/in , /by

According to a recent press release from the DLNR, another ʻAkikiki has been recovered from the forest, deep within the ʻAlakai Plateau. The ʻAkikiki rescue missions began last December when it was discovered that only a handful of  ʻAkikiki remain in the wild. The rapid decline of this species has been blamed on mosquitos carrying the vector for avian malaria. The situation is so dire that without intervention, the species faces imminent extinction in the wild.

Over the Labor Day weekend a team of scientists from KFBRP, Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project (MFBRP), DLNR/PCSU along with bird care expert Peter Luscomb, captured the ʻAkikiki lovingly named “Carrot” for its orange leg bands, and transported him to the Maui Bird Conservation Center (MBCC). The Center is operated by the San Diego Wildlife Alliance.

“Carrot” is the father of “Erica” who was captured last December. The 37 captive ʻAkikiki are being held at MBCC in an effort to protect them from avian malaria. The rescue mission is part of a more extensive multi-agency plan to address the mosquito issue in critical forest bird habitat, in order to set-back the extinction clock for this species.

You can see a video of the rescue mission below.


KFBRP Featured on BBC

/in , , /by

KFBRP Leader, Dr. Lisa “Cali” Crampton, was recently featured on BBC Earth Witness: Voices from the Conservation Front Line. In the interview (see video above), Cali explains why she (and the rest of the KFBRP staff) is so passionate about saving Kauaʻi’s forest birds and how KFBRP is tackling this challenge.

Read more
Robby Kohley

KHON Feature: Forests for Life, Saving the Birds of Kaua’i

/in /by

In the first feature of Forests for Life, KHON2 covers the grim future of Hawaiian honeycreepers, which are facing imminent extinction without significant intervention. In the video below, you will learn what KFBRP is doing to save the ‘akikiki.

Read more

DLNR News Conference Discusses Forest Bird Extinction Crisis and Potential Actions

/in , , /by

In a recent DLNR Press release (below) and news conference (video below), experts discuss the extinction crisis faced by some of Hawai’i’s rarest forest birds. A report was presented to decision makers offering a selection of actions to address the current crisis. Also included in the report are conservation strategies for other species. Experts warn that if no action is taken four species of forest birds would face extinction within 1-10 years and as many as 11 additional extinctions would occur in the next decade.

Read more