Creating a Future for the Birds of Hawaiʻi
Over the centuries, habitat in Hawaiʻi has been lost to conversion for agriculture and housing and commercial development, and the degradation of the landscape has been further compounded by other threats. Introduced pigs, sheep, and other mammals have ravaged native habitats, and fast-growing invasive plants have choked out native ones. Introduced ants and other arthropods have disrupted food webs, and non-native mosquitoes have spread deadly avian malaria and pox among bird populations with no immunity, resulting in dramatic losses and extinctions among native forest birds. Cats and rats brought to the islands have decimated bird populations, consuming eggs, young birds, and even adult birds, taking an especially hard toll on seabirds, the most endangered group of birds worldwide.
ABC, our partners, and local communities are taking action to prevent bird extinctions in Hawaiʻi, which has become known as the “bird extinction capital of the world.” Through the multi-agency partnership Birds, Not Mosquitoes, we’re using cutting-edge technology to save the state’s 17 remaining honeycreeper species from avian malaria carried by non-native mosquitoes. We work to restore habitat, remove invasive mammals, and use predator-proof fencing to create safe havens for nesting seabirds and translocate species to predator-free habitats where they can thrive. We advocate for policies that protect Hawaiʻi’s birds and support innovative approaches to restoring habitat and conserving birdlife. Along with our partners, we’re creating a future for the birds of Hawaiʻi.
