Maui Parrotbill Recovery

MFBRP helps do the conservation fieldwork required to prevent the extinction of the Maui Parrotbill. We maintain and monitor productivity and abundance of Maui Parrotbill within their current range - a top priority. Establishing a second Maui Parrotbill population on the leeward side of Haleakala Volcano is considered critical for the species' recovery and much collaboration is needed to reach that goal.

The leeward (southern) side of east Maui is drier and less metabolically challenging for Maui Parrotbill than the wet windward slopes. Also, malaria carrying mosquitoes are less likely in drier habitats.

Fences must be constructed on leeward east Maui to exclose feral ungulates (e.g. goats, cows, deer, pigs). Once these browsers are fenced out, seedlings can grow and a koa forest will recover. Many of the gulches at Kahikinui already provide habitat for experimental releases of Maui Parrotbill. We hope that by 2020, forest restoration will be well advanced permitting expansion of the experimental population.

For a more in depth understanding of exactly what scientific steps are taken to monitor the Maui Parrotbill population please consult our publications.