Maui’s Native Birds

The story of Hawai‘i’s forest birds is one of both wonder and loss. Geographic isolation led to an extraordinary radiation of species found nowhere else on Earth. Yet, since the arrival of humans and introduced mammals, Hawai‘i’s native flora and fauna have faced devastating waves of extinction.

In recent decades, several forest birds have sadly vanished forever, including the ʻŌʻū (Psittirostra psittacea), Bishop’s ʻŌʻō (Moho bishopi), Maui-nui ʻĀkialoa (Akialoa lanaiensis), and the Maui form of the ʻŌlomaʻo (Myadestes sp.). In 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially declared the Maui ʻĀkepa (Loxops ochraceus), Maui Nukupuʻu (Hemignathus affinis), and Pōʻouli (Melamprosops phaeosoma) extinct.

Today, we are working urgently to protect the last remaining honeycreepers on Maui. Our efforts focus on the Kiwikiu or Maui Parrotbill (Pseudonestor xanthophrys), and the ʻĀkohekohe or Crested Honeycreeper (Palmeria dolei). We also support the recovery and reintroduction of the ʻAlalā, or Hawaiian Crow (Corvus hawaiiensis). Other species, such as the Maui ʻAlauahio (Paroreomyza montana) and the ʻIʻiwi (Drepanis coccinea), continue to decline due to habitat loss, introduced predators and ungulates, and diseases carried by non-native mosquitoes.

Avian malaria and avian pox are among the most urgent threats, forcing native birds into high-elevation refuges where cooler temperatures limit mosquito survival. To combat these pressures, we combine habitat restoration, predator control, and ornithological research to better understand population declines and create pathways for recovery.

To learn more about the birds and where to find them, see our Birding on Maui and Birding Resources pages.