Mission

Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project is dedicated to conserving and protecting Maui’s endangered native forest birds and their native forest habitats. We were formed in 1997 by the State of Hawai’i Department of Land & Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Our mission is to develop and implement techniques that recover Maui’s endangered forest birds and to restore their habitats through research, development, and application of conservation techniques.

Nowhere else in the world can you find native Hawaiian birds like kiwikiu and ‘i’iwi.  Our unique Hawaiian honeycreepers (also known as finches) play important ecological roles as pollinators, seed dispersers, and insect managers of Hawaiian forests.

They are also important culturally. Native Hawaiians have a deep kinship with forest birds – they are celebrated in traditional mele (songs) moʻolelo (stories), ʻōlelo noʻeau (proverbs). The connections between Hawaiians, their forests and birds span centuries – and these connections persist today. Not only do native Hawaiians feel a connection to these birds, but visitors and locals alike enjoy their presence on the islands.

Maui’s native forest birds are particularly vulnerable to the threats from introduced and invasive species and disease.

Techniques

We aim to recover Maui’s native forest bird species and their habitats. To do this, We monitor wild forest bird populations, estimating their sizes and distribution across the landscape. Our research gathers data on their breeding biology, food resources, disease susceptibility, and population-limiting factors. To support recovery efforts for threatened species, we actively reduce introduced predator populations and control non-native, disease-spreading mosquitoes. We aim to manage and mitigate threats to both birds and their habitats, while evaluating the effectiveness of our methods to shape long-term conservation strategies. Additionally, we help restore native forest ecosystems by reducing invasive species and planting native trees. We use conservation translocations and reintroduction techniques, collaborating with captive breeding centers to establish self-sustaining populations and prevent extinction in the wild. Ultimately, our efforts seek to prevent extinction and to promote biodiversity and ecosystem function.

Structure