Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project
History and Mission
Guided by science and driven by passion, the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project (MFBRP) is dedicated to protecting and restoring Maui’s native forest birds and their habitats. Established in 1997 by the State of Hawai‘i Department of Land & Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, MFBRP focuses on conserving native honeycreepers and other endemic birds facing rapid decline due to habitat loss, invasive species, and avian diseases.
Maui’s unique forest birds—including the kiwikiu and ʻākohekohe—are found nowhere else on Earth. These birds play vital ecological roles as pollinators, seed dispersers, and natural insect control agents. These birds are also important culturally. The connections between Native Hawaiians, their forests, and birds span centuries – and these connections persist today.
Core Program and Services
MFBRP leads conservation activities through a range of field-based programs, including endangered forest bird surveys, habitat restoration, and mosquito suppression efforts. The project manages the field implementation of the ʻAlalā Recovery effort in Maui Nui, with the first cohort of reintroduced birds now being monitored daily on the slopes of Haleakalā and preparations underway for future releases.
Supporting all conservation work, MFBRP gathers data on avian breeding biology, food resources, disease susceptibility, and population-limiting factors. 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 planting native trees and reducing invasive species. Ultimately, our efforts seek to prevent extinction and to promote biodiversity and ecosystem function.
Impact and Results
MFBRP’s work has led to significant milestones in forest bird conservation:
ʻAlalā Reintroduction: In 2024, a cohort of five young ʻalalā was successfully released into a remote Maui forest. Having reached the six month mark, these intrepid captive-reared youngsters are steadily settling into forest life and have made impressive behavioral strides. Keeping their weights up and making longer and longer flights afield from their release site, the five are demonstrating classic wild ʻalalā behaviors. Our Maui Forest Bird Recovery field team continues to provide supplemental food, do health checks, track movements, and document behaviors. The ʻalalā are flying free, foraging, and practicing a wide variety of vocalizations.
Mosquito Suppression: To combat the mosquito threat head-on in Maui and Kauai, we have deployed Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT) – an environmentally-friendly mosquito control technique used across the world to suppress mosquito populations for the health of human communities worldwide. The team monitors adult mosquitoes, larvae, and eggs to gauge IIT effectiveness and continues weekly deployment of incompatible male mosquitoes, which don’t bite or spread disease, to ensure ongoing suppression. After a year plus of hard work, our mosquito suppression team can report that this effort is going well! This is the first time IIT has been used for conservation.
Honeycreeper Monitoring: Ongoing bird surveys across Haleakalā and Mauna Kahālāwai help track populations of endangered honeycreepers. The Maui team participated in statewide Hawaii Forest Bird Surveys from the remote West Maui Mountains to the eastern slopes of Haleakalā where our Maui-endemic kiwikiu, ʻākohekohe and ‘alauahio persist, all of which have aided in monitoring densities and trends of Maui’s forest birds. Our team conducts yearly bird surveys and monitors the long-established transects to keep closer tabs on any population changes and fluctuations for these Maui endemics, as well as actively monitoring predator control grids. Alongside the hui's bird surveys, forest restoration efforts continued in Nakula Natural Area Reserve where the team has planted hundreds of native shrubs, grasses and trees. Through our native outplanting efforts, the Maui Forest Birds hui has been diligently nurturing this region's native dry forest bird habitat, particularly alpine shrublands and a rare leeward koa -‘ohi‘a forest in the Nakula Natural Area Reserve.
Mahalo to Our Supporters
MFBRP regularly collaborates with several partner projects from Mauna Kahālāwai (West Maui Mountains), Haleakalā National Park and the East Maui Watershed crew. Through tough terrain, bad weather and difficult logistics, the team and partners have worked to understand forest bird status and distribution in Maui's remaining high elevation forests. Additionally, our work is made possible through collaboration with numerous local, state, and federal partners, including:
State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land & Natural Resources, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, East Maui Watershed Partnership, Haleakalā National Park, Mauna Kahālāwai Watershed Partnership, Volunteers, conservation interns, and local community members. Your support is invaluable in making our vision a reality.
