Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project

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Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project

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Putting Extinction in the Past:
Community, Kuleana, Conservation

10/10/2026

Nowhere else on earth.

Native birds like this kiwikiu once thrived here in the islands. Now, the tiny remaining kiwikiu population is restricted to a small area of high elevation forest on the slopes of Haleakalā, Maui. Disease-carrying invasive mosquitoes continue to take a toll on this special little bird.

Hawaiʻi’s native forest birds co-evolved with the extraordinary native plants, flowers, fruits and insects in their diverse island habitats – their unique bill shapes are adapted to their unique diets and lifestyles.

Kiwikiu use their parrot-like bill to chisel and tear bark in search of insects. They sometimes enjoy flower nectar and fruits too. Kiwikiu young often stay with their parents for a full year or more, learning to successfully forage.

Kiwikiu (kee-wee-Q). One of Hawaiʻi’s critically endangered native forest birds.

📸 kiwikiu perched on ʻākala/MFBRP

09/22/2026

The one and only. The spectacular.
ʻĀkohekohe❤️

Feeding almost exclusively on ʻōhia lehua nectar, ʻākohekohe are also vital pollinators for this important native tree. This age old relationship keeps Maui’s remote native forests going strong.

ʻākohekohe (ah ko-heh ko-heh)

📸 Nate Watkins/MFBRP

09/11/2026

Feasting on forest fruits.
Beautiful ʻalalā connections with their Maui forest.

As the months pass on the leeward slopes of Haleakalā, the young ʻalalā cohort carries on making the most of flying free on the landscape.

Pair bonding, filling the forest with their wild repertoire of vocalizations, building nests and foraging for insects and spiders, fruits and even mice—they do it all.

On this day, the field team watched one of the birds feasting on the delectable fruit of ʻōhā wai nui (Clermontia arborescens). This stunning native plant also provides nectar for honeycreepers.

🎥 Nate Watkins/MFBRP

09/06/2026

Such a wonderful day being with community here on Maui!

Mahalo nui, Lā ʻUlu Festival❤️

Maui Nui Botanical Gardens

09/02/2026

Support your local wildlife! ❤️

Through September, Foodland is supporting local nonprofits with their matching gifts program.

👉🏽 at checkout, tell them youʻd like to support Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project

👉🏽 78762 is our Give Aloha number. Donate at whatever level works for you!

🤙🏽 All donations directly support our work on behalf of Maui’s native forest birds.

08/31/2026

Sitting pretty ❤️

Hawaiʻi’s iconic ʻiʻiwi perched atop a rare native ʻoha wai plant.

With its beautiful curved beak, the ʻi’iwi reaches into the arched flowers of the ʻoha wai for nectar. The ʻiʻiwi comes away with its head dappled in pollen which the bird brings to all the other flowers. Pollination and forest regeneration in action.

ʻIʻiwi and Hawaiʻi’s other remaining native birds are vital to the health of island ecosystems. Together we can ensure a future for birds like ʻiʻiwi and protect the native ecosystems in which we can all thrive.

📸 Koa Matsuoka/MFBRP

08/20/2026

We are hiring! ❤️

Hawaiʻi’s iconic honeycreepers are facing an extinction crisis and we need your help!

👉🏽 We are seeking an Assistant Coordinator to join our team on the front lines of endangered species management.

👉🏽 The ideal candidate will have strong organizational skills, remote field experience, and a scientific background, especially in entomology or vector control.

👉🏽 Mosquito-spread disease threatens Hawaiian honeycreepers with extinction and our mosquito control work is their last best hope.

🤙🏽 Join us and you can directly contribute to preventing wildlife extinctions and caring for Hawaiian ecosystems.

For full position description and to apply, go to RCUH website. https://www.rcuh.com/opportunities/job-openings/
Search “mosquito” or job ID 226494

08/19/2026

ʻAlalā time on Maui.

We are back out in the forest after the storm.

The field crew is happy to report that, as usual, the birds are doing just fine. While we’ve got a few camp repairs to make here and there,

All appears to be well in ʻalalā-land. 🖤

🎥 MFBRP

08/06/2026

ʻĀkohekohe (ah ko-heh ko-heh) are big time nectar lovers, often found feeding on native forest flowers — especially ʻōhiʻa lehua. Their unusual fancy crest collects and distributes pollen as the birds move from flower to flower in the forest, helping native plants and trees to regenerate.

ʻĀkohekohe are strong fliers and will “altitudinally migrate” up and down the slope of Haleakalā in search of blooming plants and trees.

These critically endangered forest birds now only survive at elevations between 6,000 - 7,000 feet. Avian malaria from introduced mosquitoes threatens the survival of ʻākohekohe and Hawaiʻi’s other native honeycreepers.

📸Nate Watkins/MFBRP

07/28/2026

On an overcast afternoon, our team sets out for surveys into Maui‘s high elevation rainforest.

Weaving through dense native foliage, eyes and ears are focused in search of the forestʻs rarest resident bird, kiwikiu.
As fog rolls up the slopes of Haleakalā, she appears. These moments are precious and increasingly rare.

The critically endangered kiwikiu is found nowhere else on earth. With only ~100 individuals remaining, we and our partners work to ensure this essential part of Hawaiʻi’s forest and culture survives for generations to come.

📸 Harry Swain/MFBRP

Address

2465 Olinda Road
Makawao, HI
96768

Telephone

(808) 573-0280

Website

http://www.mauiforestbirds.org/

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