On December 14, a cadre of volunteers and staff from the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife marshaled their passion for ornithology to conduct the annual Christmas Bird Count in Hawai‘i, embracing a time-honored tradition that transforms erstwhile hunters into custodians of feathered life The Pu’u Maka‘ala Natural Area Reserve (NAR), free from the avian malaria decimating native bird species statewide, took center stage for the conservation effort spotlighting endangered forest birds within its lush corridors during The Year of the Forest Birds (ka Makahiki o Nā Manu Nahele), according to a DLNR News Release.
The communal endeavor, part of a global initiative originally spearheaded by the Audubon Society back in 1900 to mitigate the decline of bird populations, saw over a dozen volunteers who were joined by the staff in what is perhaps Hawai'i's richest native forest bird habitat not just tallying bird sightings but also reinforcing a series of measures to protect these avian denizens from predatory threats, said Bret Mossman, a bird biologist with DOFAW, "We haven’t had too many impacts from the mosquito borne disease on our native bird populations here. And so, we’re very fortunate to still have three endangered species, the ʻakiapōlāʻau, Hawaiʻi akepa and ʻalawī. And then we have ʻiʻiwi, ʻapapane, ʻōmaʻo, ʻelepaio, and ʻamakihi," Mossman told DLNR News Release.
Volunteers with binoculars and tally sheets moved through the lush forest, listening closely for bird calls. Whenever a bird called out, they looked up together, eager to add to the count. Andrea Buskirk, an outreach and education specialist with the DOFAW Hawai‘i Island Branch and one of the event leaders, shared, "It's a wonderful opportunity because this protected forest, we've highlighted it as a forest that persists, as so many conservation tools have been applied. That's why we find ourselves in the home of the endangered birds and alongside our outplantings and within the largest rat grid in the state. So, we're really able to highlight not just the species, but the management that allows them to persist here," as per DLNR News Release.
The event showcased citizen science at its best, counting 199 individuals of endangered or threatened forest bird species and engaging volunteers in setting and replenishing traps to protect the birds from rats, cats, and mongooses. This reflects a century-long shift from hunting to conservation, as noted by Alex Wang, another count leader: "It was originally a Christmas Bird hunt when folks, instead of shooting all the birds, decided to start counting birds and we’re able to totally flip that. Now, you know the idea of going out and shooting as many birds as you can on Christmas is laughable and it’s not what we do anymore. So, it’s really a nice tradition," Wang told DLNR News. The data collected contributes to over a century of research that helps conservationists develop strategies to protect both the birds and their habitats.
