HANAPEPE, Hawaii — The Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project will hold its annual Hawaiian blessing on Feb. 2 to kick off the 2023 Kauai forest bird field season. It’s a critical year for at least two species of Hawaiian honeycreepers facing “imminent extinction” — the ‘akikiki and ‘akeke‘e, according to a Department of Land and Natural Resources news release. Both are listed as federally endangered species.

What You Need To Know

  • The KFBRP and the Kauai Invasive Species Committee will set up booths next to Kōke‘e Museum from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 2

  • The blessing is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Kanaloahulululu Meadow pavilion in Kōke‘e State Park

  • At 5:30 p.m., project leader Dr. Lisa “Cali” Crampton will present “Resisting Extinction: Ensuring the survival of Kauai’s native forest birds” at Hanapepe library

The two are among eight remaining forest bird species threatened by mosquito-borne avian malaria. Increasingly warming climates in recent years have allowed non-native mosquitoes to move into higher elevations where native birds dwell. This increases the risk of disease to the native bird population.

During the 2023 field season, the Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project will collect as many of the last remaining ‘akikiki as possible until mosquito control efforts can be implemented to ensure the birds’ survival in the wild.

The blessing is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Feb. 2 at the Kanaloahulululu Meadow pavilion in Kōke‘e State Park. Kumu and haumana of the Ka ʻImi Na‘auao O Hawai‘i Nei Institute, along with staff and volunteers from KFBRP will gather to bless the upcoming field season with songs and dances “to invoke the protection and good will of the gods and the elders for Kauai’s native forest birds and their habitat.”

Following the blessing, the KFBRP and the Kauai Invasive Species Committee will set up booths next to Kōke‘e Museum from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., project leader Dr. Lisa “Cali” Crampton will present “Resisting Extinction: Ensuring the survival of Kauai’s native forest birds” at Hanapepe library.

Events are free and open to everyone. Attendees are urged to prepare for cold, windy or rainy weather. All participants are also asked to clean all footwear and equipment before traveling to Kōkeʻe because of Rapid Ohia Death on the island.

To combat mosquito-borne avian malaria, state, federal and private, nonprofit partners are collaborating in the “Birds, Not Mosquitoes” partnership, evaluating the possibility of controlling mosquitoes incorporating the Wolbachia bacteria. Visit the program website for more information.

Sarah Yamanaka covers events, environmental and community news for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.