LIHUE, Hawaii — The Kauai Rose-Ringed Parakeet Working Group has its sights on the invasive rose-ringed parakeets that pose a threat to agriculture and Kauai’s ecological balance.

What You Need To Know

  • A new citizen science mapping tool engages the community and visitors in tracking and gathering data on the invasive rose-ringed parakeet

  • Led by the Kauai Rose-Ringed Parakeet Working Group, the initiative aims to monitor bird sightings and inform the public of population management measures to reduce the spread of the invasive bird species

In an initiative to address the growing concern among the public and negative impacts of this particular bird species, the Kauai Office of Economic Development announced a new citizen science mapping tool to engage the community and visitors in tracking and gathering data on the avian pest, according to a news release.

Led by the Kauai Rose-Ringed Parakeet Working Group, the initiative aims to monitor bird sightings and inform the public of population management measures to reduce the spread of the invasive bird species.

Two of the key features of the tool include a user-friendly interface that easily allows the public to contribute valuable data and the ability for individuals to report sightings of the bird in real time, providing crucial information to scientists, conservationists and local authorities.

Previous initiatives aimed to understand the behavior of the rose-ringed parakeet, conduct pilot field studies to evaluate control tools and develop effective management plans. Since 2020, Kauai County has conducted occasional culling operations at known roosting areas that have been successful.

"The Kauai Rose-Ringed Parakeet Working Group is thrilled to launch this citizen science mapping tool as part of our collaborative commitment to managing this invasive species,” said Nalani Brun, director of the Office of Economic Development, in the release.

“By involving the community and visitor industries in tracking this invasive bird species, we can collectively take meaningful steps toward preserving Kauai's unique biodiversity and supporting the sustainability of our agriculture sector. We encourage everyone on the island to join us in this important initiative and positively impact our community,” said Brun.

Anyone on Kauai can participate in the mapping initiative by visiting the Rose-Ringed Parakeets webpage.

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