Scientists and local communities are celebrating the release of five ‘alalā, or Hawaiian crows, on Maui for the first time ever, meaning the burbling song and complex calls of the birds can now be heard in the wild in the Hawaii archipelago again.
The intelligent and charismatic species was historically found on Hawai’i, known as Big Island, but went extinct in the wild in 2002, due to habitat loss and fragmentation, predation and disease from introduced species, and other factors.
"Maui’s landscape has been without ʻalalā for such a long time, so it’s very exciting to have wild ʻalalā again,” says Brissa Christophersen, research associate with the Maui Bird Conservation Center.
"With this release, we hope to see ʻalalā thriving in their environment, including vocalising and eating insects and native fruits.
"Seeing the return of ʻalalā in our forests is bigger than just a 'reintroduction' effort - it’s the return of kūpuna (ancestors) to ʻāina ('land' or 'that which feeds'). Having them back in their forest home is such an exciting milestone, not just for the organisations that came together to make this happen, but also for the greater Hawaiʻi community.”
Extensive conservation work has increased the population of ‘alalā from fewer than 20 birds in the late 1990s to more than 110 today. The remaining birds were previously only found at a small number of zoos and conservation centres.
How it was done – and lessons from the past
The five ‘alalā were hatched and prepared for release under the care of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance at Keauhou Bird Conservation Center on Hawai‘i and Maui Bird Conservation Center on Maui.
The two females and three males spent several months in a social group at Maui Bird Conservation Center to establish bonds, with each bird evaluated prior to release, including their abilities to forage for food and respond to predators.
Between 2016 and 2020, 30 ‘alalā were reintroduced into the Puʻu Makaʻala Natural Area Reserve on Hawai’i. But after several years, their numbers began to decline again and reintroduction was paused, with the remaining ‘alalā returned to human care. Insights from those reintroductions will help scientists in the new Maui project.
"Returning ‘alalā back to the forest is not easy,” says Bryce Masuda, senior conservation program manager, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. "They’ve been in aviaries for so long, for generations - nearly all of them since the 1990s. Now it’s all about helping them return to the forest again.
"There’s still a lot we don’t know about how exactly we can best help them thrive in the forest. We’re learning as we go. It’s a tough process because of how long it takes, but our partners and the community are committed to it.”
What's next?
The release of ‘alalā on Maui is seen as a significant milestone in a long-term conservation program to return the birds to their forest homes.
"The goal is to return ‘alalā to the forests of Hawai‘i Island again in the future,” says Megan Owen, Vice President of conservation science for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.“
We’re focused on both Hawai‘i island and Maui. As we observe the ‘alalā closely on Maui, we’ll gain valuable insights into how to best ensure they thrive in the wild. That insight will help us and our partners in future releases.”
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