Hawaiʻi native wildlife news: endangered birds, bats, monk seals and turtles, recovery programs, invasive species threats and how residents can help.
Released ʻalalā thriving on Haleakalā two years later
All five ʻalalā, or Hawaiian crows, released into the forests of Haleakalā nearly two years ago are alive and healthy, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources reports. The species was once extinct in the wild.
The birds are foraging for native fruits and insects, defending territories and pairing up. One pair has built nests in two straight seasons, though no chicks have hatched yet. The flock has also come through this year’s Kona lows and Lala. A similar release on Hawaiʻi Island failed partly because the ʻio, the Hawaiian hawk, preyed on the birds.
What it means: A wild-born chick would be a major milestone for one of Hawaiʻi’s rarest birds.
