200th Hatching of Rare Hawaiian Bird

April 28, 2006

The 200th hatching of a puaiohi (pu-ai-o-he) at the San Diego Zoo’s Hawaiian bird breeding center is a milestone that renews optimism for the fate of this critically endangered bird species native to the island of Kauai.

The birds, representing a species that is believed to number fewer than 500, have been part of a breeding program since 1996, when the first captive hatching of a wild egg took place. The breeding and release program is part of a collaborative effort undertaken by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the San Diego Zoo to build a sustainable population of these birds in the wild.

"Reaching this milestone is significant on many levels, but most importantly, it is a clear demonstration of how a propagation program can help forestall extinction and can hopefully help to recover endangered species,” said Alan Lieberman, director of the Zoo’s propagation efforts in Hawaii. “The true test for any recovery program, however, will be the integration of these captive birds into a comprehensive recovery effort in their native habitat. This will require that all the recovery partners reach their respective milestones."

The puaiohi, also known as the Kauai thrush, is a small songbird that has been reduced to a single relict population in the wet forest of Hawaii's Alakai Wilderness Preserve. Habitat degradation caused by feral ungulates and invasive alien plants and the joint threats from introduced predators and diseases are thought to be contributing factors in the decline of this species. More than half of Hawaii’s surviving songbirds are listed as endangered by the state and federal governments.

Puaiohi are released into the wild of the Alakai Swamp after they are flown to Lihue, Kauai and then transported to the release site. At the release site they are placed in an aviary where they spend 7 to10 days adjusting to the environment. More than 110 puaiohi have been released into the wild since the program started in 1996.

The Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program is a part of the San Diego Zoo’s department of Conservation and Research for Endangered Species (CRES), operated by the not-for-profit Zoological Society of San Diego.

Read Weblogs about the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program.