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Maui Bird Conservation Center

7

‘Alala: Weighing In

By
Michelle Smith
– October 21, 2011Posted in: Animals and Plants, Birds, Conservation, Hawaiian Birds, Uncategorized

`Alala Hekili shows his peers how weighing is done.

Keeping a close eye on the health of the birds is very important to us here at the Maui Bird Conservation Center. One valuable way we determine the health and body condition of a bird is through obtaining regular weights. (See also Zoo Hospital: What Do You Weigh?) Traditionally, we would weigh birds by catching them in a net, then transferring them to a box or a bag that could then be placed on a scale. This method required the time of multiple husbandry staff at once and subjected the birds to a certain amount of stress. Stress in birds can be dangerous, and we obviously like to keep our birds as stress-free as possible. Our solution was to convince our `alala to offer us their weight by landing on a freestanding platform that had been placed on a scale. This is called a “remote weight.”

2011 `alala chicks are already at ease with the process.

By using positive reinforcement, the birds of our `alala flock have been conditioned to perch on a freestanding platform that holds their food pans. When individuals are fed on these platforms consistently, it adds little to no stress to move that platform onto a scale to obtain a weight. With this procedure, one staff member can obtain the weights of many birds in one day, with the birds typically unaware of what is taking place!

Laha finds a loophole in the weigh-in process when he uses a stick and some gymnastics to retrieve some apple from the far side of the freestanding food platform.

The younger `alala from 2010 and 2011 have become experts at retrieving rewards from the platforms and have served as good examples for other birds to watch the process. Not everyone is easily convinced, however, and some of our `alala have proven a challenge. It seems as though some of our smarter adults are also rather stubborn, and the conditioning process has developed their crafty side! One of our mature males, Laha, seems determined to prevent us from weighing him and goes to great lengths in order to obtain treats while breaking the rules.

Michelle Smith is a research associate at the Maui Bird Conservation Center, part of San Diego Zoo Global’s Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program. Read her previous post, New Homes for the Growing Flock.

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1

Maui Bird Conservation Center: Open House

By
Richard Switzer
– October 12, 2011Posted in: Animals and Plants, Birds, Conservation, Hawaiian Birds, Uncategorized

Get this cool logo on a T-shirt!

Although we occasionally host VIP tours at the Maui Bird Conservation Center (MBCC)—usually school students or other special interest groups—it is not often that we get the opportunity to open our doors. Being a non-public facility that focuses on captive breeding and reintroduction programs, we simply do not have the logistical capabilities to welcome visitors to MBCC throughout the year. However, our team is always delighted to introduce guests to our resident birds, as well as share stories and the successes of the San Diego Zoo Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program. Consequently, we are excited to announce two important dates coming up.

The Maui Bird Conservation Center will be holding two “open house” events on Saturday, October 29, and Sunday, November 13. Activities will include presentations; a guided tour of the birds, aviaries, and grounds; and an opportunity to buy a splendid MBCC T-shirt (see logo above), plants, and other goodies.

If you are a Maui local, now is your chance to encounter some of Hawaii’s most endangered and iconic native birds. As the open house events are based exclusively around a limited number of guided tours throughout the day, it is essential to book a place in advance. Please phone our MBCC team at 808-572-0690 to reserve your spot.

We look forward to meeting you at MBCC!

Richard Switzer is the conservation program manager of the San Diego Zoo Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program. Read his previous post, Hawaiian Birds: Pallets of Pellets.

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5

Nene Propagation: End of an Era

By
Amy Kilshaw
– July 7, 2011Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Birds, Conservation, Hawaiian Birds, Uncategorized

Nene pair Red Rocket and Nu enjoy retirement.

On June 24, 2011, we handed over four nene (Hawaiian geese) to Haleakala National Park staff, who took them away for release in the crater of the dormant volcano on Maui, Hawaii. These birds had received the routine physical examination before their release and had been micro-chipped and banded for identification in the wild. Nothing unusual there: the San Diego Zoo’s Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program has released 442 nene (pronounced nay nay) since 1996, helping to augment wild populations on the Hawaiian islands of Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island, as well as establishing an entirely new population on Molokai. But importantly, these birds represented the last two breeding pairs from the nene captive propagation flock at the Maui Bird Conservation Center (MBCC).

Robert Taylor, intern, and Sharon Belcher, senior research associate, get the nene ready for release.

In April this year, we had received the news from our partners, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State of Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife, that it was time to end the captive propagation-and-release program for nene. The nene population throughout Hawaii has risen to nearly 2,000 birds, having been at a low point of only 40 birds in the 1950s, representing a very significant conservation success story. With the population now at this level, captive propagation is no longer considered the most efficient tool for further recovery of the nene. But management of the wild population by our field partners will continue to play a vital role.

So having hatched 395 goslings, we are coming to terms with the fact that we will no longer have gray fuzz-balls as the focus of our attentions over the winter months. Crucially, however, our spirits are lifted by the knowledge that captive propagation and release have been instrumental tools in bringing back the nene from the brink of extinction. It is time for us to say “job well done.”

One pair of nene, known to the staff as Red Rocket and Nu (pictured at top), will remain at the MBCC facility. Red Rocket (a female) was wild hatched in December 1987, though in her 24 years she has never laid a single egg! She happily spends her time with the male, Nu, who was hatched at MBCC in June 1992 from a wild egg. We are very glad to still have these two retirees to keep us company.

Amy Kilshaw is a research associate at the Maui Bird Conservation Center. Read her previous post, Honk if You like Nene.

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0

Hawaii: Native Birds and Plants

By
Joshua Kramer
– June 9, 2011Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Birds, Conservation, Hawaiian Birds, Plants, Uncategorized

Ohelo fruit is a native Hawaiian cranberry, favored by many frugivorous birds.

What is the connection between plants and birds? Plants can provide birds with shelter, nesting material and nest sites; food in the form of nectar, fruits and seeds, leaves. They can even harbor invertebrates. Birds, in return, protect plants from those invertebrates, assist in pollination, and disperse seeds. Sometimes, bird and plant species evolve “together” to the mutual benefit of both species, exemplified in Hawaii by the hoawa Pittosporum glabrum and its large seeds that lie within a tough outer shell. The `alala is the only known existing, native species that can deal with this robust fruit.

Susan Culliney, a masters student in collaboration with Colorado State University, has been studying `alala at the Keauhou Bird Conservation Center (KBCC) to investigate their ecological relationships with a variety of native Hawaiian fruits, including hoawa. The study has focused on the `alala’s role in seed dispersal and germination, a role currently unfilled due to the `alala being extinct in the wild.

The MBCC greenhouse is bursting at the seams.

For many years now, the East Maui Irrigation Company has provided the Maui Bird Conservation Center (MBCC) staff with access to protected forest, where we carefully select small branches of ohia Metrosideros polymorpha and koa Acacia koa for perching. We collect native berries for dietary enrichment, giving potential release birds the opportunity to develop a “search image” for native fruits that will benefit them when they are released.

Recently, we have also begun to look for ways to develop our own native plant resources. The MBCC already sustains a few native plants from which we have gathered seeds. We have also been fortunate enough to obtain seeds from other sources, including the KBCC. We are delighted to have the assistance and advice of Anna Palomino, a local nursery owner who recently developed a native plant nursery within walking distance of the MBCC. Anna is propagating some of the more difficult native plants and has generously offered an “exchange” program: we bring her compromised plants, such as plants that have spent time in `alala aviaries, and we receive healthy ones to put into use around the facility. With this plant swap, we hope to provide a more consistent supply of healthy plants for aviaries while reducing our losses.

From these small seedlings, large koa trees will rapidly grow.

We have always made attempts at native plant propagation, with varying degrees of success; however, within the past year, our efforts really began to focus on designating a small amount of time every week on plant propagation, despite jam-packed days filled with bird husbandry, facility maintenance, and aviary upkeep. The facility greenhouse is now literally overflowing with native plant seedlings, to the point where we are hoping for a second greenhouse to house our propagation efforts!

Thanks to the green thumbs of Research Associate Michelle Smith, 10 species of native plants have sprouted, including pilo Coprosma spp., hoawa, and aalii Dodonaea viscose. Over 100 koa seedlings are 4 to 6 inches tall, and our most recent success is the germination of ohia seeds. Eventually, these plants will be valuable in multiple facets: we will distribute appropriate plants to our captive flock for enrichment and foraging.

Other plants will be planted on facility grounds; over the long-term, the plants will provide perching material and food for our captive birds and, we hope, create an oasis of native plant life that will entice wild native birds, such as `amakihi Hemignathus virens, to utilize facility grounds as habitat. Finally, seedlings may act as educational tools during tours, which visitors will be able to take home to promote the preservation of Hawaiian plants and habitats, helping to spread the kokua and aloha.

Joshua Kramer is a senior research associate at the Maui Bird Conservation Center, managed by the San Diego Zoo. Read his previous post, Nene Visitors.

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2

A Growing ‘Alala Flock

By
Sierra Browning
– May 20, 2011Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Birds, Conservation, Hawaiian Birds, Uncategorized

An 'alala checks out her new neighbors.

Construction of the new `alala aviaries at the Maui Bird Conservation Center (MBCC) was completed early this spring, thanks to the great work of our friends at Zoe Builders. (See post, New Homes for the Growing Flock).  In order to house the growing `alala flock, the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program (HEBCP) staff members are in the process of transferring juvenile and non-breeding `alala from our sister facility, the Keauhou Bird Conservation Center (KBCC) on the Big Island, over to MBCC.

Prior to installing the birds into their new aviaries, we have been busy making the aviaries into suitable homes for the new residents. This has entailed mounting perches, ropes, and browse tubes, and hanging large swinging perches from the ceilings. The aviary has natural earth floors, to which we are steadily adding grass, logs, koa trees, and other native plants to simulate natural elements of their wild environment.

The four new `alala aviary buildings at MBCC.

One of the advantages of the new aviaries’ design is that they are much more efficient for daily maintenance and cleaning; this reduces the amount of time we are inside the aviaries, so the birds spend less time interacting with us and more time interacting with each other. But we are able to make close observations of the birds through windows. Catch-up cages, known as “hack-boxes,” are a new feature for MBCC aviaries, having proven a valuable component of KBCC’s aviaries. We are in the process of conditioning the `alala to feel comfortable coming into the hack-boxes by placing their daily food pans inside, but eventually we hope to be able to train the birds to enter the hack-boxes in return for a reward.

KBCC Research Associate Rachel Kingsley arrives at Kahului airport, transporting an `alala to its new home in Maui.

Transferring a large number of `alala from the Big Island to Maui is a gradual process, because the birds are such a special consignment. Hawaiian Airlines very kindly allows the birds to travel in the cabin—perhaps the only birds in the world with airline corporate membership?! We are careful to ensure that the birds’ carrier boxes are protected with mosquito netting, which eliminates the ever-present risk of avian malaria. The flight is short, but the birds occasionally vocalize during the flight, which leads to some head-turns from fellow passengers—fortunately not enough shrieking to make ourselves unpopular…yet! We are always eager to explain what precious cargo they are carrying as well give a mini-history of the HEBCP and its goals with the endangered `alala.

Once the `alala arrive at the Kahului airport on Maui, they make the 30-minute drive up the slopes of Haleakala to the MBCC facility. The selection of which birds to place next door to specific neighbors is dependent on several factors including personality, age, sex, and behavioral history toward other birds. Upon arrival in their aviary, the carrier box is positioned so that the bird has a full view of its new home, and it is then released. After it has found a favored perch on which to settle, we observe the bird to ensure that it is still healthy after the journey. The new residents are checked frequently to ensure that they are adjusting well in their new abode.

After successfully relocating five `alala to MBCC this spring, we plan to transfer more juvenile and non-breeding `alala from KBCC over the next few months. Crucially, with this year’s breeding season underway, we have hopes to fill these aviaries with another productive year of youngsters.

Sierra Browning is an intern at the Maui Bird Conservation Center. Read her previous post, Interns Birding at 10,000 Feet.

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0

Interns Birding at 10,000 feet

By
Sierra Browning and Lisa Farr
– April 29, 2011Posted in: Animals and Plants, Birds, Conservation, Hawaiian Birds, Projects in the Field, Uncategorized

An iiwi feeds on the blossoms of a mamane tree at Hosmer Grove.

As interns at the San Diego Zoo’s Maui Bird Conservation Center (MBCC), we have a unique opportunity to work with and preserve endangered Hawaiian avifauna. We come from various backgrounds to learn from the knowledgeable staff about husbandry care, breeding, and incubation of the birds that are a part of the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program (HEBCP). (See post, Interns Help Endangered Birds.)

Our days typically include the observation of breeding behaviors, diet preparation, cleaning and maintenance of aviaries, and monitoring the health of the birds. Every few weeks the interns are presented with a lecture pertaining to conservation projects both in Hawaii and around the world. We learn about various bird species and the global issues that play a role in their survival.

Two of the major threats impacting endemic Hawaiian birds are the destruction of native forests and avian malaria spread by nonnative mosquitoes. MBCC is located in an area where there is very little native forest and within the zone where avian malaria is prevalent, so there are very few native birds around; there are plenty of introduced mynahs, cardinals, and house finches, though. Consequently, to find the majority of native forest birds in Maui, it is necessary to visit protected areas above the altitudinal limit of the mosquito line.

Interns Sierra and Cody consult bird guides to identify birds along the trail.

After spending several months getting to know the birds in managed care at MBCC, we were given the opportunity to observe the native birds that reside on the slopes of Haleakala volcano. Our journey began in the Haleakala National Park with a small hike through Hosmer Grove, which is a trail nestled just inside the entrance of the park. Looking through our binoculars, we were able to identify the various species that flew from tree to tree. Among the mix of introduced and Hawaiian trees, we were able to observe several native forest birds, including the spectacular `i`iwi, `apapane, `amakihi, and the endemic Maui creeper. We noted the varying flight patterns and calls of the birds that were visible and attempted to seek out the ones that were not. We consulted our Hawaiian bird guide books throughout our adventure to confirm our observations.

Drive carefully!

We then started our trek up to the 10,000-foot summit of Haleakala, which is a popular tourist attraction on the island of Maui for its breathtaking views and rare wildlife. As we made our ascent up the mountain, we caught a glimpse of several chukar partridges running along the side of the road up to the summit. The chukar is one of the many nonnative species to have been introduced to the Hawaiian Islands; in the case of the chukar, it was introduced as a game bird. We also kept an eye out for the nene that reside around the crater, including a large number released over the years from MBCC, but we were not fortunate enough to catch sight of any in the mist.

For the past five months we have spent the majority of our time at the MBCC facility caring for the birds, but being able to witness forest birds in their natural environment gives us hope and renewed appreciation for the HEBCP propagation mission. We enjoyed our brief field trip up to the Haleakala summit and Hosmer Grove, and we hope that future interns continue to have as much fun (but slightly less altitude sickness) as we did.

Sierra Browning and Lisa Farr are interns at the Maui Bird Conservation Center. Read Sierra’s previous post, New Year of Nene Goslings.

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2

Nene Visitors

By
Joshua Kramer
– February 21, 2011Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Birds, Conservation, Hawaiian Birds, Uncategorized

Wild nene perch on the roof of the main building at MBCC, checking out the residents.

Maui Bird Conservation Center (MBCC) staff member Michelle Smith snapped this photo on February 13, 2011, when she spotted two wild nene perched on the rooftop of the main facility building. Wild nene visiting MBCC is not an unusual event, although this prominent lookout is a novel location.

Many combinations of wild nene stop by MBCC, including small groups, breeding pairs, and lone individuals. We can’t be sure what attracts them—it could be the lush, green facility grass, the contented contact-calls of resident breeding pairs, or the super-luxurious nene accommodations (see post Nene: Movin’ On Up). In the past, lone wild males have shown up, and they hang around for several days, courting un-paired captive females. However, these bachelors eventually leave when they realize the relationship will be strictly platonic, due to the impediment of the pens’ fences and mesh roof. Over at Keauhou Bird Conservation Center on the Big Island, the pens lack a mesh roof, so the wild visitors are free to come and go, and consequently the daily interactions can resemble a soap opera.

This wild male nene is out of luck in his attempts to court a resident female.

During breeding season our resident adult nene become extremely protective of their goslings, and the presence of wild nene can become very aggravating for parents that are restricted by the constraints of their pen from chasing off territorial infringers. If we observe behaviors indicative of stress in our captive flock, steps are taken to gently encourage the wild nene to another area of the facility grounds. The recent visitors photographed by Michelle did not appear to disturb the captive flock, so they were left to perch in peace and stayed in place for most of the afternoon.

Our spirits are uplifted when we hear the calls of wild nene as they fly overhead. Frequently we observe released nene, which have been hatched and raised at MBCC, returning to the facility grounds. The released nene are recognizable by their identification leg bands. Both the sight of nene on the wing and an occasional visit represent confirmation that our efforts are benefiting island conservation.

Josh Kramer is a senior research associate at the Maui Bird Conservation Center, part of the San Diego Zoo’s Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program. Read his previous post, 200 Puaiohi Released!

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3

New Year of Nene Goslings

By
Sierra Browning
– January 18, 2011Posted in: Animal Stories, Animals and Plants, Birds, Conservation, Conservation at the Zoo, Hawaiian Birds, Uncategorized

Nene goslings

The San Diego Zoo’s Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program (HEBCP) is excited to ring in the New Year with the hatching of the first nene goslings of the season. The state bird of Hawaii is still captive bred at the HEBCP’s Maui Bird Conservation Center in the attempt to raise the wild population to a more self-sustainable number through the propagation and release of goslings.

The beginning of winter signals the start of nene breeding season. We monitor to determine when the females start sitting on a nest and when they begin laying eggs, because the period for incubation is approximately 30 days. Nene are typically the only birds that we encourage to parent-rear their young, as opposed to artificial incubation and hand-rearing by the staff. Therefore, the majority of our duty during the incubation period is observation.

Nene eggs are pulled for candling. Click on images to view in larger format.

The one exception is when the eggs are candled around day 18 of incubation to assess fertility. If an egg is fertile, it is returned to the nest of the sitting female; however, if an egg is not fertile, it is removed from the nest to prevent contamination of the remaining eggs. Although interns like myself are unable to handle the eggs, it does provide valuable opportunities to learn from the actions of the knowledgeable staff.

On day 28 of incubation, we listen for any sound of goslings that may have hatched. The nene goslings tend to roost underneath the female for approximately two to three days after hatch before their parents take them around the enclosure. There are some changes made to promote the survivability of the goslings, which include shallow water pools and adjustments in diet. Each modification is tailored to the age of the goslings, so as the goslings mature they transition to the diet and husbandry of an adult nene.

Each bird in the HEBCP flock has a unique identification band. Every week or so, the leg bands of the nene goslings are changed, because the youngsters are growing at such a great rate, and we want to avoid any injury that would be sustained if a band were to be too loose or too tight. During this procedure, the staff is able to perform physicals to monitor the goslings’ health and to keep an eye on their body weight and development.

At the Maui Bird Conservation Center, we are ecstatic to announce the successful hatching of seven nene goslings! The three new pairs of parents are taking wonderful care of them. The goslings are eating well, gaining weight, and exploring among the long grass of their enclosures.

There are currently an estimated 1,800 nene in the wild. However, with the exception of the population on the island of Kauai, nene numbers are not sustainable due to ongoing threats facing the wild birds, such as predation by introduced mammals and habitat degradation. In an attempt to keep the wild population buoyant, the HEBCP has released 429 nene since 1996. The current plan is to produce 75 goslings over the next five years, which will be released at Haleakala Ranch on Maui. This is a part of the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife’s commitment to the safe harbor agreement with these private landowners (see post Nene: Movin’ On Up). The safe harbor agreement with Haleakala Ranch will provide a well-maintained and safe habitat for the nene youngsters to be released into.

Sierra Browning is an intern at the San Diego Zoo’s Maui Bird Conservation Center.

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1

Interns Help Endangered Birds

By
Ashley Higby
– December 24, 2010Posted in: Animals and Plants, Birds, Conservation, Hawaiian Birds, Uncategorized

Ashley works with a Maui parrotbill.

We come from different backgrounds and all have different goals and aspirations. We take a three- to six-month break from our lives to travel to Maui and make the trek up the steep, windy road to the former minimum-security prison, now bird propagation facility for Hawaii’s endangered avifauna.

There is a lot to be gained as an intern at the San Diego Zoo Maui Bird Conservation Center. Our duties are essentially those of a staff member, and we get the opportunity to experience firsthand what it’s like to be an avian conservation biologist. With this role comes lots of responsibility and learning to ensure that these rare and exquisite birds get the best care possible. Our primary focus is avian husbandry and providing a stimulating environment to encourage reproductive success.

Each day begins at the early hour of 6:30, when we meet with the staff to discuss what’s going on with the birds and the facility. We then go our separate ways, based on our assignment for the day: `alala, nene, forest birds, or projects. Our first priority is to observe the birds’ behaviors and make sure they’re healthy. Then we clean their aviaries, feed out the diets that were prepared the day before, and possibly socialize breeding pairs, depending on the season and how the birds have been getting along. Each routine requires care and attention to detail.

While a typical day for interns involves a lot of cleaning, diet preparation, and detailed observation of the birds, there is still plenty of time for various projects and lots of scope for innovation. Many of the buildings here are old and in need of constant TLC. Therefore we get many opportunities to play mechanic/plumber/construction worker/landscaper. It’s pretty amazing what a bunch of bird nerds are able to accomplish! New ideas and projects are always welcome. The creation of new nest boxes by fellow intern Dustin Foote has proven to be an excellent enhancement for nene propagation, and the geese have happily begun laying eggs in these more private shelters.

Although only staff members are permitted to handle eggs and chicks, we take advantage of every opportunity to observe vital procedures such as egg candling, during which we can observe embryonic growth at each stage of development. It’s an exciting experience to watch an `alala egg’s development from the first day of candling to when it finally hatches

Interns play an important role in making the program the success that it is today. And while we contribute lots to the program, what we gain is every bit as important. We arrive as wide-eyed interns, eager to soak up every bit of the experience we can. We gain knowledge in captive bird care and artificial propagation, as well as an appreciation for Hawaii’s precious and endangered avifauna and the elaborate process to restore these birds’ populations in the wild.

No matter what our goals are in life—be it veterinary medicine, zoology, conservation, or even something entirely non-animal related—this internship provides us with a varied and enriching experience. Most importantly, when the birds bred by the program are thriving in the wild, contributing to the survival of their species, we will know that we helped make that happen…. And that’s pretty cool.

Ashley Higby is an intern at the San Diego Zoo’s Maui Bird Conservation Center.

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0

New Homes for the Growing Flock

By
Michelle Smith
– November 1, 2010Posted in: Animals and Plants, Birds, Conservation, Conservation at the Zoo, Hawaiian Birds

Goodbye, old nene pens...

As previously reported, the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program has achieved notable success this year, increasing the `alala flock by 11 juveniles (see post, Record Breeding Season for ‘Alala)! With all these new youngsters cavorting around, and with further growth of the flock anticipated in future years, aviary space has become hot property. Consequently, construction of brand-new `alala aviaries began in late summer at the Maui Bird Conservation Center (MBCC). Each building will have six aviaries, and with a potential of four buildings being completed over this winter, we will increase our holding capacity significantly.

As the `alala flock has grown over the past 15 years, the majority of new aviary infrastructure has been developed at our sister facility, the Keauhou Bird Conservation Center on the Big Island. Following the investment in new aviaries at MBCC, we will be able to increase our holding capacity and start to balance the `alala gene pool more equally between the two facilities. The new aviaries are being built primarily to house groups of youngsters and nonbreeders, allowing us to prioritize existing aviary space for breeding pairs.

... Hello, new 'alala aviaries!

As with all our `alala aviaries, the new ones will have a double layer of mesh on walls and roof. The fine, outer mesh is mosquito proof to protect the birds from harmful malaria-carrying mosquitoes. We will have the option of separating birds into individual units or opening hatch doors to allow birds to socialize with each other throughout the entire building. This will facilitate interactions between young birds and the development of their social skills, as well as maximize foraging opportunities that will stimulate the birds mentally and physically.

While we try to distance ourselves from the impressionable `alala, it is still important that all birds are monitored closely. The new aviaries will be built with small compartments called hack-boxes, where birds can be shifted for easy catch-up, weighing, or just a closer look. These provide a valuable tool for managing the birds with little contact with people, as well as minimizing the need to capture birds with a net.

A BIG thank you to all the donors who made this project possible. Approximately one third of the funding resulted from the Zoo’s popular fund-raising event, 2010’s Rendezvous In the Zoo (R*I*T*Z). The remainder has been allocated by our program partners, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and State of Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife. We are tremendously grateful for all the support. We are also very grateful to Zoe Builders for all the excellent work they have been doing so far. It is very exciting to see the progress that has been made with the `alala program, and the expansion taking place is a great step forward.

Michelle Smith is a research associate at the Maui Bird Conservation Center. Read her previous post, First Hatch of Hawaiian Bird Breeding Season.

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