Conservationists hosting educational festival in Hilo to help Hawaiʻi’s declining native birds

As bird populations continue to decline across the state, the annual Hawaiʻi Island Festival of Birds will bring together more than 20 nonprofits and organizations for a day all about saving Hawaiʻi’s 64 endemic bird species.

Hawaiʻi Wildlife Center, a North Kohala nonprofit, is hosting this yearʻs festival at the Grand Naniloa Hotel in Hilo from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 26. The full-day event will include panels, presentations, cultural demonstrations, soundscapes and a “Bird Fair.”

“Weʻve definitely extended the activities this year after a huge success of 600 attendees last year,” said Rae Okawa, development director of the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Center. “We have some amazing speakers and we have more cultural elements, which allude to the deep connections native birds have to all of the islands’ history and people.” 

In the face of growing conservation challenges, this year’s festival theme is “Celebrating Connection,” and will focus on sharing manaʻo (reflection) and enthusiasm to uplift and motivate the community. 

ʻĀhuimanu, a Hawaiʻi Island group that keeps the spirit of the manu at the forefront to restore a deep cultural connection to birds, will set the tone for the day with an ʻoli (chant) that will include native bird calls.

The featured panel will follow with an in depth discussion about the ecosystem of seabirds living within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

Andy Collins, education coordinator with the national monument, will moderate the panel. It includes: Ann Bell, supervisory wildlife biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and J. Hauʻoli Lorenzo-Elarco from the Papahānaumokuākea Cultural Working Group. 

“Our shorebirds make everything in our ecosystem work since they bring nutrients from the sea to the land,” Okawa said. “Seabirds are also a majority of the patients at the Wildlife Center, so we wanted to show them some love.”

The Wildlife Center, located in Kapa’au, provides emergency response, medical and rehabilitative care for native birds and bats from all major and minor Hawaiian Islands, extending to Midway and Kure atolls. 

“What we do can be pretty heavy and depressing, so having this festival to encourage everyone to keep going and to get involved is great,” Okawa said. “We hope to teach residents and visitors alike about what some organizations are doing to help our native species, while showing them how special birds are to our island ecosystem.”

Seven guest presentations will dive into a wide range of topics regarding biodiversity, conservation, community action and connection to the birds of Hawaiʻi. 

The speakers include: Patrick Hart from the Listening Observatory for Hawaiian Ecosystems; Jordan Lerma from Nēnē Conservation and Research; Lisa Mason and Hannah Bailey from the Hawaiʻi Endangered Bird Conservation Program; author Caren Loebel-Fried; Eric-Preston Hamren from The Wildlife Society; designer David Shepard; and Bret Nainoa Mossman, who is currently on a mission to restore cultural links to birds collected from Hawaiʻi long ago and are now hidden away as the property of museums around the world. 

Hālau Hula Manaʻolana and Hālau Hula Nāwehiokaipoaloha will present culturally relevant dances to the audience and soundscapes featuring songs of several native species will play throughout the event.

“We hope the soundscapes immerse the audience in a world where Hawaiʻi is so naturally abundant with native bird songs and inspire them to be part of these conservation efforts,” Okawa said. “If we donʻt take care of our native species, there may be no bird sounds when we walk in a forest and that silence would be painful.”

The Festival of Birds will also feature a Bird Fair, located in the Hoʻomalimali, Sandalwood and Palm rooms at the Grand Naniloa. Participants can shop for all things bird throughout the day. Vendors will include conservation groups, environmental nonprofits, small businesses and local artists.

A few educational booths will be open to the public in the lobby lānai and Kowa Sporting Optics will be providing a free demonstration about the the best binocular and spotting scope techniques for birding on the hotel’s lawn.

Presale tickets are still available online for $15 general admission and $10 student rate, with keiki 12 and under free. They come with a free festival keychain featuring an albatross and early access to the collectible wristband. Tickets will increase by $10 at the door, but keiki 12 and under remain free.

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets for the Hawaiʻi Island Festival of Birds.