Once again flying free and sounding calls in their rightful Hawai‘i forest home

The five ʻalalā moved beyond the threshold of the aviary doorway, one by one and into the unknown, at first staying close and walking on its frame and roof before maneuvering from tree to nearby tree.

Soon enough, they were spreading their wings a bit more and surveying their new reality, vocalizing to each other and putting their new forest neighbors on notice that they arrived.

Recently releaseed in the Kīpahulu Forest Reserve on the leeward slopes of Maui’s Haleakalā, the cohort of native Hawaiian crows are once again flying free and sounding calls in their rightful Hawai‘i forest home.

Their release was a historic first on Maui and also the first attempt to reintroduce the endemic crow elsewhere other than Hawaiʻi Island.

And it was only made possible through a great deal of coordinated effort and planning.

Partners the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife, worked tirelessly breeding and caring for the birds, working out the logistics of the release and doing community outreach to ensure the vision became reality.

“We understand how valuable ʻalalā are as a cultural resource as well as a biological resource,” said Martin Frye, research field supervisor for the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project. “They play a huge role in Hawaiian culture just as much as they do in the Hawaiian forest. Those two things are linked.”

The project took more than 2 years of planning, research and refinement, but the journey to preserve ʻalalā has a much longer history.

The impact of past conservation leaders is still felt today, including that of Fern Duvall, a former Maui Nui program manager with the Division of Forestry and Wildlife who worked on ʻalalā recovery since the 1980s.

Duvall and others dreamed of a day when the Hawaiian crows would inhabit Maui’s forests for its prime habitat, variety of food sources and the absence of ‘io, the Hawaiian hawk, a chief predator of the ʻalalā.

Building on lessons from previous releases in the 1990s and more recently from 2016 to 2019 on Hawaiʻi Island, biologists and staff from past and present contributed to the project, pivoting to the Valley Isle for this reintroduction.

Insights from earlier efforts helped shape the design, including the cohort of birds.

ʻAlalā are considered ʻaumākua, or spirit guardians, in Hawaiian culture.

“The birds represent so many individuals who have gone before us and our care for this release group is linked with our desire to preserve their memories and knowledge for the future,” Frye shared.

ʻAlalā and forests are interconnected. The crows are seed dispersers of numerous native plants.

The messages “E Hoʻolāʻau Hou ka ʻAlalā” (“May the ʻalalā thrive once again in their forest home”) and “No kākou ke kuleana” (“The responsibility belongs to us”) speak to a shared goal that includes biologists, staff and the greater community.

Three male and two female juvenile ʻalalā were selected for this initial release, as young birds are less territorial than adults and staff expects more group cohesion, teamwork and learning from one another as a result.

These particular individuals were selected for their highly developed social and behavioral skills that will give them a greater likelihood to succeed in the wild at foraging, predator avoidance and pair bonding.

Two additional design elements unique to the Maui release are automated feeder boxes and global positioning system tracking.

The feeders distribute food on-demand to supplement the wild diet of the birds, while the the GPS transmitters provide a second method to track the birds in addition to very high frequency radio telemetry.

These small, light GPS trackers are attached to a durable cloth harness worn by the ʻalalā as a backpack.

The birds spent several weeks in a field aviary at the release site, learning to use the feeders and becoming accustomed to wearing their new backpacks.

Meanwhile, biologists and staff watched over them, pouring themselves physically and emotionally into providing the best environment and care for the birds.

“This pilot release marks a significant milestone for ʻalalā, showcasing our commitment to their recovery,” said Chelsie Javar-Salas, supervisory U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist for the Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office. “While we acknowledge that there is more work to be done, our focus is currently on closely monitoring these birds to ensure they have the best opportunities to thrive in their new home in east Maui.”

The morning of the release and the days leading up to it brought heightened emotions for the field crew.

Opening the aviary door signified joy and apprehension — a tradeoff for the birds from safety and security to freedom and uncertainty.

Despite the best plans and intentions, there is always risk.

Staff are optimistic, however, the exceptional intelligence and instincts of the birds — plus cohesion of the group — bode well for their chances of surviving and thriving.

“As much as we strive at our centers to provide them with the best possible conditions, this is the home they deserve,” said Gavin Nuttall, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance avian recovery specialist.

Success of the project relies on how the birds manage to adapt to their new home and will only be measured with time.

“Opening the door and seeing these birds flying free meant so much,” added Nuttall, his emotions welling.

The field team will continue to monitor the birds into the foreseeable future, supplementing their food and keeping an eye on their health and well-being.

Free to roam and explore their surroundings, the ʻalalā are on their way back to being wild.