Cutting through the deep green of a dense, tropical forest is the quick flash of a black, beaked figure. In synchrony, a familiar call floats down toward the landscape, declaring good news. It’s the ʻalalā (Hawaiian crow) soaring through the trees of the islands once again.
For more than 20 years, the species has been extinct in the wild. We’re honored to share that through a collaborative pilot program with our conservation partners in Hawaiʻi, we have successfully introduced five ʻalalā into the forests on Maui. This transformative conservation effort represents hope for the future of Hawaiʻi—for its wildlife, for its people, and for their shared ecosystems.
ʻAlalā are an influential species—for both Hawaiian people and ecosystems.
Beyond the Bird
ʻAlalā are found nowhere else on Earth, and their existence is essential in Hawaiʻi. As they fly from tree to tree, these corvids disperse seeds that help grow new trees and restore native forests. In doing so, ʻalalā also help provide food and shelter for other indigenous wildlife that share their island. Their very presence supports and even propagates their ecosystem’s rich biodiversity.
Their significance spans the hearts of Hawaiians, too. Revered as ʻaumākua, or a kindred guardian, the ʻalalā are more than an endemic bird. Their cries are interpreted as warning signs by local communities and are even included in sacred chants. To Hawaiians, ʻalalā are family.
Until this recent introduction, ʻalalā had been extinct in the wild for decades. Habitat loss and disease introduced by mosquitos continue to threaten their future. Helping this unique bird required a unique plan.
Five ʻalalā were successfully introduced into the Kīpahulu Forest Reserve on Maui by our Hawaiian partners on November 11, 2024.
A Swoop in the Right Direction
Our experts worked collaboratively with partners on a pilot introduction program to help reestablish the birds throughout island forests.
Together with our partners, we increased populations from fewer than 20 individuals in the 1990s to more than 110 today, all of them cared for at our Hawaiian bird conservation centers on Maui and the island of Hawaiʻi. Of these ʻalalā, five were chosen for this reintroduction.
To prepare, experts raised the two females and three males in a social group to strengthen their relationship-building skills. This approach helped the ʻalalā practice how they’d depend on each other, giving them every opportunity to succeed in native habitats. Teams also worked closely on prerelease assessments, looking at how the birds were likely to respond to predators and how they’d seek native foods like insects and fruits.
Teams worked closely to prepare the ʻalalā for introduction and will continue to monitor them in native habitat.
Opportunity Calls
In early October 2024, the five ʻalalā were transferred from the Maui Bird Conservation Center to a temporary field aviary on the slopes of Haleakalā. Here, conservation teams carefully monitored the birds as they began adapting to the forest they would eventually call home—and a dynamic ecosystem they will help keep in balance.
On November 11, 2024, it was finally time. The ʻalalā were successfully introduced by our Hawaiian partners into the Kīpahulu Forest Reserve, spreading the good news of their return with each distinguished call.
This introduction is a hopeful step for the future of ʻalalā conservation.
Flying Toward the Future
Collaboration with our partners is the key to further progress, and as we celebrate this work, we’ll continue supporting and partnering with them for the long-term success of the species through our Pacific Islands Conservation Hub. Conservationists will next monitor the birds as they acclimate to the forest, applying critical information gained from this pilot program to future efforts.
This reintroduction is a success story for our teams and a hopeful step for the future of ʻalalā conservation. For the ʻalalā, it’s a future with the promise of increasing populations across their native habitat. For ecosystems, it’s a future where Hawaiian forests are thriving. And for local communities, it’s a future where a long-lost friend is finally returning home.
Support from allies like you makes trailblazing conservation work like this possible. Discover how you’re making a difference for Hawaiian birds and other vulnerable wildlife through our Pacific Islands Conservation Hub.
