The ʻAkikiki, a critically endangered honeycreeper native to the island of Kauaʻi, is currently one of the world's most endangered bird species. Known for its distinctive, soft call and delicate appearance, the ʻAkikiki is sadly down to only a handful of individuals as of this writing. As an insectivorous bird, it plays a vital role in controlling insect populations, contributing to the health and stability of its forest habitat. Its precipitous decline is being caused by mosquitoes, which transmit avian malaria and avian pox (diseases to which the bird has little to no natural immunity). As climate change causes temperatures to rise, mosquitoes are migrating up higher in elevation.
On Kaua’i, this means mosquitoes are moving into the little remaining habitat left to these and other critically endangered honeycreepers. The resulting heightened exposure to disease transmission has significantly contributed to the decline in ʻAkikiki populations, making their conservation even more urgent. The Kaua’i Forest Bird Recovery Project and Birds, Not Mosquitoes are some of the multiple agencies urgently working to protect these and other native Hawaiian honeycreepers from extinction.
To learn more about how you can help, visit www.birdsnotmosquitoes.org