On Sunday, June 7, a group of students from Volcano School of Arts and Sciences, K’au High, and Pahala Elementary School were welcomed on a VIP visit to the Keauhou Bird Conservation Center (KBCC) on Hawaii. Four of the children were winners of a contest to name the four `alala youngsters successfully reared during the 2008 breeding season.
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On Tuesday, May 26, 2009, the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program reached a new landmark in its species recovery program for the puaiohi Myadestes palmeri: this fluffy-downed chick (pictured) represents the 300th chick to hatch since managed-care propagation efforts began in 1996.
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Tuesday, April 28, 2009, was a pivotal day for the management of the ‘alala flock…and for the management of one particular bird: studbook #33, better known as Kinohi.

Early on Tuesday morning, staff at the Maui Bird Conservation Center packed up Kinohi into his specially modified bird carrier for the start of a momentous journey that would take him on a flight nearly 3,000 miles across the Pacific. The mission is an ambitious attempt to ensure that Kinohi’s valuable genes are passed on to future generations of ‘alala, hopefully helping to guarantee the survival of the species.
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The Keauhou Bird Conservation Center (KBCC) welcomed visitors on December 6, 2008, to its annual open house. Over 80 people came to see some of the most endangered birds in the world and learn about our role in their recovery efforts.

The visitors learned from the staff about the main problems that are affecting the wild populations of endemic Hawaiian birds. These are introduced predators (mongoose, rats), introduced diseases (pox, malaria), and habitat degradation/loss (much from feral sheep, goats, and pigs). (more…)

An endangered palila pauses at the open hatch of its release aviary, taking one last glance at its surroundings before taking its flight to freedom (see image at right). This palila is one of seven that were airlifted by helicopter in early March 2009, up to a site known as Puu Mali, on the northern slopes of Mauna Kea, Hawaii’s tallest volcano. All seven palila were hatched in previous breeding seasons at the Keauhou Bird Conservation Center (KBCC) as part of the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program’s ongoing effort to restore the palila population and thereby help to prevent the species’ extinction.
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There is another side to the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program that happens at the San Diego Zoo’s Beckman Center for Conservation Research. Our Genetics Division has preserved the genetic material of many Hawaiian birds in the Frozen Zoo®, a large collection of frozen samples, including thousands of cell lines. Most of the cell lines in the Frozen Zoo are grown using a piece of skin tissue from a small biopsy, which can be taken during an animal’s regular veterinary exam. (more…)

Breeding season at the Maui Bird Conservation Center is always a busy time for everyone, birds and people alike. Most days you can expect a whirlwind of activity, from setting incubators and rotating eggs to preparing diets and feeding hungry chicks. This season our efforts were rewarded with the hatching of a rare bird, a Maui parrotbill.
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One of the best ways to get to know your local community is to start at the library. This is exactly what one staff member and several interns from the San Diego Zoo’s Maui Bird Conservation Center (MBCC) decided to do when planning an informational display. The poster included short notes about our program and the four species of native endangered Hawaiian birds reared at the facility, as well as examples of eggs, nene goose feathers, a feeding puppet used for ‘alala chicks, and Maui parrotbill nests used at the Center. Skillful artwork (provided by a previous intern, Allison Homer) and colorful photos added the finishing touches, providing something for all ages and interests to take in and enjoy.
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It’s breeding season here at the Maui Bird Conservation Center (MBCC), and that means all the occupants (the staff, interns, and birds) are very busy!

It all starts with planning and preparation. The staff and interns work hard in the weeks leading up to breeding season building nest platforms, putting up nest boxes, and collecting various nesting materials that the birds can use to build their nests. Nest cameras are set up in breeding females’ aviaries so that nesting behavior can be observed around the clock.
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The glow at night and the pillar of smoke have even the local villagers in Volcano Hawaii talking in loud voices in the local post office. Not more than two miles south of the Keauhou Bird Conservation Center on the Big Island of Hawaii sits the Kilauea Volcano and its smoking core, the Halemaumau Crater: fabled to be the home of the Pele, goddess of fire. Since early March of this year, the Halemaumau vent has been releasing ash, steam, and sulphur dioxide in a towering plume of smoke that can be seen for miles. Although we are used to the constant smell of “vog” (volcanic fog) here at the bird propagation center, this new eruption and constant volcanic belching is of some concern. Here’s more information from the National Park Service…
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