Spreading the Puaiohi across the Alakai
Posted at 9:45 am January 31, 2006 by Alan Lieberman
Six puaiohi are suspended in a padded transport box, soundproofed against helicopter noise. Each bird will dangle like a butterfly’s chrysalis from the lid of the box. A line from the belly of the helicopter will fly the box to the release site, where a biologist will free each bird to explore its new territory.
It has been the goal of the Puaiohi Release Program to establish this rare thrush in every corner of the Alakai Wilderness Area on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. Over the past 7 years we have released 94 birds in the Halepaakai and the Kawaikoi River drainages. But, we still aspire to establish puaiohi in the most remote corners of the Alakai.
Because the birds don’t have the benefit of a guidebook and map to the Alakai when they are released, it has become apparent that if we want them to set up house in the farthest reaches of the Alakai, we may have to take them there ourselves. After the birds are acclimated in the “hacking” aviaries in the Halepaakai, they will be air-lifted by helicopter in their new travel box and lowered to biologists waiting in the more remote and isolated area. This will allow us to “seed” puaiohi where they will have the best chance to survive; good habitat and minimal competition from wild puaiohi and from those captive birds that have been released in the preceding years. This air-lift technique will allow the program to spread the puaiohi throughout the Alakai… even in the most remote parts of the Wilderness Area.
Alan Lieberman is the program director for the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program.
Here’s more information about the puaiohi and a photo!
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January 31st, 2006 at 3:24 pm
This is a worthy endeavor that makes me proud to be a Zoo member!
January 31st, 2006 at 4:52 pm
Interesting! Do you find that birds that are placed in remote areas remain there, or do they move to other areas? Do you do anything to their area to entice them to stay, i.e. provide a nest or other desirable materials?
February 2nd, 2006 at 10:30 am
It is very nice to hear that our efforts make you proud to be a Zoo member…nicer words cannot be found.
We have found in the past that the first group of birds has a high fidelity to the area of release and in each successive year the birds disperse more quickly and further away. Our supposition is that the first birds released put pressure on the latter groups and make it too uncomfortable to remain in the area, so they disperse. This is the reason we’re looking for more effective ways (cost, time, and effort) to get new groups of birds to new areas that don’t have high concentrations of puaiohi.
Thank you again for looking in. We’ll try to keep the blogs timely, interesting, and frequent.
Alan Lieberman
February 2nd, 2006 at 4:54 pm
It’s always such wonderful news when critically endangered birds and other animals are reintroduced to the wild. Thank you and CRES so very much for your part in returning the puaiohi to its native habitat. Like Susan O.(#1) it makes me very, very proud to be a ZSSD member and supporter of CRES. And thanks also for keeping us up to date on these so important activities.
July 5th, 2006 at 10:12 am
Alan,
I have enjoyed reading your articles and still admire your work. I still remember the tour you gave me in the reptile house back in the ’70s. Do you remember me? You probably know my brother Steve, too. He took me to many of his transits on the big island and taught me about honey creepers. I see you have been working there, too. Would you mind emailing me back when you get a chance?