WEST KAUAʻI — Hurricane Lowell has added new challenges to efforts to protect Kauaʻi’s endangered native forest birds, damaging remote research camps and delaying population assessments in the island’s mountainous interior.
According to a recent update from the Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project (KFBRP), one of its four remote field camps sustained severe damage during the hurricane, two experienced varying degrees of damage, and one remained largely intact.
Hazardous weather following the storm further delayed conservation crews from accessing remote monitoring sites in the Alakaʻi and Kōkeʻe forests, where several vulnerable native bird species continue to face threats from avian malaria, habitat degradation and declining populations.
Fieldwork has recently resumed, although researchers caution that it remains too early to determine the full extent of Lowell’s impact on native bird populations.
Initial observations indicate that native forest birds are still being encountered in the Alakaʻi and Kōkeʻe regions. Researchers reported that populations may have fared better than during last fall’s mosquito outbreak, which caused substantial losses among already vulnerable species.
However, the organization emphasized that early sightings do not establish the overall condition of bird populations or the storm’s longer-term consequences.
The update also highlighted the legacy of Pakele, the last known wild ʻakikiki, who was last observed on Aug. 29, 2025.
During her lifetime, biologists documented 13 nesting attempts by Pakele, more than any other known ʻakikiki. Four of her offspring remain alive in conservation breeding care, offering hope for future efforts to return the species to Kauaʻi’s forests.
In August, Mayor Derek Kawakami issued a proclamation honoring Pakele, while the Kauaʻi County Council presented a certificate recognizing her legacy and the conservation efforts surrounding the species.
As crews continue assessing storm damage, the Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project acknowledged the Hawaiʻi Division of Forestry and Wildlife, Hawaiʻi State Parks and other workers clearing trails and restoring forest access.
The organization said continued monitoring will be necessary to better understand the hurricane’s impact on Kauaʻi’s remaining native forest birds.
For more information about the Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project and its conservation efforts, visit kauaiforestbirds.org.
Source: Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project newsletter, October 2026.