The forests of Maui have just become home to the world’s rarest crow for the first time. Five ‘alalā, also called the Hawaiian crow, were released after having been raised in captivity under the care of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance at Keauhou Bird Conservation Center in Volcano and Maui Bird Conservation Center in Makawao.
‘Alalā, Corvus hawaiiensis, are about the size of a football with matte black feathers and a beak to match. They’re famous loudmouths, equipped with loud and varied calls that communicate through 24 different kinds of vocalizations, demonstrating they share the advanced intelligence that’s characteristic of the corvids.
They’re important island residents with a omnivorous diet that helps to disperse seeds throughout the ecosystem, so their resurgence would be a win for biodiversity as well as the hard-working conservationists who made the release possible. The five birds include two females and three males. Should they go on to reproduce in their new home, we can expect clutches of around one to five greenish-blue eggs, as is the ‘alalā way.
They were once a common sight on Hawai‘i Island, but around 100 years ago they began to face increasing threats from invasive predators, disease, and habitat destruction. In 1993, the ‘alalā conservation breeding program was formally established by The Peregrine Fund to try and prevent it from going the same way as the other four native – and now extinct – Hawaiian corvid species.
In 2000, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance took over the breeding project as part of its Hawai‘i Endangered Bird Conservation Program, a joint partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State of Hawai‘i Division of Forestry and Wildlife. This release marks a big moment, one that the long-running conservation program has been working toward for some time in the hope that it may now be possible to return this intelligent and charismatic species to its forest home.
“The translocation of ‘alalā to Maui is a monumental step forward in conserving the species and a testament to the importance of partnership in reversing biodiversity loss,” said Dr Megan Owen, vice president of conservation science at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, in a release. “It is the result of years of preparation involving San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, USFWS, State of Hawai‘i DLNR DOFAW, University of Hawai‘i and other NGOs, all of which have brought together a diverse range of skills and expertise to support the recovery of this species – one that is vital to the forests and people of Hawai‘i.”
Fingers crossed for some greenish-blue eggs in the near future.
Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
The ‘alalā will face new challenges as they settle back into the wild, so San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance scientists have been evaluating their nest quality and how it correlates to probability of egg loss. Other areas of research have included how personality traits may impact mate selection, what determines breeding success, and ways to better manage ‘alalā after release.
It’s a tough job, but one that the team are passionate about getting done right. Not just for the sake of restoring the ecosystem, but also so that it will return a bit of Hawai‘i’s culture that has been sorely missed.
“It means a lot to me to care for the ‘alalā,” added Keanini Aarona, avian recovery specialist at Maui Bird Conservation Center. “To me, and in my culture, the ‘alalā are like our ancestors – our kūpuna. The forest wouldn’t be there without these birds.”
