HONOLULU (KHON2) -- New efforts are underway to help restore the population of ʻalalā, the Hawaiian crow.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources released five ʻalalā on the leeward slopes of Haleakalā, in the Kīpahulu Forest Reserve on Maui.
This is the first time the endemic bird has been reintroduced into the wild outside of Hawaii Island.
ʻAlalā play a crucial role in Hawaiian culture and represent those who have gone before us.
"Our care for this release group is linked with our desire to preserve their memories and knowledge for the future," Martin Frye, Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project research field supervisor said.
Among the ʻalalā were three male and two female juveniles. Officials said they were selected "for their highly developed social and behavioral skills that may allow them a greater likelihood to succeed in the wild at foraging, predator avoidance and pair bonding."
"Our site sits right on the edge of the wet forest and the ʻalalā in this release cohort are going to have access to a wetter forest. Those habitats also have more of the native plants, more of the native fruits, which the ʻalalā are known to forage on," Frye added.
The birds will also have access to automated feeder boxes to help provide on-demand food.
Each ʻalalā is wearing a GPS tracker attached to a cloth harness they wear as a backpack.
"While we acknowledge that there is more work to be done, our focus is currently on closely monitoring these birds to ensure they have the best opportunities to thrive in their new home in east Maui," explained Chelsie Javar-Salas, supervisory U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist for the Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office.
Field crews will continue monitoring the birds to see how they are adapting to their new home.