Avian Malaria Linked to Kauaʻi Bird's Extinction
New research ties mosquito-borne disease to the loss of the ʻakikiki, a forest bird found only on Kauaʻi.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Bird Watching
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Research published in Ornithological Applications links avian malaria to the extinction in the wild of the ʻakikiki on Kauaʻi. The last-known bird, nicknamed Pakele, was observed on August 29, 2025.
Why it matters
The study found that increased mortality, rather than reproductive failure, drove the decline, and avian malaria is transmitted by non-native mosquitoes. Researchers warn more Hawaiian forest bird extinctions are likely without emergency conservation breeding, translocations, and expanded mosquito control.
Monitoring data from 2015 to 2022 showed a sharp drop in adult ʻakikiki survival while nesting success stayed relatively stable. As of September 2026, 31 birds were in human care, and the study does not say whether any remain in the wild.
The players
Justin Hite
Lead author of the study and a researcher who worked on Hawaiian forest bird monitoring.
Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project
A conservation program that monitors and works to recover endangered forest birds on Kauaʻi.
US Fish and Wildlife Service
The federal agency that co-funded the study and oversees endangered species protection in the United States.
The details
Researchers documented increased avian malaria infections as non-native mosquitoes expanded into formerly protected high-elevation forest habitats with rising temperatures. Breeding pairs declined at Halepaʻakai in the Alakaʻi Wilderness Preserve, and conservation breeding of the species began in 2015.
Timeline
2015 to 2022: Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project monitoring underlying the study.
2015: Conservation breeding of the ʻakikiki began.
August 29, 2025: The last-known ʻakikiki, Pakele, was observed.
September 2026: 31 ʻakikiki birds were counted in human care.
October 2026: Only a few ʻakekeʻe remained in the wild.
Seasonal Patterns
The study draws on Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project monitoring from 2015 to 2022, the same program whose conservation breeding efforts began in 2015 and continue today. Its findings point to mosquitoes moving into high-elevation forest that was once protected from the disease.
Hawaiian forest birds face continued loss without emergency conservation breeding, translocations, and expanded mosquito control. Residents and visitors who spot native forest birds can support monitoring efforts through the Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project.
The takeaway
Mosquito control and conservation breeding are now central to keeping Hawaiian forest birds from further extinctions. Bird watchers on the islands can help by reporting sightings and respecting protected habitat.
Further reading
For more on the species and habitats involved, explore Bird Watching in Hawaii.
More information
Learn more about forest bird recovery efforts on the Kauaʻi Forest Bird Recovery Project website.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Maui Now | Hawaii News | Local Maui News and Information | Hawaii News.
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