NEWS

Hawaiʻi is home to some of the world’s most culturally valuable forest birds, many of which are threatened or endangered. One major threat these birds face is avian malaria, which is spread by a species of introduced mosquito and can have death rates exceeding 90 percent. While mosquito suppression efforts are in place, there is currently no monitoring program to assess the effectiveness of this strategy. Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center (PI-CASC) funded researchers are working to develop new monitoring tools that will provide managers with accurate information on changes in bird abundances associated with climate change and conservation actions. University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo biology professor Patrick Hart is utilizing cutting-edge technology and traditional Hawaiian oli, or chant, in his approach to bird conservation.

Hart, who is also the founder of the Listening Observatory for Hawaiian Ecosystems or LOHE Lab, is currently developing artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze acoustic recordings of bird soundscapes to help determine bird distribution and abundance.

“It is becoming increasingly important to develop landscape-scale management tools to help prevent the decline and extinction of Hawaiian birds,” said Hart. “But, in order for it to be effective, we need better info about how all of the different species are doing and exactly where they are; however, most live in remote, high-elevation forests that are difficult for researchers to access.”

Because birds use sound to keep track of other birds, researchers are taking a page from their book. They are placing passive acoustic devices in the forest to record bird sounds and improve their tracking. These devices can be left for long periods in remote areas.

“There is a great potential to put out all of these recorders across the landscape and record what the birds are saying to each other continuously,” said Hart. “The problem is that you pick up massive amounts of sound data, and going through all of it has been almost impossible until recently.”

While technology exists to analyze bird sounds from different regions, such as North America, it has not been successful in recognizing bird species in Hawaiʻi. “Hawaiian birds, in particular, are variable in what they say to each other, which is one reason why it has been so hard to train algorithms to automatically detect the songs and calls of these birds,” explained Hart.

Consequently, this past year, Hart has been working with a team from Google on new technology to remedy this problem. Google’s algorithm, called “Perch,” has been very successful in Hawaiian bird song recognition and can be trained on limited data. With this new technology, Hart and his lab can effectively analyze the huge amounts of data collected from the forest recorders.

“Now, we can set acoustic recorders across the landscape for months at a time and estimate both the density and relative abundance of each species of bird,” he explained.

In another project that takes a cultural approach to native bird conservation, Hart is working with members of the group ʻĀhuimanu, to compose an oli called “ʻO ka Lele a Nei ʻĀuna ,” which translates to, “The flying of this flock.” ʻĀhuimanu is a collective of scientists, cultural practitioners, and bird enthusiasts who are dedicated to uplifting and advancing native birds in Hawaiʻi. The composition of the oli is led by cultural practitioner Kekuhi Kanahele Keali‘ikanaka‘oleohaililani. It seeks to bridge scientific and traditional knowledge of Hawaiʻi’s birds through moʻolelo, or storytelling, using the traditional framework of the Kumulipo. This Native Hawaiian creation chant connects humans to the ʻāina, or land.

Because most native bird species are not doing well, the goal of the oli is to breathe energy into each bird by connecting them with another animal or plant on land or sea that is thriving.

“The mele recalls and reaffirms the relationships between ourselves, the birds, and the other aspects of the environment that connect with, support and are supported by the birds. In it, the birds are connected with something that lives in the sea and some sort of plant on land,” explained Noah Gomes, a member of ʻĀhuimanu.

The group has written 25 verses and counting. Each verse is dedicated to a different type of bird, and they plan to continue adding. “The mele is kind of fluid right now, and several iterations of it exist. It probably will continue to evolve as we use it and add to it,” said Gomes. “It exists to support our manu in a positive way, beyond the more common (and completely necessary) narrative of loss, despair, and fear for their fate. I think we can view this as a positive way to engage the public and their own energies in providing support for our manu.”