Native America Calling: Native Hawaiians work to save birds with rich ecological and cultural significance

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Native America Calling

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Native America Calling: Native Hawaiians work to save birds with rich ecological and cultural significance

Thursday, February 26, 2026

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Native Hawaiians work to save birds with rich ecological and cultural significance

Hawaiʻian honeycreepers only live in Hawai’i and the birds are interwoven into Native Hawaiian culture.

Feathers from the strikingly colorful birds are a key part of ceremonial cloaks and other regalia. The birds themselves are prominent in cultural stories, but of the more than 50 original species of honeycreepers, only 17 survive — and those are threatened with extinction.

Several factors contribute to the population decline, but a pressing concern is a mosquito-borne avian malaria. Tune in to hear from Native Hawaiian conservationists on the efforts to save these unique and important birds.

Hawaiʻian honeycreepers are a group of small birds endemic to Hawaiʻi. Shown here is a scarlet honeycreeper, known as ʻiʻiwi in the Hawaiian language. Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region

Guests on Native America Calling

Bret Mossman (Native Hawaiian), director of Birds Hawai‘i Past Present

Ben Catcho (Native Hawaiian), Indigenous communications and outreach specialist for the American Bird Conservancy and outreach lead for Birds Not Mosquitoes

Keoki Kanakaokai (Native Hawaiian and Athabascan), natural resource manager for The Nature Conservancy Maui Terrestrial Program and co-lead of the Nature Conservancy Native Network

Hina Kneubuhl (Native Hawaiian), translator, storyteller, and kapa maker