Hawaiian honeycreepers (ʻiʻiwi, ʻapapane, ʻakikiki) and the mosquito problem

Hawaiian honeycreepers are colorful native forest birds, like the red ʻiʻiwi and ʻapapane, that evolved from a single finch ancestor into dozens of species. Many are now extinct or endangered, mostly because mosquitoes spread avian malaria. Kauaʻi's ʻakikiki was declared functionally extinct in the wild in 2024.

• Where to see them: high-elevation native forests such as Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Haleakalā (Hosmer Grove) and Kōkeʻe on Kauaʻi. Kula Botanical Garden on Maui reports ʻapapane and ʻamakihi.
• Mosquitoes arrived in Hawaiʻi in the 1800s; the birds have no defense against the avian malaria they carry.
• Warming lets mosquitoes reach higher, cooler forests that used to be safe for the birds.
• ʻAkikiki (Kauaʻi): a few birds left in the wild by 2024; the species is considered functionally extinct in the wild.
• Agencies are releasing male mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia, which keeps eggs from hatching, to shrink mosquito numbers.
• Help: clean boots and gear between forests, and support native forest groups.

Sources: Spectrum News: ʻAkikiki functionally extinct in the wild · Birds, Not Mosquitoes

Last checked Oct. 29, 2026. Hours, fees and rules can change, so confirm with the official source before you go.