Iknayan to cover forest bird recovery
PUKALANI — On Thursday, Jan. 21, Kelly Iknayan will present a free talk and slideshow on Maui Forest Bird Recovery from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Hannibal Tavares Community Center.
Sponsored by the Friends of Haleakala National Park, the talk is free and open to the public.
Iknayan is an ornithological research assistant and geographic information system technician with the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project (MFBRP).
Formed in 1997, MFBRP’s mission is to develop and implement techniques to recover Maui’s endangered birds and restore their habitat through research, development and application of conservation techniques.
The geographic isolation of Hawaii has produced numerous species of birds found nowhere else on Earth. Some of these endemic bird species are critically endangered. Iknayan will discuss Hawaii’s incredible native avian biodiversity and show photos and video of rare birds, including the critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers.
MFBRP focuses primarily on the most critically endangered of the surviving Maui honeycreepers. They combine habitat management with ornithological research in their efforts to discover the reasons for the rarity of these birds and to develop methods to help them recover.
At the talk, Iknayan will discuss current conservation efforts and threats to honeycreepers and other native Hawaiian species.
For more information on the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project, visit www.mauiforestbirds.org. For information on the talk, call Mele Stokesberry at 878-8015.