This image shows an ʻapapane, which can be found on the islands of Hawaiʻi, Maui, Lānaʻi, Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi and Oʻahu. Courtesy photo/Ann Tanimoto-Johnson

With many of Hawaiʻi’s forest birds facing extinction, University of Hawai’i at Hilo biology professor Patrick Hart is employing a mix of high-tech tools and Native Hawaiian traditions to support their remaining populations.

According to the university, Hart’s research, funded by the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center, uses artificial intelligence, or AI, to monitor bird populations in remote forests on Hawaiʻi island.

By placing acoustic recorders in the forest, Hart’s team captures massive amounts of bird sound to help understand where different species are and how they’re doing.

This image shows an ʻamakihi, one of Hawai’i’s honeycreeper bird species. Courtesy photo/Ann Tanimoto-Johnson

“It is becoming increasingly important to develop landscape-scale management tools to help prevent the decline and extinction of Hawaiian birds,” said Hart, who founded UH Hilo’s Listening Observatory for Hawaiian Ecosystems or LOHE Lab, where data is analyzed. “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.”

This past year, Hart has worked with Google to develop a new algorithm, “Perch,” that can identify the unique sounds of Hawaiian birds, allowing Hart and his team to accurately estimate bird numbers across large areas.

“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,” Hart said in a news release.

In a parallel effort, Hart is collaborating with ʻĀhuimanu, a group dedicated to native bird conservation, to create a special oli, or chant, that uplifts Hawaiian birds. The oli, led by cultural practitioner Kekuhi Kanahele Keali’ikanaka’oleohaililani, connects each bird to thriving elements in nature to promote balance and resilience.

“The mele recalls and reaffirms the relationships between ourselves, the birds and the other aspects of the environment,” ʻĀhuimanu member Noah Gomes said.

Of the 84 Hawaiian forest bird species known from observation and fossil records, 58 have vanished. Today, 24 of the remaining 26 species are endangered, with statuses ranging from “vulnerable” to “critically endangered.”

Four honeycreeper species — ʻakikiki, ʻakekeʻe, kiwikiu and ʻākohekohe — face a high risk of extinction within the next decade if significant conservation measures are not taken.

This image shows an ʻamakihi, one of Hawai’i’s honeycreeper bird species. Courtesy photo/Ann Tanimoto-Johnson