200TH Hatching of rare Hawaiian bird.

29/10/2006 00:00:00 The 200th hatching of a puaiohi (pu-ai-o-he), at the San Diego Zoo’s Hawaiian bird breeding center, is a milestone that renews optimism for the fate of this critically endangered bird species native to the island of Kaua׳i.

The birds, representing a species that is believed to number fewer than 500, have been part of a breeding program since 1996 when the first captive hatching of a wild egg took place. The breeding and release program is part of a collaborative effort undertaken by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Hawai'i Division of Forestry and Wildlife, the U.S. Geological Survey and the San Diego Zoo to build a sustainable population of these birds in the wild. The puaiohi, also known as the small Kaua׳i thrush, is a small songbird that has been reduced to a single relict population in the wet forest of the Alaka׳i Wilderness Preserve. Habitat degradation caused by feral ungulates and invasive alien plants, and the joint threats from introduced predators and diseases are thought to be contributing factors in the decline of this species. More than half of Hawai׳i’s surviving songbirds are listed as endangered by the state and federal governments.

Puaiohi are released into the wild of the Alakai Swamp after they are flown to Lihue, Kaua׳i then transported to the release site. At the release site they are placed in an aviary where they spend 7 to10 days adjusting to the environment. More than 110 puaiohi have been released into the wild since the program started in 1996.