  In no area in the world have native birds fared more poorly than in Hawaii during the past century. The causes of the decimation of numbers and species are probably multiple; certainly no single factor alone can be cited. Possibly some of the most specialized forms had already begun a decline in numbers before the arrival of Western man. It is unlikely that feather gathering for leis as practiced by the ancient Hawaiians had much to do with the decline. On the other hand, the clearing of land, which began early in the 1800’s, must have had a devastating effect on those birds that had become so specialized—they simply were forced into new environments and were unable to adapt. The introduction of new plants, especially grasses, and the establishment of feral mammals (goats, sheep, and pigs), and insects played a subtle but possibly even more destructive role in altering the over-all environment. Introduction of exotic birds must have been the final blow to many of the native species. Unfortunately until recently there was no adequate control over importing and releasing new birds in Hawaii. The delicate balance of nature was rudely upset when some of the more aggressive exotic birds were released indiscriminately on the islands. Exotic birds such as the white-eye became so plentiful that direct competition for food with the natives must have occurred. Furthermore, bird diseases new to Hawaii, such as avian malaria (probably brought to the islands with some introduced bird from the Orient), would have been a great killer. With a few exceptions, however, it does seem that the remaining Hawaiian native birds are now holding their own. |
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