Birds, Not Mosquitoes
I Ola Nā Manu Nahele - So The Forest Birds Thrive
Vanishing Voices shares the story of the Hawaiian Honeycreepers and their conservation crisis facing non-native mosquitoes transmitting avian diseases that significantly threaten Hawai'i's biodiversity. American Bird Conservancy (ABC) and Hyperspective (Todd Robertson, Director) have produced a film that showcases the efforts of Birds, Not Mosquitoes (BNM) to address this emergency. This 30-minute documentary delves into the technology of the Incompatible Insect Technique (IIT). The film highlights BNM's relentless work, empowering viewers with the importance of reconnecting with Native forests and the native songbirds.
Featuring interviews with field teams working to save our remaining birds on Maui and Kaua'i, this film captures the essence of the vanishing voices as forests become much quieter and native birds disappear. Vanishing Voices is not just a film; it's an educational tool that aims to foster empathy and encourage our communities to advocate for safeguarding Hawai'i's biodiversity.
Visit Birds, Not Mosquitoes on YouTube for full access to Vanishing Voices.
Birds, Not Mosquitoes is a multi-agency partnership urgently working to protect the native Hawaiian honeycreepers from extinction. The southern house mosquito is invading these birds’ habitats and spreading a deadly disease called avian malaria.
Together, the partnership will use naturally-occurring bacteria as a mosquito “birth control” to suppress the southern house mosquito populations in Hawaiʻi.
This is a multi-phase project that is being implemented on Maui and Kauaʻi and will expand statewide throughout the main Hawaiian islands. All phases of the project will follow the required regulatory pathways before moving forward.