Avian Malaria Poses Extinction Threat to Hawaiian Forest Birds

New study finds nearly all Hawaiian forest birds can spread the disease, fueling widespread transmission by mosquitoes

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A new study published in Nature Communications has revealed that almost every forest bird species in Hawai'i is spreading avian malaria, posing an increasing threat to the state's native wildlife. Researchers from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa and the University of California analyzed blood samples from over 4,000 birds across the islands and found that both native and introduced species can infect mosquitoes with the disease, even when the birds have only small amounts of the parasites. This makes the disease difficult to contain, as so many bird species can quietly sustain transmission.

Why it matters

Avian malaria has already taken a devastating toll on Hawai'i's native forest birds, with the 'akikiki, a bird native to Kaua'i, now considered extinct in the wild due to the disease. Mosquitoes, which are not native to Hawai'i, could increase the forest birds' risk of extinction even further. The study highlights the urgent need for mosquito control and other measures to protect Hawai'i's unique and vulnerable avian species.

The details

The researchers conducted feeding trials where they allowed mosquitoes to feed on infected birds and tracked whether those insects spread the disease at various temperatures. They found that both native and 'introduced' species of forest birds can infect mosquitoes when the insects feed on them, and that even when the birds have only small amounts of the parasites, they can carry the disease for months or years. This makes avian malaria appear to spread more broadly across many bird species, unlike in other ecosystems where a disease continues circulating even if only a handful of animal species are spreading it.

  • The study was published in Nature Communications on February 13, 2026.

The players

University of Hawai'i at Mānoa

A public research university located in Honolulu, Hawai'i, that collaborated on the study.

University of California

A public university system in California that also collaborated on the study.

Christa M. Seidl

A researcher who conducted the study as part of her PhD at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

'akikiki

A Hawaiian bird native to Kaua'i that is now considered extinct in the wild due to avian malaria.

National Park Service

The U.S. federal agency that manages the national parks, including those in Hawai'i, and has warned that mosquitoes could increase the forest birds' risk of extinction.

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What they’re saying

“Avian malaria has taken a devastating toll on Hawai'i's native forest birds, and this study shows why the disease has been so difficult to contain.”

— Christa M. Seidl, Researcher (University of California, Santa Cruz)

“When so many bird species can quietly sustain transmission, it narrows the options for protecting native birds and makes mosquito control not just helpful, but essential.”

— Christa M. Seidl, Researcher (University of California, Santa Cruz)

What’s next

The researchers noted a few caveats with the study, including that they primarily used lab-controlled canaries to determine transmission for different parasite levels, which may not be an exact match for every wild bird species. They also faced technical hurdles in measuring exactly how much malaria-carrying saliva a mosquito produces at various temperatures, though their models largely account for this.

The takeaway

This study highlights the urgent need for mosquito control and other measures to protect Hawai'i's unique and vulnerable avian species from the devastating impacts of avian malaria, which has already led to the extinction of the 'akikiki in the wild. The widespread transmission of the disease across many bird species makes it particularly difficult to contain, underscoring the importance of proactive conservation efforts.