Study Revises Historical Causes of Hawaiian Waterbird Declines

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:03:00 +0200

A recent study from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa challenges a longstanding belief that Indigenous Hawaiians drove native waterbirds to extinction. Published in Ecosphere, the research found no scientific evidence of overhunting by Indigenous communities. Instead, it identifies multiple contributing factors to the decline of these species, including climate change, invasive species, and changes in land use—some occurring before Polynesian arrival or after disruptions to traditional land stewardship. The study highlights that several endangered waterbird species likely peaked in population just before European contact, when wetland management by Native Hawaiians was prevalent. Researchers argue that framing humans as inherently destructive has biased historical conservation narratives, unfairly placing blame on Indigenous peoples. The findings suggest that restoring traditional wetland management practices could support waterbird recovery and help repair relationships between conse