Kauai farmer Bradley Smith has a difficult predicament: Leave the land he’s leased for the past 17 years or invest thousands of dollars to protect his rambutan crop from an invasive species of rose-ringed parakeets. 

Smith has lost a third of his income from his 20-acre farm on the north shore of Kauai this year to the parakeets. But he could lose much more, he said, with estimates at his site and other farms on the island being as high as 75% of crops under threat.

“I spend an entire year fertilizing, watering, weed whipping, pruning,” Smith said. “Spending thousands and thousands of dollars, and I watch these birds eat every single piece of fruit, and I basically just lose money for an entire year of labor.”

State legislators are considering funding a one-year pilot program to cull the birds on Kauai and Oahu. The bill is expected to be discussed in a conference committee Monday.

“This is an invasive species that has gotten out of control,” said Rep. Nadine Nakamura, one of the bill’s sponsors.

The birds are about 16 inches in height, with a bright green hue and bright orange beak. They are primarily herbivores that feed on fruits and grains, causing extensive damage to valuable crops such as lychee, mango, papaya and corn. They typically live 20 to 30 years.

Hawaii Invasive Species Council reported a 10% loss of crops in fruit and grain on small farms annually on Kauai that directly can be attributed to the parakeets. 

To preserve the sought-after fruit, Smith of Viva Rain Farms on Kauai said he would have to purchase nets and other materials to cover the threatened crop.

Megan Fox, the executive director of Malama Kauai — an organization dedicated to increasing local food production across Hawaii — said the birds are the leading invasive species on the island, and the situation is exacerbating food security concerns on the island.

“They’re absolutely out of control,” Fox said. “I’ve had farmers completely abandon growing fruit crops.” 

The parakeet population on Kauai has been traced to just a small number of pet birds that were accidentally released in the 1960s. Because of the lack of predators, abundance of food and suitable forestry on the island, the Invasive Species Council wrote, the parakeet population skyrocketed, and they now inhabit every island. 

Farmers have experimented with various methods including poison, birth control and even fake predators, but none have been effective in minimizing the parakeet numbers. Nighttime culling — typically shooting the birds with small firearms — can be effective but has been criticized by some animal rights groups.

Cathy Goeggel, president of Animal Rights Hawaii, said she found the method of culling appalling. 

“We don’t feel that killing them is the answer,” Goeggel said. “They’re beautiful birds and they deserve to be treated with respect, just as native birds.”

Goeggel said Animal Rights Hawaii advocates for using non-lethal methods. She argues for exploring alternatives such as bird contraceptives. She says there are also calls for more comprehensive research into non-lethal control methods.

With the parakeet population showing rapid growth — from 6,800 in 2015 to 10,552 in 2020 — and agricultural losses mounting, the need to find a sustainable answer is paramount.

“If we want to promote food, self-sufficiency and locally grown fruits and products on our table, we have to address these concerns,” Nakamura said. “We have to be vigilant about this. We have to be a partner with our farming farmers and local growers and try to work together to find solutions.”