Long ago, Laysan finches, a native honeycreeper known for its brown and yellow plumage and varied songs, were found throughout the Hawaiian islands.

Today, however, only about 18, 000 of the endangered birds remain in the remote atolls of Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, and their survival as a species is at stake.

To ensure the remaining population survives, a team of wildlife biologists undertook the mission this summer of moving 100 Laysan finches, or ekupuu, from Pearl and Hermes Atoll to Eastern Island at Midway Atoll, and so far the birds appear to be adapting well to their new home.

The translocation is part of a multiphase plan to create "insurance " bird populations throughout Papahanau ­mokuakea to reduce the risk of extinction.

Over the next two years, teams also plan to translocate Nihoa finches, which are critically endangered, from Nihoa to Lisianski Island, and more Laysan finches to Kure Atoll. The two species are the only remaining Hawaiian honeycreepers that occur in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

"Increasing the population size and range of these endemic species is critical to the survival and recovery of those species, " said Jared Underwood, superintendent of Papahanau ­mokuakea, in a news release.

He expressed gratitude for the expertise and support provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Rim Conservation, the Hawaii Audubon Society, the American Bird Conservancy and the University of Hawaii, among other partners.

The translocation effort took years of planning, all with the mission of helping these birds on the brink survive.

In July, the team traveled to Pearl and Hermes Atoll, where they had only a few days to collect 100 Laysan finches via nets, band them and place them in carriers for the one-day journey to Midway aboard the M /V Imua, thanks to NOAA. The vessel already was in the northwestern isles for an expedition and was willing to make the side trip.

The carrier boxes were stacked into a special container on the ship's deck. USFWS biologist Sheldon Plentovich remembers walking into the container during transport and hearing the finches singing, which was a good sign.

Ideal habitat Being part of the translocation team was a once-in-a-lifetime memory, with its own challenges and rewards.

The team, Plentovich recalled, was exhausted from hours of work capturing the finches in a short amount of time and then ensuring their safe transport across the ocean overnight.

Once at Midway, they loaded the finches on a Zodiac for the trek to Eastern Island. One by one, the boxes were taken off the boat and then carried about a quarter-mile inland. Team members laid them out side by side and quietly began opening them.

Then came the reward.

"It's all condensed into that one moment, " said Plentovich, describing it as a sense of relief and joy at the same time. "Everything seemed to slow down. We sat quietly, watched the birds. It was almost reverent. The joy and excitement were palpable."

Once freed, the finches began preening then flew off and went about foraging and calling out to one another. After the first day, the birds began spreading out over greater distances. Having evolved without predators at Pearl and Hermes, known as Manawai in Hawaiian, the finches have no fear of people and tend to be curious about their environment.

Laysan finches once thrived on Midway, which is home to millions of shorebirds, ducks and seabirds, including the world's largest colony of Laysan albatrosses. According to USFWS, the finch population there was wiped out after the arrival of invasive rats in 1944 that preyed on the birds.

But Midway, also known as Kuaihelani, should offer an ideal habitat for the finches due to the presence of native plant seeds and fruits.

Biologists will monitor the released finches as they adapt to their new home. To track their movements, 20 of the 100 finches were outfitted with radio transmitters, which will be removed later in the year. Others will be monitored visually based on their unique color-band combinations.

Plentovich said that among the promising signs the team saw on the ninth day after the release was a nest under construction.

"At this time, " she said, "all signs point to the finches liking and adapting well to their new home."

Extinction capital The long-term vision is to one day bring the endangered birds back to the main Hawaiian isles, where they once lived, according to biologists. The goal for now, however, is to increase populations within the Papaha ­naumokuakea monument, providing insurance against potential catastrophes.

The threats include wildfires and severe storms, as witnessed in 2018 when Hurricane Walaka wiped out East Island in the French Frigate Shoals.

A threat could even be the introduction of an invasive species, such as rats, which would mean doom for the birds.

The team prioritized moving Laysan finches from Pearl and Hermes Atoll because of potential risks there.

The low-lying islets are susceptible to storms and large-wave events that inundate them periodically, as well as sea-level rise in the future. Additionally, invasive plants took over most of Southeast islet at the atoll, which has degraded the habitat.

"We don't think that population is going to persist very long into the future, " Plentovich said.

Hawaii -- once a bird paradise -- is now considered the bird extinction capital of the world, according to the American Bird Conservancy. Many native birds are on the brink due to habitat loss, invasive species and mosquito-borne diseases.

Since human settlement in the islands, about 95 of 142 bird species found nowhere else in the world have become extinct in Hawaii. Today, 26 of Hawaii's 37 remaining endemic birds are listed as endangered.

Three of them have not been seen in decades, while in 2023.

Plans for other species Next year, the team plans to translocate Nihoa finches from Nihoa to Lisianski Island, requiring a longer journey. Then in 2027, the team is planning to translocate Laysan finches even farther, from Laysan Island to Kure Atoll, the westernmost point in the chain.

Based on fossil remains, both species of birds used to be widespread throughout the Hawaiian archipelago, according to Plentovich. Laysan finches, for instance, were once found at Barbers Point on Oahu.

Eventually, the team hopes to translocate the native birds back to the main Hawaiian islands, but many threats exist, including invasive predators such as mongoose, cats and rats. Also, the main isles are still home to mosquitoes that potentially carry avian malaria, and both finches are highly susceptible to the disease.

Conservationists have had earlier success with translocations at Papaha ­nau ­mokuakea. In 2011 and 2012, a team translocated endangered Nihoa millerbirds from Nihoa to Laysan. The birds have successfully established a there.

Plentovich said Laysan finches stand out for their curiosity and beautiful, varied songs, and are very much worth saving.

"Their songs are just beautiful, " she said. "The calls are really sweet."