About

Hawai‘i’s native birds are so beautiful and unique, from the honeycreepers in the forests to the nesting seabirds on the shorelines, it breaks the heart to see so many critically endangered species and so many gone already. Hawai‘i is a place too amazing to bear the awful title of, “The Extinction Capital of the World.” But island ecosystems are fragile and the native birds need help from every direction—biologists, volunteers, local leadership, and community members—or they will disappear. The aim of this website is to add to the conversation and integration of all these avenues and help channel love into action for Hawai‘i’s wildlife.

Joanna Maney has enjoyed drawing birds since childhood. Perhaps with a bit of foreshadowing, she won her first art contest at age 6 with a depiction of a finch flying over a rainbow. After school she pursued her love of art as a metalsmith’s apprentice in Virginia before selling her work independently. Her work has been exhibited in galleries in Virginia and Hawai‘i. Joanna has participated in volunteer and bird rehab programs since her early teens and became interested in native Hawaiian species after seeing an ‘i‘iwi in 2017. She enjoys painting, sketching, sculpting, poetry, sewing, and photography. Joanna currently lives and works in Honolulu with her husband and family.