Public comment is being sought on a plan by state and federal authorities to release scores of mosquitos into the remote East Maui forest in an effort to suppress avian malaria and save critically endangered Hawaiian forest birds.

The proposed action, outlined in an draft environmental assessment, consists of repeatedly releasing incompatible male mosquitoes that reduce the reproductive potential of wild mosquitoes.

Under the proposal, only laboratory-raised male mosquitoes, which do not bite birds or people and therefore do not transmit diseases, would be released. The males would mate with wild female mosquitoes, whose eggs would not hatch.

When conducted repeatedly over time, releases of incompatible mosquitoes are expected to suppress the wild mosquito population by as much as 90%, according to the draft plan.

Officials plan to use drones and to a lesser extent helicopters and ground methods to release the male mosquitoes into the wild.

Populations of endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers have decreased substantially over the last 20 years, and scientists have predicted that at least two more species could be extinct in as early as two years from now if avian malaria is left unchecked.

The proposed action aims to help save the kiwikiu and akohekohe from extinction. It is estimated that fewer than 200 kiwikiu and 2,000 akohekohe are left in the wild on Maui.

The project area encompasses nearly 65,000 acres of National Park Service land, state land and private lands managed for conservation. There are nearly 1,400 proposed release locations.

According to the plan, between 50 and 6,000 incompatible mosquitoes would be released per acre per treatment, which would occur up to twice per week, with most releases occurring in the summer and fall months when mosquito populations in Hawaii peak.

Plans for this campaign were hatched by a group of state and federal agencies and private conservation groups that have coalesced under the name Birds, Not Mosquitoes.

The state in May announced a $14 million influx of federal funds that will go toward the development of the mosquito control effort.

Haleakala National Park Superintendent Natalie Gates said the National Park Service is stepping up with other coalition members to address this urgent issue with a creative, landscape-scale solution.

“The time for action, and controlling non-native mosquitoes, is now.” Gates said in a news release.

Public comment on the draft document is being accepted through Jan. 23. For more information, go to parkplanning.nps.gov/HALE-mosquito.