Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Reclassification of the Hawaiian Stilt (Kukuluae'o or Ae'o) From Endangered to Threatened With a Section 4(d) Rule

Document 2026-14550 is a Final Rule published by the Department of Interior in the Federal Register on July 20, 2026, with an effective date of August 19, 2026. We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are reclassifying the Hawaiian stilt (kukuluae[revaps]o or ae[revaps]o, Himantopus mexicanus knudseni; a subspecies of the black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)) from endangered to threatened (downlist) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). This action is based on our evaluation of the best scientific and commercial data available, which indicates that the subspecies' status has improved such that it is not in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range, but that it is still likely to become so within the foreseeable future. We also finalize protective regulations under the authority of section 4(d) of the Act that are necessary and advisable to provide for the conservation of the Hawaiian stilt. We recognize the Hawaiian names kukuluae[revaps]o and ae[revaps]o as additional common names. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/20/2026-14550/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-reclassification-of-the-hawaiian-stilt-kukuluaeo-or.

No. Document 2026-14550 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.