Laysan finch

Telespiza cantans

(Photo from US Fish and Wildlife Service)

Common name:
Laysan finch (en); palila-de-Laysan(pt); psittirostre de Laysan (fr); palila de Laysan (es); Laysankleidervogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Drepanidae

Range:
This species is endemic to the island of Laysan in the north-western Hawaiian archipelago.

Size:
These birds are 19 cm long and weigh 32-34,5 g.

Habitat:
The Laysan finch is found in dry scrublands and grasslands, using low scrubs, bunch grasses and forbs, particularly the beach naupaka Scaevola taccada.

Diet:
They feed mainly on fruits and seeds, also taking carrion, invertebrates and bird eggs.

Breeding:
Laysan finches breed in March-June. They are monogamous and nest in a cup placed among the vegetation. There the female lays 3 eggs, which she incubates for 16 days while the male brings her food. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 3 weeks after hatching, but only become fully independent about 3 weeks later.

Conservation:
IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)
This species has an extremely small breeding range and the global population is estimated at 1.500-7.000 individuals. The population is believed to fluctuate considerably. The successful invasion of golden crown beard Verbesina encelioides, which provides nesting habitat and food for Laysan finches, caused a dramatic increase, but the plant was considered to have negative impacts on seabirds and so the population of Laysan finches crashed after the first efforts to control Verbesina, but the abundance of Verbesina has since increased. At present the main threats to this species are storms and droughts, which can cause almost total nest failure, while global warming could have an impact on the long-term as sea level rise will reduce the area of Laysan located above sea level and may increase the frequency and severity of hurricanes and droughts.

Maui parrotbill

Pseudonestor xanthophrys

Photo by Michael Neal (Neal Studios)

Common name:
Maui parrotbill (en); bico-de-papagaio-de-Maui (pt); psittirostre de Maui (fr); pinzón loro de Maui (es); papageischnabelgimpel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Drepanidae


Range:
This species is endemic to the island of Maui, in Hawaii, where it is only found on the north-eastern slopes of Haleakala.


Size:
These birds are 14 cm long and weigh 20-25 g.


Habitat:
The Maui parrotbill is only found in mountain mesic and wet tropical forest, at altitudes of 1.200-2.150 m.


Diet:
They are insectivorous, using their bill to remove the bark of small trees and scrubs and collect the insects found underneath. They are known to eat larvae and pupae of wood- and fruit-boring beetles, moths and other invertebrates.


Breeding:
Maui parrotbills breed in November-June. The female builds the cup-shaped nest, using lichens and small twigs. The nest is placed in the outer canopy forks of mature ohia trees Metrosideros polymorpha, up to 12 m above the ground. There the female lays 1 egg, which she incubates alone for 16-17 days while receiving food from the male. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 18-20 days after hatching, but remain with their parents for another 5-8 months.


Conservation:
IUCN status - CR (Critically Endangered)
This species has a very small breeding range and the global population is estimated at just 500 individuals. The population is suspected to be declining owing to the effects of invasive species and other threats, although the rate of this decline as not been estimated. The Maui parrotbill is mostly threatened by habitat degradation caused by the spread of feral pigs, which have also facilitated the spread of disease-carrying mosquitoes causing avian malaria outbreaks. Furthermore, having a mountain distribution that is close to the maximum altitude within its range, this species is potentially susceptible to climate change

Hawaii amakihi

Hemignathus virens

Photo by Chuck Babbitt (Photo.net)

Common name:
Hawaii amakihi (en); amakigi-do-Hawai (pt); amakihi familier (fr); amakiji hawaiano (es); amakihi (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Drepanididae


Range:
This species is endemic to the island of Hawaii.


Size:
These birds are 10 cm long and weigh 13-15 g.


Habitat:
The Hawaii amakihi is found in all types of habitat of the island, namely tropical moist forests, tropical dry forests and plantations. They occur from sea level up to an altitude of 2.400 m.


Diet:
They mostly eat nectar from various flowers, namely Metrosideros polymorpha, Rubus hawaiensis and Sophora chrysophylla. They also suck juices from fruits and hunt spiders and insects.


Breeding:
Hawai amakihis breed in January-March. The nest is an open cup, made of woven plant fibres and placed in a tree. The female lays 1-3 eggs, which she incubates alone for 14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge around 17 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a restricted breeding range, but it is described as locally common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats, and they are known to be less affected by habitat change than most other Hawaian endemics.

Iiwi

Vestiaria coccinea

Common name:

iiwi (en); iiwi (pt); iiwi rouge (fr); i-iwi (es); iiwi (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Drepanididae

Range:

This Hawaiian species was originally found on all the main islands in the Hawaiian Archipelago, but is now extinc on Lana'i and only relict populations remain in Moloka'i and O'ahu. It is still widespread in Hawai'i and Kaua'i.

Size:

The iiwi is 15 cm long and weighs 16-20 g.

Habitat:

This species was formerly found in forests at any elevation, and still occurs in a variety of native, disturbed and unnatural habitats at altitudes of 300-2.900 m, with some preference for wet and moderately wet forests above 1250 m.

Diet:

Iiwis are nectar feeders and their bill was originally adapted to exploit the nectar of the similar shaped flowers of Campanulaceae. A decline in these plant species forced them to feed on the nectar of other plants such as ohi'a (Metrosideros polymorpha) and the introduced banana poka (Passiflora mollissima). Iiwis are believed to be important plant pollinators.

Breeding:

These birds breed in February-September. The nest is built by both sexes, usually in an ohi'a tree, and is constructed from twigs, bark and lichens, lined with petals and down feathers. The female lays 2-3 bluish eggs which she incubates alone or 14 days. The chicks fledge 21-24 days after hatching.

Conservation:

IUCN status - VU (Vulnerable)

The iiwi has a small and contracting breeding range and a global population estimated at 350.000 individuals. The population is declining, owing mostly to their susceptibility to avian malaria, carried at low elevations by introduced mosquitoes. Other factors which are likely to be contributing to this decline include habitat degradation and predation by introduced mammals such as cattle, pigs, cats and rats.