This YouTube video was produced by the American Bird Conservancy.
In 1879, a small, rather chunky yellow-green Hawaiian honeycreeper with a thin, short bill was collected on the island of Maui, but the species was not formally described until 1893. Early naturalists referred to this bird, now known as the Maui ʻAlauahio, as a “creeper” due to its foraging style.
Like so many native Hawaiian honeycreepers such as the ʻIʻiwi and the Palila, the Maui ʻAlauahio was once abundant in many areas where it is no longer found. This range contraction was caused by the introduction of disease-bearing, non-native mosquitoes to the archipelago, as well as habitat destruction by non-native mammals and humans.
An ʻAlauahio subspecies (Paroreomyza montana montana) once existed on the island of Lānaʻi, but was last sighted in 1937 and is now considered extinct.
Read more about the Maui ʻAlauahio at https://abcbirds.org/bird/maui-alauahio/
American Bird Conservancy stands up for birds across the Americas. We halt bird extinctions, conserve vital habitats, eliminate key threats, and build the capacity of our partners.
American Bird Conservancy
