Hawaiʻi ʻĀkepa: Nimble Native
… ContinueThe Hawaiian word ʻākepa means “quick” or “nimble,” words which describe this small, finch-like bird perfectly. The Hawaiʻi ʻĀkepa, which is endemic to the island of Hawaiʻi, was once considered part of a larger species that included other ʻākepas found on Oʻahu and Maui. In 2015, the three were split into separate species on the basis of differences in vocalizations, genetics, and behavior. Unfortunately, the Oʻahu ʻĀkepa and Maui ʻĀkepa are now considered extinct, additional casualties of the ongoing conservation and extinction crisis in the Hawaiian Islands.
Another close relative