Tag: american bird conservancy

_{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

The 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

Seabirds have been a part of human exploration of the ocean from the start; icons of the comedy, grace, and challenge of a life at sea. They have been sailors’ teachers of geography and guides home. But while seabirds are long-revered by maritime communities, they are nearly invisible to the majority of people who live inland.

Starting in 2024, a group of six fellows set out to explore the connections between people and seabirds and bring more attention to these often forgotten birds. ABC’s Seabirds and Stories of Multi-Species Kinship