#Hawaiian honeycreeper

[rlkxiv]

'I'iwi

[nyctibiusgrandis]

I’iwi

Drepanis coccinea

Kula - Kailialinu

May 18, 2023 9:18 a.m.

Photography by me

I’ve decided to start using this blog as a place to put the pictures I’ve taken while birding. And what better way to start that than with possibly the rarest sighting I’ve ever had.

This little guy is an I’iwi and was the main bird I was hoping to find when I visited Maui in May. I remember seeing the flash of scarlet through the trees and the hope that it was an I’iwi. I could’ve stood there and watched it for hours.

Something so small and yet so important. Unfortunately, these guys are one of the 17 remaining species of Hawaiian honeycreepers out of the original 56 species. This rapid extinction has been due to the spread of avian malaria, not to mention habitat loss and predation.

If you ever have the chance to see one of these guys don’t just take one glance. Truly stop to look at them. They’re such a marvel of evolution.

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

Out of curiosity will u b making the state bird polls for every state or just the ones w boring birds? Or is it just fair game for me to slide into ur ask box & complain abt state bird choices?

I personally have a bone to pick w the nene goose of Hawaii, sure they're endemic to the islands & on the endangered species list but tht isn't anything new for many species in Hawaii, the nene isn't the prettiest it doesn't have a pretty call bc it is a goose after all but I guess it's cool how the goose literally evolved to lose the webbing of its feet so it could hang out on lava rock

But I submit tht there r many other species just as worthy tht r equally endemic!! The Hawaiian Honeycreeper r endemic for example! If ur looking for a bird w a connection in some vague way to the volcanoes tht made the islands & the Goddess Pele the 'Apapane is worthy of attention, this bird forages for insects & nectar & their favorite tree is the 'ohi'a tree which has a direct connection to the Goddess Pele! If it's a concern of raising awareness abt endangered status then the Palila is another one to consider especially since it is classified as critically endangered!! The Pueo is an endemic sub species of short eared owls & still holds significance in the cosmology of Indigenous Hawaii!!!

I know there r more but these r the birds I always found way more iconic to the state than the nene goose idk

Well, to answer your first question, I'll be hitting every state! The territories are also fair game, but that's a LONG way down the road. But, yeah, the 50th state is absolutely on the list, albeit very last! And I fully agree. The Nēnē (Branta sandvicensis) is most certainly an iconic resident of the Hawaiian Island, and it's got a unique evolutionary history, but it's also far from the only endemic of the islands. I very much agree that the Hawaiian honeycreepers deserve quite a bit of focus (I have a soft spot in my heart for the 'I'iwi (Drepanis coccinea), personally), and they'll be recieving attention in the post for the state. The Pueo is also a great suggestion, and I haven't given owls nearly enough attention in my posts thus far! There's also the chance for something funny to happen, given the state that comes just before Hawaii.

And as you've pointed out, some other options come to mind, including some non-endemics that depend on the state for their global population...and at least one of those is incredibly interesting...but those are spoilers for another day! Thanks for the question! Hope you enjoy the posts and polls until then! Gonna have a bit to wait, but stay tuned!

[r4bbitdragon]

My i'iwi project completed, as an accordion book! 🌺

Bird :)

[dwmmphotography]

ʻApapane foraging on māmane at Haleakalā National Park on the island of Maui.

[gouramihoney]

I LOVE THE ‘I’IWI

[ilikeloons]

Alright bird nerds, buckle up. It's profile picture lore time.

This is an 'I'iwi (ee-EE-vee) or a Scarlet Honeycreeper. They are endemic only to the Hawaiian Islands and high high altitudes. Although they will sometimes head further down to forage for food, which is flower nectar (unsurprising after peeping that beak). They are in the same family as the American gold Finch and Pine Siskin - which is a fact that blew my mind.

They are at risk from mammal introduction to the islands and avian pox/malaria and scarce food. The 'ōhi'a tree, one of their main food sources, is similarly vulnerable from a fungus that can kill a tree in a matter of days.

This 'I'iwi was photographed at Hosmer Grove in Haleakalā National Park. We were able to watch them for a few hours before heading up to the summit. I had gotten a few of the photos below, but not up close shots. On our way back down the volcano, I asked my boyfriend if he minded stopping for an extra 20 mins to see if I could get a closer picture. Right as I walked into the grove I got this shot.

Few others from the same day:

[tinylongwing]

A pair of Palila (Loxioides bailleui), a critically endangered Hawaiian native honeycreeper, forage on the lichen-covered branches of a māmane tree (Sophora chrysophylla).

Done as a wedding gift for a friend - I had this printed on a set of pillows for her new house!

[snototter]

An 'i'iwi or scarlet honeycreeper (Drepanis coccinea) feeds on flowers in the Hakalau Forest Wildlife Refuge, Hawai'i

by hawk person

[disabled-battlekukku]

Y'know in cartoons when there are rival characters that are just the main characters but gender bended? I did that to the Hooligans ig

[sitting-on-me-bum]

An ʻiʻiwi, or the Scarlet Hawaiian honeycreeper, perches on a branch in Hawai’i.

© Mark Kimu

[lizardsaredinosaurs]

Don't get me started on how my view has been ruined since all these resorts came along. I try to leave some "presents" on Bezos' yacht whenever I can.

Maui Parrotbill (Pseudonestor xanthophrys) AKA kiwikiu

Maui, Hawai'i

Status: Critically Endangered

---

I love his grumpy face.

[stellerssong]

new fic in revisionsverse! featuring Despair, the most convoluted method ever of telling your brother "hey we need to talk," and more than you probably cared to know about the possibly critically endangered but more likely extinct Hawaiian ʻōʻū.

[asssdirector]

im all alone here as i try my tiny song i claim my place beneath the sky but i wont be here for long i sang all night the moon shone on me through the trees no brothers left, and theyll be no more after me

[spacefinch]

A Hawaiian honeycreeper known as the ‘apapane. I saw quite a few of them at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

There are several species of Hawaiian honeycreepers, each one adapted to fill a different niche. It’s a textbook example of adaptive radiation, or when several species with the same ancestor evolve to fit different roles— usually because their home is so isolated.

In this case, Hawaiian honeycreepers are believed to be the descendants of finches. Some field guides still place them in the finch family.

[awkwardbirdsdreaming]

Day 4 of January extinct birds - the black mamo (top, also known by other names) and the kauaʻi ʻōʻō (bottom)

Two birds! The hawaiian honeyeaters are the only entire family of birds to go extinct in recent times, and the kauaʻi ʻōʻō is the last (1987) and most famous. The song of the last male was recorded two years after the last female was estimated to have died. Other members of the family have unique striking plumage that the kauaʻi ʻōʻō doesn't, which might sadly be part of why it was able to persist for longer.

I also wanted to add in the black mamo to represent the hawaiian honeycreepers (not the same as honeyeaters!). These birds are similar to darwin's finches in the galapagos where their crazy beak shapes went through drastic evolution. Yes, the honeycreepers are finches! While some species are classified as least concern, most of the honeycreepers are extinct or critically endangered. Hopefully the extinction of the honeyeaters encourages people to focus their attention on the honeycreepers too so they don't suffer the same fate.

sorry for such a sad post! Island birds have really suffered the last few centuries :c