Hawaiian honeycreeper

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Hawaiian honeycreepers
Iiwi Vestiaria coccinea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Suborder: Passeri Family: Fringillidae Cabanis, 1847 Subfamily: Drepanidinae
Genera
see text
Synonyms
Drepanididae Drepanidini[verification needed] (see text) Drepaniidae

Hawaiian honeycreepers are small passerine birds endemic to Hawaiʻi. Some authorities still categorize this group as a family Drepanididae,^[1] but in recent years most authorities consider them a subfamily, Drepanidinae, of the finch family Fringillidae. The entire group is also called Drepanidini in treatments where buntings and American sparrows (Emberizidae) were included in the finch family; today this term is rather preferred for one group of ^[2][3]

The group is divided into three tribes, but only very provisionally so. Several taxa appear to be too basal to really place into one of these, and others are best considered incertae sedis.

• Psittirostrini (Hawaiian finches), seedeaters with thick finch-like bills and songs like those of cardueline finches.
• Hemignathini (Hawaiian creepers and allies, including nukupuʻus). These are generally green-plumaged birds with thin bills which feed on nectar and insects
• Drepanidini (Mamos, ʻIʻiwi and allies). These are birds often with red plumage. They are nectar-feeders and their songs contain nasal squeaks and whistles.

Some unusual forms never seen alive by scientists, such as Xestospiza or Vangulifer, cannot easily be placed into any group.

The male Hawaiian honeycreepers are more brightly coloured than the females in the Psittirostrini, but in the Hemignathini, they often look very similar. The flowers of the native plant Metrosideros polymorpha (ʻōhiʻa lehua) are favoured by a number of nectar-eating honeycreepers. Many species of this subfamily have been noted to have a plumage odour that has been termed the Drepanidine odor^[4] and suspected to have a role in making the bird distasteful to predators.^[5]

The wide range of bills in this group, from thick finch-like bills to slender downcurved bills for probing flowers have arisen through adaptive radiation, where an ancestral finch has evolved to fill a large number of ecological niches. Some 20 forms of Hawaiian honeycreeper have become extinct in the recent past, many more since the arrival of the Polynesians who introduced the first rats and in some cases started destroying habitat for agriculture (James & Olson 1991, Olson & James 1991). The recent extinctions are due to the introduction of other rodent species and the mongoose, habitat destruction and avian malaria and fowlpox. However, conservation efforts are attempting to neutralize these threats.

Contents 1 Genera and species 2 Psittirostrini 3 Hemignathini 4 Drepanidini 5 Cited references 6 Other references 7 External links

[edit] Genera and species

The factual accuracy of this section is disputed. Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page.(June 2008)

The term "prehistoric" indicates species that went extinct between the initial human settlement of Hawaiʻi (i.e., from the late 1st millennium AD on) and European contact in 1778.

FAMILY DREPANIDIDAE

[edit] Psittirostrini

The Group of Psittirostini is one of three groups that belong to the subfamily Drepianidae. It is made up of the thick billed birds that once covered the islands. Many of the Finch billed Drepanids include the Laysan Finch, the Nihoa Finch, the Maui Parrotbill and the Palila, which may be the last remaining species left alive in this group. Extinct species include the the four Koa Finches the Ou and the Lanai Hookbill.

(Hawaiian finches), seedeaters with thick finch-like bills and songs like those of cardueline finches.

• Genus Telespiza - finch-like, granivores, opportunistic scavengers
  • Nihoa Finch, Telespiza ultima
  • Laysan Finch, Telespiza cantans
  • Kauaʻi Finch, Telespiza persecutrix - prehistoric
  • Maui Nui Finch, Telespiza ypsilon - prehistoric
• Genus Psittirostra - slightly hooked bill, ʻieʻie fruit specialist
  • ʻŌʻū, Psittirostra psittacea - probably extinct (late 1990s?)
• Genus Dysmorodrepanis - pincer-like bill, possibly snail specialist
  • Lanaʻi Hookbill, Dysmorodrepanis munroi - extinct (1918)
• Genus Loxioides - finch-like, Fabales seed specialists
  • Palila, Loxioides bailleui
  • Pila's Palila, Loxioides kikuichi - prehistoric; possibly survived to the early 18th century
• Genus Rhodacanthis - finch-like, koa seed specialists
  • Lesser Koa-finch, Rhodacanthis flaviceps - extinct (1891)
  • Greater Koa-finch, Rhodacanthis palmeri - extinct (1896)
  • Scissor-billed Koa-finch, Rhodacanthis forfex - prehistoric
  • Primitive Koa-finch, Rhodacanthis litotes - prehistoric
• Genus Chloridops - thick-billed, naio and other hard seed specialist
  • Kona Grosbeak, Chloridops kona - extinct (1894)
  • Oʻahu Grosbeak, Chloridops wahi - prehistoric
  • Giant ("King Kong") Grosbeak, Chloridops regiskongi - prehistoric
• Genus Orthiospiza - large weak bill, possibly soft seed or fruit specialist?
  • Highland Finch, Orthiospiza howarthi - prehistoric
• Genus Xestospiza - cone-shaped bills, possibly insectivores
  • Cone-billed Finch, Xestospiza conica - prehistoric
  • Ridge-billed Finch, Xestospiza fastigialis - prehistoric
• Genus Pseudonestor - parrot-like bill, probes rotting wood for insect larvae
  • Maui Parrotbill, Pseudonestor xanthophrys thought to be extinct, rediscovered in 1945

[edit] Hemignathini

(Group encompasing the Creepers, Alauhios, Amakihis, Akialoas, Nukupu'us, Akepas, Akiapola' au and Gapers, usally have green, yellow, orange, red, grey feathers.

• Genus Hemignathus - pointed or long and downcurved bills, insectivores or nectarivores
  • Common ʻAmakihi or Hawaiʻi ʻAmakihi, Hemignathus virens
  • Oʻahu ʻAmakihi, Hemignathus flavus
  • Kauaʻi ʻAmakihi, Hemignathus kauaiensis
  • Oval-billed Nukupu'u, Hemiganthus - prehistoric oval billed insectivore
  • Greater ʻAmakihi, Hemignathus sagittirostris - extinct (1901)
  • Giant ʻAmakihi, Hemignathus vorpalis - prehistoric
• (Sub)Genus Lucides
  • Maui Nukupu'u or Hemignathus lucidus affinis extinct - 1995-1998
  • Oahu Nukupu'u or Hemignathus lucides lucides extinct - 1837
  • Kauai Nukupu'u or Hemignathus lucides hanapepe extinct - 1998
• (Sub)Genus Magumma
  • ʻAnianiau, Hemignathus parvus or Magumma parva
• (Sub)Genus Akialoa
  • Hawaiʻi ʻAkialoa, Hemignathus obscurus or Akialoa obscura - extinct (1940)
  • Maui Nui ʻAkialoa, Hemignathus lanaiensis or Akialoa lanaiensis - extinct (1892)
  • Oʻahu ʻAkialoa, Hemignathus ellisianus or Akialoa ellisiana - extinct (1940)
  • Kauaʻi ʻAkialoa, Hemignathus stejnegeri or Akialoa stejnegeri - extinct (1969)
  • Hoopoe-billed ‘Akialoa, Hemignathus upupirostris or Akialoa upupirostris - prehistoric
• (Sub)Genus Heterorhynchus
  • ʻAkiapolaʻau, Hemignathus munroi or Heterorhynchus wilsoni
• Genus Oreomystis - short pointed bills, browsers
  • ʻAkikiki, Oreomystis bairdi
  • Hawaiʻi Creeper, Oreomystis mana
• Genus Paroreomyza - similar to Oreomystis
  • Maui Nui ʻAlauahio or Maui ʻAlauahio, Paroreomyza montana
    • Lanaʻi ʻAlauahio, Paroreomyza montana montana - extinct (1937)
  • Kakawahie, Paroreomyza flammea - extinct (1963)
  • Oʻahu ʻAlauahio, Paroreomyza maculata - possibly extinct (early 1990s?)
• Genus Vangulifer - flat rounded bills, possibly caught flying insects
  • Strange-billed Finch, Vangulifer mirandus - prehistoric
  • Thin-billed Finch, Vangulifer neophasis - prehistoric
• Genus Aidemedia - straight thin bills, insectivores
  • Oʻahu Icterid-like Gaper, Aidemedia chascax - prehistoric
  • Sickle-billed Gaper, Aidemedia zanclops - prehistoric
  • Maui Nui Icterid-like Gaper, Aidemedia lutetiae - prehistoric
• Genus Loxops - small pointed bills with the tips offset a little horizontally, insectivores
  • ʻAkekeʻe, Loxops caeruleirostris
  • ʻAkepa, Loxops coccineus
    • Maui ʻAkepa, Loxops (coccineus) ochraceus - extinct (1988)
    • Oʻahu ʻAkepa, Loxops (coccineus) wolstenholmei - extinct (1990s)
• Genus Melamprosops - short pointed bill, browser and snail specialist
  • Poʻo-uli, Melamprosops phaeosoma - possibly extinct (November 28, 2004?)

[edit] Drepanidini

(Mamos, ʻIʻiwi, Ula-ai-Hawanes, Poouli, Apapanes and Akohekohe). These are birds often with red, black, yellow, white and orange plumage. They are nectar-feeders and their songs contain nasal squeaks and whistles.

• Genus Ciridops - finch-like, fed on loulu fruits etc.
  • ʻUla-ʻai-Hawane, Ciridops anna - extinct (1892 or 1937)
  • Stout-legged Finch, Ciridops tenax - prehistoric
• Genus Vestiaria - downcurved bill, nectarivore
  • ʻIʻiwi, Vestiaria coccinea
• Genus Drepanis - downcurved bills, nectarivores
  • Hawaiʻi Mamo, Drepanis pacifica - extinct (1898)
  • Black Mamo, Drepanis funerea - extinct (1907)
• Genus Palmeria - thin bill, nectarivore, especially ʻohiʻa
  • ʻAkohekohe, Palmeria dolei thought to be extinct, rediscovered in 1945
• Genus Himatione - thin bill, nectarivore
  • ʻApapane, Himatione sanguinea

    Laysan ʻApapane, Himatione (sanguinea) freethi - extinct (1923)

Several other prehistoric forms are undescribed, as they are known only from very fragmentary fossil remains insufficient to deterine taxonomic affiliation. These include one taxon from Oʻahu, at least 3 from Maui, and possibly 1 enigmatic passerines from Kauaʻi which may or may not be drepanidids.

[edit] Cited references

[edit] Other references

• Groth, J. G. 1998. Molecular phylogeny of the cardueline finches and Hawaiian honeycreepers. Ostrich, 69: 401.
• James, Helen F. & Olson,Storrs L. (1991): Descriptions of Thirty-Two New Species of Birds from the Hawaiian Islands: Part II. Passeriformes. Ornithological Monographs 46: 1-92. PDF fulltext
• Olson, Storrs L. & James, Helen F. (1991): Descriptions of Thirty-Two New Species of Birds from the Hawaiian Islands: Part I. Non-Passeriformes. Ornithological Monographs 46: 1-91. PDF fulltext

[edit] External links

• Hawaiian Honeycreeper videos on the Internet Bird Collection