Article Abstract:
The endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper Akiapolaau (Hemignathus munroi) forages primarily on koa and lives in koa and ohia forests. Males, which feed on the trunks and large branches of koa, have longer bills. Females prefer small branches and twigs. The reproductive rate is low, and the birds exhibit serial monogamy. The annual adult survival rate is 0.71. Because of avian diseases, Akiapolaau are limited to higher elevation forests where mosquitos are rare. A divergence exists between male and female Akiapolaau. The difference between sexes is 11.3% for body mass, 4.5% for wing length, and 19% for exposed culmen.
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Article Abstract:
The study of density, annual survival, philopatry, and movements of two species of Hawaiian honeycreepers, the Apapane and the Iiwi revealed that the optimum density of both species took place at breeding season and were highly correlated with flowering by Metrosideros. Iiwi have the lowest survival of all the six species of native Hawaiian forest birds which was due to their high susceptibility to avian disease. The movements of Apapane and Iiwi due to seasonal and patchy availability of Metrosideros nectar is vital for disease transmission, as Apapane is the main carrier of avian malaria.
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Article Abstract:
Populations of the red-billed Leiothrix, L. lutea, in four sites in Hawaii were monitored to determine the demography of this introduced species in the island. Highest population numbers were observed during the peak breeding months covering May to August while molting takes place from May to October. The population of the birds were relatively stable and Leiothrix is unaffected by bird diseases that severely reduced some bird populations in Hawaii.
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