- Hawaii Amakihi
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Hawaii Amakihi 
A Common Amakihi on Oahu, Hawaii Conservation status Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae Subfamily: Drepanididae Tribe: Hemignathini Genus: Hemignathus Species: H. virens Binomial name Hemignathus virens
(Cabanis, 1851)Synonyms Viridonia virens
The Hawaii Amakihi (Hemignathus virens), also known as the Common ʻAmakihi, is a species of finch in the Hawaiian honeycreeper subfamily, Drepanididae.
Contents
Distribution and habitat
It is endemic to the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of the most common honeycreepers, inhabiting all types of habitat on the island at elevations from sea level to 8,000 feet (2,400 m). Of all the forest birds native to Hawaii, the Hawaii Amakihi has been affected the least by habitat changes. It is suspected that it is evolving resistance to diseases such as avian malaria.
Description
The Hawaii Amakihi is a small bird, measuring about 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in length.[2] It is a yellow-green bird with a small black bill that is 1.3 centimetres (0.51 in) long and has brown eyes with black pupils. It is a small bird with a powerful voice. It utters short chirps, Aki, Ki, Ki, A which can be heard well over a mile.
Behaviour
Feeding
The Hawaii ʻAmakihi has a very wide diet, able to find food regardless of habitat alteration. It has a tubular tongue, which it uses to drink nectar from flowers such as those of theʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), ʻākala (Rubus hawaiensis), and māmane (Sophora chrysophylla). If necessary, it will suck juice from fruits. The Common ʻAmakihi also hunts for spiders and insects among trees and shrubs.[2]
Breeding
During the breeding season, between January through March, It makes a small nest made of woven plant fibers, and in most cases lays only a single egg. Only in rare cases does this bird lay two eggs. The chick(s) hatches after two weeks and out comes a baby that is naked except for a couple of yellow feathers. After two to three weeks, the chicks are fledged and then off to find a new territory of their own.
References
- ^ BirdLife International (2009). "Hemignathus virens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/149616. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
- ^ a b "Hemignathus virens". Native Forest Birds of Hawai'i. Conservation Hawaii. http://www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/consrvhi/forestbirds/. Retrieved 2009-02-07.
- Common Amakihi Images http://tsuru-bird.net/image.htm Copyright 2009 Monte M. Taylor
- Hawaii ʻAmakih videos, photos and sounds on the Internet Bird Collection
Categories:- IUCN Red List least concern species
- Hemignathus
- Endemic fauna of Hawaii
- Birds of Hawaii
- Animals described in 1851
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