- Common ʻAmakihi
Taxobox
name = Common Amakihi
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1
image_width = 240px
image_caption = ifdc|
log=2007_November_20
regnum =Animalia
phylum =Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo =Passeriformes
familia =Drepanididae
genus = "Hemignathus "
species = "H. virens"
binomial = "Hemignathus virens"
binomial_authority = (Cabanis, 1851)
synonyms = "Viridonia virens"General Information.
The Common ʻAmakihi or Hawaiʻi ʻAmakihi ("Hemignathus virens") is a species of
finch in theFringillidae family. It is endemic toHawai'i . It is one of the most common of the Hawaiian Honeycreepers. It lives mostly on the Big Island of Hawaii, however scattered populations are on Maui, Molokai, and Lanai. It is a small bird that is only about four inches long. It is a yellow-green bird with a small black bill that is half an inch long. This species has brown eyes with black pupils. It is one of the least looked over of the birds and tends not to be on the protected list.Diet
They have a special beak with a slight curve to go into bark of trees to reach at insects that make up a majority of its diet. In rare cases it sips from the nectar of Ohia tree blossoms.
Breeding
It is a small bird with a powerful voice. It sends out short stout chirps, like "Aki, Ki,Ki,A". These chirps can be heard well over a mile. 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 babies are fledged and then off to find a new territory of their own.
References
* BirdLife International 2004. [http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/53502/all Hemignathus virens] . [http://www.iucnredlist.org 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. ] Downloaded on 10 July 2007.
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