Rising Tide Images
Amakihi Perch
One of the few remaining species of endemic honeycreepers on the island of Oahu, the ‘amakihi still thrives in a small range of higher elevation rainforests. Habitat adaptive and with possible immunity to mosquito borne avian malaria that has decimated other endemic honeycreeper species, the population of Oahu ‘amakihi appears to be stable. The bill shape of the ‘amakihi is conducive to nectar feeding on favored ‘ōhi’a blossoms and, as this male bird was observed, scraping bark and lichen to find insects as a protein source. Endemic as a result of insular evolution on the island of Oahu. Oahu ‘amakihi, Chlorodrepanis flava.
Amakihi Perch
One of the few remaining species of endemic honeycreepers on the island of Oahu, the ‘amakihi still thrives in a small range of higher elevation rainforests. Habitat adaptive and with possible immunity to mosquito borne avian malaria that has decimated other endemic honeycreeper species, the population of Oahu ‘amakihi appears to be stable. The bill shape of the ‘amakihi is conducive to nectar feeding on favored ‘ōhi’a blossoms and, as this male bird was observed, scraping bark and lichen to find insects as a protein source. Endemic as a result of insular evolution on the island of Oahu. Oahu ‘amakihi, Chlorodrepanis flava.