One Of The Most Diverse Species in Hawaii

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                                      ʻAmakihi perched in a Māmane tree


Hawaii is home to over 25,000 unique species. Geologically being in such a remote and isolated location, thanks to volcanic hot spots in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, there is an abundance of biological diversity. These endemic species, only found in Hawaii, either came by flying, floating, or being blown thousands of kilometers to the Hawaiian archipelago.

One of the most unique group of species is the endemic Hawaiian honeycreepers. They have a remarkable physical diversity, in result to filling in different ecological niches, within the Hawaiian
Islands. Scientist found an ancestor of the rosefinches, a group of Eurasian bird species to be the closest relative of the Hawaiian honeycreepers. The ancestors of the Hawaiian honeycreepers must have immigrated to the Hawaiian Islands around 7.2 million and 5.8 million years ago.

The evolution of honeycreepers is kind of like the evolution of Eevee Pokémon, in a way.


  The group of Hawaiian honeycreepers include birds: Iʻiwi, ʻApapane, ʻAmakihi, ʻAkaipolaʻau.




                             Iʻiwi (Drepanis coccinea) feeding on the nectar of a ʻŌhiʻa Lehua.


Most of them are found in tropical to semi-tropical climates. They like to feed on either nectar, seeds, and/or insects.  

At least 56 species have been known to exist and 18 of them are now extinct. Six species are considered to be critically endangered, four more are endangered, and five are vulnerable. They are threatened by predation, competition, degradation of habitat, and an avian malaria, originating from mosquitos.

The ʻAmakihi is one of the few that have shown resistance to avian malaria.

On a brighter note, scientist have been trying to create a solution, involving research on the malaria genomes, to potentially end the process of avian malaria from developing into a harmful state.



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