Breeding biology and nesting success of palila

Author:

Pletschet, Sandra M., Jeffrey F. Kelly

Title:

Breeding biology and nesting success of palila

Periodical:

Condor

Year:

1990

Volume:

92

Pages:

1012-1021

Subject:

Palila Loxioides bailleui Endangered species Nesting success Birds clutches Birds counting Breeding biology Birds breeding

Summary:

The Palila, (Loxioides bailleui), is an endangered finch-billed Hawaiian honeycreeper (Fringillidae, subfamily Drepanidinae) that has a habitat range that is limited to the subalpine woodland of Mauna Kea. Here, the highest densities of this bird have been found between the 2100 meter and the 2500 meter elevation near Puu Laau, on the island of Hawaii. This bird occupies the mamane, (Sophora chrysophylla), ecosystem where they feed on the immature seeds and flowers of the mamane tree and use this habitat for nesting and shelter. However, habitat destruction by feral ungulates are believed to have been a major factor in the decline of the Palila. While the elimination of most of the feral goats and sheep from Mauna Kea has allowed for the regeneration of the mamane forest, little is known about the nesting success or failure of this bird since the sample size of a previous report was small. As a result, the objective of this research was to obtain more information on the breeding biology of the Palila, to determine its nesting success, to evaluate factors that limit the nesting success, and to make recommendations for further research.

Label:

Birds - Palila

URL:

https://sora.unm.edu/node/104362

Date:

1990

Collection:

Periodicals