Aspects of the life history and foraging ecology of the endangered akiapolaau

Author:

Ralph, C. John, Fancy, Steven G.

Title:

Aspects of the life history and foraging ecology of the endangered akiapolaau

Periodical:

Condor

Year:

1996

Volume:

98

Pages:

312-321

Subject:

Akiapolaau Hemignathus munroi Birds monitoring Survival Home range Foraging ecology Bird populations

Summary:

The Hawaiian honeycreepers, (Fringillidae: Drepanidinae), is an endemic subfamily of birds that are thought to be derived from a single colonization by a cardueline finch of North America. This species has evolved into a diverse group of species that includes the Iiwi (Vestiaria coccinea), the Akepa (Loxops coccineus, and the Palila (Loxioides bailleui), nd is a model example of adaptive radiation and speciation on a remote island chain. However, found on the island of Hawaii among four disjunct populations that total fewer than 1,500 birds, the Akiapolaau, (Hemignathus munroi), is the only surviving species to exploit a woodpecker niche, yet it is rare and restricted in its range despite the apparent lack of competition. Their distribution ranges from the 1300 to 2100 meter elevation in the mesic and wet ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha) and koa (Acacia koa) forests in the Kau, Hamakua, and Kona districts of the island. In the dry mamane (Sophora chrysophylla) and naio (Myoporum sandwichense) forests on Mauna Kea, they were found between the 1900 and 2900 meter elevation. However, as of 1996 the total population of this species in the dry, high-elevation forest was likely less than 15 birds and may have become extinct by 2001. While the foraging methods, eggs, and nest of this species are well described and methods to sex and age the Akiapolaau have been developed, the rarity of this species and the inaccessibility of its habitat have prevented previous detailed study of its foraging or life history to be done. As a result, this report describes the home range, breeding ecology, annual survival, relative abundance, and foraging ecology of the Akiapolaau. This information was obtained during a larger study of demography and foraging ecology of Hawaiian forest birds at five study sites on the island of Hawaii as follows: at the 1740 meter elevation of Keauhou Ranch, the 1630 meter elevation of Kilauea Forest, the 1770 meter elevation of Hamakua, the 1750 meter elevation of the Kau forest, and the 1865 - 2800 meter elevation of a Dry Forest site. The period during which this study took place was from November, 1976 - January, 1982.

Label:

Birds - Akiapolaau

URL:

https://sora.unm.edu/node/105127

Date:

1996

Collection:

Periodicals