Field identification of the Hawaiian Creeper on the island of Hawaii

Author:

Scott, J. Michael, Conant, Sheila, Pratt, H. Douglas

Title:

Field identification of the Hawaiian Creeper on the island of Hawaii

Periodical:

Western Birds

Year:

1979

Volume:

10

Pages:

71-80

Subject:

Hawaii Creeper Hawaii Amakihi Hawaii Akepa Japanese White-eye

Summary:

The Hawaii group of the Hawaiian Creeper (Loxops maculatus mana) was classified as endangered. However, since very little was known about the bird's distribution and abundance in as recently as 1972, A.J. Berger was unable to state whether the species was uncommon or on the verge of extinction in summarizing his existing knowledge. As a result, underlying the lack of information on this bird's status rendered many observers unable to consistently and correctly distinguish it from the abundant race of the Hawaii Amakihi (Loxops virens virens). Field identification of these two species proved to be problematic on the islands of Oahu and Hawaii and even though the similarity of these two birds on the island of Hawaii was previously mentioned by H.W. Henshaw, G.C. Munro, and R.T. Peterson, adequate field characters had not been well documented. Therefore, since the creeper was classed as endangered and since it's identification was often uncertain, the authors' identification and documentation of the behaviorial and morphological characteristics proved useful in identifying the Hawaii Creeper through this study.

Label:

Birds - General

URL:

https://sora.unm.edu/node/122081

Collection:

Periodicals