Variation in male plumage and behavior of the Hawaii akepa

Author:

Lepson, Jaan K., Freed, Leonard A.

Title:

Variation in male plumage and behavior of the Hawaii akepa

Periodical:

Auk

Year:

1995

Volume:

112

Pages:

402-414

Subject:

Hawaii Akepa Loxops coccineus Endangered species birds

Summary:

The sexually dichromatic and endangered subspecies of the Akepa (Loxops coccineus coccineus), that occurs on the island of Hawaii, is a 10- to 12-g Hawaiian honeycreeper that shows remarkable variation in male plumage coloration that ranges from dull gray to bright orange. As a result, the purpose of this study was to investigate the reason for this male plumage color variability. The study was conducted at the Pua Akala Tract of the Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge that is located at the 1900-foot elevation on the eastern slope of Mauna Kea on the island of Hawaii. Here, the annual rainfall averaged 270 cm during the study period and temperatures ranged from 10 degrees - 19 degrees Celcius. The study site was an approximately 20-ha area that consisted of meadows and open forest that was dominated by an ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha) and koa (Acacia koa) trees.

Label:

Birds - Akepa

URL:

https://sora.unm.edu/node/25523

Date:

1995

Collection:

Periodicals