Maui Parrotbill

Overview

The Maui parrotbill, or kiwikiu, is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper endemic to the island of Maui. It is listed as Critically Endangered, with recent estimates suggesting a wild population of fewer than 150 individuals.

Identification

• Measures 14 cm in length with a mass of 20–25 g, making it one of the larger Hawaiian honeycreepers.
• Features a yellow breast, cheeks, and belly contrasted with olive-green wings, crown, tail, and back.
• Possesses a distinctive bill with a dark grey, hooked upper mandible and a pale ivory, chisel-like lower mandible.
• Emits a short "chip" call every three to five seconds and a song consisting of slower, richer "cheer" notes.

Habitat

The species currently inhabits undisturbed mesic and wet forests dominated by Metrosideros polymorpha and small patches of Acacia koa on the windward slopes of Haleakalā. It occupies an area of less than 2,020 hectares at elevations of 1,310–2,070 metres, centred around Puʻu ʻAlaea, Kuhiwa Valley, Lake Waianapanapa, and upper Kīpahulu Valley.

Diet

As an insectivore, it uses its large beak and powerful jaw muscles to remove bark and wood from small trees and shrubs to eat the insects underneath, while also biting open fruits to search for prey. It particularly favours moth pupae and beetle larvae, and pairs forage within a 2.3-hectare territory that they actively defend from competitors.

Did you know?

The Hawaiian name kiwikiu was not historically in use for this species but was created by the Hawaiian Lexicon Committee; "kiwi" refers to the bird's sickle-shaped bill, while "kiu" describes both its secretive nature and the cold breezes of its high-altitude habitat.