Telespiza ultima

Overview

The Nīhoa finch, known in Hawaiian as palihoa, is an endemic species found exclusively on the tiny Hawaiian island of Nīhoa. It was designated as endangered in 1967, and recent conservation efforts include a 2026 translocation to Kapou Island to establish an insurance population.

Identification

• Resembles the Laysan finch but is smaller and less dark.
• Measures approximately 6 inches in length.
• Features a yellow throat with the front streaked in brown.
• The head and back are brown and streaked with black.

Habitat

Endemic to the small island of Nīhoa, which is part of the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge. A population of 49 birds was translocated to Kapou Island in 2026.

Diet

This bird consumes sea birds' eggs, small arthropods, and the seeds and flowers of native flora.

Did you know?

In August 2026, the Nīhoa finch became the third single-island species in the NW Hawaiian Islands to undergo translocation, following the Laysan Finch and Nīhoa Millerbird.