Oahu 'akialoa
| Oʻahu ʻakialoa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Fringillidae |
| Subfamily: | Carduelinae |
| Genus: | Hemignathus |
| Species: | † H. ellisianus |
| Binomial name | |
| Hemignathus ellisianus (G.R. Gray, 1860) | |
| Trinomial name | |
| Hemignathus ellisianus ellisianus (G. R. Gray, 1860) | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Akialoa ellisianus ellisianus | |
The Oʻahu ʻakialoa (Hemignathus ellisianus ellisanus) was a finch in the Fringillidae family. It was a subspecies in the greater akialoa complex that was endemic to the island of Oʻahu in the Hawaiian Islands.
Description
The bird was a long-billed insectivorous bird that was found in the high elevation forest. It was a dull colored species, dull green on the belly, bright green on rump and tail, dark olive-gray back and speckled yellow and green on the head. It was mainly an insectivore, using its bill to probe through the bark in search of arthropods, also using its long bill to probe flowers for nectar.
Status
Already endangered from the loss of habitat through forest clearance, it was susceptible to avian influenza, an introduced disease carried by mosquitoes. Scientists were sure that this bird was still common in the 1860s, evidence found by Perkins. Afterward, few reports came in, though two were presumed to be seen in 1933 and one in 1940.
Footnotes
References
- BirdLife International 2004. Akialoa ellisiana. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 10 July 2007.