Oʻahu ʻakialoa

The Oʻahu ʻakialoa (Akialoa ellisana) was a Hawaiian honeycreeper in the subfamily Carduelinae of the family Fringillidae (finches). It was formerly considered a subspecies in the greater akialoa complex before being elevated to a full species. It was endemic to the island of Oʻahu in the Hawaiian Islands.

Oʻahu ʻakialoa

Extinct  (1860s-1940)  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae
Subfamily: Carduelinae
Genus: †Akialoa
Species:
†A. ellisiana
Binomial name
†Akialoa ellisiana
(G.R. Gray, 1860)
Synonyms

Hemignathus ellisianus ellisianus

Description
Akialoa ellisiana

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

The population already taking a toll due to the large amount of deforestation, was susceptible to the avian influenza, more commonly known as the bird flu. This was brought in by mosquitoes who were carrying the virus and were able to spread it within the community. Because of the virus, the population fell to around 4-6 percent of its normal population (Pratt). 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.

References
  1. BirdLife International (2017). "Akialoa ellisiana". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2017: e.T103823212A119725. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T103823212A119549725.en. Retrieved 15 January 2018.

2: H. D. and T. Pratt. “The interplay of species concepts, taxonomy, and conservation: lessons from the Hawaiian avifauna.” Studies in avian biology 22 (2001): 68-80.


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