I‘iwi

Ack!  I'm behind on my posts!  >3<  Although this weekend I honestly didn't have any internet… moving along!

Just a note, most of the information I will be sharing will come from the book "Hawai‘i's Birds" by the Hawaii Audubon Society.  Pictures will be from Forest and Star Kim's website (I will try and cite those properly when the time comes), from my own personal camera or it will be my brother's pictures.

Adult I‘iwi

Juvenile I‘iwi

The first bird I wanted to introduce you to is the i‘iwi (Vestiaria coccinea).   Found on all main islands except for Lana‘i, the i‘iwi are fairly common on the islands of Hawai‘i (aka the Big Island, to you locals), Maui and Kaua‘i.  However, they are listed as endangered on O‘ahu and Moloka‘i.  They are usually seen in native forests above 3500 feet, and are endemic to the islands.

The birds themselves are about 5 1/2 inches, with no discernible differences between the sexes.  Adults are a bright, scarlet red with black wings and tail.  They have a white patch on their "inner secondaries", which refers to the feathers closest to the body on the underside of the wing.  Aside from their trademark color, the i‘iwi are most famous for their long, curved beak, which is salmon-colored.  Juveniles, or babies/immature birds, are a buff color with black spots.  Their beaks are shorter and yellow, becoming the salmon color as they grow older.

The main food of the i‘iwi is the nectar of the ‘Ohia Lehua tree, but they will feed on other plants' nectar (such as the ‘akala and various lobelia) and eat insects.  In ancient times, the feathers of the i‘iwi were woven into the feather capes of the royalty, and as such they are referred to in ancient chants.