Honeycreeper: Maui Parrotbill

Field Journal #1

Source: http://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/maui-parrotbill-pseudonestor-xanthophrys

Date: 1/234/22

Entry:

Hey! I am Pseudonestor xanthophrys, but I usually go by the famous Maui Parrotbill! I am going
to describe how my life is and what is so special about me. I am about 8 months old and still live
with my parents and older brother. Our species comes from an ancestral family called Finches.
But the best part about us is our bright-colored hair! We have yellow around the belly and
breasts, even on the cheeks of our faces. Our eyebrows are even a brighter yellow. We have
wings, tails, crowns, and backs that are olive green. Since I am a younger bird, I am gray/green
from the top and light gray from the ventral. I can't wait to be like my dad, with longer wings and
a larger bill than my mom. My dad is also heavier, which makes him look like the boss of the
family. With our diet, we have a beak that is a hook on the upper mandible and chiseled-like on
the lower mandible. Also, my family and I enjoy staying around the grand Haleakala mountain
and Hana due to the tremendous wet forests. Since I am too young to fly, my parents like to
search for food like insects and shrubs for me. They often look for insects in fruits. But my
family's all-time favorite snacks are the moth pupae and beetle larvae.
My brother likes to hang out around small trees and shrubs. Actually, he told me a story about
how my mom gave birth to me around November and June. My brother said our mom would
start preparing my nests using Usnea lichens and Pukiawe twigs. But my home is the 'Ohi'a lehua
trees and sometimes patches of Acacia Koa. I only live for 4.5 years. The sad part is that climate
change is changing my habitat. Non-native species invade my home, where I belong. Not just
that, I must protect Hawaiian culture because respecting and taking care of the land is of high
importance. Also, the land and everything in Hawaii's ecosystem are connected to ancient
Hawaiian life and ancestors. See? I am a great bird! I hope you continue to read about me!