Name and period#: Nea Portillo & P1

Hawaiian Honeycreeper Data Sheet

(use: this reference to get your information)

Hawaiian name: Maui Parrotbill

Scientific name: Pseudonestor xanthophrys

Ancestral family species:Fringillidae(Finches)

Red List category: Critically Endangered

Physical characteristics (phenotypes):

Yellow on the cheeks, belly and breast portion of its body. Its supercilium(eyebrow) is a
brighter yellow
Its wings, tail, crown, and back are olive green.
The bird’s beak is a hook on the upper mandible, while the lower mandible is chisel-liked

Location(s) found:
Haleakala National Park
Hana Forest Reserve

The b
Type of ecosystem:
Wet Forest
Subtropical/Tropical Moist Montane
Habitat:
Small trees and shrubs.
‘Ohi’a lehua tree and small patches of Acacia koa.

Food niche (diet):

Insectivore
Eats insects from small trees and shrub(like ‘akala and kanawao)
Also eats insects from fruits
Enjoys moth pupae and beetle larvae

Breeding / nesting patterns:

Monogamous(one marriage at a time)
Breeds between November and June.
Females make nests using Usnea lichens and pukiawe twigs.
Each season, a pair of the birds raise one nestling.

Generation length:
4.5 yrs

Unique traits and behaviors / Other facts:

Breaks stems when searching for insects
Males have longer wings and are larger-billed. They also tend to be heavier than females.
Younger birds are gray/green from the top and light gray from the ventral.
A pair tends to forage an area that is about 5.7 acres to defend from other maui
parrotbills.
Until 5 to 8 months pass, parents stay with their fledglings while they are taught to forage.

Cultural significance or cultural fact related to your species:

The reason why the extinction of the maui parrotbill is important to Hawaiian culture is
because respecting and taking care of the land is of high importance. Also, the land and
 everything in Hawaii’s ecosystems are connected to ancient Hawaiian life and Hawaiian
ancestors.

Threats:
Habitat Shifting and climate change
Non-native species invading its habitats
Mosquitos

Sources (2x in APA references formatting):

1. American Bird Conservancy(2023). Kiwikiu - American Bird Conservancy. Retrieved from

Kiwikiu - American Bird Conservancy (abcbirds.org)

2. BirdLife International(2023). Maui Parrotbill(Pseudonestor xanthophrys) - BirdLife International. Retrieved from

Maui Parrotbill (Pseudonestor xanthophrys) - BirdLife species factsheet