Akepa
By J.S.
Description
- Finch-like bird
- 10 cm in length
- Cone-shaped beak
- Males have red-orange feathers and dark wings (Glenn)
- Females have grayish-green feathers and a yellow-orange belly (Glenn)
- Communicate with quiet calls and short songs
Food Chain and Habitat
- Prefers to live in wet forests above 3000 feet (now mostly 5000-6000) (EPA)
- Nests in tree cavities in old-growth Ohia/Koa trees, whose populations have both decreased
- Diet includes insects and nectar (Wikipedia)
- Competes with invasive birds, such as the Japanese white-eye, for food
- Eaten by introduced predators
Adaptations
- Cross-bill for prying open leaf buds and extracting caterpillars (Wikipedia)
- Lives at a high elevation to avoid mosquito-transmitted diseases (EPA)
- So far has not been able to adapt well against invasive competitor species
- Brushy tongue tip and ability to roll it up for feeding on nectar (EOL)
- Wings for flying
Reasons For Endangerment
- The Japanese white-eye competes with the Akepa for food
- The Akepa has a disadvantage since the Japanese white-eye nests and raises their young earlier (AAAS)
- Chewing lice and increased disease and parasites are problems
- The Akepa are threatened by non-native predators
- New-born Akepas now often have stunted growth and are underweight (AAAS)