Hemignathus virens (Drepanididae)

Species description or overview

Hawaii amakihi information from the Pacific Island Network, National Park Service 
Description, status, inventories, and sightings for the Hawaii amakihi are provided on this "Featured Resource" document from the NPS.

Amakihi interesting facts
Amakihi image and interesting facts are on the RightBird site.

Hawaii Amakihi - Images and overview
Amakihi information and images are provided by the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project.

Hawaii amakihi overview 
Hemignathus virens species status, biology, distribution, threats, and conservation actions are described by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (Hawaii's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 2005).

Taxonomy & nomenclature

Pests of this species

Serological responses and immunity to superinfection with avian malaria in experimentally-infected Hawaii amakihi
Hawaiian honeycreepers that are capable of recovering from acute infections develop concomitant immunity to superinfection, making them functionally immune in areas where malaria transmission has become endemic (Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 2001).

Knemidokoptic mange in Hawaii Amakihi (Hemignathus virens) on the island of Hawaii
Lesions resembling knemidokoptic mange on the feet and tarsometatarsi of two Hawaii Amakihi were observed while the researchers were mist-netting wild passerines at Manuka Natural Area Reserve on the island of Hawaii (J. Wildlife Disease, 2009).

Audio

Images

Amakihi image
Image of a captured amakihi is on Forestry Images.

Distribution

In the news

Full-text articles

Genetic structure and evolved malaria resistance in Hawaiian honeycreepers
Researchers suggest high disease pressure on amakihi rapidly selected for resistance to malaria at low elevation, leaving small pockets of resistant birds, and this resistance spread outward from the scattered remnant populations (Molecular Ecology, 2007).

The influence of nectar resources on nesting success and movement patterns of the common amakihi (Hemignathus virens)  
Amakihi is intrinsically tied to the nectar resources available within its breeding territory and a minimum of quantity of nectar must be present before territory establishment will occur (The Auk, 1984).

Alien plant invasions in native ecosystems of Hawaii: Management and research
Stone, Charles P., Clifford W. Smith, and J. Timothy Tunison (eds.) . 1992. Alien plant invasions in native ecosystems of Hawaii: Management and research. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit. ISBN: 0-8248-1474-6.

Phenology, reproductive potential, seed dispersal and predation, and seedling establishment of three invasive plant species in a Hawaiian rain forest
Medeiros, A.C. 2004. Phenology, reproductive potential, seed dispersal and predation, and seedling establishment of three invasive plant species in a Hawaiian rain forest. Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Zoology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu.

Pathogenicity of avian malaria in experimentally-infected Hawaii Amakihi
Mortality results of infected amakihi indicate current elevational and geographic distribution of Hawaiian honeycreepers is determined by relative susceptibility to avian malaria (J. Wildlife Diseases, 2000).

Abstracts

Altitudinal variations in nests of the Hawaiian honeycreeper Hemignathus virens virens
Temperature, altitude, and precipitation affected the placement and thermal conductance of amakihi nests (The Condor, 1984).

Breeding ecology of the hawaii common amakihi
Six major factors influenced amakihi productivity on Mauna Kea. The two most important were length of the breeding season and clutch size (The Condor, 1987).

Serological responses and immunity to superinfection with avian malaria in experimentally-infected Hawaii amakihi
Hawaiian honeycreepers that are capable of recovering from acute infections develop concomitant immunity to superinfection, making them functionally immune in areas where malaria transmission has become endemic (Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 2001).

Artificial incubation, hand-rearing, behavior, and release of common Amakihi (Hemignathus virens virens): Surrogate research for restoration of endangered Hawaiian forest birds
Techniques necessary to hatch, rear, and release endangered Hawaiian honeycreepers are available; however, restoration efforts will probably not succeed unless mosquito-free, predator-controlled reintroduction sites are available or strategies are developed to decrease mortality in naive honeycreepers exposed to disease after release (Zoo Biology, 1998).

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The Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) project is currently funded by the Pacific Basin Information Node (PBIN) of the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) through PIERC (USGS) with support from HCSU (UH Hilo). More details are available online.

The content of this page is based on information last generated on 24 September 2011 by PT. The template for this page was created on 15 March 2004 by EMS, and was last updated on 20 February 2006 by PT.