#palila

The Marvelous Spatuletail is the 15th prompt of #gloribirds - a #birdartchallenge featuring birds with flattering names hosted by @printyourbird@paints_and_penguins@ivetasaviary and @wingingitdrawing .

Day 29 of Avian August 2025, Birds of Hawaii, hosted by @cookiedoves: Palila (Loxioides bailleui)

The palila is a critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper found only on the upper slopes of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii. Its survival is closely linked to the presence of māmane (Sophora chrysophylla). The palila’s main food source is the plant’s immature green seeds, though it also eats flowers, buds, young leaves, and nearby insects. Most animals avoid the māmane, as its seeds contain toxins that cause severe poisoning and can be lethal to livestock. The palila is one of the very few birds in the world known to rely on toxic seeds as a primary food source. Because the two species evolved together, the bird’s digestive system and liver metabolism are able to detoxify or tolerate the harmful alkaloids.

A pair of Palila (Loxioides bailleui), a critically endangered Hawaiian native honeycreeper, forage on the lichen-covered branches of a māmane tree (Sophora chrysophylla).

Palila #avianaugust day 26.

Watercolor and colored pencils.