Day 26 of Avian August 2025, Birds of Hawaii, hosted by @cookiedoves: Kiwikiu or Maui Parrotbill (Pseudonestor xanthophrys)
The Kiwikiu is a critically endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper. Once more widespread, it is now found only in a small area of high-elevation, wet montane forests on East Maui. Its parrot-like bill makes it an expert insect hunter, allowing it to pry back bark and bite into stems to reach hidden larvae.
These ʻōhiʻa- and koa-dominated forests contain a rich understory of plants and shrubs, including the pilo (Coprosma montana), a member of the coffee family. While this shrub does not directly provide food for the parrotbill, it supports the insect communities on which the bird depends. In turn, the Kiwikiu helps keep insect populations in balance.
