List of endemic birds of Hawaii facts for kids

The Hawaiian Islands are home to many special birds. These birds are called endemic because they are found naturally only in Hawaii and nowhere else in the world. Imagine a bird that lives only on one island – that's an endemic bird!

There were once 71 different types (or taxa) of these unique Hawaiian birds. Sadly, 30 of them are now completely gone forever (extinct). Another 6 might also be gone. Out of the 48 types that are left, 30 are in danger of disappearing. This means they are listed as endangered or threatened by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Many Hawaiian birds started to disappear after people from the West arrived. Losing their homes (called habitat loss) and getting sick from new diseases were big problems. But even before that, when the first native Hawaiians arrived, many birds were lost. This was partly because of the Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans), which came along with the early settlers.

What Makes Hawaiian Birds Special?

Hawaii's islands are very far from other land. This means that when birds first arrived there, they were isolated. Over millions of years, they changed and adapted to their new homes. This process, called evolution, created many new and unique bird species found only in Hawaii. They developed special beaks for eating certain foods or unique songs for finding mates.

Why Are These Birds Disappearing?

Many things have caused Hawaiian birds to be in danger.

Losing Their Homes

When people build houses, farms, or roads, they often cut down forests. This means birds lose the places where they live, find food, and raise their young. This is called habitat loss.

New Animals and Diseases

When new animals are brought to Hawaii, they can cause big problems for native birds.

• Rats: Rats eat bird eggs and chicks.
• Cats: Pet cats that roam free can hunt and kill birds.
• Pigs and Goats: These animals can destroy the plants that birds need for food and shelter.
• Mosquitoes: Mosquitoes carry diseases like avian malaria. Hawaiian birds never developed a way to fight these diseases, so they get very sick and often die.

Some Famous Hawaiian Endemic Birds

Here are a few examples of the amazing birds that call Hawaii home:

Nēnē (Hawaiian Goose)

The Hawaiian goose or nēnē (Branta sandvicensis) is the only goose found in Hawaii. It's also the rarest goose in the world! Unlike most geese, the nēnē spends more time on land and can even climb on lava flows. It almost went extinct, but thanks to conservation efforts, its numbers are slowly growing.

ʻIo (Hawaiian Hawk)

The Hawaiian hawk or ʻio (Buteo solitarius) is the only hawk that lives only in Hawaii. It's a powerful bird of prey that hunts small animals. It's a very important part of Hawaii's natural environment.

ʻApapane

The ʻApapane (Himatione sanguinea) is one of the most common native forest birds in Hawaii. It has bright red feathers and a curved beak perfect for sipping nectar from flowers, especially the red blossoms of the ʻōhiʻa lehua tree. You can often hear its beautiful songs in the Hawaiian forests.

ʻIʻiwi

The ʻIʻiwi (Vestiaria coccinea) is another stunning red honeycreeper. It has a long, curved orange beak that it uses to drink nectar from deep flowers. Its bright colors and unique beak make it one of Hawaii's most recognizable birds.

ʻAlalā (Hawaiian Crow)

The Hawaiian crow or ʻalala (Corvus hawaiiensis) is a very smart bird. Sadly, it is extinct in the wild, meaning it only lives in special breeding programs. Scientists are working hard to bring them back to their natural homes in Hawaii.

Protecting Hawaii's Birds

Many people are working to protect these special birds. They are trying to:

• Protect and restore the birds' natural homes.
• Control animals like rats and cats that harm the birds.
• Find ways to protect birds from diseases carried by mosquitoes.
• Breed rare birds in safe places and then release them back into the wild.

By learning about these unique birds, we can all help make sure they have a future in the beautiful Hawaiian Islands.

Images for kids

• Hawaiian Petrel Pterodroma sandwichensis at sea.jpg

  Hawaiian petrel

• Newell's Shearwater.jpg

  Newell's shearwater

• Branta sandvicensis - Hawaii - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Hawaiian goose or nēnē

• Anas wyvilliana - Hawaii - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Hawaiian duck or koloa maoli

• Anas laysanensis - Laysan Island - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Laysan duck

• Phoebastria immutabilis - Midway Atoll - USA - 01.jpg

  Laysan albatross

• Phoebastria nigripes - Midway Atoll - USA - 01.jpg

  Black-footed albatross

• Buteo solitarius - Hawaii - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Hawaiian hawk or ʻio

• Gallinula chloropus sandwichensis - Hawaii - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Hawaiian gallinule or ʻalae ʻula

• Fulica alai - Hawaii - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Hawaiian coot or ʻalae keʻokeʻo

• Himantopus mexicanus knudseni - Hawaii - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Hawaiian stilt or aeʻo

• Anous minutus melanogenys - Hawaii - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Hawaiian black noddy or noio

• Asio flammeus sandwichensis - Hawaii - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Pueo (short-eared owl)

• Moho braccatus - Kaua'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Kauaʻi ʻōʻō

• Moho apicalis - O'ahu - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Oʻahu ʻōʻō

• Moho bishopi - Maui - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Bishop's ʻōʻō

• Moho nobilis - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Hawaiʻi ʻōʻō

• Chaetoptila angustipluma - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Kioea

• Corvus hawaiiensis - Hawaii - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Hawaiian crow or ʻalala

• Chasiempis sclateri - Kaua'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Kauaʻi ʻelepaio

• Chasiempis ibidis - O'ahu - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Oʻahu ʻelepaio

• Chasiempis sandwichensis - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Hawaiʻi ʻelepaio

• Acrocephalus familiaris familiaris - Laysan Island - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Laysan millerbird

• Acrocephalus familiaris kingi - Nihoa Island - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Nihoa millerbird

• Myadestes myadestinus - Kaua'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Kamaʻo

• Myadestes palmeri - Kaua'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Puaiohi

• Myadestes lanaiensis - Lana'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Olomaʻo

• Myadestes obscurus - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  ʻOmaʻo

• Telespiza cantans - Laysan Island - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Laysan finch

• Telespiza ultima - Nihoa Island - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Nihoa finch

• Psittirostra psittacea - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  ʻŌʻū

• Loxioides bailleui - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Palila

• Rhodacanthis flaviceps - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Lesser koa-finch

• Rhodacanthis palmeri - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Greater koa-finch

• Chloridops kona - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Kona grosbeak

• Pseudonestor xanthophrys - Maui - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Maui parrotbill

• Akialoa stejnegeri - Kaua'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Kauaʻi ʻakialoa

• Akialoa ellisiana - O'ahu - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Oʻahu ʻakialoa

• Akialoa lanaiensis - Lana'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Maui Nui ʻakialoa

• Akialoa obscura - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Lesser ʻakialoa

• Hemignathus virens - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Common ʻamakihi

• Hemignathus flavus - O'ahu - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Oʻahu ʻamakihi

• Hemignathus kauaiensis - Kaua'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Kauaʻi ʻamakihi

• Hemignathus sagittirostris - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Greater ʻamakihi

• Hemignathus affinis - Maui - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Maui nukupuʻu

• Hemignathus hanapepe - Kaua'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Kauai nukupuʻu

• Hemignathus lucidus - O'ahu - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Oʻahu nukupuʻu

• Hemignathus munroi - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  ʻAkiapolaʻau

• Magumma parva - Kaua'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  ʻAnianiau

• Oreomystis bairdi - Kaua'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  ʻAkikiki

• Oreomystis mana - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Hawaiʻi creeper

• Paroreomyza maculata - O'ahu - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Oʻahu ʻalauahio

• Paroreomyza montana - Maui - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Maui ʻalauahio

• Paroreomyza montana montana - Lana'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Lanaʻi ʻalauahio

• Paroreomyza flammea - Moloka'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Kakawahie

• Loxops caeruleirostris - Kaua'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  ʻAkekeʻe

• Loxops coccineus - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Hawaiʻi ʻakepa

• Loxops coccineus ochraceus - Maui - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Maui ʻākepa

• Loxops coccineus wolstenholmei - O'ahu - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Oʻahu ʻākepa

• Ciridops anna - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  ʻUla-ʻai-hawane

• Vestiaria coccinea - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  ʻIʻiwi

• Drepanis pacifica - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Hawaiʻi mamo

• Drepanis funerea - Moloka'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Black mamo

• Palmeria dolei - Maui - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  ʻAkohekohe

• Himatione sanguinea - Hawai'i - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  ʻApapane

• Himatione fraithii - Laysan Island - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Laysan honeycreeper

• Melamprosops phaeosoma - Maui - USA - captive-8a.jpg

  Poʻouli

See also

In Spanish: Aves endémicas de las islas Hawái para niños