Mamo facts for kids
The Mamo (also called woowoo) was the name for two types of birds that used to live in Hawaii. Sadly, both kinds are now extinct, meaning they no longer exist. They were part of a group of birds called Drepanis, which also includes the ʻIʻiwi bird that is still alive today.
Mamo birds were a type of finch that loved to drink nectar from flowers. They were found only in Hawaii, making them endemic to the islands. Their Hawaiian name might be connected to the ʻōʻō bird, which looked similar. People also called the Mamo ʻōʻō-nuku-umu, which means 'ʻōʻō with the sucking beak'.
Two different species of Mamo birds are known.
The Hawaiʻi Mamo Bird
The Hawaiʻi mamo (Drepanis pacifica) was a bird about 23 centimeters (9 inches) long. Its feathers were shiny black. It had bright yellow feathers on its rump and thighs. There was also a small yellow patch on its shoulder.
Its tail was black, and it had white patches and shafts on its main wing feathers. The bird's beak was long, curved, and black. Its legs were dark gray or black.
This Mamo was a shy bird. It lived high up in the forest canopy. It ate nectar from the curved, tube-shaped flowers of Lobelia plants. Its call was a long, sad whistle.
The bright golden-yellow feathers of the Hawaiʻi mamo were very special. Hawaiian royalty, called the aliʻi, used them for their beautiful featherwork. For example, the famous yellow cloak of Kamehameha I was made from these feathers. It is thought that feathers from 80,000 Hawaiʻi mamos were used to complete this one cloak.
The Hawaiʻi mamo was last seen in 1899. This sighting happened near Kaūmana.
The Black Mamo Bird
The black mamo (Drepanis funerea) was a bit smaller than the Hawaiʻi mamo. It was about 20 centimeters (8 inches) long. This bird looked similar to the Hawaiʻi mamo but was almost completely black. The only white parts were the shafts of its main wing feathers.
Its beak was more sharply curved downwards. It also had a small yellowish spot near the base of its beak. When the black mamo ate, its forehead often got covered in pollen. This made its forehead look pale.
This species ate nectar from Lobelia flowers. It also fed on ʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) flowers. The black mamo usually fed at lower levels in the forest than the Hawaiʻi mamo.
This bird was quite curious and would often come close to people watching it. Its call was a clear, flute-like whistle. It also made a rolling whistle with five or six notes.
The black mamo lived only on the island of Molokaʻi. It was last seen in 1907.
