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Status: Population size: 3,535 Photo by Peter LaTourrette.

Akekee
(Loxops caeruleirostris)

This small, finch-like bird is found only on the island of Kaua'i, where it is commonly seen in native, high-elevation rainforest. 'Akeke'es have unique bills with lower mandibles bent to one side, allowing them to pry open flowers and leaves in search of arthropods. This species, along with other forest dwellers on Kaua'i, is faced with the threat of newly-introduced diseases, disease-carriers, and predators, as well as habitat degradation and destruction.

Identification
'Akeke'es are small, yellow and green Hawaiian honeycreepers with short, blue bills, and long, notched tails. Males are slightly more colorful than females, with bright yellow cheeks, underparts, crowns, and rumps; and strong black masks extending from the base of the bill to the eye. 'Akeke'es have greenish tails, wings, backs, and napes.

Distribution and Population Trends
Akeke'es are found only on the island of Kaua'i, where they can be seen in Alaka'i, Waimea, and Koke'e regions. It is difficult to estimate the population trends of this species, but it seems like the number of 'Akeke'es has been fairly stable during the past 35 years.

Ecology
Although not visible in the field, 'Akeke'es possess very unusual bills in which the lower mandible is bent to one side. The birds use these modified bills to open up leaf and flower buds in search of arthropods, much like crossbills use their crossed bills to extract seeds from conifer cones. 'Akeke'es' unusual bill structure is found in only one other bird species, the related 'Akepa. 'Akeke'es can be found foraging either individually or in small groups in the canopy of native high-elevation rainforests, especially wet 'ohi'a and koa/ohia forests. Although 'Akeke'e and 'Akepa were treated as a single species between 1950 and 1991, on the basis of the unique bill structure they share, these two birds differ in a number of ways, including plumage color, degree of sexual dimorphism, specific feeding behavior, song structure, and nesting behavior. Interestingly, 'Akeke'es build their nests on tree branches, while 'Akepas nest in tree cavities.

Threats
'Akeke'es are threatened by both direct and indirect human activities, with indirect actions currently posing the greatest threats to this and other native Kaua'i forest birds. The continued introduction of non-native plants results in the degradation of habitat, as exotic plants outcompete and displace the native ohia, favored by 'Akeke'es. The introduction of new animals to Kaua'i creates the possibility of establishing new vectors to spread diseases that could seriously affect 'Akeke'es and other native forest birds. In the past, human introductions of animals to Kaua'i have subjected 'Akeke'es to new sources of disease vectors, parasites, food competitors, nest predators, and predators on adult birds. Forest clearing and logging have resulted in habitat destruction in the past, and such destruction remains a threat, especially with development occurring in the Koke'e region.

Conservation
Important 'Akeke'e habitat is protected in the State of Hawaii's Alaka'i Wilderness Preserve, and, to a lesser extent, in the Koke'e State Park (where habitat is more altered). Together, these two areas cover much of the species' current range. Increased awareness of the dangers of introduced species has led to several captures of the brown tree snake at Hawaiian airports and harbors. The establishment in the Hawaiian Islands of this snake, which has caused the extinction of nearly every native bird species on Guam, could have devastating effects on 'Akeke'es and the entire birdlife of Hawaii.

References
BirdLife International (2006) Species factsheet: Loxops caeruleirostris, Akeke'e http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=8918&m=0

Pratt, H.D., P. L. Bruner, and D. G Berrett. 1987. The Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific. Princeton University Press, Princeton.

Lepson, J.K. and H.D. Pratt. 1997. 'Akeke'e (Loxops caeruleirostris). In The Birds of North America, No. 295 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D. C.