Maui ‘Alauahio
Maui Creeper; Paroreomyza montana newtoni
Conservation Status:
Endangered
Food:
Insects
Habitat:
3,000 ft +
Description
Maui ‘alauahio or Maui “Creeper” creep along trunks, branches and twigs, flipping over bark and lichen in search of insects and grubs (insectivore): Click here to watch on Youtube. Similar to Hawai’i ‘amakihi in appearance and behavior, they can be distinguished by lack of prominent black lores, a straight bill, and brighter yellow color.
Habitat and Behavior
‘Alauahio forage among leaves and branches but occasionally creep over bark of larger trunks. They can be found in native forests and to a lesser extent in exotic tree plantations such as Polipoli Springs State Park and Hosmer Grove at Haleakalā National Park. They are bold and inquisitive, often approaching people in small flocks.
Past and Present
‘Alauahio are extinct on Lāna’i and extirpated from West Maui, and now remain only on East Maui. They are fairly common on forested slopes of Haleakalā above 4,500ft, but still have a small population (~60,000 individuals) being a single island endemic.
Conservation Efforts
Their future existence depends on conservation and restoration of malaria-free forest habitat. They are not federally or state listed as endangered but are considered threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Non-native Forest Use by Maui ‘Alauahio
Graduate student Peter Motyka investigated the use of non-native forest by native birds, like ‘alauahio, in the Kula Forest Preserve where introduced conifer tree species dominate the landscape.
Helpers
Alauahio ‘helpers’ are usually offspring from the previous year and feed the female (their mother), nestlings, and fledglings. Fledglings are fed for two to three months, and young remain with their parents in family groups for 18 – 20 months!
Listen to ‘Alauahio
The ‘alauahio contact call is a loud “cheep”. Their song consists of a repeated whistled phrase “whichy-wheesee-whurdy-whew”.
