Kaua'i Palila
Encyclopedia
The Kauai Palila was a species of Hawaiian finch that was much larger than the Palila
(Loxioides bailleui). It was probably covered in feathers of red, gold, white, and black. It was described from subfossil
remains discovered at the Makauwahi Cave
on the south coast of Kauai
in the Hawaiian Islands
.
was cut down, and irrigation
from streams became widespread. The ecosystem became much wetter, and the remaining Naio (Myoporum sandwicense
) trees began to rot away. Soon the Pila's Palila was pushed to its limit, and became extinct
, though it had lived for a long time, despite human competition and destruction of their habitat. Some speculate that the latest remaining specimen dates back to the 1800s.. Today the Kauai Palila is known from few specimens, found on the island of Kauai. It is unknown if this bird ever got a name in the Hawaiian language, since it seems to have disappeared before Europeans arrived to apply the classification name.
. The subfossil remains found on Kauai are intriguing. They were found near sea level, where the habitat to which the species is restricted today apparently never occurred. Mamane might conceivably also have grown at lower elevations on the arid parts of Maui Nui
. No Palila remains have been discovered on these interspersing islands; it is thus quite possible that the birds from Oahu and Kauai constitute the Pila's Palila, and a third species of Loxioides. A related larger species, Pila's Palila, or Loxioides kikuichi is known exclusively from subfossil remains found on Kauai. It became extinct maybe as late as 1750, maybe much earlier.
Palila
The Palila is a critically endangered finch-billed species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. It has a golden-yellow head and breast, with a light belly, gray back, and greenish wings and tail...
(Loxioides bailleui). It was probably covered in feathers of red, gold, white, and black. It was described from subfossil
Subfossil
Subfossil refers to remains whose fossilization process is not complete, either for lack of time or because the conditions in which they were buried were not optimal for fossilization....
remains discovered at the Makauwahi Cave
Makauwahi Cave
The Makauwahi Cave is the largest limestone cave found in Hawaii. It lies on the south coast of the island of Kauai, in the Māhāulepū Valley close to Māhāulepū Beach, and is important for its paleoecological and archaeological values...
on the south coast of Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
in the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
Extinction
The Kauai Palila was one of many native Hawaiian birds that was affected by drastic changes in the environment due to farming. The dry forestHawaiian tropical dry forests
The Hawaiian tropical dry forests are a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion in the Hawaiian Islands. They cover an area of on the leeward side of the main islands and the summits of Niihau and Kahoolawe. These forests are either seasonal or sclerophyllous. Annual rainfall is less than and...
was cut down, and irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
from streams became widespread. The ecosystem became much wetter, and the remaining Naio (Myoporum sandwicense
Myoporum sandwicense
Myoporum sandwicense is a species of flowering tree in the figwort family, Scrophulariaceae. Common names include Naio, bastard sandalwood or false sandalwood. It is native to Hawaii and Mangaia in the Cook Islands.-Description:...
) trees began to rot away. Soon the Pila's Palila was pushed to its limit, and became extinct
Extinction
In biology and ecology, extinction is the end of an organism or of a group of organisms , normally a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and recover may have been lost before this point...
, though it had lived for a long time, despite human competition and destruction of their habitat. Some speculate that the latest remaining specimen dates back to the 1800s.. Today the Kauai Palila is known from few specimens, found on the island of Kauai. It is unknown if this bird ever got a name in the Hawaiian language, since it seems to have disappeared before Europeans arrived to apply the classification name.
Findings
Prehistorically, the Palila may also have inhabited KauaiKauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
. The subfossil remains found on Kauai are intriguing. They were found near sea level, where the habitat to which the species is restricted today apparently never occurred. Mamane might conceivably also have grown at lower elevations on the arid parts of Maui Nui
Maui Nui
Maui Nui or Greater Maui, is a modern geologists' name given to a prehistoric Hawaiian Island built from seven shield volcanoes. Nui means "great/large" in the Hawaiian language....
. No Palila remains have been discovered on these interspersing islands; it is thus quite possible that the birds from Oahu and Kauai constitute the Pila's Palila, and a third species of Loxioides. A related larger species, Pila's Palila, or Loxioides kikuichi is known exclusively from subfossil remains found on Kauai. It became extinct maybe as late as 1750, maybe much earlier.