Facts about Akekee

1. 07

   Captive breeding programs at facilities like the Maui Bird Conservation Center have produced over 100 Akekee chicks since 2017 to supplement the critically depleted wild population.

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2. 06

   Akekee vocalizations consist of high-pitched calls and songs that differ distinctly from other Kauai honeycreeper species, aiding in species and mate recognition in dense forest canopy.

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3. 05

   Habitat loss from introduced ungulates and mosquito-borne avian diseases pose greater threats to Akekee survival than predation in its high-elevation Alakai Plateau refugium.

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4. 04

   With a distinctive gray plumage and small size of approximately 5 inches, Akekee represents one of only five surviving honeycreeper species endemic to Kauai.

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5. 03

   Akekee breeding pairs typically raise only one chick per year in small cup-shaped nests woven from plant fibers high in native trees.

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6. 02

   The Akekee's diet consists almost exclusively of insects and spiders gleaned from Kauai's native ohia and koa trees at elevations above 4,000 feet.

   AkekeeMay 14sharediethabitatendemic
7. 01

   Fewer than 500 Akekee individuals remain in the wild across Kauai's remote forests, making this Hawaiian honeycreeper one of the world's rarest birds.

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