The scarlet 'i'iwi (ee-EE-vee) is one of the most beautiful birds in Hawai'i. It uses its long, sickle-shaped beak to probe for nectar in native lobeliad flowers and 'ohi'a blossoms. It also feeds on insects and larvae.
'I'iwi usually breed from February to September. Clutches of one to three whitish eggs with dark brown markings are laid in cup-shaped nests. The eggs hatch after 14 days. The newly hatched chicks have bright orange skin, with patches of soft down on their head and wings. After three weeks, the fledglings grow speckled yellow-green feathers and can fly with ease! The red adult plummage will gradually appear first on the breast, then head.
The 'i'iwi was valued by Hawaiians for its orange-red feathers, which were used to make feather capes, helmets and other symbols of Hawaiian royalty. Bird catchers would venture into the forest, looking for trees with blossoms to attract hungry 'i'iwi. Sticky sap was smeared on the branches of select trees. Sometimes the bird catcher would imitate a bird's song, or recite a special chant to lure more birds. An 'i'iwi that landed on the sap would be held fast in the sticky trap!
Although 'i'iwi are still fairly common on most of the islands, it is rare on O'ahu and Moloka'i and no longer found on Lana'i. Most of the decline is blamed on loss of habitat, as native forests are cleared for farming, grazing, and development. Another threat has been the spread of avian malaria.
| The Ugly 'Elepaio Written and Illustrated by Tammy Yee Island Heritage, 1998 ISBN: 0-89610-002-2 |  |
| In the misty rain forests that skirt Kilauea Volcano lives an unsightly chick named Liko. With his orange skin and sparse feathers, Liko is taunted by the other forest birds. This adaptation of the classic Ugly Duckling tale follows Liko as he blossoms into a scarlet i'iwi, a beautiful honeycreeper. Also included is a glossary that teaches children about the birds of the Hawaiian rain forest. | |
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