What's that squeaky song? Peering through tree ferns, you spy a red bird
high in the rainforest canopy. It hops from branch to branch, dipping
its long curved beak into the flowers for a sip of nectar. After it has
visited every lehua blossom, it flies off in search of more nectar.
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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©2011 Tammy Yee
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