Hawaii creeper (Loxops mana)
Taxonomy:
View taxonomy in ITISListing Status: Endangered
Where Listed: WHEREVER FOUND
General Information
The alawi is a small Hawaiian honeycreeper endemic to Hawaii Island. It is 10.8 to 13.0 centimeters in length (4.3 to 5.1 inches) and 13.7 grams (0.48 ounces) average weight (Lepson and Woodworth 2001). This species is predominantly olive green on the back and dull greenish-buff below, with a white chin and throat and dark-gray loral-mask extending around the eyes (USFWS 2006). The brownish-white bill is almost straight, the iris is dark hazel, and the legs and feet are dark brown. Immature birds are paler below, with less contrast between the throat and breast, and they usually have a prominent yellowish-white superciliary line. The alawi occurs as disjunct populations in windward Hawaii, Kau, Kona, and Hualalai regions on Hawaii Island.» Range Information
Current Range
Current range maps are only shown within the jurisdictional boundaries of the United States of America. The species may also occur outside this region.
Wherever found
Listing status: Endangered
- States/US Territories in which this population is known to or is believed to occur: Hawaii
- US Counties in which this population is known to or is believed to occur: View All
- USFWS Refuges in which this population is known to occur: Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge
» Candidate Information
No Candidate information available for this species.
No Candidate Assessments available for this species.
No Candidate Notice of Review Documents currently available for this species.
No Uplisting Documents currently available for this species.
» Federal Register Documents
» Species Status Assessments (SSAs)
No Species Status Assessments (SSA's) are currently available for this species.
No Special Rule Publications currently available for this species.
» Recovery
- Species with Recovery Documents Data Explorer
- Recovery Priority Number: 8
No Delisting Documents currently available for this species.
» Critical Habitat
No Critical Habitat Documents currently available for this species.
» Conservation Plans
» Petitions
» Biological Opinions
To see all FWS Issued Biological Opinions please visit the BO Report.
» Life History
Habitat Requirements
Hawaii creepers are most common in mesic and wet forests above 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) elevation (Scott et al. 1986). The species prefers relatively undisturbed koa/ohia forests (Sakai and Johanos 1983), and the highest densities occur in areas least modified by logging and grazing (Scott et al. 1986). The largest population exists on the windward slope of Mauna Kea in the vicinity of Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge. Annual rainfall at Hakalau averages 2,500 millimeters (98 inches), and the forest canopy is dominated by ohia and koa. The subcanopy is composed of olapa, pukiawe (Styphelia tameiameiae), ohelo (Vaccinium calycinum), akala (Rubus hawaiiensis), kolea (Myrsine sandwicensis), kawau (Ilex anomala), and Cibotium tree ferns (U.S. Geological Survey, unpubl. data). Hawaii creepers also have been observed occasionally in mamane forest at higher elevations, and may have been more widespread in this habitat historically (Snetsinger 1995).
Food Habits
The Hawaii creeper generally feeds on insects, spiders, and invertebrates that are gleaned from the trunks and branches of mature trees. Most foraging maneuvers were gleans or hangs; they also probed, pecked, flaked, pried, and pulled substrates to obtain prey (U.S. Geological Survey, unpubl. data). Foraging took place primarily on the branches, trunks and foliage of live ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha) and koa (Acacia koa) trees; the remainder of maneuvers were in subcanopy trees (specifically, olapa [Cheirodendron trigynum]), dead trees, or epiphytes (U.S. Geological Survey, unpubl. data). Beetle larvae make up a large part of its diet (Amadon 1950, Conant 1981a), but no detailed information on prey taken is available.
Movement / Home Range
At the time of European discovery, each of the 6 main Hawaiian Islands harbored this species. The Hawaii creeper occurs as 4 disjunct populations in windward Hawaii, Kau;, Kona, and Hualalai regions on Hawaii Island. In 1977, the total population of the Hawaii creeper was estimated 12,501 birds (Scott et al. 1986). In 2009, total population was estimated approximately 14,000 birds (Gorresen et al. 2009). indicates density is increasing in Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge (Hakalau Forest NWR) in north windward Hawaii (Camp et al. 2010b; Camp et al. 2016). Trend analysis for density for central windward Hawaii is declining in intact native forest (Camp et al. 2010a), while trend is unclear for Kaū, low and potentially absence from Kona, and declining for Hualālai regions (Gorresen et al. 2009).
Reproductive Strategy
Females do all or most of the nest building and incubate, brood, & feed the chicks; males assist by feeding the female both on & off the nest & by feeding the young (Sakai and Johanos 1983; VanderWerf 1998b; J. Nelson, U. S. Geological Survey, unpubl. data). Nests of Hawaii creepers have been found from January to August (Sakai and Ralph 1980, Scott et al. 1980, Sakai and Johanos 1983, VanderWerf 1998b, Woodworth et al. 2001), but peak breeding occurs from February to May; molt occurs from May to August (Ralph and Fancy 1994a, Woodworth et al. 2001). A small proportion (less than 5%) of individuals may overlap breeding & molting activities (Ralph and Fancy 1994a, Woodworth et al. 2001). Hawaii creepers generally build cup nests at mid-canopy at about 13 meters (43 feet) in height & about 1.5 meters (5 feet) from the main bole of the tree. Most (86%) are open cup nests but a few (14%) are cavity or pseudo-cavity nests. Clutch size is usually 2 eggs, nest building requires 11 to 19 days, incubation 13 to 17 days, and the nestling period is 18 days (Sakai and Johanos 1983, VanderWerf 1998b, Woodworth et al. 2001). Parent Hawaii creepers feed fledglings for at least 3 weeks post-fledging, but within 1 month of leaving the nest young are foraging independently for food (although still following parents; VanderWerf 1998b, Woodworth et al. 2001). In general, the reproductive potential of the Hawaii creeper appears to be low due to its small clutch size, relatively long developmental period, and limited breeding season.
Other
none
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