.png)
Palila
Scientific Name: Loxioides bailleui
Found: Endemic to Hawai'i Island
Population Estimate as of 2024: <600
IUCN Status: Critically endangered
About: One of the last remaining seed-specialist honeycreeper, the palila is only found on the slopes of Mauna Kea on Hawai'i Island. It lives in dry, open māmane forests which serve as both shelter and a food source; the palila's thick, finch-like bill is perfect for cracking open māmane pods to reach the seeds inside.
Unlike most other honeycreepers, the palila's main threat to its continued survival isn't mosquitoes but rather factors that affect the māmane forests including drought, ungulates like goats and sheep, and deforestation. Feral cats have also been seen on Mauna Kea where they prey on native birds.
PC: Bret N. Mossman
The palila has a rich, simple song and some notes sound like its name 'pah-lee-la"
Palila females do most of the nest building work but both parents contribute to feeding and caring for the chick. Young palila stay with their parents for several months as they learn how to forage on māmane
In the moʻolelo 'Story of Palila', a warrior named Palila shares some of the traits with the bird including calculated observation and powerful movement. His large war club also brings to mind the manu's heavy, crushing beak.