Akekee

About the Akekee

The akekeʻe or Kauaʻi ʻākepa is a bird species in the family Fringillidae, where it is placed in the Hawaiian honeycreeper genus Loxops. It is endemic to the island of Kauaʻi where it is found in small numbers in higher elevations. Because of their similar size, shape, and unusual bill, the akekeʻe and the Hawaiʻi ʻākepa were for some time classified as a single species. This was eventually changed, because of differences in their color, nesting behavior, and calls. The akekeʻe is extremely threatened and is predicted to face imminent extinction if mosquito control efforts on Kauaʻi are not implemented.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

When to see it

Peak activity in March · a resident species across most of its range

Easily confused with

Hawaii AkepaLoxops coccineusIt is a four-inch (10 cm) long bird of a dusty green color. Hawaii CreeperLoxops manaThe Hawaiʻi creeper, Hawaii creeper or alawī is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper endemic to the Big Island of Hawaiʻi.