Crested honeycreeper

The ʻākohekohe is a nectarivore that feeds on the flowers of ʻōhiʻa lehua high up in the canopy. It is an aggressive bird and will drive away competing nectarivores, such as the related ʻapapane and ʻiʻiwi. When ʻōhiʻa lehua blossoms are limited, it will eat insects, fruit, and nectar from other plants. The ʻakohekohe will forage in the understory if necessary, where food plants include ʻākala .

The Crested honeycreeper is classified as Critically Endangered (CR), facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Crested Honeycreepers and Iiwis defended treecanopy territories, Apapanes were nomadic flock foragers, and Common Amakihis were secretive foragers. Dominance by Iiwis was indicated by a lack of reversals in the dominance matrix. For the top-ranked Crested Honeycreeper dominance was also reflected in greater chase or greater resulting retreat distances or both. Age-related differences in interference behavior by dominants appeared to be due to inexperience, as indicated by shorter chase distances for immatures. More

The ʻĀkohekohe (Palmeria dolei) or Crested Honeycreeper is a species of finch in the Hawaiian honeycreeper subfamily, Drepanididae. It is endemic to the island of Maui in Hawaiʻi. Its natural habitat are wet forests dominated by koa (Acacia koa) and ʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) on the windward side of Haleakalā at elevations of 4,200 to 7,100 feet (1,300 to 2,200 m). It is the largest honeycreeper on the island at 6.5 to 7 inches (17 to 18 cm) in length. More

CRESTED HONEYCREEPER (Photo by d0bb13 at Flickr.com) CRESTED HONEYCREEPER (Photo by d0bb13 at Flickr.com) Wood Stork - WOOD STORK (Photo by onemother at Flickr.com) WOOD STORK (Photo by onemother at Flickr.com) Puerto Rican Parrot - PUERTO RICAN PARROT (Photo by Wilfredo Falcon at Flickr.com) PUERTO RICAN PARROT (Photo by Wilfredo Falcon at Flickr. More

Populations of 'Akohekohe, or Crested Honeycreeper are estimated at 1200 individuals, found only in East Maui Watershed. A few of these birds have been sighted in the Waikamoi Preserve during interpretive hikes. Why are our native populations of Honeycreepers disappearing? GO>> 'Akohekohe is the more aggressive Honeycreeper, actively defending its territory - an 'ohi'a lehua tree in full bloom or a nest site. More

Crested Honeycreepers (Palmeria dolei) are the largest bird of their kind on the Island of Maui. They are called ‘crested’ because they have a series of large white feathers running down their head, just above their bill. To either side of this crest, around their eyes, these native Hawaiian birds have bright orange plumage. While they are mostly dark black, orange and silver accents on the wings and legs make this a beautiful bird. More

The crested honeycreeper also known as the 'Akohekohe now lives on the slopes of Haleakala on the island of Maui. The Akohekohe used to live on Molokai, but it is thought to be extinct on that island. The crested honeycreeper either somehow flew to Hawaii or was blown by a storm. They got their name because of the way they creep around when sipping nectar from their favorite Lehua blossoms. More

In 1903 the Crested Honeycreeper was reported to be locally abundant on Moloka`i, where it is now presumed to be extinct. Distribution: The Crested Honeycreeper is found from 4,200 to 7,100 feet elevation in `ohi`a and koa-`ohi`a forests on windward slopes of Haleakala. Description: The Crested Honeycreeper is 6.5 to 7 inches in length and is the largest of the honeycreepers on Maui. More

Akohekohe, or Crested Honeycreeper, is now restricted to a relatively small area on the northeast slopes of Haleakala. Although closely related to the much more common Apapane, the status of this striking honeycreeper is unclear. It is estimated that only 1500-2000 individuals remain. Habits: Mostly nectivorous, the Akohekohe forages almost exclusively on ohia-lehua blossoms in the forest canopy. Occasionally they can be seen picking insects and other arthropods from branches. More

The Crested Honeycreeper is 7 inches in length and is the largest of the honeycreepers on Maui. It is primarily black, and can appear to be entirely black in poor light, particularly if the bird is wet. The black feathers are tipped with gray on the breast and throat, whitish on the wing and tail tips, and the nape and body is speckled with orange. The Crested Honeycreeper gets its name from its ragged white crest above the bill. More

Crested Honeycreeper, or Palmeria dolei, is known locally as Akohekohe. One of the many species of Hawaiian honeycreepers, this boisterous tropical bird feeds on the nectar of tall, flowering trees, particularly ohia-lehua, a tree related to the myrtle. The Crested Honeycreeper is identified by its bushy crest, brilliant orange nape and white-tipped, fan-shaped tail. This bird's plumage is primarily black with streaks of red and gray. It is highly vocal, exhibiting whistles, slurs and raspy buzzing sounds. More