Birdsong field guide
Kauai Nukupuu
Hemignathus hanapepe
The Kauai Nukupuu is a critically endangered, likely extinct Hawaiian honeycreeper known for its extraordinary bill asymmetry adapted for specialized bark-foraging. It was historically found in high-elevation forests where it filled a niche similar to a woodpecker.
What it sounds like
A short, warbling song described as a series of trills, and a distinct 'kee-wit' contact call.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- The upper mandible is nearly twice as long as the lower mandible and curves sharply downward to probe for insects.
- It utilized its shorter lower mandible to hammer and pry bark, much like the closely related Akiapolaau.
- The species was last officially confirmed in 1899, though an unverified sighting occurred in the Alakai Wilderness Preserve in 1996.
- Male plumage was characterized by a bright yellow head and underparts, while females and juveniles were primarily olive-green.
- Population decline was driven by habitat loss and the introduction of avian malaria via mosquitoes, to which Hawaiian honeycreepers have little immunity.
Habitat
High-elevation mesic and wet forests dominated by Ohia (Metrosideros polymorpha) and Koa (Acacia koa) trees.
Range
Endemic to the island of Kauai, Hawaii.
Similar & commonly confused birds
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