Birdsong field guide
Laysan Honeycreeper
Himatione fraithii
The Laysan Honeycreeper was a small, vibrant nectarivore endemic to Laysan Island, now extinct due to habitat destruction.
What it sounds like
A sweet, flute-like song consisting of varied whistles and trills, described as softer than that of the Apapane.
Reference call, compare with what you heard
No reference call found yet · Xeno-canto
Field notes
- The species went extinct in 1923 when the last three surviving individuals perished during a severe sandstorm.
- Its extinction was primarily caused by domestic rabbits introduced to the island, which stripped all vegetation and destroyed the ecosystem.
- While closely related to the Apapane, it was distinguished by its paler, more orange-vermilion plumage and shorter wings.
- Unlike many other honeycreepers, it adapted to forage in low-lying shrubs and on the ground due to the lack of tall trees on Laysan.
- The bird played a critical role in the pollination of the 'ohai (Sesbania tomentosa), a plant that also nearly vanished from the island.
Habitat
Lowland coastal scrub and bunchgrass meadows on a coral atoll.
Range
Laysan Island, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
Similar & commonly confused birds
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