The main reasons for the extinction of these birds at that time were hunting and the introduction of non-native animals, such as rats, cats, dogs, pigs, mongooses, etc. And many birds have since died out due to the activities of humans in current history. The main cause of extinction of birds right now is the destruction of their natural habitats.
Image Copyright © Peter Maas.
One
of Earth's rarest birds might have gone into extinction following the death
of one of the last known Po'ouli. The Po'o-uli Melamprosops phaeosoma
belongs to one of the world's most threatened bird families, the Hawaiian
honeycreepers (Drepanididae). The species was only discovered in
1973, in Maui's Ko`olau Forest Reserve. In 2002, one
of the remaining individuals was caught and released within the territory of
another, in an attempt to get the two to breed. However, the translocated
bird did not remain in the area. Captive breeding efforts began in 2003,
when members of the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project attempted to locate
and trap all remaining birds. One bird was finally captured on September 9
2004, but sadly this individual – possibly the last of its kind – died
on 28 November 2004. The only remaining
hope for the species is that new individuals can be found elsewhere on the
island (unlikely) or that the other two known birds can be located, taken
into captivity and bred successfully. Given the age these birds must be if
still alive – and the fact that researchers are not even sure of their sex
– the chances of this happening seem remote.