Moho braccatus

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Kingdom Animalia

Photographed by Robert Shallenberger, USFWS. This image or recording is the work of an U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee, taken or made during the course of an employee's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain. For more information, see the Fish and Wildlife Service copyright policy.

Phylum Chordata
Class Aves
Order Passeriformes
Family Mohoidae
Genus Moho
Species Moho braccatus
Authority (Cassin, 1855)
 
English Name Kaua'i 'Ō'ō, Kauai 'O'o, Kaua'i 'O'o, ‘O‘o‘a‘a
Dutch Name Kauai-O'o
German Name Schuppenkehlmoho, 'O'o'a'a
Italian Name O-o di Kauai
Polish Name Reliktowiec mały
 
Synonyms Moho braccata Cassin, 1855; Acrulocercus braccatus Wilson and Evans, 1890.
 
Taxonomy The Kaua'i 'O'o was distinct from other species of Moho, which may constitute a superspecies (NatureServe 2007). Until recently, the birds in the extinct genus of the ‘Ō‘ōs (Moho) were thought to belong to the family Meliphagidae (honeyeaters), because they looked and acted so similar to members of that family, including many morphological details. A 2008 study argued, on the basis of a phylogenetic analysis of DNA from museum specimens, that the genera Moho and Chaetoptila do not belong to the Meliphagidae but instead belong to a group that includes the Waxwings (Bombycilla sp.) and the Palmchat (Dulus dominicus); they appear especially close to the silky-flycatchers (Ptilogonatidae). The authors have created a family, Mohoidae, for these two extinct genera. (Fleischer et al. 2008; Lovette 2008)
 
Characteristics The Kaua'i ‘Ō‘ō was among the smallest of the Hawaiian honeyeaters, if not the smallest species, at 20 cm (8 in) in length. The male's head is black with a few longitudinal lines of white. The 90-103 mm long tail is black with central feathers longer than the rest. The 100-105 mm long wings are black with a white patch at the angle. Its hardly developed axillary tufts are pale greyish buff. The rest of the upperparts are slaty brown while becoming russet on the rumps and flanks. The throat and breast are black with feathers that each are barred with white. The rest of the underparts are slaty brown and appearing streaky due to the centre of each feather being greyer. The thighs are yellow. The eye's iris is light yellow. Like other honeyeaters it had a sharp, slightly curved bill for sampling nectar (Wikipedia contributors 2007). The bill as well as the feet are black. The female is similar to the male, but the throat feathers are more extensively barred with white. The immature individuals have compared to adult ones lighter underparts, bill and legs. The yellow on adult thighs and white on the adult wings are absent. The immature iris is bluish grey and they have white loose skin at the base of the beak. Like other Moho species the Kaua'i ‘Ō‘ō was very vocal, making hollow, haunting, flute-like calls. Both the male and female birds were known to sing (Munro 1960). (Fuller 2000)

Image: the Kaua'i 'O'o by the Dutch bird illustrator John Gerard Keulemans (1842-1912). This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired. This applies to the European Union, Canada, the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 70 years.

 
Lifestyle Like other ‘Ō‘ō species, the Kaua'i ‘Ō‘ō was an aggressive, pugnacious bird that vigorously defended favourite places against other nectar-feeding birds (Fuller 2000).
 
Range & Habitat This species was endemic to Kaua'i, Hawai'i, USA (BirdLife International 2004; BirdLife International 2007). Historically it occurred throughout the whole island, but in 1970s and 1980s it was known only from southeastern portions of the Alakai Swamp (Sykes et al. 2000). It occurred in thick forests from sea level to the highest elevations (BirdLife International 2004; BirdLife International 2007).

Image: a map of the Hawaiian island, including the island of Kaua'i (in red), the former home of the Kaua'i 'Ō‘ō. This image is in the public domain because came from the site http://www.demis.nl/home/pages/Gallery/examples.htm and was released by the copyright holder. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this map since it is based on free of copyright images from: www.demis.nl. See also approval email on the German Wikipedia.
 
Food

This species was observed to forage in 'ohi'a lehua Metrosideros polymorpha and lapalapa trees Cheirodendron platyphyllum (Berger 1981), and the diet was principally composed of small invertebrates such as cockroaches and spiders although flowers and honey were also eaten (Munro 1960). Its favoured nectar sources were Lobelia species and the 'ohi'a lehua tree Metrosideros polymorpha (Wikipedia contributors 2007).

 
Reproduction According to George C. Munro (1944) the Kaua'i 'O'o showed all the signs of breeding in March and April, and the only nest ever found contained a nestling early in June (Fuller 2000). The nest was observed in a cavity of an 'ohi'a lehua tree (Metrosideros polymorpha) some 13 m (40 ft) from the ground (Fuller 2000), held two nestlings and both parents were seen to feed the chicks (Berger 1981). 
 
History & Population This species was common in the 1890s, but declined drastically during the early 20th century (Pratt et al. 1987). By the 1970s, it was confined to the Alaka'i Wilderness Preserve (Pratt 1994). The total population was estimated at 36 in 1968-1973 (NatureServe 2007). In 1981, a single pair remained, the female of which was not found after Hurricane Iwa in 1982, the male being last seen in 1985 (Conant et al. 1998). The last report, of vocalisations only, was in 1987. A survey of the swamp in 1989 found no trace of this bird (Fuller 2000), and the species has not been recorded during subsequent surveys of Alaka'i (Conant et al. 1998). (BirdLife International 2004; BirdLife International 2007)
 
Extinction Causes The cultivation of the Hawaiian Islands after the arrival of Europeans had a disastrous effect on the indigenous avifauna. Habitat destruction and the introduction of black rat Rattus rattus, pigs and disease-carrying mosquitoes to the lowlands were the probable causes of this species's extinction (Collar et al . 1994). (BirdLife International 2004; BirdLife International 2007)
 
Conservation Attempts The Kaua'i ‘Ō‘ō has been designated an Endangered species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (50 CFR 17.11; P.L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 884; 16 U.S.C. 1531-1540), as amended. The species has this status wherever found including the State of Hawaii. This species is protected by the Lacey Act (P.L. 97-79, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.) which makes it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase any wild animal (alive or dead including parts, products, eggs, or offspring). The species is not listed by CITES. It is listed as an endangered species by IUCN, 1977. (ESIS 1996)
 
Museum Specimens Skins are preserved in museums in Leiden (the Netherlands), Brussels (Belgium), Tring (England), Paris (France), Stockholm (Sweden), Berlin (Germany), Dresden (Germany), New York (New York, USA), Los Angeles (California, USA) and Honolulu (Hawai'i, USA).
 
Relatives All four species of Moho have become extinct. Besides the Kauai ‘Ō‘ō, these are the Hawaii ‘Ō‘ō Moho nobilis, the Molokai ‘Ō‘ō Moho bishopi, the Oahu ‘Ō‘ō Moho apicalis.
 
Links

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Moho braccatus

Kauai oo - Moho braccatus - ARKive

Naturalis - Extinct bird: Moho braccatus (Kauai O-o)

Kaua'i 'Ō'ō - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

References

(Complete website)

 Berger, A.J. (1981) Hawaiian Birdlife (2nd edn). University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu.

BirdLife International 2004. Moho braccatus. In: IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 24 December 2007.

BirdLife International (2007) Species factsheet: Moho braccatus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/12/2007.

Collar, N.J., Crosby, M.J. and Stattersfield, A.J. 1994. Birds to Watch 2. The World List of Threatened Birds BirdLife International. Page Bros (Norwich) Ltd, U.K.

Conant, S., Pratt, H.D. and Shallenberger, R.J. (1998) Reflections on a 1975 expedition to the lost world of the Alaka'i and other notes on the natural history, systematics, and conservation of Kaua'i birds. Wilson Bull. 110: 1-22.

ESIS 1996. Species: 'O'O, KAUAI, Species Id: ESIS101022, Date: 14 March 1996. Endangered Species Information System (ESIS). <http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/WWW/esis/lists/e101022.htm> (Accessed: December 24, 2007 ).

Fleischer R.C., James H.F., and Olson S.L. (2008). Convergent Evolution of Hawaiian and Australo-Pacific Honeyeaters from Distant Songbird Ancestors. Current Biology, Volume 18, Issue 24, 1927-1931, 11 December 2008.

Fuller, E. 2000. Extinct birds. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Lovette, I.J. (2008). Convergent Evolution: Raising a Family from the Dead. Current Biology. Volume 18, Issue 24, 23 December 2008, Pages R1132-R1134.

Munro, G. (1944) Birds of Hawaii. Tuttle: Honolulu.

Munro, G.C. (1960) Birds of Hawaii. Charles Tuttle, Tokyo.

NatureServe. 2007. NatureServe Explorer: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. Version 6.2. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available http://www.natureserve.org/explorer. (Accessed: December 24, 2007 ).

Pratt, H. D., Bruner, P. L. and Berrett, D. G. (1987) A field guide to the birds of Hawaii and the tropical Pacific. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Pratt, H.D. (1994) Avifaunal change in the Hawaiian Islands, 1893-1993. Stud. Avian Biol. 15: 103-118.

Sykes, P.W., Jr., Kepler, A.K., Kepler, C.B., and Scott, J.M. 2000. Kauai Oo (Moho braccatus), Oahu Oo (Moho apicalis), Bishop's Oo (Moho bishopi), Hawaii Oo (Moho nobilis), and Kioea (Chaetoptila angustipluma). In The Birds of North America No. 535.

Wikipedia contributors (2007), "Kaua'i 'Ō'ō," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kaua%CA%BBi_%CA%BB%C5%8C%CA%BB%C5%8D&oldid=177314711 (accessed December 24, 2007).

Last updated: 25th December 2008.

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