Hawaiian honeycreepers are a marvel

Hawaiian honeycreepers are a marvel of evolution. Millions of years ago, some finches arrived on the Hawaiian Islands and began to diversify. As the Pacific Plate moved over the Hawaiian hotspot and new islands formed and others shriveled away, these colorful songbirds evolved into more than 50 species that differed so much in what they ate, where they lived and how they looked that it took scientists quite a while to figure out that they were all related.More than half of those species are now gone. "Many extinctions took place when the islands were first settled by Polynesian people," notes Helen James, who, as curator of birds at Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, has studied the birds' evolutionary history. Then Westerners arrived and bird populations started to disappear more quickly due to a combination of threats, including habitat loss, introduction of invasive species and the arrival of diseases such as avian malaria.Bird populations on Hawaii's oldest island, Kauai, have been hit especially hard. Kauai lost at least eight species of honeycreepers — as well as several other "marvelous species" of birds, James notes — before people began keeping good records of the island's fauna. And now a new study warns that the birds' situation will get worse — and soon. The honeycreepers that are left on the island are declining fast, and some species could disappear in as little as a decade.Eben Paxton of the U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Islands Ecosystems Research Center at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and colleagues looked at population trends for seven species of native forest birds living on Kauai's Alakai Plateau, the eroded crater of a long-extinct volcano. On other Hawaiian islands, only high-elevation areas have generally been cool enough to keep out the mosquitoes that spread avian diseases. But on lower-lying Kauai, its forests have tended to be cooler than similar-elevation regions on the other islands, so spots such as the Alakai Plateau have been disease-free refuges for native birds.

Hawaiian honeycreepers are a marvel of evolution. Millions of years ago, some finches arrived on the Hawaiian Islands and began to diversify. As the Pacific Plate moved over the Hawaiian hotspot and new islands formed and others shriveled away, these colorful songbirds evolved into more than 50 species that differed so much in what they ate, where they lived and how they looked that it took scientists quite a while. to figure out that they were all related.

More than Half of those species are now gone. "Many extinctions took place when the islands were first settled by Polynesian people," notes Helen James, who, as curator of birds at Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, has studied the birds' evolutionary history. Then Westerners arrived and Bird populations Started to Disappear more Quickly Due to a combination of threats, including Habitat loss, Introduction of invasive species and the ARRIVAL of diseases such as avian Malaria.

Bird populations on Hawaii's Oldest Island, Kauai, have been hit especially hard. . Kauai lost at least eight species of honeycreepers - as well as several other "marvelous species" of birds, James notes - before people began keeping good records of the island's fauna. And now a new study warns that the birds' situation will get worse - and soon. The honeycreepers that are left on the Island are declining fast, and Some species could Disappear in as Little as a Decade.

Eben Paxton of the US Geological Survey Pacific Islands Ecosystems Research Center at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and colleagues looked at population Trends for Seven species. of native forest birds living on Kauai's Alakai Plateau, the eroded crater of a long-extinct volcano. On other Hawaiian islands, only high-elevation areas have generally been cool enough to keep out the mosquitoes that spread avian diseases. But on lower-lying Kauai, its forests have tended to be cooler than similar-elevation regions on the other islands, so spots such as the Alakai Plateau have been disease-free refuges for native birds.

Hawaiian honeycreepers are a marvel of evolution. Millions of, years ago some finches arrived on the Hawaiian Islands and. Began to diversify. As the Pacific Plate moved over the Hawaiian hotspot and new islands formed and others, shriveled away. These colorful songbirds evolved into more than 50 species that differed so much in what, they ate where they lived and. How they looked that it took scientists quite a while to figure out that they were all related.More than half of those species are now gone. "Many extinctions took place when the islands were first settled by Polynesian. People, "notes, Helen James who as curator, of birds at Smithsonian "s National Museum of Natural History has studied, the. Birds" evolutionary history. Then Westerners arrived and bird populations started to disappear more quickly due to a combination. Of threats including habitat, loss introduction of, invasive species and the arrival of diseases such as avian malaria.Bird populations on Hawaii ", s oldest island Kauai have been, hit especially hard. Kauai lost at least eight species of. Honeycreepers - as well as several other "marvelous species", of birds James notes - before people began keeping good records. Of the island "s fauna. And now a new study warns that the birds" situation will get worse - and soon. The honeycreepers. That are left on the island are, declining fast and some species could disappear in as little as a decade.Eben Paxton of the U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Islands Ecosystems Research Center at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. And colleagues looked at population trends for seven species of native forest birds living on Kauai ", s Alakai Plateau the. Eroded crater of a long - extinct volcano. On other Hawaiian islands only high-elevation, areas have generally been cool enough. To keep out the mosquitoes that spread avian diseases. But on, lower-lying Kauai its forests have tended to be cooler than. Similar-elevation regions on the other islands so spots, such as the Alakai Plateau have been disease-free refuges for native. Birds.