Apapane

`Apapane

Common name: Apapane
Scientific name: Himatione sanguinea
Family: Frengelledae
Order: Passeriformes
Class: Aves

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

An adult Apapane has a slender shape at a height of 13cm. A male Apapane weighs in at about 16 grams just a few grams heavier than a female, a distinct gender difference between the two. The features of an adult Apapane are the slightly curved dark bluish bill; bright crimson head and back; white belly and under tail; with black wings and legs. A unique characteristic of the Apapane is the cocked white tail. The white under tail is a distinctive feature that separates the Apapane from the other native birds. Juvenile Apapane are pink in color when hatched and are covered in patches of brownish feathers. The brown color changes to crimson at maturity.

DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT:

Apapane are endemic to Hawaii. They are commonly found in the wet, mesic forests of Ohia lehua blossoms, located on the island of Kauai at Kokee Park, Koolau range on Oahu, and a large population of Apapane at the Volcano National Park on the island of Hawaii. The nest of the Apapane are mostly found in the crown of the Ohia trees but evidence has shown that nests have also been found in lava tubes on the Island of Hawaii. The Ohia lehua is a native plant to the Hawaiian Islands and is mostly found in high altitudes above 1250m. The Apapane can be found on six out of the eight Hawaiian Islands because the Apapane prefer a habitat in high altitude regions for protection from predators like the mongoose, rat, and deadly avian malaria carrying mosquitoes These predators are the cause for the great decline in the Apapane population.

BEHAVIOR:

Apapane are frequently found in small companies, foraging actively through tree tops of Ohia lehua, hopping from flower to flower consuming the nectar from each flower they probe. Forges are mostly done in the upper forest canopy and only rarely do they feed from the ground. The bird is considered to be a persistent singer. The males are known for their singing patterns at all times of the day. They have six different calls and about ten differently recorded song patterns. The contact call or song of a male Apapane is mainly used for mate attraction and breeding. The male who is aggressive and sings the loudest is the one who wins the females attention. Once courtship and pair formation has been established, and copulation is complete, both male and female Apapane are involved in the nestling process. The male role is important for maintaining courtship feeding during the nest construction and incubation period. The male Apapane sings continuously during incubation while the female does not sing. His loud whistling, and chirping sound chases other male birds away from the nesting tree, while he sits on an adjacent perch guarding the nest. The Apapane have two distinct flight patterns: straight flight and a circling flight.

DIET:

The Apapane generally feed on nectar from flowers preferably the Ohia lehua. Although primarily nectavorous, the diet of a grown Apapane also includes a variety of insects like grasshoppers, caterpillars and bugs of all sorts.

REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

The breeding season is during the months of January thru July. Only female Apapane incubate. After hatching, both male and female feed the young juveniles and care for them until they are reading to fly out on their own time. The female have approximately 2-4 eggs (white in color with red markings) a year. Incubation lasting 13-14 days and during this time the female does not sing at all. When the chicks are born the eyes are closed and it will take four days to open. After the sixth day blotches of brown feathers begin to appear on the back and the mouth lining is pink in color.

CONSERVATION STATUS:

Today there are an estimated 3000 Apapane in Hawaii. Still low in numbers but the Apapane is not considered to be an endangered species. Like the Iiwi, a native bird to Hawaii, the feathers of the Apapane were used to adorn the chiefs in cloaks, helmets, and feather leis. The bright crimson feathers were collected from the adult Apapane, not from the juvenile Apapane.