ʻAkekeʻe
(Loxops caeruleirostris)
The ʻAkekeʻe also known as the Kauai Akepa (Loxops caeruleirostris) is a type of Honey creeper bird endemic to the Hawaiian island of Kauai. It was first documented by science in 1890.
ʻAkekeʻe is known for using it’s bill like scissors to cut open flower buds in search of insects to eat and to get nectar. The ʻAkekeʻe population has been drastically reduced due largely to human’s accidental introduction of mosquitoes carrying avian malaria. The mosquitos invasion of it’s habitat mean the ʻAkekeʻe is restricted to above 1,100 meters. The ʻAkekeʻe was officially designated as critically endangered in 2008.
Kaua‘i Forest Bird Recovery Project(https://kauaiforestbirds.org) are devoted to the preservation of the ʻAkekeʻe and other endangered birds of Kauai.