Myadestes myadestinus

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	Passeriformes	Turdidae

Scientific Name:

Myadestes myadestinus

Species Authority:

(Stejneger, 1887)

Common Name/s:

English

–

Kamao, Hawaiian Thrush, Kama'o

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Extinct ver 3.1

Year Assessed:

2008

Assessor/s

BirdLife International

Evaluator/s:

Bird, J. & Butchart, S. (BirdLife International Red List Authority)

History:

2004	–	Extinct
2000	–	Critically Endangered
1994	–	Critically Endangered
1988	–	Threatened

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Myadestes myadestinus was endemic to Kaua`i in the Hawaiian Islands (USA). It was the most common of the forest birds in 1891 but, by 1928, had disappeared from the lower altitudes and became restricted to dense montane forest in the Alaka`i Wilderness Preserve¹. During 1968-1973, its population was estimated at 337 individuals (±122 standard error)² while, in 1981, an estimated 24 (±20) individuals were present¹. The last probable sighting was in 1989, and since then there have been several unconfirmed reports but no confirmed detections despite numerous intensive surveys in areas formerly occupied, particularly in 1995 and 1997^3,4,5. It now seems appropriate to reclassify this species as Extinct⁶ as there seems little reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. However, it is worth noting that M. palmeri went many years without being seen, but then began to reappear in small numbers¹⁰.
Countries:	Regionally extinct: United States (Hawaiian Is.)

Range Description:

Myadestes myadestinus was endemic to Kaua`i in the Hawaiian Islands (USA). It was the most common of the forest birds in 1891 but, by 1928, had disappeared from the lower altitudes and became restricted to dense montane forest in the Alaka`i Wilderness Preserve¹. During 1968-1973, its population was estimated at 337 individuals (±122 standard error)² while, in 1981, an estimated 24 (±20) individuals were present¹. The last probable sighting was in 1989, and since then there have been several unconfirmed reports but no confirmed detections despite numerous intensive surveys in areas formerly occupied, particularly in 1995 and 1997^3,4,5. It now seems appropriate to reclassify this species as Extinct⁶ as there seems little reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. However, it is worth noting that M. palmeri went many years without being seen, but then began to reappear in small numbers¹⁰.

Countries:

Regionally extinct:

United States (Hawaiian Is.)

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Originally inhabited forest at all elevations, but since 1920s restricted to dense montane forest.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Disease carried by introduced mosquitoes and the destruction and degradation of forests are likely to have been the chief causes of extinction². The advance of feral pigs into pristine upland forests degraded habitat and facilitated the spread of mosquitoes⁷. Competition with introduced birds may have exacerbated the problems faced by this species⁸. Deprived of lowland forest the species was also exposed to the effects of hurricane damage of upland forest, which severely disrupted portions of native forest and allowed the germination and expansion of noxious weeds^7,9,10. Also potentially detrimental to the remaining suitable habitat are introductions of new alien invertebrates, such as the two-spotted leafhopper (Sophonia rufofascia), which may threaten many food plants of M. myadestinus¹⁰.

Major Threat(s):

Disease carried by introduced mosquitoes and the destruction and degradation of forests are likely to have been the chief causes of extinction². The advance of feral pigs into pristine upland forests degraded habitat and facilitated the spread of mosquitoes⁷. Competition with introduced birds may have exacerbated the problems faced by this species⁸. Deprived of lowland forest the species was also exposed to the effects of hurricane damage of upland forest, which severely disrupted portions of native forest and allowed the germination and expansion of noxious weeds^7,9,10. Also potentially detrimental to the remaining suitable habitat are introductions of new alien invertebrates, such as the two-spotted leafhopper (Sophonia rufofascia), which may threaten many food plants of M. myadestinus¹⁰.

Citation:	BirdLife International 2008. Myadestes myadestinus. In: IUCN 2009. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2009.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 08 November 2009.
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