Chasiempis sandwichensis

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	AVES	PASSERIFORMES	MONARCHIDAE

Scientific Name:	Chasiempis sandwichensis
Species Authority:	(Gmelin, 1789)
Common Name/s: English – Hawai`i `Elepaio, Hawaii Elepaio

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Vulnerable   B1ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v)   ver 3.1
Year Published:	2011
Assessor/s:	BirdLife International
Reviewer/s:	Symes, A., Taylor, J., Butchart, S.
Contributor/s:	Camp, R., Pratt, T., VanderWerf, E., Fretz, S., Gorresen, M., Woodworth, B.
Justification: This newly split species qualifies as Vulnerable because it occupies a small and declining range, in which its population is severely fragmented and in decline owing primarily to the effects of introduced species, including pathogens.
History:	2008 – Not Recognized 2004 – Not Recognized 2000 – Not Recognized 1994 – Not Recognized 1988 – Not Recognized

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Chasiempis sandwichensis is endemic to Hawai`i in the Hawaiian Islands (USA)12. There are three recognised subspecies: C. s. bryani had an estimated population of c.2,500 birds in 1983, and may be declining; the other two subspecies had populations estimated at c.63,000 for C. s. sandwichensis and c.150,000 for C. s. ridgwayi in 1976-19792. Surveys in the Central Windward region of Hawai`i from 1977 to 2003 indicate that the species is stable at high elevations and declining at low elevations6, and there is also evidence of a decline in the Ka`u region between 1976 and 200510. Its disappearance from one location was recently noted, and declines have been detected in high elevation mamane-naio forests13.
Countries:	Native: United States
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Population estimates for each subspecies are as follows: bryani c.2,500 birds and sandwichensis c.63,000 birds in 1983, and ridgwayi c.150,000 birds in 1976-1979 (Scott et al. 1986), giving a total population estimate of c.216,000 individuals.
Population Trend:	Decreasing

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	Subspecies bryani occupies arid, mostly high-altitude mamane and mamane-naio woodland, whilst sandwichensis occurs in mesic habitats on western and south-western slopes, and ridgwayi is restricted to wet, eastern slopes1,2,3. It feeds on insects and other invertebrates2.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):

The habitat of bryani has been heavily browsed by feral ungulates and introduced grasses suppress regeneration and potentially increase the risk of fire2. Diseases, such as avian pox and malaria, spread by mosquitoes, are a problem at low and middle elevations, increasing mortality and possibly preventing birds from nesting4,5,8. High prevalence in mosquito-borne diseases and local declines in the species's population are associated with high rainfall6,8. The species may also suffer increased mortality associated with infection by chewing lice (Phthiraptera), which showed an explosive increase on Hawai`i in 2003-200511.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:

Conservation Actions Underway For bryani, the removal of goats and sheep from Mauna Kea has allowed regeneration, and cats and rats were controlled4, although this has now ceased due to an end in funding9. Habitat restoration and reforestation at mid and high elevations on Hawai`i is expected to benefit sandwichensis and ridgwayi9. Conservation Actions Proposed Continue to monitor population trends in all subspecies. Monitor the extent and condition of habitat for all subspecies. For bryani, improve fire management, continue control of mammalian predators and herbivores, and reforest areas adjacent to the Mauna Kea Forest Reserve.