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Myadestes myadestinus
– Extinct
Taxonomy
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Kingdom:
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ANIMALIA
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Phylum:
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CHORDATA
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Class:
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AVES
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Order:
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PASSERIFORMES
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Family:
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TURDIDAE
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Scientific Name:
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Myadestes myadestinus
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Species Authority:
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(Stejneger, 1887)
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Common Name/s:
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KAMA'O (Eng)
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Assessment Information
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Red List Category & Criteria:
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EX ver 3.1 (2001)
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Year Assessed:
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2004
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Assessor/s:
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BirdLife International
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Evaluator/s:
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Stattersfield, A., Butchart, S. (BirdLife International Red List Authority) & Brooks, T. (Conservation International)
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Justification:
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Myadestes myadestinus was endemic to Kaua'i in the Hawaiian Islands (USA), where it was probably restricted to dense montane forest. 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 Preserve. During 1968–1973, its population was estimated at 337 individuals (±122 standard error) while, in 1981, an estimated 24 (±20) individuals were present. The last probable sighting was in 1989, 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. It now seems appropriate to reclassify this species as Extinct as there seems little reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. However, it is worth noting the M. palmeri went many years without being seen, but then began to reappear in small numbers. Disease carried by introduced mosquitoes and the destruction and degradation of forests are likely to have been the chief causes of extinction. The advance of feral pigs into pristine upland forests degraded habitat and facilitated the spread of mosquitoes. Competition with introduced birds may have exacerbated the problems faced by this species. 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. 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. myadestinus.
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History:
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| 1988 | - | Threatened (Collar and Andrew 1988) |
| 1994 | - | Critically Endangered (Collar, Crosby and Stattersfield 1994) |
| 2000 | - | Critically Endangered (BirdLife International 2000) |
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Geographic Range
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Range Description:
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Myadestes myadestinus was endemic to Kaua`i in the Hawaiian Islands (USA), where it was probably restricted to dense montane forest. 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, since then there have been several unconfirmed reports, but no confirmed detections, despite numerous intensive surveys in areas formerly occupied, particularly in 1995 and 19973,4,5. 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. 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 weeds7,9,10. 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.
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Countries:
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Regionally extinct:
United States (Hawaiian Is.)
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Habitat and Ecology
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