The Oahu Akepa (Loxops coccineus wolstenholmei) was only found on the island of Oahu where it was common throughout the 19th century.
The Oahu Akepa is one of three different species of Akepa that were spread by possible weather and migration. The movement of the species stopped causing the species to break into four branches.
- The first branch was the Hawaiian Akepa, a scarlet-red bird that lives only on the Big Island and may be the ancestor of the Loxops genus.
- Next is the Maui Akepa, it was found as fossils on all the islands of Maui Nui, but was historically seen on Maui. It is a greyish-orange bird that was the first of the Akepa species to disappear.
- Then came the Oahu Akepa, it is a brick red color and was seen till around the 1990s when it became extinct.
- Finally, the last branch was the Akeke’e, a green bird that is only found on the island of Kauai. It is thought of as a different species while the other three were subspecies of the Akepa, which still exists in Hawai’i.
Description
This brick red bird was found in the mountain peaks where rich forests were common.
The females were mostly grey with a tinge of green.
The birds had a slight crossbill just like the other Loxops species.
Diet / Feeding
It used its crossbill to open up buds in search of nectar and insects for it to eat. Its most common haunts were the O’hia and Koa forests which were filled with the many flowers and insects that this species liked to eat.
