O`ahu Creeper / Paroreomyza maculata / 'Aluahio  The O`ahu Creeper is 4 1/2 inches in length and sexes differ in color. Female birds are gray to grayish green above and yellowish white below, and usually have white wingbars. Males are olive-green above and golden yellow below, and do not have wingbars. Habitat & Behavior: This extremely rare and possibly extinct bird has been seen in `ohi`a-koa forests between 1,000 to 2,000 feet in elevation. Often mistaken for the `Amakihi, the O`ahu Creeper can be distinguished by its nearly straight bill (rather than decurved), the dark stripe beginning with the lores extending past the eye on the Creeper and not on the `Amakiki, and the lighter forehead and pale lower mandible of the Creeper. The O`ahu Creeper moves up and down tree trunks and large branches as it searchs for insects. The last confirmed sighting of this bird was in 1991 in Halawa Valley; an unconfirmed sighting in the northern Koolaus was made in 1997. Their exact diet is not known. This bird’s song is also not known, but their call has been described as “chip.” Past & Present: During the 1890s, creepers were reported to be abundant on all islands except O`ahu. Only three were found during an intensive survey conducted during 1977-78. Habitat degradation and destruction, human exploitation, predation, avian diseases, and competition with introduced species are all factors that have contributed to the decline of the O`ahu Creeper and many other native forest birds. Conservation Efforts: The O`ahu Creeper was listed as an endangered species in October 1970 under the Federal Endangered Species Act. Trivia quiz: The last confirmed sighting of the O`ahu Creeper was: [a] 1970 [b] 1978 [c] 1991 Top of Page