| Habitat
& Behavior:
The Nihoa Finch lives only on the island of Nihoa,
250 miles northwest of O`ahu. It prefers open but vegetated habitat
throughout the island. Nihoa Finches build their nests in small
holes in rock outcrops 100 to 800 feet above sea level. Egg laying
begins in February and may extend to early July, with an average
clutch of three eggs.
This bird feeds on seabird eggs, insects, seeds, and flower buds.
The Nihoa Finch whistles, trills, and warbles loudly and melodiously.
Males are showy when singing, holding their wings horizontally away
from their bodies and sometimes swaying back and forth. The distress
call is a loud, harsh chip.
Past
& Present:
Nihoa was once inhabited by early Polynesians, but
few people since then have even dared to take on the rough seas
and sheer cliffs of the remote island. Historical records on the
Nihoa Finch are very scant, but in 1985, their population was estimated
to be 3,200 birds. Population estimates from the last 30 years range
between 900 and 6,600 birds. Forty-two finches were transplanted
to French Frigate Shoals in 1967 in an effort to ensure the survival
of a wild population, but the project was not successful.
Conservation
Efforts:
The Nihoa Finch was listed as an endangered species by the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service on March 11, 1967. Nihoa is part of the
Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge which provides protected
habitat for the Nihoa Finch. Typical of small island ecosystems,
it is very vulnerable to introduced species and human disturbance,
therefore access to the island is authorized only with a permit
by the Refuge Manager. Permits are usually issued for management-related
research purposes.
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