Iiwi
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| Iiwi Conservation status: Lower risk (nt) | ||||||||||||||
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| Vestiaria coccinea (Forster, 1780) |
The ‘I‘iwi (Vestiaria coccinea) or Scarlet Hawaiian Honeycreeper is a Hawaiian bird of the family Drepanididae. It is the only member of the genus Vestiaria (Jarocki, 1821). One of the most plentiful of this family, which includes many endangered or extinct species, the ‘i‘iwi is one of the best recognized fauna and symbols of Hawaii (". . . the iiwi bird, too, is a friend"). It is found on all the main islands of Hawaii though since the 1800's it's range has become far more restricted due to introduced species and diseases. Now the ‘i‘iwi can be found at higher elevations where native forest ecosystems still exist more or less intact.
It is mainly red in colour, with a long curved red bill, which it uses to drink nectar. The wings and tail are black. The feathers were highly prized by Hawaiian ali‘i for use in decorating ‘ahu‘ula (capes) and mahiole (helmets).