Kauai Oo

Moho braccatus

The Kauaʻi ʻōʻō or ʻōʻōʻāʻā is an extinct species of ʻōʻō that was endemic to the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi. It was the last species of Hawaiian honeyeater to exist; the entire family is now extinct. The family had originated over 15-20 million years ago during the Miocene, with the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō's extinction marking the first extinction of an entire avian family in over 500 years. The bird was common in the subtropical forests of the island until the early twentieth century, when its decline began. It was last seen in 1985, and last heard in 1987. The causes of its extinction include the introduction of predators, mosquito-borne diseases, and habitat destruction.

Scientific name

Moho braccatus

Family

Hawaiian Honeyeaters

IUCN status

EX