Akekee
| Loxops caeruleirostris | Order: Passeriformes | Family: Fringillidae (Finches, Euphonias, and Allies) |
Loxops caeruleirostris
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Fringillidae (Finches, Euphonias, and Allies)
The ʻAkekeʻe, endemic to Kauai, is one of the most endangered birds on the planet. It is almost definitely extinct in the wild thanks to the horrifying plague of avian malaria. Some birds still exist in captivity, but would be doomed if released until we find a way to eradicate the disease, or the mosquitoes that carry it from bird to bird, in the areas of Kauai where the ʻAkekeʻe belongs.