Kauai Nukupuu
Hemignathus hanapepe
The Kauaʻi nukupuʻu is an extinct species of nukupuʻu once found throughout parts of the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi. It was an insect eater that picked out its tiny prey from tree bark.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaua%CA%BBi_nukupu%CA%BBu
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Aves
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Fringillidae
Genus
Hemignathus
Kauai Nukupuu belongs to the family Fringillidae, order Passeriformes, within the Aves class.
Species Profile
The Kauaʻi nukupuʻu is an extinct species of nukupuʻu once found throughout parts of the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi. It was an insect eater that picked out its tiny prey from tree bark. The males were yellowish with brown wings, while the females were grayish brown with a yellow throat streak.
The Kauai Nukupuu faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to invasive plant species that have altered native forest ecosystems, and introduced diseases like avian malaria and pox transmitted by non-native mosquitoes. Additional pressures include habitat degradation from feral ungulates, competition with introduced bird species, and the extremely small population size that makes the species vulnerable to stochastic events.
Key Facts
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Kauai Nukupuu faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to invasive plant species that have altered native forest ecosystems, and introduced diseases like avian malaria and pox transmitted by non-native mosquitoes. Additional pressures include habitat degradation from feral ungulates, competition with introduced bird species, and the extremely small population size that makes the species vulnerable to stochastic events.
Avian diseases (malaria and pox) transmitted by introduced mosquitoes
Extremely small population size and genetic bottlenecks
Habitat degradation from feral pigs and other ungulates
Invasive plant species altering native forest habitat
Competition with introduced bird species
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Kauai Nukupuu (Hemignathus hanapepe). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/kauai-nukupuu