Ou
CR

Ou

Psittirostra psittacea

Unknown

Photo: Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Overview

The ʻōʻū is an extinct species of Hawaiian honeycreeper that was endemic to the Hawaiian islands. It had a dark green back and olive green underparts; males had a yellow head while females had a green head. Its unusual beak seems to have been adapted to feeding on the fruits of Freycinetia arborea. It had a strong flight which it used to fly considerable distances in search of this vine, but it also ate other fruits, buds, flowers and insects.

The Ou faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to deforestation and agricultural conversion of native Hawaiian forests. Introduced diseases, particularly avian malaria and pox transmitted by non-native mosquitoes, have devastated populations, while competition from invasive bird species and habitat degradation from feral ungulates further threaten this endemic Hawaiian honeycreeper.

Threat summary

Habitat

Native montane wet forests and mesic forests of Hawaii, primarily in ohia-lehua and koa forests at elevations between 1,000-2,100 meters. The species requires dense canopy cover with native flowering trees and shrubs that provide nectar and arthropod prey.

Other threatened species in Fringillidae

VU

European Serin

Serinus serinus

Unknown
Common RosefinchVU

Common Rosefinch

Carpodacus erythrinus

Unknown
Maui AkepaCR

Maui Akepa

Loxops ochraceus

Unknown
Pine GrosbeakVU

Pine Grosbeak

Pinicola enucleator

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Ou classified as Critically Endangered?
Ou is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Ou faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to deforestation and agricultural conversion of native Hawaiian forests. Introduced diseases, particularly avian malaria and pox transmitted by non-native mosquitoes, have devastated populations, while competition from invasive bird species and habitat degradation from feral ungulates further threaten this endemic Hawaiian honeycreeper.
Where does Ou live?
Ou occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Ou?
The main threats to Ou are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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