CR

Puaiohi

Myadestes palmeri

Stable

Overview

The puaiohi or small Kauaʻi thrush is a rare species of songbird in the thrush family, Turdidae, that is endemic to the Hawaiian island of Kauaʻi. It is closely related to the other three endemic Hawaiian thrushes, the kāmaʻo, olomaʻo, and ʻōmaʻo. It was first collected by Henry Palmer in 1891 at Halemanu around the entrance to the Kōkeʻe State Park.

The Puaiohi faces severe threats from introduced predators including feral cats, rats, and pigs that destroy nests and compete for resources. Habitat degradation from invasive plant species, particularly strawberry guava and ginger, has dramatically reduced suitable nesting sites in native ohia forests. Disease transmission from introduced bird species and climate change impacts on high-elevation forest ecosystems further compound the species' precarious situation.

Threat summary

Habitat

The Puaiohi inhabits native ohia-lehua forests and adjacent koa forests in steep-walled valleys and ravines at elevations between 1,000-1,200 meters on Kauai. It requires dense understory vegetation near streams for nesting and foraging, particularly favoring areas with native ferns and shrubs.

Wetlands (inland) - Permanent rivers/streams· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSite/area managementInvasive/problematic species controlSpecies recoveryEx-situ conservationAwareness & communications

Other threatened species in TURDIDAE

OlomaoCR

Olomao

Myadestes lanaiensis

Unknown
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Spotted Ground-thrush

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Ashy Thrush

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Javan Cochoa

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Threatened in United States

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Lepiota echinella

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Paddlefish

Polyodon spathula

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Copper Shark

Carcharhinus brachyurus

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Lyophyllum deliberatum

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Puaiohi classified as Critically Endangered?
Puaiohi 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 Puaiohi faces severe threats from introduced predators including feral cats, rats, and pigs that destroy nests and compete for resources. Habitat degradation from invasive plant species, particularly strawberry guava and ginger, has dramatically reduced suitable nesting sites in native ohia forests. Disease transmission from introduced bird species and climate change impacts on high-elevation forest ecosystems further compound the species' precarious situation.
Where does Puaiohi live?
Puaiohi occurs in United States. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Puaiohi?
The main threats to Puaiohi are 11.1, 12.1, 8.1, and 8.2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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