‘Ōma’o

The ʻŌmaʻo ('Myadestes obscurus', also called the Hawaiian Thrush) is a endemic species of robin-like bird that is only found on the island of Hawaii. It was discovered in 1789 by Gmelin. This thrush is closely related to the other endemic thrushes of other Hawaiian Islands, the Kamao, the Olomao, and the Puaiohi. It is found primarily in the eastern and southeastern regions of the Big Island. Population estimates approximate 170,000 birds, making it the most common of the Hawaiian Thrushes. It appears to have a stable population, but because the entire population exists on a small range and is endemic to a single island, it is considered vulnerable.

Adult thrushes (males and females are similar in appearance) are mostly nondescriptive, with a grayish-brown head transitioning to a pale gray below. The back and primaries are a dull olive brown. They also have whitish vents and undertail coverts. The juveniles are also similarly dull in coloration, but have pale whitish-buff spotting on the wing coverts.

ʻŌmaʻos are mostly frugivores, but will take insects or other small invertebrates. The bird has a song that is a set of jerky liquid notes,” whip-per-weeo-whip-per-weet”. Their many calls include a cat-like rasp, a frog like croak and even a high pitched police whistle type sound . During breeding, the birds make a bulky nest in a tree or tree fern, laying one to three bluish eggs inside.

The ʻŌmaʻo once had lived on most of the land of Hawaii. Today it is now restricted to the southern and eastern slopes of the island, mostly above 1,000 meters above sea level, which is 25 to 30 percent of its ancestral habitat. Its preferred habitat is rainforest, but can be found in savannahs and the high elevation scrub of Mauna Loa. Preferred trees inlude the Ohia and Koa. The Hawaiian Thrush avoids areas that have the Banana poka growing in them. In lower elevations, it appears to be gaining a natural resistance to avian malaria. Threats to this species include habitat destruction from housing, tourism development and farming; introduced feral animal predation (mainly rats, cats and mongoose); invasive plant encroachment; and feral livestock such as goats and pigs.

The species has been put under several conservation actions. These plans include the removal of pigs from several areas in the 1990s and the control of the rats, cats, dogs and ungulates.

References

• Birdlife Species Factsheet
• Handbook of the Birds of the World Vol 10, Josep del Hoyo editor, ISBN 84-87334-72-5

External links

• BirdLife International 2004. Myadestes obscurus 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 26 July 2007
• ARKive- O'mao images