Kauaʻi ʻŌʻō: The Last Song
The final Kauaʻi ʻŌʻō sang a mating call that would never be answered in 1987. This Hawaiian honeycreeper had evolved in isolation with its yellow leg feathers prized for native ceremonial cloaks. Mosquito-borne diseases introduced to Hawaii devastated native birds that lacked natural immunity. Hurricane Iwa destroyed much of their remaining forest habitat. Recordings of the last male’s song preserve this species’ haunting melody.