[Illustration: IIWI]
DESCRIPTION: 5¾″. A brilliant scarlet body and _long, orange,
sickle-shaped bill_ distinguishes this honeycreeper. Lacks the white
abdomen of the apapane. Immatures appear greenish-yellow with patches of
red developing with age, but the long orange bill is always diagnostic.
PARK DISTRIBUTION: Kilauea—Common in the wet ohia forest, especially
when the trees are in bloom. Kipuka Puaulu and the vicinity of Thurston
Lava Tube are likely places. Haleakala—Fairly common in Hosmer Grove and
the forest behind Paliku.
VOICE: The creaking of a rusty gate, _ker-eeék_ is the best description
for its commonest note. Other calls include a sharp whistle and a short
warble, all rather harsh.
Look for this bright Hawaiian honeycreeper among flocks of apapanes in
the forest. On a calm day you will hear the heavy flutter of their wings
as they fly from tree to tree. Apapanes also have a similar feather
structure which produces such noisy flight.
Iiwis tend to feed more in the upper-middle branches rather than the
high tops, and they seem to remain in a single tree for a longer time
than the apapanes. Their food is made up of nectar (ohia, mamane, and
other flowers) which they suck up through tubular tongues that extend
the length of their sickle bills, and the larger insects. Old koa trees
often attract iiwis, presumably because of the insects.
You will see birds in green juvenile plumage any time from February
until autumn. These young birds seem to be especially affected by bird
lice, for they spend much time scratching and preening.