ʻApapane
Himatione sanguinea
- Class
- Bird
- Rarity
- Common
- Observations
- 1,668
- Most observed in
- 🇺🇸 United States
- Conservation
- Least Concern
Description
The ʻapapane ( AH-pah-PAH-nay;) (Himatione sanguinea) is a small, crimson species of Hawaiian honeycreeper endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. They are the most abundant and widely distributed honeycreeper and are found on the islands of Hawaiʻi, Maui, Lānaʻi, Kauaʻi, Molokaʻi and Oʻahu. ʻApapane commonly forage in the canopies of ʻōhiʻa (Metrosideros polymorpha) trees, drinking nectar from the flowers and serving as important pollinators. Hawaiians primarily used red feathers from ʻiʻiwi, but also some from ʻapapane, to adorn the ʻahuʻula (capes), mahiole (helmets), and nā lei hulu (feather leis) of aliʻi (Hawaiian nobility).
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article “ʻApapane”.