Moho bishopi
The Bishop's Oo (Moho bishopi) was a striking passerine bird, now tragically extinct, endemic to the island of Molokaʻi in Hawaiʻi. This medium-sized bird, approximately 29 cm (11.5 inches) in length, was characterized by its glossy black plumage, adorned with prominent bright yellow feather tufts on its flanks and underwings, which contrasted sharply with a narrow band of white streaking on its outermost tail feathers. A distinctive feature was its moderately long, decurved black bill, adapt...
The Bishop's Oo primarily inhabited dense, montane wet forests and cloud forests on Molokaʻi, typically found at elevations above 600 meters (2,000 feet). These ecosystems were rich in native flowering plants providing nectar and insects.
The Bishop's Oo was primarily nectarivorous, feeding on nectar from native flowering plants like lobelioids and ʻohiʻa lehua, supplemented with insects and spiders gleaned from foliage.
Observations of the Bishop's Oo's behavior are limited due to its early extinction, but historical accounts and inferences from closely related 'o'o species provide insights. These birds were diurnal, actively foraging during daylight hours. Their primary foraging strategy involved probing flower...
The Bishop's Oo was strictly endemic to the island of Molokaʻi in the Hawaiian archipelago. Historically, its distribution was confined to the humid, montane wet forests of the eastern Molokaʻi highlands, particularly concentrated in the Pūkuʻu and Pepeʻopae regions. It was typically found at ele...
Extinct
- The Bishop's Oo was last definitively seen in 1904, and its haunting calls were last reliably heard in 1915, though unconfirmed reports persisted into the 1980s. - Its bright yellow flank feathers were highly prized by Hawaiian aliʻi (royalty) for creating intricate feather cloaks (ahuʻula) and...