Kama’o

IN the 19th century the Kama'o thrush occupied centrestage in the Kaua'i island of Hawaii. Exploitation and experimentation took their toll and the Kama'o was last sighted in 1989. The bird was declared extinct in 2004.

The Kama’o was around 20cm long. Its song was a complex melody and its call was like a policeman’s shrill whistle. The Kama'o occupied the understorey of dense native vegetation like the Olapa and Ohi'a trees. It followed an omnivorous diet of fruits and insects.

The introduction of feral pigs and rats contributed to its extensive predation. Loss of habitat, mosquito-borne avian diseases and competition with birds introduced from other regions were the other factors that led to its decline.