Juvenile Hawaiʻi ʻAmakihi
Chlorodrepanis virens
Hosmer Grove, Haleakalā National Park, Maui, Hawai'i
July 7, 2011
1-500 sec at f - 3.2, ISO 1250
PENTAX K-5
Sigma 300 mm f/2.8 with 1.7X AFTC

From the Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project: The 'Amakihi is a widespead nectarivorous honeycreeper - one of the most common native bird in Hawai'i. It resembles many other birds including the introduced Japanese White-eye and the Maui 'Alauahio. The white-eye has a more canvas green back and has a prominent white eye-ring, whereas the 'Alauahio tends to be more yellow and has a straight and smaller beak.

Male 'Amakihi are bright yellow-green birds with short down-curved bills. Interisland variation in males is slight but immatures and females vary considerably. On Maui, Moloka'i, and Lana'i they are dull grayish green with greenish wing bars. On Hawai'i, they are greener still, and wing bars are very indistinct. Females have a smaller bill than males.

For more information: http://www.mauiforestbirds.org/articles/4/