The ʻāmaui or Oahu thrush is an extinct species of thrush in the family Turdidae that was endemic to the island of Oahu. It was the first member of its genus to become extinct, c. 1850. It has sometimes been considered a subspecies of the olomaʻo.
Region
Hawaiian Islands
Typical Environment
Historically restricted to native forests on the island of Oʻahu, especially wet to mesic valleys and ridges. It likely favored ʻōhiʻa-koa dominated forests with dense native understory. Birds foraged from mid-story to understory, using shaded gulches and riparian thickets. Habitat loss and introduced predators likely drove rapid declines, confining any remnant birds to increasingly isolated forest patches before extinction.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The ʻĀmaui, or Oahu thrush, was a forest-dwelling thrush endemic to Oʻahu and is thought to have vanished by the mid-1800s. It was the first member of the Hawaiian Myadestes thrushes known to go extinct. Some authorities have treated it as a subspecies of the olomaʻo, reflecting close relationships among Hawaiian thrushes.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats through forest understory
Social Behavior
Typically seen alone or in pairs within defended territories. Nesting was likely in trees or dense shrubs with a cup nest typical of thrushes. Both adults probably shared incubation and chick rearing, as in related Myadestes.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A rich, flute-like, melodious song with clear, liquid phrases, similar to other Hawaiian Myadestes. Songs likely varied in sequence and were most prolonged at dawn.
