The Bishop's 'ō'ō or Molokai 'ō'ō is an extinct species of Hawaiian honeyeater. The penultimate member of the family, it went extinct six years before the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō. It was previously regarded as member of the Australo-Pacific honeyeaters (Meliphagidae). Lionel Walter Rothschild named it after Charles Reed Bishop, the founder of the Bishop Museum.
Region
Hawaiian Islands
Typical Environment
Historically restricted to native forests of Molokaʻi, especially areas dominated by ʻōhiʻa and koa. It occupied both lowland and montane forest where nectar-bearing flowers were abundant. The species depended on intact native understory and mid-canopy for foraging and nesting. Its range contracted rapidly after the arrival of mosquitoes and forest clearing, leading to disappearance from accessible lowlands and, eventually, uplands.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also called the Molokaʻi ʻōʻō, this Hawaiian honeyeater was among the last members of the now-extinct family Mohoidae, long misclassified with Australo-Pacific honeyeaters (Meliphagidae). Lionel Walter Rothschild named it in honor of Charles Reed Bishop, founder of the Bishop Museum. It vanished in the early 20th century due to habitat loss, introduced predators, and mosquito-borne diseases.
Male and female Moho bishopi
Temperament
shy and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically observed singly or in pairs, especially during the breeding season. Likely formed loose associations where flowers were abundant. Nests were probably cup-shaped structures placed in trees or dense shrubs, as in related ʻōʻō species.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Delivered clear, bell-like whistles interspersed with harsher notes, carrying well through forest. Calls were repeated and territorial, with softer contact notes when foraging.
Plumage
Glossy black overall with contrasting, silky yellow-orange flank plumes and pale undertail coverts; feathers appear sleek and slightly iridescent.
Diet
Primarily nectar from native blossoms such as ʻōhiʻa lehua and lobelioids, supplemented by small insects and spiders gleaned from foliage and bark. It likely probed flowers with its decurved bill and hawked occasional insects in short sallies. Small fruits were probably taken opportunistically.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in mid-story to canopy of native wet and mesic forests where flowering trees are concentrated. Often foraged along forest edges and within gaps where blooms and insects were accessible.
