Kauai's endangered solitaires: Update on population status and distribution 1996

The puaioihi (Myadestes palmeri) and the kamao (M. myadestinus) are endangered solitaires endemic to Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands and now restricted to the Alakai Swamp. The puaiohi has been rare historically with population estimates declining since the first population surveys 1968-73. Puaiohi were believed to be on the verge of extinction with population estimates less than 35 birds since 1981. In 1995 intensive studies of the breeding biology and population status of the puaiohi began using mist netting, color banding, spot mapping, and surveys. Fifty active nests were discovered and 63-75 birds monitored at the Koaie study site. Seven survey expeditions in 1996 detected 55-70 more puaiohi from 6 of 8 main river drainages of four survey areas explored. Although still rare and vulnerable to extinction (145±19 individuals known), puaiohi are more widely distributed within the Alakai Swamp than previously believed. Our data from 1996 suggest previous surveys methods have underestimated the population size or that the population has increased since 1981. The kamao has not been confirmed since 1985, but unconfirmed reports were made from 1989-1996. We have not sighted kamao to date despite intensive search efforts. We infer from detection probabilities that the species in highly likely to be extinct.