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Telespiza persecutrix


EXTINCT

Photo of Telespiza cantans (a related species)

Bones of this new species of Hawaiian finch were discovered on June 23,1981 by A. Sinoto and P.C. McCoy at Barbers Point, Oahu. Bones have also been recovered at Ulupau Head, Oahu and Makawehi Dunes, Kauai. The bill of this species is smaller then T.cantans or T.ultima but larger then T. ypsilon, another newly described species.

Olson and James write, "Of all the new species of drepanidines, this is the least differentiated in bill osteology. Nevertheless, the size differences between the three taxa are statistically significant.

This is one more species that was once found on Oahu but is only know from the fossil record.

Please do what you can to save the native Hawaiian forest bird species that remain.

Aloha,
Michael Walther