palila

bird

Also known as: Loxioides bailleui

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 15, 2026

Quick Summary

The palila (Loxioides bailleui) is a Hawaiian honeycreeper, a type of bird found only in the Hawaiian Islands. This species resembles a finch and is characterized by its yellow head and breast. Hawaiian honeycreepers are closely related to cardueline finches and belong to the family Drepanididae within the order Passeriformes.12

Unfortunately, habitat destruction and introduced species have led to the extinction of many Hawaiian honeycreeper species, and most of the survivors are endangered.2

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

conservation
Secondary extinctions
…a seed-eating species called the palila (Loxioides bailleui), is endangered because it depends almost exclusively on the seeds of one tree, the mamane (Sophora chrysophylla), which is grazed by introduced goats and sheep.
Read More
…a seed-eating species called the palila (Loxioides bailleui), is endangered because it depends almost exclusively on the seeds of one tree, the mamane (Sophora chrysophylla), which is grazed by introduced goats and sheep.
Read More