Species Explorer

Discover Maui's native "heroes" and invasive "villains". Learn about their habitats, behaviors, and why they matter to our island ecosystem.

🏆 Maui Wildlife Guardian Challenge

Discover, protect, and earn points for Maui's native wildlife!

🎭 Choose Your Quest

💎 Rarity Hunt

Species Type:
🔍
Loading verified image...
Pseudonestor xanthophrys
Verifying species image...

Maui Parrotbill (Kiwikiu)

bird

nativeLEGENDARY

A rare honeycreeper that lives in high-elevation Hawaiian forests and depends on native trees.

💎500 pts
Endangered
🔍
Loading verified image...
Metrosideros polymorpha
Verifying species image...

ʻŌhiʻa Lehua (ʻŌhiʻa Lehua)

plant

nativeEPIC

A keystone forest tree with bright red blossoms that provide nectar for native birds and insects.

💎300 pts
Native Tree
🔍
Loading verified image...
Himatione sanguinea
Verifying species image...

ʻApapane (ʻApapane)

bird

nativeRARE

A bright red honeycreeper that travels long distances in search of blooming ʻōhiʻa trees.

💎200 pts
Native Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Acacia koa
Verifying species image...

Koa (Koa)

plant

nativeUNCOMMON

A tall Hawaiian tree important for soil stability, habitat, and traditional Hawaiian culture.

💎150 pts
Native Tree
🔍
Loading verified image...
Magumma parva
Verifying species image...

ʻAnianiau (ʻAnianiau)

bird

nativeEPIC

A small yellow honeycreeper found only on Kauai and Hawaii Island.

💎250 pts
Native Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Drepanis coccinea
Verifying species image...

ʻIʻiwi (ʻIʻiwi)

bird

nativeRARE

A striking scarlet honeycreeper with a curved beak adapted for feeding on native flowers.

💎180 pts
Native Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Hibiscus tiliaceus
Verifying species image...

Hau (Hau)

plant

nativeCOMMON

A coastal tree with yellow flowers, important for coastal stabilization.

💎50 pts
Native Tree
🔍
Loading verified image...
Rubus hawaiensis
Verifying species image...

ʻAkala (ʻAkala)

plant

nativeUNCOMMON

A native raspberry with edible berries, important for native forest ecosystems.

💎100 pts
Native Shrub
🔍
Loading verified image...
Chasiempis sandwichensis
Verifying species image...

ʻElepaio (ʻElepaio)

bird

nativeRARE

A small flycatcher that actively hunts insects in native forests.

💎150 pts
Native Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Dicranopteris linearis
Verifying species image...

Uluhe (Uluhe)

plant

nativeCOMMON

A native fern that forms dense stands in Hawaiian forests.

💎50 pts
Native Fern
🔍
Loading verified image...
Axis axis
Verifying species image...

Axis Deer (Axis Deer)

mammal

invasiveUNCOMMON

Axis deer were introduced to Hawaiʻi and have rapidly increased in number, eating crops and native plants.

💎120 pts
Invasive
🔍
Loading verified image...
Eleutherodactylus coqui
Verifying species image...

Coqui Frog (Coqui Frog)

other

invasiveCOMMON

A small frog with a very loud call that came from Puerto Rico and spread in Hawaiʻi.

💎80 pts
Invasive
🔍
Loading verified image...
Felis catus
Verifying species image...

Feral Cats (Feral Cats)

mammal

invasiveCOMMON

Cats that live outdoors hunt birds, lizards, and other wildlife, even when they are well-fed.

💎50 pts
Invasive Predator
🔍
Loading verified image...
Psidium cattleianum
Verifying species image...

Strawberry Guava (Strawberry Guava)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

A fast-growing tree with red fruit that forms thick stands and crowds out native plants.

💎50 pts
Invasive Plant
🔍
Loading verified image...
Herpestes auropunctatus
Verifying species image...

Small Indian Mongoose (Mongoose)

mammal

invasiveUNCOMMON

Introduced to control rats, but now preys on native birds, eggs, and insects.

💎75 pts
Invasive Predator
🔍
Loading verified image...
Miconia calvescens
Verifying species image...

Miconia (Miconia)

plant

invasiveRARE

A large tree with purple flowers that shades out native understory plants.

💎110 pts
Invasive Plant
🔍
Loading verified image...
Clidemia hirta
Verifying species image...

Clidemia (Clidemia)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

A shrub with pink flowers that forms dense thickets in native forests.

💎50 pts
Invasive Plant
🔍
Loading verified image...
Rattus rattus
Verifying species image...

Black Rat (Black Rat)

mammal

invasiveCOMMON

Ship rats that prey on native birds, eggs, and insects throughout Hawaiʻi.

💎45 pts
Invasive Predator
🔍
Loading verified image...
Sphagneticola trilobata
Verifying species image...

Wedelia (Wedelia)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

A creeping plant with yellow flowers that forms dense mats on the ground.

💎25 pts
Invasive Plant
🔍
Loading verified image...
Pueraria montana
Verifying species image...

Kudzu (Kudzu)

plant

invasiveUNCOMMON

A fast-growing vine that covers trees and other plants, blocking sunlight.

💎70 pts
Invasive Vine
🔍
Loading verified image...
Myoporum sandwicense
Verifying species image...

Naio (Naio)

plant

nativeUNCOMMON

A coastal shrub with white flowers, important for dune stabilization.

💎100 pts
Native Shrub
🔍
Loading verified image...
Aleurites moluccanus
Verifying species image...

Kukui (Kukui)

plant

nativeCOMMON

Hawaii's state tree, with oily nuts used for traditional purposes.

💎50 pts
Native Tree
🔍
Loading verified image...
Erythrina sandwicensis
Verifying species image...

Wiliwili (Wiliwili)

plant

nativeUNCOMMON

A drought-tolerant tree with coral flowers, important for native ecosystems.

💎100 pts
Native Tree
🔍
Loading verified image...
Pandanus tectorius
Verifying species image...

Hala (Hala)

plant

nativeCOMMON

A coastal tree with aerial roots, important for coastal stabilization.

💎50 pts
Native Tree
🔍
Loading verified image...
Sophora chrysophylla
Verifying species image...

Mamane (Mamane)

plant

nativeUNCOMMON

A nitrogen-fixing tree important for soil health in Hawaiian forests.

💎100 pts
Native Tree
🔍
Loading verified image...
Psidium guajava
Verifying species image...

Common Guava (Kuawa)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

A fruit tree that forms dense thickets and spreads rapidly.

💎50 pts
Invasive Tree
🔍
Loading verified image...
Coccinia grandis
Verifying species image...

Ivy Gourd (Ivy Gourd)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

A fast-growing vine that smothers vegetation and structures.

💎50 pts
Invasive Vine
🔍
Loading verified image...
Lantana camara
Verifying species image...

Lantana (Lantana)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

A shrub with colorful flowers that forms dense thickets.

💎50 pts
Invasive Shrub
🔍
Loading verified image...
Sus scrofa
Verifying species image...

Feral Pigs (Feral Pigs)

mammal

invasiveUNCOMMON

Wild pigs that root up native plants and spread invasive seeds.

💎85 pts
Invasive Mammal
🔍
Loading verified image...
Pennisetum setaceum
Verifying species image...

Fountain Grass (Fountain Grass)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

An ornamental grass that spreads rapidly and increases fire risk.

💎50 pts
Invasive Grass
🔍
Loading verified image...
Capra hircus
Verifying species image...

Feral Goats (Feral Goats)

mammal

invasiveCOMMON

Introduced goats that have gone feral, causing severe damage to native vegetation and soil.

💎50 pts
Invasive Mammal
🔍
Loading verified image...
Ovis aries
Verifying species image...

Feral Sheep (Feral Sheep)

mammal

invasiveUNCOMMON

Domestic sheep that have become feral and damage native ecosystems.

💎100 pts
Invasive Mammal
🔍
Loading verified image...
Mus musculus
Verifying species image...

House Mouse (House Mouse)

mammal

invasiveCOMMON

Common house mice that compete with native species and spread diseases.

💎50 pts
Invasive Rodent
🔍
Loading verified image...
Rattus norvegicus
Verifying species image...

Norway Rat (Norway Rat)

mammal

invasiveCOMMON

Large rats that prey on native wildlife and damage crops.

💎50 pts
Invasive Rodent
🔍
Loading verified image...
Rattus exulans
Verifying species image...

Polynesian Rat (Kiore)

mammal

invasiveCOMMON

One of the earliest invasive species brought by Polynesians, preys on native wildlife.

💎50 pts
Invasive Rodent
🔍
Loading verified image...
Oryctolagus cuniculus
Verifying species image...

European Rabbit (European Rabbit)

mammal

invasiveUNCOMMON

Rabbits that have established feral populations and damage vegetation.

💎100 pts
Invasive Mammal
🔍
Loading verified image...
Acridotheres tristis
Verifying species image...

Common Myna (Common Myna)

bird

invasiveCOMMON

Aggressive birds that compete with native species and damage crops.

💎50 pts
Invasive Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Passer domesticus
Verifying species image...

House Sparrow (House Sparrow)

bird

invasiveCOMMON

Common birds that compete with native species for nesting sites.

💎50 pts
Invasive Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Zosterops japonicus
Verifying species image...

Japanese White-eye (Japanese White-eye)

bird

invasiveCOMMON

Small birds that compete with native species and spread diseases.

💎50 pts
Invasive Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Spilopelia chinensis
Verifying species image...

Spotted Dove (Spotted Dove)

bird

invasiveUNCOMMON

Doves that have established populations and compete with native birds.

💎100 pts
Invasive Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Geopelia striata
Verifying species image...

Zebra Dove (Zebra Dove)

bird

invasiveCOMMON

Small doves that are abundant in urban and suburban areas.

💎50 pts
Invasive Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Columba livia
Verifying species image...

Rock Pigeon (Rock Pigeon)

bird

invasiveCOMMON

Common urban pigeons that compete with native species.

💎50 pts
Invasive Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Osteopilus septentrionalis
Verifying species image...

Cuban Tree Frog (Cuban Tree Frog)

other

invasiveUNCOMMON

Large frogs that prey on native insects and compete with native frogs.

💎100 pts
Invasive Amphibian
🔍
Loading verified image...
Anolis carolinensis
Verifying species image...

Green Anole (Green Anole)

reptile

invasiveUNCOMMON

Lizards that prey on native insects and compete with native reptiles.

💎100 pts
Invasive Reptile
🔍
Loading verified image...
Anolis sagrei
Verifying species image...

Brown Anole (Brown Anole)

reptile

invasiveUNCOMMON

Agile lizards that prey on native insects and compete with native species.

💎100 pts
Invasive Reptile
🔍
Loading verified image...
Schinus terebinthifolia
Verifying species image...

Brazilian Pepper Tree (Brazilian Pepper Tree)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

Trees that form dense thickets and crowd out native vegetation.

💎50 pts
Invasive Tree
🔍
Loading verified image...
Falcataria moluccana
Verifying species image...

Albizia (Albizia)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

Fast-growing trees that shade out native vegetation.

💎50 pts
Invasive Tree
🔍
Loading verified image...
Schinus terebinthifolia
Verifying species image...

Christmas Berry (Christmas Berry)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

Shrubs with red berries that form dense thickets.

💎50 pts
Invasive Shrub
🔍
Loading verified image...
Ulex europaeus
Verifying species image...

Gorse (Gorse)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

Thorny shrubs that form dense stands and increase fire risk.

💎50 pts
Invasive Shrub
🔍
Loading verified image...
Hedychium gardnerianum
Verifying species image...

Kahili Ginger (Kahili Ginger)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

Showy ginger plants that spread aggressively in forests.

💎50 pts
Invasive Plant
🔍
Loading verified image...
Passiflora tarminiana
Verifying species image...

Banana Poka (Banana Poka)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

Vines that smother native vegetation and trees.

💎50 pts
Invasive Vine
🔍
Loading verified image...
Megathyrsus maximus
Verifying species image...

Guinea Grass (Guinea Grass)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

Tall grasses that form dense stands and increase fire risk.

💎50 pts
Invasive Grass
🔍
Loading verified image...
Wasmannia auropunctata
Verifying species image...

Little Fire Ant (Little Fire Ant)

insect

invasiveRARE

Painful stinging ants that disrupt native ecosystems.

💎150 pts
Invasive Insect
🔍
Loading verified image...
Oryctes rhinoceros
Verifying species image...

Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle)

insect

invasiveRARE

Large beetles that damage coconut palms and other plants.

💎150 pts
Invasive Insect
🔍
Loading verified image...
Bactrocera dorsalis
Verifying species image...

Oriental Fruit Fly (Oriental Fruit Fly)

insect

invasiveRARE

Fruit flies that damage agricultural crops and fruits.

💎150 pts
Invasive Insect
🔍
Loading verified image...
Argemone glauca
Verifying species image...

Pua Kala (Pua Kala)

plant

nativeUNCOMMON

A prickly poppy with white flowers, important for native ecosystems.

💎100 pts
Native Shrub
🔍
Loading verified image...
Sida fallax
Verifying species image...

Ilima (Ilima)

plant

nativeCOMMON

Hawaii's state flower, a coastal shrub with yellow flowers.

💎50 pts
Native Shrub
🔍
Loading verified image...
Syzygium cumini
Verifying species image...

Java Plum (Java Plum)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

An introduced tree that forms dense stands in native forests.

💎50 pts
Invasive Tree
🔍
Loading verified image...
Ardisia elliptica
Verifying species image...

Shoebutton Ardisia (Shoebutton)

plant

invasiveUNCOMMON

A shrub with red berries that spreads in native forests.

💎100 pts
Invasive Shrub
🔍
Loading verified image...
Neomonachus schauinslandi
Verifying species image...

Hawaiian Monk Seal (ʻIlio-holo-i-ka-uaua)

mammal

nativeLEGENDARY

One of the most endangered earless seals in the world, endemic to the Hawaiian Islands.

💎500 pts
Endangered
🔍
Loading verified image...
Lasiurus cinereus semotus
Verifying species image...

Hawaiian Hoary Bat (ʻŌpeʻapeʻa)

mammal

nativeEPIC

Hawaii's only native land mammal, a small bat that roosts in trees.

💎300 pts
Endangered
🔍
Loading verified image...
Chelonia mydas
Verifying species image...

Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle (Honu)

reptile

nativeRARE

Large sea turtles commonly seen basking on Hawaiian beaches.

💎150 pts
Threatened
🔍
Loading verified image...
Buteo solitarius
Verifying species image...

Hawaiian Hawk (ʻIo)

bird

nativeEPIC

A raptor endemic to the Big Island, a symbol of royalty in Hawaiian culture.

💎250 pts
Endangered
🔍
Loading verified image...
Asio flammeus sandwichensis
Verifying species image...

Hawaiian Short-eared Owl (Pueo)

bird

nativeRARE

A native owl that hunts during the day, often seen flying over grasslands.

💎150 pts
Endangered (Oʻahu)
🔍
Loading verified image...
Fulica alai
Verifying species image...

Hawaiian Coot (ʻAlae Keʻokeʻo)

bird

nativeRARE

A waterbird with a distinctive white frontal shield and bill.

💎150 pts
Endangered
🔍
Loading verified image...
Gallinula galeata sandvicensis
Verifying species image...

Hawaiian Common Gallinule (ʻAlae ʻUla)

bird

nativeEPIC

A secretive waterbird with a red frontal shield.

💎250 pts
Endangered
🔍
Loading verified image...
Himantopus mexicanus knudseni
Verifying species image...

Hawaiian Stilt (Aeʻo)

bird

nativeRARE

A tall, slender shorebird with long pink legs.

💎150 pts
Endangered
🔍
Loading verified image...
Corvus hawaiiensis
Verifying species image...

Hawaiian Crow (ʻAlalā)

bird

nativeLEGENDARY

A highly intelligent crow species, currently extinct in the wild but being reintroduced.

💎1000 pts
Extinct in the Wild
🔍
Loading verified image...
Phoebastria immutabilis
Verifying species image...

Laysan Albatross (Mōlī)

bird

nativeUNCOMMON

A large seabird that nests on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and Kauaʻi.

💎100 pts
Near Threatened
🔍
Loading verified image...
Fregata minor
Verifying species image...

Great Frigatebird (ʻIwa)

bird

nativeCOMMON

A large seabird known for its kleptoparasitism (stealing food from other birds).

💎50 pts
Native Seabird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Phaethon lepturus
Verifying species image...

White-tailed Tropicbird (Koaʻe Kea)

bird

nativeCOMMON

A graceful white seabird with long tail streamers, often seen in valleys.

💎50 pts
Native Seabird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Pterodroma sandwichensis
Verifying species image...

Hawaiian Petrel (ʻUaʻu)

bird

nativeEPIC

A seabird that nests in burrows at high elevations on Maui and other islands.

💎250 pts
Endangered
🔍
Loading verified image...
Puffinus newelli
Verifying species image...

Newell's Shearwater (ʻAʻo)

bird

nativeEPIC

A shearwater that nests in deep fern forests.

💎250 pts
Endangered
🔍
Loading verified image...
Acacia koaia
Verifying species image...

Koaiʻa (Koaiʻa)

plant

nativeRARE

A smaller, harder relative of the Koa tree, found in dry forests.

💎150 pts
Endangered
🔍
Loading verified image...
Wilkesia gymnoxiphium
Verifying species image...

Iliau (Iliau)

plant

nativeEPIC

A striking plant related to the silversword, endemic to Kauaʻi.

💎250 pts
Endangered
🔍
Loading verified image...
Scaevola taccada
Verifying species image...

Beach Naupaka (Naupaka Kahakai)

plant

nativeCOMMON

A common coastal shrub with distinctive "half-flowers".

💎50 pts
Native Shrub
🔍
Loading verified image...
Vitex rotundifolia
Verifying species image...

Beach Vitex (Pōhinahina)

plant

nativeCOMMON

A silvery-green coastal shrub with purple flowers.

💎50 pts
Native Shrub
🔍
Loading verified image...
Cibotium glaucum
Verifying species image...

Hapuʻu (Hapuʻu)

plant

nativeCOMMON

A large tree fern characteristic of Hawaiian rainforests.

💎50 pts
Native Fern
🔍
Loading verified image...
Sadleria cyatheoides
Verifying species image...

Amaʻu (Amaʻu)

plant

nativeCOMMON

A fern with reddish young fronds, often colonizing lava flows.

💎50 pts
Native Fern
🔍
Loading verified image...
Pritchardia spp.
Verifying species image...

Loulu Palm (Loulu)

plant

nativeRARE

Hawaii's only native palm genus, with many species being endangered.

💎150 pts
Endangered (Various)
🔍
Loading verified image...
Gossypium tomentosum
Verifying species image...

Hawaiian Cotton (Maʻo)

plant

nativeUNCOMMON

A native cotton shrub with yellow flowers.

💎100 pts
Vulnerable
🔍
Loading verified image...
Machaerina angustifolia
Verifying species image...

Uki Uki (ʻUkiʻuki)

plant

nativeCOMMON

A native lily with blue berries used for dye.

💎50 pts
Native Lily
🔍
Loading verified image...
Dodonaea viscosa
Verifying species image...

Aalii (ʻAʻaliʻi)

plant

nativeCOMMON

A hardy shrub with papery seed capsules used in lei.

💎50 pts
Native Shrub
🔍
Loading verified image...
Vanessa tameamea
Verifying species image...

Kamehameha Butterfly (Pulelehua)

insect

nativeUNCOMMON

Hawaii's state insect, a colorful butterfly endemic to the islands.

💎100 pts
Native Butterfly
🔍
Loading verified image...
Manduca blackburni
Verifying species image...

Blackburn's Sphinx Moth (Pulelehua)

insect

nativeEPIC

Hawaii's largest native insect, an endangered moth.

💎300 pts
Endangered
🔍
Loading verified image...
Theridion grallator
Verifying species image...

Happy Face Spider (Nananana Makakiʻi)

insect

nativeRARE

A tiny spider with patterns on its back that look like a smiling face.

💎150 pts
Native Spider
🔍
Loading verified image...
Senecio madagascariensis
Verifying species image...

Fireweed (Fireweed)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

A toxic yellow flower that plagues pastures.

💎50 pts
Invasive Herb
🔍
Loading verified image...
Dolichandra unguis-cati
Verifying species image...

Cat's Claw Creeper (Cat's Claw)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

A vine with claw-like tendrils that climbs and smothers trees.

💎50 pts
Invasive Vine
🔍
Loading verified image...
Hedychium gardnerianum
Verifying species image...

Himalayan Ginger (Kahili Ginger)

plant

invasiveCOMMON

A tall ginger with fragrant yellow-red flowers that displaces native plants.

💎50 pts
Invasive Herb
🔍
Loading verified image...
Rhinella marina
Verifying species image...

Cane Toad (Cane Toad)

other

invasiveCOMMON

A large, toxic toad introduced to control pests.

💎50 pts
Invasive Amphibian
🔍
Loading verified image...
Trioceros jacksonii
Verifying species image...

Jackson's Chameleon (Jackson's Chameleon)

reptile

invasiveUNCOMMON

A three-horned chameleon native to East Africa.

💎75 pts
Invasive Reptile
🔍
Loading verified image...
Psittacula krameri
Verifying species image...

Rose-ringed Parakeet (Rose-ringed Parakeet)

bird

invasiveCOMMON

Green parakeets that damage crops and are noisy.

💎50 pts
Invasive Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Pycnonotus cafer
Verifying species image...

Red-vented Bulbul (Red-vented Bulbul)

bird

invasiveCOMMON

A bird with a black crest and red vent, spreads invasive seeds.

💎50 pts
Invasive Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Lophura leucomelanos
Verifying species image...

Kalij Pheasant (Kalij Pheasant)

bird

invasiveUNCOMMON

A pheasant found in forests, spreading seeds.

💎75 pts
Invasive Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Bubulcus ibis
Verifying species image...

Cattle Egret (Cattle Egret)

bird

invasiveCOMMON

White birds often seen with livestock, preying on insects and birds.

💎50 pts
Invasive Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Tyto alba
Verifying species image...

Barn Owl (Barn Owl)

bird

invasiveUNCOMMON

Introduced to control rats, but also kills native seabirds.

💎75 pts
Invasive Bird
🔍
Loading verified image...
Moho braccatus
Verifying species image...

Kauaʻi ʻŌʻō (Kauaʻi ʻŌʻō)

bird

nativeLEGENDARY

The last surviving member of the ʻōʻō family, declared extinct in 2000.

💎1000 pts
Extinct
🔍
Loading verified image...
Moho nobilis
Verifying species image...

Hawaiʻi ʻŌʻō (Hawaiʻi ʻŌʻō)

bird

nativeLEGENDARY

A large black bird with yellow tufts, hunted for its feathers.

💎1000 pts
Extinct
🔍
Loading verified image...
Myadestes myadestinus
Verifying species image...

Kāmaʻo (Kāmaʻo)

bird

nativeLEGENDARY

A solitaire thrush native to Kauaʻi, extinct in the late 20th century.

💎1000 pts
Extinct
🔍
Loading verified image...
Moho apicalis
Verifying species image...

Oʻahu ʻŌʻō (Oʻahu ʻŌʻō)

bird

nativeLEGENDARY

A striking bird with yellow feathers, extinct since the mid-19th century.

💎1000 pts
Extinct
🔍
Loading verified image...
Drepanis funerea
Verifying species image...

Black Mamo (Mamo)

bird

nativeLEGENDARY

A black honeycreeper with a very long, curved bill.

💎1000 pts
Extinct