Species Explorer
Discover Maui's native "heroes" and invasive "villains". Learn about their habitats, behaviors, and why they matter to our island ecosystem.
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Maui Parrotbill (Kiwikiu)
bird
A rare honeycreeper that lives in high-elevation Hawaiian forests and depends on native trees.
ʻŌhiʻa Lehua (ʻŌhiʻa Lehua)
plant
A keystone forest tree with bright red blossoms that provide nectar for native birds and insects.
ʻApapane (ʻApapane)
bird
A bright red honeycreeper that travels long distances in search of blooming ʻōhiʻa trees.
Koa (Koa)
plant
A tall Hawaiian tree important for soil stability, habitat, and traditional Hawaiian culture.
ʻAnianiau (ʻAnianiau)
bird
A small yellow honeycreeper found only on Kauai and Hawaii Island.
ʻIʻiwi (ʻIʻiwi)
bird
A striking scarlet honeycreeper with a curved beak adapted for feeding on native flowers.
Hau (Hau)
plant
A coastal tree with yellow flowers, important for coastal stabilization.
ʻAkala (ʻAkala)
plant
A native raspberry with edible berries, important for native forest ecosystems.
ʻElepaio (ʻElepaio)
bird
A small flycatcher that actively hunts insects in native forests.
Uluhe (Uluhe)
plant
A native fern that forms dense stands in Hawaiian forests.
Axis Deer (Axis Deer)
mammal
Axis deer were introduced to Hawaiʻi and have rapidly increased in number, eating crops and native plants.
Coqui Frog (Coqui Frog)
other
A small frog with a very loud call that came from Puerto Rico and spread in Hawaiʻi.
Feral Cats (Feral Cats)
mammal
Cats that live outdoors hunt birds, lizards, and other wildlife, even when they are well-fed.
Strawberry Guava (Strawberry Guava)
plant
A fast-growing tree with red fruit that forms thick stands and crowds out native plants.
Small Indian Mongoose (Mongoose)
mammal
Introduced to control rats, but now preys on native birds, eggs, and insects.
Miconia (Miconia)
plant
A large tree with purple flowers that shades out native understory plants.
Clidemia (Clidemia)
plant
A shrub with pink flowers that forms dense thickets in native forests.
Black Rat (Black Rat)
mammal
Ship rats that prey on native birds, eggs, and insects throughout Hawaiʻi.
Wedelia (Wedelia)
plant
A creeping plant with yellow flowers that forms dense mats on the ground.
Kudzu (Kudzu)
plant
A fast-growing vine that covers trees and other plants, blocking sunlight.
Naio (Naio)
plant
A coastal shrub with white flowers, important for dune stabilization.
Kukui (Kukui)
plant
Hawaii's state tree, with oily nuts used for traditional purposes.
Wiliwili (Wiliwili)
plant
A drought-tolerant tree with coral flowers, important for native ecosystems.
Hala (Hala)
plant
A coastal tree with aerial roots, important for coastal stabilization.
Mamane (Mamane)
plant
A nitrogen-fixing tree important for soil health in Hawaiian forests.
Common Guava (Kuawa)
plant
A fruit tree that forms dense thickets and spreads rapidly.
Ivy Gourd (Ivy Gourd)
plant
A fast-growing vine that smothers vegetation and structures.
Lantana (Lantana)
plant
A shrub with colorful flowers that forms dense thickets.
Feral Pigs (Feral Pigs)
mammal
Wild pigs that root up native plants and spread invasive seeds.
Fountain Grass (Fountain Grass)
plant
An ornamental grass that spreads rapidly and increases fire risk.
Feral Goats (Feral Goats)
mammal
Introduced goats that have gone feral, causing severe damage to native vegetation and soil.
Feral Sheep (Feral Sheep)
mammal
Domestic sheep that have become feral and damage native ecosystems.
House Mouse (House Mouse)
mammal
Common house mice that compete with native species and spread diseases.
Norway Rat (Norway Rat)
mammal
Large rats that prey on native wildlife and damage crops.
Polynesian Rat (Kiore)
mammal
One of the earliest invasive species brought by Polynesians, preys on native wildlife.
European Rabbit (European Rabbit)
mammal
Rabbits that have established feral populations and damage vegetation.
Common Myna (Common Myna)
bird
Aggressive birds that compete with native species and damage crops.
House Sparrow (House Sparrow)
bird
Common birds that compete with native species for nesting sites.
Japanese White-eye (Japanese White-eye)
bird
Small birds that compete with native species and spread diseases.
Spotted Dove (Spotted Dove)
bird
Doves that have established populations and compete with native birds.
Zebra Dove (Zebra Dove)
bird
Small doves that are abundant in urban and suburban areas.
Rock Pigeon (Rock Pigeon)
bird
Common urban pigeons that compete with native species.
Cuban Tree Frog (Cuban Tree Frog)
other
Large frogs that prey on native insects and compete with native frogs.
Green Anole (Green Anole)
reptile
Lizards that prey on native insects and compete with native reptiles.
Brown Anole (Brown Anole)
reptile
Agile lizards that prey on native insects and compete with native species.
Brazilian Pepper Tree (Brazilian Pepper Tree)
plant
Trees that form dense thickets and crowd out native vegetation.
Albizia (Albizia)
plant
Fast-growing trees that shade out native vegetation.
Christmas Berry (Christmas Berry)
plant
Shrubs with red berries that form dense thickets.
Gorse (Gorse)
plant
Thorny shrubs that form dense stands and increase fire risk.
Kahili Ginger (Kahili Ginger)
plant
Showy ginger plants that spread aggressively in forests.
Banana Poka (Banana Poka)
plant
Vines that smother native vegetation and trees.
Guinea Grass (Guinea Grass)
plant
Tall grasses that form dense stands and increase fire risk.
Little Fire Ant (Little Fire Ant)
insect
Painful stinging ants that disrupt native ecosystems.
Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle (Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle)
insect
Large beetles that damage coconut palms and other plants.
Oriental Fruit Fly (Oriental Fruit Fly)
insect
Fruit flies that damage agricultural crops and fruits.
Pua Kala (Pua Kala)
plant
A prickly poppy with white flowers, important for native ecosystems.
Ilima (Ilima)
plant
Hawaii's state flower, a coastal shrub with yellow flowers.
Java Plum (Java Plum)
plant
An introduced tree that forms dense stands in native forests.
Shoebutton Ardisia (Shoebutton)
plant
A shrub with red berries that spreads in native forests.
Hawaiian Monk Seal (ʻIlio-holo-i-ka-uaua)
mammal
One of the most endangered earless seals in the world, endemic to the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaiian Hoary Bat (ʻŌpeʻapeʻa)
mammal
Hawaii's only native land mammal, a small bat that roosts in trees.
Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle (Honu)
reptile
Large sea turtles commonly seen basking on Hawaiian beaches.
Hawaiian Hawk (ʻIo)
bird
A raptor endemic to the Big Island, a symbol of royalty in Hawaiian culture.
Hawaiian Short-eared Owl (Pueo)
bird
A native owl that hunts during the day, often seen flying over grasslands.
Hawaiian Coot (ʻAlae Keʻokeʻo)
bird
A waterbird with a distinctive white frontal shield and bill.
Hawaiian Common Gallinule (ʻAlae ʻUla)
bird
A secretive waterbird with a red frontal shield.
Hawaiian Stilt (Aeʻo)
bird
A tall, slender shorebird with long pink legs.
Hawaiian Crow (ʻAlalā)
bird
A highly intelligent crow species, currently extinct in the wild but being reintroduced.
Laysan Albatross (Mōlī)
bird
A large seabird that nests on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and Kauaʻi.
Great Frigatebird (ʻIwa)
bird
A large seabird known for its kleptoparasitism (stealing food from other birds).
White-tailed Tropicbird (Koaʻe Kea)
bird
A graceful white seabird with long tail streamers, often seen in valleys.
Hawaiian Petrel (ʻUaʻu)
bird
A seabird that nests in burrows at high elevations on Maui and other islands.
Newell's Shearwater (ʻAʻo)
bird
A shearwater that nests in deep fern forests.
Koaiʻa (Koaiʻa)
plant
A smaller, harder relative of the Koa tree, found in dry forests.
Iliau (Iliau)
plant
A striking plant related to the silversword, endemic to Kauaʻi.
Beach Naupaka (Naupaka Kahakai)
plant
A common coastal shrub with distinctive "half-flowers".
Beach Vitex (Pōhinahina)
plant
A silvery-green coastal shrub with purple flowers.
Hapuʻu (Hapuʻu)
plant
A large tree fern characteristic of Hawaiian rainforests.
Amaʻu (Amaʻu)
plant
A fern with reddish young fronds, often colonizing lava flows.
Loulu Palm (Loulu)
plant
Hawaii's only native palm genus, with many species being endangered.
Hawaiian Cotton (Maʻo)
plant
A native cotton shrub with yellow flowers.
Uki Uki (ʻUkiʻuki)
plant
A native lily with blue berries used for dye.
Aalii (ʻAʻaliʻi)
plant
A hardy shrub with papery seed capsules used in lei.
Kamehameha Butterfly (Pulelehua)
insect
Hawaii's state insect, a colorful butterfly endemic to the islands.
Blackburn's Sphinx Moth (Pulelehua)
insect
Hawaii's largest native insect, an endangered moth.
Happy Face Spider (Nananana Makakiʻi)
insect
A tiny spider with patterns on its back that look like a smiling face.
Fireweed (Fireweed)
plant
A toxic yellow flower that plagues pastures.
Cat's Claw Creeper (Cat's Claw)
plant
A vine with claw-like tendrils that climbs and smothers trees.
Himalayan Ginger (Kahili Ginger)
plant
A tall ginger with fragrant yellow-red flowers that displaces native plants.
Cane Toad (Cane Toad)
other
A large, toxic toad introduced to control pests.
Jackson's Chameleon (Jackson's Chameleon)
reptile
A three-horned chameleon native to East Africa.
Rose-ringed Parakeet (Rose-ringed Parakeet)
bird
Green parakeets that damage crops and are noisy.
Red-vented Bulbul (Red-vented Bulbul)
bird
A bird with a black crest and red vent, spreads invasive seeds.
Kalij Pheasant (Kalij Pheasant)
bird
A pheasant found in forests, spreading seeds.
Cattle Egret (Cattle Egret)
bird
White birds often seen with livestock, preying on insects and birds.
Barn Owl (Barn Owl)
bird
Introduced to control rats, but also kills native seabirds.
Kauaʻi ʻŌʻō (Kauaʻi ʻŌʻō)
bird
The last surviving member of the ʻōʻō family, declared extinct in 2000.
Hawaiʻi ʻŌʻō (Hawaiʻi ʻŌʻō)
bird
A large black bird with yellow tufts, hunted for its feathers.
Kāmaʻo (Kāmaʻo)
bird
A solitaire thrush native to Kauaʻi, extinct in the late 20th century.
Oʻahu ʻŌʻō (Oʻahu ʻŌʻō)
bird
A striking bird with yellow feathers, extinct since the mid-19th century.
Black Mamo (Mamo)
bird
A black honeycreeper with a very long, curved bill.