Mamo or woowoo is a common name for two species of extinct birds. Together with the extant ʻIʻiwi they make up the genus '' Drepanis''. These nectarivorous finches were endemic to Hawaii but are now

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

. The Hawaiian name may be related to the name of the ōō ('' Moho nobilis''), a bird with a similar appearance. Another name for the mamo was ''ōō-nuku-umu'', meaning "ōō with the sucking beak". Two species are known.

Hawaii mamo

The Hawaii mamo (''Drepanis pacifica'') was about in length. Its plumage was glossy black with yellow rumps and thigh

feather Feathers are epidermal growths that form a distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on both avian (bird) and some non-avian dinosaurs and other archosaurs. They are the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates and a premier ...

s and a small yellow shoulder patch. The tail was black and there was a white basal primary patch and white shafts along the primaries. The bill was long, curved and black. Legs were dark gray or black This was a shy species that lived in the forest canopy and

fed Fed, The Fed or FED may refer to: People * Andrey A. Fedorov (1908–1987), Soviet Russian biologist, author abbreviation * Feds, a slang term for a police officer in several countries * John Fedorowicz (born 1958), American International Grand ...

on the

nectar Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...

of '' Lobelia'' species that possess curved, tubular flowers. Its call was a long, plaintive whistle. The bright golden-yellow feathers of the Hawaii mamo were prized for the featherwork worn by the alii (Hawaiian royalty). The famous yellow cloak of Kamehameha I is estimated to have taken the reigns of eight monarchs and the golden feathers of 80,000 Hawaii mamos before it was completed. The Hawaii mamo was last seen in 1899 near Kaūmana by a collector, H. W. Henshaw, who, as mentioned by Tim Flannery in his book, ''A Gap In Nature'', shot and wounded a bird he was stalking, before it escaped him with another bird.

Black mamo

The black mamo (''Drepanis funerea'') was about in length and appeared similar to the Hawaii mamo but was entirely black except for the white primary shafts on the wings. The bill was more sharply decurved than the former species and had a small yellowy spot near the base (on the operculum). When the bird fed the forehead would often become covered in

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametophyt ...

, making the forehead appear pale. The species fed on nectar from the flowers of '' Lobelia'' species and ōhia lehua ('' Metrosideros polymorpha'') at lower levels than the Hawaii mamo. The bird was apparently curious and would approach observers. Its call was a clear

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

-like whistle and a five or six note rollicking whistle. The black mamo was endemic to

Molokai Molokai , or Molokai (), is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) at its greatest length an ...

and was last observed in 1907 by the collector Alanson Bryan, who had shot three birds. Tim Flannery quoted him as having written, "To my joy I found the mangled remains hanging in the tree in a thick bunch of leaves, six feet or more beyond where it had been sitting."

References

{{Reflist Drepanis Endemic fauna of Hawaii Extinct birds of Hawaii Bird common names