'I'iwi — An Introduction

Filmed at The Nature Conservancy's Waikamoi Preserve on Maui, this short video shows the perfect fit between the long bill of the scarlet 'i'iwi, a native honeycreeper, and the curved, tubular flower of the blue 'ōpelu, a native lobelia.  In Hawai'i, honeycreepers and lobeliads evolved in a tight relationship of feeding. The fit of beak to flower is often so precise that the bird can draw nectar while maintaining a clear view of the world, alert for avian predators such as hawks and owls. Uploaded to YouTube on Apr 6, 2011.