I'iwi

I‘iwi stand out because of their bright vermilion-colored feathers. In pre-European Hawai‘i, their beautiful feathers were used to make capes that contained thousands of feathers. The capes of the ‘I‘iwi feathers were seen as a symbol of power and status among native Hawaiians. Their primary food source is the flowers of the Ō‘hi‘a tree. Photo: K. Burnett/USGS