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However, the elepaio, an endangered native bird, lives in the lowland forests, as does the amakihi, an endemic honeycreeper that is not classified as endangered, he noted.

Some bird populations on the Big Island, including the apapane and amakihi, have shown signs of resistance to disease.

The University of Hawaii said Monday the disease sometimes called scaly leg was first detected in the Hawaii amakihi in 2007.

An island-wide survey of key native forest bird habitats revealed the infestation is limited to the Hawaii amakihi.

The Hawaii amakihi is a honeycreeper with green and yellow feathers.