Laysan millerbird  (Acrocephalus familiaris familiaris)

The Laysan millerbird is a subspecies of the millerbird, and is classified as Extinct (EX) on the IUCN Red List 2004 (1).

A small and unremarkable warbler, the Laysan millerbird is so-named as it ate large numbers of moths, known as ‘millers’ on Laysan Island. It had a thin bill and was brown above, being darkest on the crown, and white below. It had a simple song of rapid, sharp notes (2).

The Laysan millerbird was endemic to Laysan Island in the Hawaiian archipelago, but went extinct between 1915 and 1923 (2).

As a land bird, the Laysan millerbird preferred dense cover on the ground, particularly amongst shrubs (2).

A monogamous species, Laysan millerbirds remained in the same pairs from year-to-year. They were territorial and nested in dense shrubs, laying two eggs between May and June. The male and female took turns to incubate the eggs over a period of 17 days. The Laysan millerbird ate insects and larvae, particularly moths (2).

The extinction of the Laysan millerbird between 1915 and 1923 was brought about by the introduction of rabbits to Laysan Island by guano diggers. The rabbits devastated the vegetation of the island, reducing the availability of insect prey (2).

This bird is now considered to be extinct.

View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.