Illustration of honeycreeper
- honeycreeper 2
honeycreeper
noun
hon·ey·creep·er
ˈhə-nē-ˌkrē-pər 
1
: any of numerous small bright-colored oscine birds (especially genus Cyanerpes of the family Thraupidae) of tropical America
2
: any of a family (Drepanididae) of often colorful oscine birds found only in Hawaii
Examples of honeycreeper in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Originally, the Aedes aegypti mosquito was restricted to Hawai’i’s lower elevations, which allowed some of Hawai’i’s honeycreepers to live at higher elevations and thus survive.
—
Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
The disease, which can be fatal, utterly devastated the state’s forest birds, and especially a group of species in the finch family known as honeycreepers.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Colorful songbirds known as honeycreepers were once abundant in Hawaii, filling the air with their chipper songs and vibrant plumage.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 June 2025
Several of the remaining honeycreeper species are highly endangered, including the ‘ākohekohe, or crested honeycreeper; the kiwikiu, or Maui parrotbill; and the ʻakekeʻe, or Kauai ‘ākepa.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 June 2025
Fighting mosquitoes with mosquitoes For more than a year now, a group of environmental organizations have been dropping biodegradable containers of mosquitoes into honeycreeper habitats on Maui and Kauai from helicopters.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
This is a multi-agency partnership, spearheaded by the American Bird Conservancy, that is working to protect native Hawaiian honeycreepers from extinction caused by avian diseases, particularly avian malaria, transmitted by invasive mosquitoes.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Unlike some other honeycreepers, the ʻĀkohekohe does not breed easily in captivity.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Rising temperatures from climate change have allowed disease-carrying mosquitoes to invade these higher elevations, putting honeycreepers at grave risk.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024
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Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
The disease, which can be fatal, utterly devastated the state’s forest birds, and especially a group of species in the finch family known as honeycreepers.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Colorful songbirds known as honeycreepers were once abundant in Hawaii, filling the air with their chipper songs and vibrant plumage.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 June 2025
Several of the remaining honeycreeper species are highly endangered, including the ‘ākohekohe, or crested honeycreeper; the kiwikiu, or Maui parrotbill; and the ʻakekeʻe, or Kauai ‘ākepa.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 June 2025
Fighting mosquitoes with mosquitoes For more than a year now, a group of environmental organizations have been dropping biodegradable containers of mosquitoes into honeycreeper habitats on Maui and Kauai from helicopters.
—Benji Jones, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
This is a multi-agency partnership, spearheaded by the American Bird Conservancy, that is working to protect native Hawaiian honeycreepers from extinction caused by avian diseases, particularly avian malaria, transmitted by invasive mosquitoes.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Unlike some other honeycreepers, the ʻĀkohekohe does not breed easily in captivity.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 17 Apr. 2025
Rising temperatures from climate change have allowed disease-carrying mosquitoes to invade these higher elevations, putting honeycreepers at grave risk.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Honeycreeper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/honeycreeper. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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