SITE-TENACITY OF THE ENDANGERED PALILA

Strong Site tenacity might prevent Palila (Loxioides bailleui), an end angered Hawaiian honeycreeper, from repopulating favorable habitats in their former range. We used radio telemetry during the nonbreeding an d breeding seasons to study movements and dispersal rates of 57 Palila . All Palila remained in the study area, and home range sizes and move ment distances were small relative to the potential mobility of the sp ecies. Banding and nesting studies revealed that Palila show strong si te tenacity. An inverse correlation between movements and elevation wa s related to an elevational gradient in food supply. Translocations of Palila into presently unoccupied areas in their range might speed the recovery of this endangered species.