The Kauai ʻakialoa was believed to have lived in forests above 1,148 feet (350 m) above sea level, but was frequently observed flying to the lower elevations of the island.

This once very rare and unique bird used its long curved bill to reach the nectar of lobelias and ʻohiʻa blossoms.

The typical habitats for the Kauai ʻakialoa were either tropical lowlands or moist montane forests of the Hawaiian Islands.

An invasive species of mosquito, the possible disease vector which led to demise of the ʻakialoa, was first introduced via whaling ships in 1826.

[4] The insects tended to prefer low elevation, moist environments, and seasonally warm temperatures, which is the conditions in which ʻakialoa birds were found.

These changes began when the first Polynesians settled on the island and logged and cleared some of the arable land for crops.

Dramatic forest fires on the islands in the past caused further habitat destruction for the Kauai ʻakialoa.