They cleared some of the land for farming and introduced species for which the native birds had no defence.

According to fossil records, their numbers declined rapidly in the early 12th century[citation needed].

It has been speculated that this species' visits to lower elevations was its undoing due to contact with avian diseases and pests[citation needed].

Today, only about sixty percent of Hawaii has not been drastically altered[citation needed].

Many avian diseases and parasites also pose a major threat to Hawai'i's native forest birds.