The 'I'iwi or Scarlet Hawaiian Honeycreeper (Vestiaria coccinea) is a Hawaiian finch in the Hawaiian honeycreeper subfamily, Drepanidinae, and the only member of the genus Vestiaria. One of the most plentiful species of this family, many of which are endangered or extinct, the 'i'iwi is a highly recognizable symbol of Hawai'i. The 'i'iwi is the third most common native land bird in the Hawaiian Islands. There are large colonies of 'i'iwi on the islands of Hawai'i and Kaua'i, and smaller colonies on Moloka'i and O'ahu; 'i'iwi were extirpated from L?na'i in 1929. Altogether, the remaining populations add up to a total of 350,000 birds.
The adult 'i'iwi is mostly fiery red, with black wings and tail and a long, curved, salmon-colored bill used primarily for drinking nectar. The contrast of the red and black plumage with surrounding green foliage makes the 'i'iwi one of the most easily seen Hawaiian birds. Younger birds have a more spotted golden plumage and ivory bills and were mistaken for a different species by early naturalists on Hawai'i. The 'i'iwi, even though it was used in the feather trade, was less affected than the Hawai'i mamo because the former was not as sacred to the Hawaiians. The 'i'iwi's feathers were highly prized by Hawaiian ali'i (nobility) for use in decorating 'ahu'ula (capes) and mahiole (helmets), and such uses gave the species its scientific name: vestiaria, which comes from the Latin for clothing, and coccinea means scarlet-colored. The bird is also often mentioned in Hawaiian folklore. The Hawaiian song "Sweet Lei Mamo" includes the line "The i'iwi bird, too, is a friend". The bird is capable of hovering in the air, much like hummingbirds. Its peculiar song consists of a couple of whistles, the sound of balls dropping in water, the rubbing of balloons together, and the squeaking of a rusty hinge.
