2Extinct Birds of Hawaii captures the vanishing world of unique bird species that have slipped away in the Islands mostly due to human frivolity and unconcern. Richly illustrated, including drawings by Julian P. Hume, many painted specifically for this volume, it enables us to enjoy vicariously, avian life unique to Hawaii that is no longer, Extinct Birds of Hawaii also sends a powerful message. Hawaii is well-known both for its unique scenic beauty and its fascinating native flora, fauna, bird and marine life. But it is also called the extinction capital of the world. The Islands' seventy-seven bird species and sub-species extinctions account for approximately fifteen percent of global bird extinctions during the last seven-hundred years. On some islands over 80 percent of the original land bird species are now extinct.