Endangered Hawaiian bird uses beak, body to dig out its dinner

New research offers a detailed look at the unique anatomy of the endangered Hawaiian honeycreeper, the ‘akiapola‘au. Scientists discovered that the bird uses a specialized technique involving its beak and legs to extract insect larvae from tree wood. By examining skeletons, researchers gained insights into how this species evolved to fill a niche similar to woodpeckers, despite not being closely related to them.