HONILIMA

‘Auku’u or Black-Crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nyctocorax hoacth 24-26 inches with a 43-45 inch wingspan, black cap and bill, pale gray below, legs and feet yellow. Immature birds are brown with white on their underside.

Feeds in ponds, streams, marshes, lagoon, and tide pools. They feeds on a variety of freshwater and marine animals, including fish, mollusks, crustaceans, insects, rodents, birds, and eggs. Their flight is slow with their necks tucked in and their legs trailing behind.

Po’ouli, Melamprosops phaeosoma This bird is found primarily in the upper forest of Haleakala. It is an endangered species. About five inches, dark gray with brown above, it has a black mask extends across the forehead and around the eyes, its underparts are buff washed with brown. Short tail and the feet and legs are dark brown. They feed on small snails insects.

Red-Billed Leiothrix

Red-Billed Leiothrix, Leiothrix Iuten are found in the wet forests at higher altitudes and in the dry forest regions of the Saddle Region of the Big Island. Flocks of Leiothrix’s have been known to fly up to elevations of 13,500 feet for a short period of time. They favor areas with at least 40 inches of rain.

They have become more rare in the lower altitudes and have a beautiful melodious sound and a hard scolding chatter and low call note. They are about five inches with yellow throat, yellow to orange breast, olive green on the upper, under the tail are yellowish green. The bill is orange-red with legs and feet are greenish red.

They are hard to find. They eat fruit seeds, strawberry guava, thimble berry, and sometimes overripe papaya. Their diet also includes: larval and adult butterflies, moths, millipedes, and spiders. and flowers. They nest close to the ground in bushes and small trees.

‘Alae ‘Ula

‘Alae ‘Ula or Hawaiian Gallinule, Gallunula chorloropus sandvicensis is mostly found of Kauai and Oahu but congressionally on the Big Island. They are less common than other water birds or their shy behavior makes it hard to estimate their population. They are slate gray with darker heads and a red frontal shield with a yellow tip. Thirteen inches with legs and feet that are yellowish-green. The chicks are black with the bright red bills. They are found in fresh water ponds, marshes, and taro patches and feeds on mollusks, water plants, and grasses. They have large unwebbed feet and often build their nests on folded reeds.

Ancient Hawaiians believe this species brought fire from the gods to the Hawaiian people.

Kolea also known as Plauvialis dominica is about eleven inches and has gold spotting and is brown with darker brown below. It is sometimes mistaken for the more rare Black-bellied Plover that lacks the golden color on its back. It is very hard to tell the males from the female Kolea.

They are found primarily in mudflats, fields and grassy slopes. They scurrry along in search of snails, insects, and crustaceans.

Hawaiian Goose or Nene Goose,  Banto sandcivensis

These birds are found primarily on the islands of Hawaii and Maui. They have a call that is similar to that of a Canada Goose and sometimes can be mistaken as that of the voice of a cow “moo.”

They begin nesting in November laying 2-5 eggs on average in down nests that are concealed for safety. They often roost on the slopes of Mauna Kea. They snack primarily on native plants.