They are quiet while hunting, but can emit a sharp call in flight, or when defending their nests, which are often shallow depressions dug in the ground. Three or four eggs are typically laid, and both male and female will share in the incubating and brooding of their young. Ae'o are known to be fierce defenders of their nests, and will dive bomb intruders, or feign a broken wing to divert the intruder's attention from the nest (I haven't seen the Ae'o do this, but I have seen killdeer put on the broken wing act, and it is pretty convincing). Young stay with their parents for several months. Places to see Ae'o here on Oahu include Hamakua Marsh and at Kahuku Point on the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge.
The endangered Hawaiian stilt, or Ae'o (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni) is a beautiful sight to behold in Hawaii's wetlands and marshes with it's dark upper body offset by white underneath and up through the neck and near the bill. It has red eyes, with a variable white dot above. The legs are pink, and, um yeah, they're pretty long. It shares it genus Himantopus with four other species that look quite similar. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, birds of this genus "have the second-longest legs in proportion to their bodies of any bird, exceeded only by flamingos." Ae'o are well adapted to their environs: the long legs help them to gracefully and slowly navigate the shifting surface of the wetlands, and the legs can bend backward to bring the body nearer to the ground. The slender bill is suitable for probing the muddy waters for aquatic invertebrates, or for having a go at small fish. A long and flexible neck helps with the hunting techniques as well.
They are quiet while hunting, but can emit a sharp call in flight, or when defending their nests, which are often shallow depressions dug in the ground. Three or four eggs are typically laid, and both male and female will share in the incubating and brooding of their young. Ae'o are known to be fierce defenders of their nests, and will dive bomb intruders, or feign a broken wing to divert the intruder's attention from the nest (I haven't seen the Ae'o do this, but I have seen killdeer put on the broken wing act, and it is pretty convincing). Young stay with their parents for several months. Places to see Ae'o here on Oahu include Hamakua Marsh and at Kahuku Point on the James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge.
1 Comment
Ray Severn
1/3/2019 01:01:43 pm
Thank you for your website and pictures...awesome
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