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.
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This morning brought me to the North Shore, and a fabulous walk to Ka'ena Point from the Mokule‘ia side. The westernmost tip of Oahu, Ka'ena Point has been known as the leaping off place for souls ready to be reunited with their loved ones. It's also a great place to get reunited with Hawaii's native plants, in one of the few protected coastal dune ecosystems we have. Today's post features a few of these plants that are living happily together in this sacred area, and as a side note, all of them are also growing on Kaho'olawe! 'Ohai, Sesbania tomentosa: Happy day to see this endangered, endemic plant thriving here. In this environment, its form is a sprawling shrub. One look at 'ohai and you can see it is in the pea family. The leaves are light grey-green that add such a beautiful color and texture contrast to the shinier and brighter green of the naupaka it was snuggled up against. The pop of red-orange of the flowers is icing on the cake. Pohuehue, Seaside Morning Glory, Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis: The ultimate Hawaiian sunbather, this indigenous plant thrives in full sun on hot and sandy dunes. Its vining nature actually helps to control erosion, and its beautiful bell-shaped flower lasts but one day. The species name, pes-caprae, translates to goat foot, referencing the shape of the leaves. `Ilima papa, Sida falax: As with its fellow plants at Ka'ena Point, ilima papa is sun, drought, and wind tolerant. The light green leaves are thick and downy to preserve water, and they are as soft as can be! The beautiful yellow to orange flowers are delicate, and most striking when strung into a lei. In the 1920's, ilima was made the official flower of Oahu. Naupaka kahakai, Scaevola sericea: A real winner in the xeric plant category, this naupaka is hardy to the max, with thick and shiny leaves that help it to survive with little water. They have tiny whitish "half-flowers" that are followed by white, marble-like fruits. This indigenous species is the only one of the native naupakas to bear the white fruit; others have a purple fruit. Naio, Myoporum sandwicense: Along the beach, the endemic naio takes on a shrubby form, and is easily identified by its lance-like and fleshy leaves. The whitish to pinkish flowers are nestled close to the branches, bloom throughout the year, and may have a fragrance similar to that of sandalwood. In fact, this plant is also known as false sandalwood, as it was attempted to be passed off for the real thing when supplies of sandalwood dwindled. Cabbage on a stick, cabbage on a baseball bat: those are terms of endearment for the lovely and unusual endemic plants of the genus Brighamia. Though they may be found in tropical gardens and in nurseries, they are critically endangered in the wild here in Hawaii. There are two species: Brighamia insignis, called ‘ōlulu or ālula, with yellow flowers and coming from Kaua'i and Ni'ihau; and Brighamia rockii, pua ‘ala, with white flowers and hailing from Moloka'i. With the thick stem and sturdy leaves you'd be right in thinking they're succulents, and if you're growing them in your garden, they're not difficult as long as their feet aren't wet (and watch out for the slugs and snails, too!) They are usually three to ten foot high, rarely branching in cultivation, but can get as tall as sixteen feet. Found naturally on steep cliffs and rocky outcroppings, their design allowed them to hang on during the blustery trade winds, but even these guys couldn't withstand the intense winds of hurricanes 'Iwa and 'Iniki, when many of the plants in Kaua'i were lost. Other issues including feral goats and the suspected loss of its natural pollinator have been devastating for Brighamia insignis. The National Tropical Botanical Garden reports that there is only one plant believed to exist in the wild in Kaua'i, and none have been reported from Ni'ihau since 1947. Many plants are being cultivated at Limahuli and McBryde Gardens, and may be outplanted in the future. I appreciate how they have really stepped up to the plate for this great plant.
Even arachnophobes have to appreciate this endemic, non-venomous, eight-legged and tiny wonder: the Happy-face spider, Theridion grallator, or as it is known in Hawaii, nananana makakiʻi. It makes its home on four of the MHI: Oʻahu, Maui, Molokaʻi and the Big Island, and nowhere else in the world. The smiling face sits atop a translucent yellow body, though some lack markings altogether. Interestingly, the patterns on their backs vary from spider to spider, and from island to island. Hanging out on the undersides of leaves, they are protected when it rains and are camouflaged when it's sunny, as light streams through the leaves from above, casting a yellow-green hue. If you are interested in looking for them, you can inspect both native and non-native plants that have dome-shaped leaves that are not hairy, and unlikely to wave about in winds and rain. These spiders hunt at night, when their bird predators sleep. Using the vibrations of the leaf to locate insects, they sneak up upon them and ensnare them. Rare among spiders, they exhibit the social behavior of tending to their young, bringing tenderized catches to them for up to a month. They stay just one short year on this earth, reminding us: don't worry, be happy.
Today's post celebrates the wiliwili, Erythrina sandwicensis, or Hawaiian coral tree, an endemic tree so rich in history and with so many interesting twists (yes, wili means twist), I was inspired to share what I have learned about it. First, it's the only member of its genus to be native here. It is also one of the few native trees that is deciduous, losing its leaves when in bloom, often in the late spring and summer, though reports on this vary. Yet another unusual feature is it's spiky trunk, which become less pronounced as the tree matures. You'll find it on the leeward slopes, from sea level to about 2000 feet, as it prefers dry habitat. Leaflets are wider then they are long, and come in groups of three. The seed pods usually hold one to three stunning orange to red seeds (color variation is possible) which are used in lei making. Wiliwili means to twist and twist, referring to the way the pod winds opens to expose the seeds. Flowers are clustered, curved and come in a variety of colors including greenish-white, yellowish, salmon, and orange, and are pollinated by birds. The tree itself averages about thirty feet in height. Because the wood of the wiliwili has a low density, it was used to make everything from fishing net floats, to surfboards, to outrigger booms. And it's a tough old tree: drought tolerant, wind tolerant, and one of the few natives to survive on Kaho'olawe. Its nitrogen-fixing abilities also make it easier for other plants to get started on lava flows and eroded areas. Ah, but it has its challenges. Enter the beasts: the Erythrina gall wasps. They were first detected in July of 2005, and quickly spread throughout the islands, wrecking havoc on the wiliwili and other tropical coral bean trees. Curled up leaves and bulbous stems and petioles signaled the presence of the wasp, as the eggs of the wasp laid within the plant's tissues began to swell with their growing larvae. Some feared 100% mortality of the native wiliwili, as foliage loss and an inability to transpire meant the quick deterioration of the trees. Seeds were collected and banked, while specialists worked to control infestations. By 2008, the Hawaii Department of Agriculture employed the parasitic services of a second wasp brought all the way in from Africa, Eurytoma erythrinae. Let the battle begin. 5000 of these teeny tiny wasps (a few millimeters in length) were released, and quickly laid their eggs. Where? Right inside the gall created by the gall wasp. When their larvae hatched, they dined on the larvae of the gall wasp. I know... not a pretty visual, but war is hell. While the verdict is still out on the fate of these keystone trees of Hawaii's dryland forests, it seems that there is good progress being made. If there is a tree out there that can get up after a punch like that, it's the wiliwili.
There are some birds that just have a bubbly optimism to them, and this is one of them. Inquisitive, active, and a versatile hunter of insects and spiders, the 'Elepaio is a wonderful bird to get acquainted with. Just the way it cocks its tail feathers makes it look as if it is posing a question. Don't be surprised if you see one flit down to the lower branches to check out what you are doing. The 'Elepaio belongs to the Old World Flycather Family, and is considered one of the most adaptable of Hawaii's native birds. They are generally recognized by small size and long tails; brown, black, white and rufus coloring; and white wingbars. It is said to mate for life and are loyal to the territory they choose. The female sings, and this is uncommon for songbirds. 'Elepaio are found on three of the MHI: Kauai, Oahu, and the Big Island, and were considered one species, but have since been split into three subspecies of Chasiempis sandwichensis: C.s.sclateri on Kauai, C.s. ibidis on Oahu, and C.s.sandwishensis on the Big island. It is not clear why they are absent from Maui Nui. The populations on the Big Island and Kauai seem to be faring well, adapting to a range of habitats, but the Oahu 'Elepaio was placed on the Endangered List in 2000, with limited ranges in the Wai'anae and Ko'olau mountains. In early July of this year (2013) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that Hawaii has received a grant to purchase some 635 acres of critical habitat for the Ohau 'Elepaio. The 'Aiea Ridge Trail falls entirely within this area, and is a great place to go and see this endemic treasure, as well as several important plant species.
Images from Hilton Pond Center. http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek060615.html "Sedges have edges; rushes are round; grasses are hollow right up from the ground." I learned a version of this little chant in a botany class, and have found it a useful tool when trying to identify graminoids. While there are always exceptions to the rule, you'll find that in most cases, a simple twirl of the specimen between your fingers will get you into the correct category.
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