Native Species of the Week: Black-crowned Night Heron; 'Auku'u

English Name: Black-Crowned Night Heron 
Hawaiian Name: 'Auku'u 
Scientific Name: Nycticorax nycticorax 

The Black-crowned Night Heron is native and indigenous to Hawai'i, meaning that it is also found elsewhere in the world.

'Auku'u on the Ala wai canal
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr

  
 This bird is easily recognized it by it's size (at a length of 22-26 inches, it's fairly big) as well as by it's posture and location. They are often seen hunched down on the edge of a water source looking for prey.

'Auku'u looking for prey in the Ala wai canal.
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr

Those who live near town in Honolulu can see them often along the Ala wai canal near Ala Moana beach park. These herons leave feeding areas near dusk to fly back to nest colonies high in trees. Sometimes, several nests can occupy a single tree.

 

'Auku'u in the Ala wai at dusk.
Photo: C. Tucker

Visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's "All About Birds" page to hear a recording of the harsh squawk made by the Black-Crowned Night Heron. While you're there, check out the profiles for other Hawaiian birds!

Native Species of the Week: Hawaiian monk seal

What's that in the tidepool? A fish? A shark?

It's an endangered Hawaiian monk seal!

These monk seals were spotted at Kaena Point Natural Area Reserve on the island of Oahu. Hawaiian monk seals are native to Hawaii, and they are endemic, meaning they are found no place else in the world. This is their only home.

Monk seals love to relax and recharge in the tidepools, and can often be seen here, at the Western-most point of Oahu.

Monk seals used to live throughout the Hawaiian archipelago, and along with the Hawaiian Bat, is one of only two native mammals that live in the islands.

The Hawaiian name for monk seal is 'īlio-holo-i-ka-uaua, and translates into English roughly as "dog running in the toughness," which probably refers both to it's doglike face and it's awkward way of moving on land.

To learn more about monk seals, visit the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center page.

Other animals you may see at Kaena include Laysan Albatross and Humpback whales, depending on the season.

If you visit Kaena Point, make sure to respect all posted signs within the Natural Area Reserve, and be prepared! (See below for guidelines)

Keep an eye out for the monk seals, but make sure to observe them from a distance. Bring your binoculars and zoom-lens camera, and you'll be able to watch these endangered animals play and lounge in the shallows.

Some guidelines for visiting this amazing place:

- Be prepared! Bring lots of water. It is usually hot and sunny in this area.

- Wear comfortable clothes, hiking or walking shoes, sunscreen and a hat.

- The hike is 2.5 miles long, and can take up to 3 hours, depending on your pace.

- Be aware of the big waves and strong currents along the coast, and stay away from the water unless you are familiar with these hazardous conditions.

Kaena Point is a favorite spot on Oahu for Endangered Hawaiian monk seals, you can help their home be a pleasant place for them and for visitors:
- Leave your pets at home; dogs can disturb or even kill ground-nesting birds.

- Stay on the trails and avoid disturbing the birds.
- Prevent fires and carry out all your rubbish.
- Lend a hand and pick up litter on the ground.
- Leave all living things as you found them.

For more info about Kaena Point, visit The Kaena Point NAR info page.

Click here to watch "Restoring A Sanctuary," a movie about restoration at Kaena Point.

Click here to learn more about the Kaena Point Ecosystem Restoration Project. 

All photos: B. Gagne

The 2009 Hawaii Conservation Conference has gone digital!

Even if you attended the 17th annual Hawaii Conservation Conference, you're sure to have missed some of the sessions, speakers and presentations that occurred during the week of July 27-30, 2009.

Now is your chance to experience those talks and presentations ONLINE!

A big Mahalo to Ron Cannerella; Aaron Lowe and their volunteer production team who worked their technical magic to capture over 84 sessions and speakers during the conference.

Visit the blip.tv site to watch all of these digitized presentations.They are also available as podcasts in the itunes store.

Also, be sure to visit the Hawaii Conservation Alliance where you can watch the talks courtesy of the organization that coordinates the conference every year!


If you're not convinced yet, keep in mind that there are two talks by Dr. Stephen Schneider, "the distinguished climate change scientist and winner (along with four generations of fellow authors on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. (Co-winner former Vice President Al Gore got most of the publicity.)" -from Hawaii Energy Options blog

You don't want to miss this!

Native Species of the Week - 'Ohai

This beautiful flower belongs to Sesbania tomentosa, or 'Ohai, is a native coastal plant from southwestern Oahu.

Photo: DOFAW

This species appears in several color varieties from yellow to red, and is considered to be a rare plant species in Hawaii.

Photo: DOFAW

You can see 'Ohai along the trail at Kaena Point on Oahu.

Photo: DOFAW

If you visit Kaena Point, make sure you follow the posted instructions and warnings. Staying on the trail helps protect the habitat for these and other rare and special plants!

To learn more about this special plant, visit the Hawaii Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy webpage.


Also, check out the Hawaii Ecosystems At Risk (HEAR) page about Sesbania tomentosa.

Waianae "Sunset on the Beach" event

On Saturday August 8th 2009, DOFAW outreach staff teamed up with the Honolulu Fire Department for the Waianae Sunset on the Beach event. 

Keiki learning about fire safety. 

Kids and adults answered questions about fire safety to earn prizes like temporary tattoo's, frisbees, pencils, stickers and other fun goodies!


The fire department brought a big yellow fire truck and had a fun "fire fighting activity" for kids.

A big Mahalo to the Honolulu Fire Department for teaming up with DOFAW to share fire safety information with the community.

Native Species of the Week - ‘Ōpe‘ape‘a; Hawaiian Hoary Bat

Hawaiian name: ‘Ōpe‘ape‘a

English name: Hawaiian Hoary Bat

Scientific name: Lasiurus cinereus semotus

Photo: DOFAW

The Hawaiian Hoary Bat is Hawaii's only native terrestrial mammal. It is one of only two native mammals in the entire island chain (the Hawaiian monk seal is the other).

It is an endangered species, and is endemic at the subspecies level, meaning the bat that lives here lives nowhere else in the world.

The bat is brown and gray, and has a wingspan of about 1/3 of a meter, or about 1 foot. This bat has a lot in common with other bat species, but since very little is known about this particular mammal, much more research needs to be done.For example, not very much is known about the habitat requirements or population status of the Hawaiian Hoary Bat. 

" ‘Ōpe‘ape‘a feed on a variety of native and non-native night-flying insects, including moths, beetles, crickets, mosquitoes, and termites; and similar to other insectivorous bats, prey is located using echolocation." -From the Hawaii Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy webpage.

To find out more about the ‘Ōpe‘ape‘a; the Hawaiian Hoary Bat, visit the fact sheet on the Hawaii Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy webpage.