About Those Birds

Everybody knows of Hawaii. They know its lush, tropical forests with the exotic flora and fauna, but what people don’t know is that Hawaii has the most imperiled species of all the states. 330 species of plants and animals are in peril in Hawaii. That is a huge number for such a small state out in the middle of the Pacific. It’s also extremely bad because much of the plants and animals of Hawaii are very specialized, once we lose them – they are gone, forever. A recent article published in the San Francisco Chronicle discusses a few of the endangered species in Hawaii and what you can do to help them. Visit the article to see more. I’m going to take it one step further and show many of the endangered endemic bird species of Hawaii.

It’s extremely saddening to see that some beautiful creatures are dying out and that we, as humans, are causing it. Hawaii is losing its flora and fauna due to invasive species and habitat loss. These animals have no where to go when their environment is gone. They live on an island, they can’t go anywhere.

Hawaii’s Most Imperiled Species

- Newell’s Shearwater, Puffinus auricularis newelli

• • Hawaiian Name: ‘A’o
  • IUCN Status: Threatened
  • Why this bird is threatened: Animals, such as the mongoose, cats, and rats, that were introduced to the island ate this bird because it is a ground-nesting seabird. Habitat loss and chick migration confusion due to lights are causing this bird’s populations to degrade even more.

- Hawaiian Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis

• • Hawaiian Name: ‘Alae ‘ula
  • IUCN Status: Endangered
  • Why this bird is threatened: Loss of habitat, invasive species, pollution, hunting and disease are decimating this bird’s populations. This bird’s total population was down to 57 in the 1960s, however through good conservation, the population is up to about 500.

11 of Hawaii’s Critically Endangered Birds

1. Laysan Duck, Anas laysanensis

2. Nihoa Finch, Telespiza ultima

3. ʻŌʻū, Psittirostra psittacea

4. Palila, Loxioides bailleui

5. Maui Parrotbill, Pseudonestor xanthophrys

6. Nukupu’u, Hemignathus lucidus

7. ‘Akikiki, Oreomystis bairdi

Source: Surfbirds.com

8. O’ahu ‘Alauahio, Paroreomyza maculata

9. ‘Akeke’e, Loxops caeruleirostris

10. ‘Akohekohe, Palmeria dolei

11. Po’ouli, Melamprosops phaeosoma

Birds are so beautiful, why are we letting them die?

‘Till next time – enjoy!

The American Coot, Fulica americana, is an interesting bird. It’s not exactly a duck or a goose, but it’s more like a rail. However, it’s very easily identifiable because of its coloring and shape.

Identification Features:

Adult

• Males are slightly larger
  
• Short, whitish bill
• Overall grey coloration
• White on trailing edge while flying
• Head and neck are black
• Frontal shield on bill has brownish spot
• Red eyes
• Legs are a greenish yellow

Juvenile

• Duller and paler overall
  
• More whitish underparts
• Dusky colored bill

Voice:

• Grunting and cackling notes
  
• Emphatic puck, croooah, and punk-unk-punk-uh-punk-unk-uh
• Vocal during the day and the night

Range:

Credit: Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Conservation Status:

• Least Concern by the IUCN
  

Fun Fact:

• Even though its body is similar to that of a duck, the American Coot does not have webbed feet like a duck. It has lobed feet instead.
  

Where I Have Seen It:

• Monterey, CA
  
• North Deer Island, Galveston, TX
• High Island, Bolivar Peninsula, TX

Notice the webbed feet?

Well, there you have the unique American Coot.

‘Till next time – enjoy!

Hummingbirds are astronomically small. If you’ve ever seen one up close, say in somebody’s hand, then you cannot really realize how small they are. Now why am I beginning this post with a random fact about hummingbirds? It’s because I went hummingbird banding at the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory or GCBO which is located in Lake Jackson, TX. I volunteered to work there today because on every Saturday during the month of September they what is called the Xtreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are netted and banded while they are on their way across the Gulf of Mexico to Southern Mexico and Central America. These tiny birds travel thousands of miles to their wintering grounds. If that’s not amazing, then I don’t know what is.

The Catching of the Birds

If you have never seen a bird being banded, then try to. It’s a very interesting experience. Though, to band birds you have to be certified bander, but that doesn’t mean you can’t watch. First off, they have to catch the birds and they do this in two different ways. They set up a hummingbird feeder in bird cage and the door is attached to a string. When a hummingbird flies in the string is pulled and its captured. It is then picked out and put into a mesh bag to be taken to the bander. Another way to catch birds is through a mist net. It’s a bit difficult to describe, but is a net with about five levels and each level has an excess amount of very fine netting. The bird will fly into the net and be caught by the excess netting in the bottom, making a sort of sack. Not many hummingbirds are caught this way, but they did catch two female blue grosbeaks, a chickadee (didn’t get to see which kind), to male cardinals, a female cardinal, about ten or so hummingbirds, and a northern mockingbird. All of these birds were banded.

The Banding of the Birds

After being caught the birds are taken to the bander, where he puts a tiny hummingbird band into special pliers, takes the hummingbird out of the bag, and puts it on. The pliers have ring in them where is small enough to squeeze the band around the bird’s leg, but big enough to not squash the bird’s leg. That would not be good and rather defeat the purpose of banding. The bander then takes a straw and blows on the belly of the hummingbird to see its fat content. The fat content is rated and recorded. The bird is then put into a small tube to be weighed. It weighs about 3 g, which is tiny. The bander then removes the bird and feeds it from some sugar water. The tongue of a hummingbird is so small. They caught a few new hummingbirds, meaning they were born this passed spring or summer, a few males and a female.

The same procedure is used on all the other birds caught today.

Not too many hummingbirds were caught today, which is a bit unfortunate. They caught 45 hummingbirds this passed Tuesday. That would have been amazing to see. Today was awesome because everybody I met wants the same thing I do – to conserve birds. They love birds and don’t want them to go extinct – they actually care. The one bad thing about today was the mosquitoes. They were horrific. So bad that it didn’t matter how much bug spray you put on – they still bit you – even through jeans. They’re monsters. One tip – don’t go into the woods where there is standing water right after a rain. You will be swarmed in a cloud of vicious blood-sucking beasts. But after you get passed that, bird banding is really fun, well to watch anyway. If you can watch it somewhere around you, then by all means go and volunteer or go and watch. You will not be disappointed.

Here are some pictures from today:

‘Till next time – enjoy!