Black - crowned Night - Heron. 'Auku'u. Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli.

The Black - crowned Night - Heron, or 'Auku'u is an indigenous waterbird of Hawaii. Unlike it's continental relatives, the Hawaii 'Auku'u is diurnal, that is, it comes out during the day. The 'Auku'u is often seen foraging, or waiting patiently to ambush prey in shallow wetlands.

The image of the 'Auku'u, seen above, was captured by Heather Pickard, during a recent outing with me on my Hilo Birdwatching Adventure.

'Ua'u Kani (Puffinus pacificus) Wedge Tailed Shearwater

On a recent trip to the Island of O'ahu, we made a visit to Kaena Point to do some birding. It was a gorgeous day, and we were fortunate enough to see a variety of native Hawaiian birds, including this Wedge Tailed Shearwater resting near its nest. The Wedge Tailed Shearwater nests on the ground in compact, little burrows, dug into the sand. Be careful if you visit the area; some of the nests are on the trail, and you could step on them, if you are not careful!

Kaena Point, the westernmost point on the Island of O'ahu, was designated a Natural Area Reserve in 1983 to protect  valuable and fragile natural and cultural resources. Photo: Warren Costa

Nene: Hawaii's endangered state bird.

The Nene or Hawaiian Goose, (Branta sandvicensis), is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. At the time of Captain James Cook's arrival in 1778, it was estimated that there were about 2,500 birds in Hawaii. By the mid 1940's, the Nene population on the island of Hawaii was drastically reduced to only 50 individual birds. This reduction in the population was largely due to over hunting, the introduction of predators, such as the mongoose, cats, and dogs, loss of habitat due to agricultural activities, and disturbance by foraging animals, such as the feral pig, sheep, cattle, and goats.

Today, the Nene is a federally listed endangered species, with about 400 individuals on the island of Hawaii, 125 birds on the island of Maui, and a small population on the island of Kauai. Photo: Warren Costa