Native plants and animals in Hawaii have been displaced by an array of non-natives, often invasive and damaging species. In the neighborhood where we stayed, every plant and animal that we saw was non-native. Feral cats and mongooses were every where and in some cases people were feeding them as well as birds. That the birds are also non-native seemed fitting.
Our group of eight sought out as much native wildlife as possible. With more time to hike into the backcountry and reach more native rainforest, we would have done so. Even so, we saw some cool things.
The highlight were the sea turtles. These beautiful creatures are well-protected with signs not to disturb, and most people seem to oblige. We saw the most common - green sea turtle -- in many places. Some were basking on beaches, but mostly we saw them feeding on algae in shallow tidal areas.
Nephew Sid recognized the turtle (in above two photos) was not the green sea turtle. This turtle had a dome shell. We didn't get a great look, but think it was an olive ridley turtle.
The Hawaiian goose, or nene, is the state bird. Once numbering 20,000 or more it was decimated by overhunting and the introduction of the mongoose. A captive breeding population begun in the 1950s has brought the wild population up to about 1,000. You can see nene in many state and national parks, often the birds have leg bands.
The sea life was extraordinary, mostly seen underwater while snorkeling, but we waded in at low tide to see crabs, snails, urchins, and other aquatic life that lives in the intertidal zone.
We looked for endemic birds during trail hikes. We saw and heard apapanes and amakihis, but the other honeycreepers eluded us. This interpretive sign at Volcanoes National Park provides a nice summary of the evolution of the honeycreepers/finches.
Our best birding sites included:
Although not-native, I do love the geckos.
Our group of eight sought out as much native wildlife as possible. With more time to hike into the backcountry and reach more native rainforest, we would have done so. Even so, we saw some cool things.
The highlight were the sea turtles. These beautiful creatures are well-protected with signs not to disturb, and most people seem to oblige. We saw the most common - green sea turtle -- in many places. Some were basking on beaches, but mostly we saw them feeding on algae in shallow tidal areas.
A path in the sand made by a sea turtle.
Nephew Sid recognized the turtle (in above two photos) was not the green sea turtle. This turtle had a dome shell. We didn't get a great look, but think it was an olive ridley turtle.
The Hawaiian goose, or nene, is the state bird. Once numbering 20,000 or more it was decimated by overhunting and the introduction of the mongoose. A captive breeding population begun in the 1950s has brought the wild population up to about 1,000. You can see nene in many state and national parks, often the birds have leg bands.
The sea life was extraordinary, mostly seen underwater while snorkeling, but we waded in at low tide to see crabs, snails, urchins, and other aquatic life that lives in the intertidal zone.
We looked for endemic birds during trail hikes. We saw and heard apapanes and amakihis, but the other honeycreepers eluded us. This interpretive sign at Volcanoes National Park provides a nice summary of the evolution of the honeycreepers/finches.
- Kahuku Unit - Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: honeycreepers, hawaiian hawk
- Kipukapuaulu Trail, near main entrance to Volcanoes National Park
- Chain of Craters Road -- at end look for black noddys on cliff faces
- South Point -- skylark and white-tailed tropicbird
- Kaloko-Honokohau Nat'l Historic Park - black-necked stilt, Hawaiian coot, and other waterbirds
- Coastal areas - wandering tattler, ruddy turnstones
Click here for a link to Hawai'i Birding hotspots.
Although not-native, I do love the geckos.
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