Best pace to see a 'lo in east Hawaii (Honolulu: 2014, rental)
Big IslandThe Island of Hawaii
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Where are good places to see a 'lo (hawk) on the east side of the island. My wife saw one at Kalopa last year and wants to see another. We will be in HPP in April.
They're forest birds. I've seen them at Volcanoes National Park, in Olala Forest, and occasionally at my place in Volcano, which is between the two and surrounded on 4 sides by forest. The great thing about watching for them is that while you're waiting to see one, you'll likely see a number of other wonderful birds you can't find anywhere else on the planet.
There are a couple of pairs that live in Lava Tree State Park.
There are also a lot of them that live around the entire Puna/Pahoa area.
It is not rare to see them at all in the area.
They have a unique screeching cry, almost haunting.
South Kona/Honaunau area has 4 - 6 pairs currently. The breeze coming up from the ocean aids their flight. That's why we have the para sailers over Kealakekua bay. One guy told me that he flew along an i'o just twenty ft apart for quite some time.
On the east side I would look mauka side, north from Hilo anywhere where you see open fields. I have seen them around Honoka'a and from the old highway towards Waimea.
They are all along the Hamakua coast. I don't think they are still on the endangered list, are they? If all else fails, there's one at the Panewa Rainforest Zoo just outside of Hilo. Plus it's a nice little zoo.
I don't think they are still on the endangered list, are they?
They are. After decades of conservation efforts, their population seems to have stabilized at about 3,000 birds, and it has been proposed in 2009 that they be removed from the Endangered list, and that action was put out for public comment, but it doesn't appear that delisting has happened yet. Last spring when those hawks were found shot over in Kailua-Kona the news reports called them endangered and referred to the laws against shooting them. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists them slightly lower, as Near Threatened.
Cultural Significance
In traditional Hawaiian culture, the ‘io is believed to be an “‘aumakua” – a family or personal god in the shape of an animal. Mortals did not harm or eat ‘aumakua, and in return, the ‘aumakua would warn and reprimand mortals in their dreams, visions and calls. Also, ‘io are considered a symbol of Hawaiian royalty because of their lofty flight.
Related to this principle, I had a remarkable experience with a Hawaiian Hawk maybe thee years ago that is still vivid in my memory. I was out weeding, chopping away at invasive plants with a machete, when I was startled by an 'Io landing on a branch about 6-8' away, at eye level, and looking at me. I knew nothing at all about them at that point. I was initially terrified it might harm me, and I couldn't move a muscle, but it just sat there, eyeing me, and I calmed down a little and the fear began to transformed into wonder. After several minutes, it looked away, spread its wings, and took to flight again.
A short time later I met a Native Hawaiian elder, and I told her the story about this remarkable encounter, and an earlier one I had with a Pueo, or Hawaiian owl, which I'd watched fly out of some thick forest about 150 feet away, and fly directly toward me, silently passing overhead and into the trees behind me. She beamed as she told me I was being greeted by the nā ʻaumākua and welcomed to the land. I had been blessed, she said, and she added her own blessing as well.
I already had a deep reverence for the forest, but now my relationship was further deepened, to a degree I can hardly explain. Watching the birds now, the honey creepers and the finches and the goofy Kalij pheasant and Ne Ne geese is almost like watching my own children play. I never tire of it.
There is a 1,000 acre mac nut farm off the Stainback Highway that attracts a lot of rodents and the rodents attract a lot of hawks. I saw 8 circling the area a few days ago. I'm told there are a lot of owls in the area as well, though I have not seen one there.
Thanks for the info. Hopefully we'll see a few. My wife says she still wants to go back to Kalopa as the bird she saw was a fledgling and wants to see if he is doing OK...
I guess this is a good thing in that if she gets attached to all the birds she sees we will spend more and more time on the island. At least she has not insisted on visiting the baby common waxbill she rescued from the vacation rental pool last year.
"The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is asking for the public's input on a proposal to remove the Hawaiian hawk or io from the endangered species list."
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