Produced by Stephen Hutcheson and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
[Illustration: PUBLISHED IN COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL PARK
SERVICE]
HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK
[Illustration: HAWAII NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION]
copyright 1961
cover by Ronald L. Walker
(see center plate for identification)
BIRDS
_of the_
NATIONAL PARKS
_in_
HAWAII
by
William W. Dunmire
_Park Naturalist, Hawaii National Park_
Illustrated by Ronald L. Walker
_District Biologist, State Division of Fish & Game_
HAWAII NATURAL HISTORY ASSOCIATION
1961
[Illustration: _Trail Through Kipuka Puaulu (Bird Park)_]
_Table of Contents_
Page
Introduction 2
How the Birds Came 3
The Decline of Native Birds 4
Where to See the Birds 5
The National Parks 8
About This Booklet 8
The Birds
Petrels: Family Procellariidae 11
Tropic-birds: Family Phaëthontidae 11
Geese: Family Anatidae 13
Hawks: Family Accipitridae 15
Quails, Partridges, Pheasants: Family Phasianidae 15
Plovers, Turnstones: Family Charadriidae 19
Sandpipers: Family Scolopacidae 20
Terns: Family Laridae 20
Doves: Family Columbidae 21
Owls: Family Strigidae 22
Larks: Family Alaudidae 22
Babbling Thrushes: Family Timeliidae 23
Mockingbirds: Family Mimidae 24
Thrushes: Family Turdidae 25
Old World Flycatchers: Family Sylviidae 26
Starlings: Family Sturnidae 27
White-eyes: Family Zosteropidae 27
Hawaiian Honeycreepers: Family Drepaniidae 28
Weaver Finches: Family Ploceidae 32
Finches, etc.: Family Fringillidae 33
Other Birds 34
Index 35
INTRODUCTION
When the Hawaiian Islands were first studied by ornithologists in the
nineteenth century, they were a bird paradise. The forests abounded with
many of the most unusual birds known to the world—some with enormous
sickle-shaped bills, some resembling parrots, a goose that spent most of
its life on barren lava flows, a tiny flightless rail, and a sea bird
that nested within the vents of the active volcanoes. Most of these
island birds were found nowhere else in the world.
Today many of the original island species are extinct, while others are
barely managing to hold their own. With more and more land being cleared
for agriculture and homesites, virgin forests here are becoming scarce.
Thus, protected areas like Hawaii Volcanoes and Haleakala National Parks
take on great significance as reserves where the native birds will
continue to survive. If you wish to learn about Hawaiian birdlife, you
will certainly want to spend some time in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
and visit Haleakala National Park on the island of Maui. This booklet is
meant to be an aid to your trips in the field.
[Illustration: _Fern jungle—Thurston Lava Tube trail_]