MYNAH CARDINAL
(female and male)
[Illustration: Plate]
[Illustration: _American golden plover in winter plumage_]
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER _Pluvialis dominica_
(Hawaiian name—kolea)
DESCRIPTION: 10″-11″. A medium sized shore bird with a straight,
inch-long bill. _Winter plumage_—mottled brown spotted with gold; buffy
breast. _Summer plumage_—striking pattern; back spotted with gold, black
undersides, and a white band over the forehead and down the sides of the
neck and breast. Plovers don their summer colors in April or May before
migration and may still retain them when they return in early August.
The only shore bird likely to be seen in the interior of either park.
PARK DISTRIBUTION: Winter migrant to the islands. Kilauea—Fairly common
locally from August to June. To be seen around Park Headquarters and on
the west side of Kilauea Crater or along the Mauna Loa Strip.
Haleakala—Common from August to June in open areas both inside and out
of the crater.
VOICE: A clear whistle _queep_, or _quee-leép_, etc., usually uttered as
the bird is flushed.
Like other migrants to Hawaii, golden plovers make a 2,000-mile (one
way) flight to and from their breeding grounds in Alaska or Siberia each
year. The trip requires about 48 hours, spent mostly over the open
ocean. When they arrive in Hawaii in the fall, individuals seem to
establish remarkably small territories—one bird may live during its
entire stay here in an area not much bigger than a large lawn. Here they
will feed on insects and berries until it is time for the annual
migration to the north.
RUDDY TURNSTONE _Arenaria interpres_
(Hawaiian name—akekeke)
DESCRIPTION: 9″. A chunky, medium sized shore bird with flashy black,
white, and russet-red markings and short orange legs. The contrasty
black and white pattern shows best in flight.
PARK DISTRIBUTION: Winter migrant to islands. Kilauea—Except for summer,
when they have migrated to Alaska, flocks are often found at rocky beach
areas around Halape, but they are uncommon elsewhere along the rugged
coast within park boundaries. Large flocks were formerly recorded inland
as far as Kilauea Crater. Haleakala—Absent from the park.
VOICE: A rapidly repeated _chut-a-chut_.
A flock of 8 or 10 turnstones will behave almost as though it was
controlled by one mind: in flight they dip and turn precisely together;
when they land it is a simultaneous action. The name turnstone comes
from their habit of flipping over small rocks with their bills to get at
the insects and other lower forms of life beneath.
WANDERING TATTLER _Heteroscelus incanum_
(Hawaiian name—ulili)
DESCRIPTION: 11″. A large sandpiper with _uniformly dark gray_ upper
parts and a long (1½ inches) straight bill. The belly is lighter, and
there is an indistinct white line over the eye. The long legs and the
feet are yellow.
PARK DISTRIBUTION: Winter migrant to islands. Kilauea—Uncommon along the
southern rocky shoreline. Absent in summer when it migrates to Alaska.
Haleakala—Absent from the park.
VOICE: A high clear _whee-we-we-we_ usually uttered as the bird takes
flight.
Individuals feed on crabs and other marine life among the rocks. They
never appear inland in the park.
WHITE-CAPPED NODDY _Anoüs tenuirostris_
(Hawaiian name—noio)
DESCRIPTION: 14″. A dark gray tern restricted to the rocky coastline.
The forehead and crown are lighter gray than the rest of the body.
PARK DISTRIBUTION: The only common bird to be seen flying just off
shore. In the park, restricted to the coastline of the Kilauea Section.
Look for these along the ocean at the Kalapana end of the park. They
flutter over the water picking up small fish, but usually they stay
close to shore. The noddies nest in sea cliffs and caves in this area.
SPOTTED DOVE _Streptopelia chinensis_
(also laceneck or Chinese dove)
DESCRIPTION: 12″. A gray-brown dove with a long rounded tail showing
white in the corners, and a broad _collar of black with white spots_ on
the neck.
PARK DISTRIBUTION: Introduced before 1900; now common below 4,000 feet
on all islands. Kilauea—Fairly common around the crater and at lower
elevations such as on the Chain of Craters and Hilina Pali roads.
Haleakala—Absent from the park.
VOICE: Typical dove-like coos; often _coo-coó-coo_.
Like the barred dove, this species does not much penetrate the native
rain forest, but rather seems restricted to areas where man has altered
the vegetation. Both species feed on seeds and some fruit.
[Illustration: _Spotted dove—Barred dove_]