Kim's Creature Feature
Hawaii's unique creatures by Cindy Pacheco
Hawaiian Hawk October 2008
- Hawaiian Name: ‘Io
- Scientific Name: Buteo solitarius
Status: Endangered Native Species
A symbol of Hawaiian royalty and favored by ali‘i (chiefs). Currently, habitat destruction, nest disturbance and hunting threaten survival of this species.
Distribution: Hawai‘i Island, from sea level to 8,500ft. Approximately 2,700 birds in the wild.
Diet: 16” - 18”in body length, they are often seen soaring above grass fields or forests, hunting for small birds, rodents and insects.
Biology: Dark-phase (dark brown above & below) & light-phase (dark brown above & pale below) birds, with variations in-between. One to three blue eggs are laid in a stick nest and aggressively guarded and fed by both parents.
Find it on our tours:
