Category: Nature

While Hawaii is known for its share of exotic tropical birds, it is also the home of many urban birds that originally were introduced through the years as pets or in an attempt to control other pests. These are the birds we see every day, almost everywhere on Maui.

Mockingbird
Yep. The good old Northern Mockingbird has a place here in Hawaii mimicking other birds and providing myriad other sounds.

Pigeon
Found everywhere. Some folks raise them. You can tell this is a pet by his banded leg.

Pacific Golden Plover
This bird is most often seen during our winter here in Hawaii, but it actually spends half its year in Alaska or the Siberian Tundra. These birds, like Sanderlings and several other species, are capable of non-stop flights from their winter breeding grounds to the Hawaiian Islands for a warmer season! The Plover is called Kolea here.

Sanderling
Another wintertime visitor that people are likely to see is this shorebird that spends half its time in the tundra up North as well. The Sanderling can be seen running around on our beaches looking for treats in the sand.

Night Heron
They may have night in their names, but these birds are seen anywhere and any time of the day hanging around swampy or marshy areas.

Sparrow
No shortage of these little guys.

House Finch
Quite often seen in your garden just outside. The females lack the reddish color and most resemble Sparrows.

Java Finch
These cute little birds are kin to Sparrows, but they don’t look like them at all. Originally introduced from Indonesia, Java Finches are the bane of many homeowners as they are the most effective bird for gaining entry to and nesting in your attic space.

Muscovy Duck
Easily recognizable. These guys occupy many of the ponds and canals around the island with the other introduced species of ducks.

Red Crested Cardinal
Originally from South America, these are my favorite urban birds. We also have the well-known Northern Cardinal in his all red attire.

Grey Francolin
Originally from the Middle East. These birds are often seen running more than flying, and they have the reputation of having the loudest and most obnoxious call…usually issued in the mornings, but can be heard throughout the day as well. Once heard, never forgotten.

Japanese White Eye
These guys move fast and they are quite small, but are fun to watch as they fly about your garden catching insects. Originally from Japan.

Spotted Dove
Originally introduced from Asia, these guys are the ultimate urban bird along with their cousins, the Zebra Dove.

Zebra Dove
Most folks are familiar with these guys because they are practically everywhere. These birds are quickly trained to take food from you.

Mynah Bird
These obnoxious and loud birds are found everywhere around the island. You will see them whether you want to or not. What’s most amazing about these birds is that they can be taught to speak a limited vocabulary!

Egret
Any urban bird list of Maui would be incomplete without these critters. Almost a pest, these guys enjoy hanging out with horses and cows, but are especially inclined to swarm landscapers and mowing crews. They can be seen following lawn mowers and picking out the newly displaced insects and lizards. I have seen literally 50 birds following a commercial mower along the roadside.

Chicken
And the winner for most seen and heard bird on Maui is the Guinea Fowl, or Chicken as they are most commonly known. As soon as you land at Maui Airport, you will see these guys running around the parking lot.

Rooster
The Chicken’s noisy counterpart…of course there are plenty of Roosters here too. This guy is up pretty early at our house and insists on crowing just outside our window at 4am every day.

Here on Maui, we can watch a variety of birds from just about anywhere. Whether you’re checking out the natural beauty of the island or just cruising around the city, don’t forget to keep a lookout for some of these urban birds of Hawaii.

Signaling springtime on Maui are my favorite trees, Jacarandas. Originating in Central and South America along with the Caribbean, they’ve now been spread throughout numerous tropical and sub-tropical climates around the globe, especially in South East Asia. It is believed that the trees were introduced to Hawaii in the late 1800’s and planted on the slopes of Maui by Portuguese ranchers.

Thanks to efforts by Maui’s first Mayor Elmer Cravalho, rows of these beautiful trees line the roads Upcountry. Raised in Kula’s Keokea area and of Portuguese descent, Cravalho worked as a legislator in the 1950’s to direct the planting of jacarandas along the Kula and Pukalani highways.

The name jacaranda means “fragrant” in Guarani, an indigenous language widely spoken in South America. Jacaranda mimosifolia are the variety best known Upcountry. All along the landscape, bright purple blooms stand out against the greenery. Blossoms rain down until there is a colorful ring completely covering the ground around the base of the trees and even in places on the roadway.

Jacaranda season begins in Spring. Lower elevations tend to bloom first with Makawao and Pukalani in full splendor in April. The colorful display works its way up the slopes of Haleakala, with Kula and Keokea blooming from April into May.

Here on Maui, the arrival of purple blossoms means lots of photographers and painters will be parked on the sides of the roads, vying for the perfect angle on many of the trees. Drive carefully during peak season as tourists and locals alike can be seen walking near the highway to get their own photo of a lifetime.

Along the shores of South Maui, particularly in Makena, within a few minutes of gazing at the ocean you’ll often see a turtle head pop up to grab a breath. Over the years, I have had hundreds of close encounters with honu (the Hawaiian word for turtle) while snorkeling. Protected by the Endangered Species Act since 1978 with worldwide numbers on the decline, their population in Hawaii has since increased by 53%.

While their status dictates that they should not be approached when snorkeling or diving, the turtles apparently never got the memo as they aren’t very shy about approaching you. In fact, I have had many moments with them in shallow water simply bumping into me as they lazily swim down the length of the beaches in the mornings to the next point of rock or reef covered in their favorite food: seaweed. When they aren’t eating, they can often be found sunning themselves on South Maui’s shoreline.

It is estimated that 90% of Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Hawaii nest in the Northwest Hawaiian Island chain at the French Frigate Shoals (Hawaiian: Kānemilohaʻi) that lie within The Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. A few will choose to lay their eggs here on Maui beaches. When a nest is found, it is monitored and watched over by volunteers until the little ones hatch and go to sea.

An adult Green Sea Turtle can be forty inches across its back lengthwise and weigh between 200-500 pounds, so it is always a little unnerving to have one swim up to your “blind side” and surprise you when in the water. I remember one time I was looking at the largest cowry shell I had ever seen and suddenly a turtle’s head filled my view as it reached in to grab a bite of seaweed.

Unfortunately these turtles can eventually find themselves caught in nets or fishing line. I come across them all too often. When encountering an entangled or stranded sea turtle, it’s best to call the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for help at (808) 725-5730.

I have always been fascinated by turtles, but the ones I grew up around in the South were the snapping kind…not nice at all. Out here in the islands, I never get tired of seeing these green giants of the sea. I come across them all the time and I still act like a kid everytime I spot one. For more information about honu in Hawaii, visit the NOAA website.

If you spend some time Upcountry on Maui, you might just encounter a very interesting creature. The Jackson’s Chameleon is a bright green colored reptile with a grumpy little face that likes humid areas and higher altitudes. Around 10-12 inches long, the males have three distinct horns coming out of their foreheads. The females, without horns, are somewhat smaller. These critters move so slowly, if you do see one you’ll probably get a good chance to observe it for a while. Rocking back and forth steadily, it’ll take its sweet time making its way up a tree or even across the road.

People always seem excited to sight a Jackson’s Chameleon, and there’s somewhat of a reverence for them up here. I’ve even seen folks pull their cars over to get out and help a Jackson’s cross the street. I guess I always figured there was some ancient spiritual connection with the chameleons and the islands. Well, it turns out they’re actually an invasive species that can pose a predatory threat to native insects, spiders and snails. They don’t appear to be a high priority pest here, but there are efforts by agencies like MISC (Maui Invasive Species Committee) to establish whether existing populations can be controlled.

Hawaii state law prohibits importing or transporting chameleons, lizards or snakes within the state or exporting to the mainland, and there’s a good reason for that. You’re probably wondering how these strange beasties got here in the first place. The story goes that back in the early 1970’s, a pet shop owner in Kaneohe on Oahu was given the okay by the state to import some Jackson’s Chameleons from Kenya for resale in his store. Apparently when they arrived, they were looking a little sickly to him…so he released them into his backyard with the hopes that they would regain their health after the long trip over. His intention was to recapture them and put them in his shop, but instead the reptiles made themselves at home in the great outdoors. Eventually, they also made their way to neighboring islands like Maui.

Some fun facts about Jackson’s Chameleons:

They have opposable toes, which means they can grip things like tree branches. They also have a curly looking prehensile tail that is capable of grasping objects.

Their eyes rotate independently of each other, which adds to the charm of their crazy face.

The males use their rostral projections (what?!?)…their three horns…to wage combat with other males.

In response to differences in temperature and as a way to communicate with each other, Jackson’s Chameleons can change color. They have specialized skin cells called chromatophores that are triggered by their central nervous system to release pigment.

Take a trip through the Upcountry area of Maui and be on the lookout for this fascinating fauna.

Some useful info: Jackson’s Chameleons are sometimes confused with the larger Veiled Chameleon, a higher priority invasive predator that is a threat to native birds. Veiled chameleons can grow around two feet long. They also lay eggs, as opposed to Jackson’s which bear live young, so they have a higher reproductive capacity. To find out more about the differences between the two, visit Hawaii Invasive Species Council. Jackson’s Chameleons have not become established on the island of Kauai so far, and Kauai would like to keep it that way. If you happen to be visiting over there and sight one, go to Report A Pest Hawaii to notify their early detection network.

Photos by Tina Lia and R. Stu

Imagine a creature the size of a quarter that can negatively affect real estate values with its call alone. That’s a coqui frog, an invasive species in Hawaii that is said to have arrived in the late 1980’s from Puerto Rico. I grew up in the South and was accustomed to hearing crickets and cicadas (oftentimes very loud) at night in the summertime, but a colony of coqui frogs can cause entire neighborhoods to need earplugs just to sleep. In fact, their presence on or near a property is even a disclosure requirement for real estate transactions.

Without a natural enemy or predator to keep coquis in check, they can come into a neighborhood or resort area in plants from nurseries. I remember a nursery in Kihei a few years back that had a colony, and people in the area were ready to take legal action over the nightly commotion. Here’s a sample of just one frog’s obnoxiously loud call…now think about trying to sleep with a whole army of these guys screaming at you:

Besides the noise factor, coquis are also a threat to insects that are needed for pollinating and to the balance of native ecosystems. In addition to the impact on real estate, they can also affect tourism and negatively affect plant selling businesses.

The folks at MISC (Maui Invasive Species Committee) are Maui’s frontline defense against the many coquis invading the island. They use an ecologically safe mixture of citric acid to help eradicate the little monsters. I have trouble killing anything other than mosquitoes and centipedes, so I’m glad these folks aren’t afraid to get the job done. It’s tough work too, traversing thick rainforest gulches in the dead of night to reach the areas overrun by screeching frogs.

Some islands have managed to get their coqui frog populations under control, but Maui still has a definite problem. There are several known colonies in natural areas as well as those at residences, hotels, and nurseries. MISC offers tips on helping to keep your property coqui-free. Some things you can do include maintaining the yard by mowing cane grass, thinning out plants and trees, removing dead leaves, and not growing bromeliads. They also have information on the best ways to catch and spray coquis, mix your own citric acid solution, build a barrier, and report your control efforts on Google Earth.

If you think you might have a coqui problem, go to Coqui-Free Maui to help identify what you see and hear. They have an online form to report your findings and request follow-up contact from the coqui crew.

Thanks to the good folks at MISC and all of the educated and proactive landowners who are putting in the effort to make coqui frogs on Maui a thing of the past. For more information, visit the Maui Invasive Species Committee website.

 

On a recent morning at a friend’s house in the Upcountry area of Keokea in Kula, I couldn’t resist getting some shots of the insects that all seemed busy doing what they do. I was most amazed by the various spiders, and all within twenty feet of the front door! This experience prompted me to join the local group of entomologists on Facebook so that I can start to learn the names of all the different “bugs” that I see. I look forward to finding out more about a subject that I had previously not given much thought to before. I used to be deathly afraid of spiders and suddenly I am looking for them everywhere.

So many different spiders live Upcountry…

  

 

Even the flies are interesting…

A brightly striped Monarch Caterpillar…

Another Monarch Caterpillar transforming in its cocoon…

One of the many large moths you’ll see on Maui…

This strange critter is called an Assassin Bug…

These are part of an order of insects called True Bugs…

I’m looking forward to identifying more of the insects I see on my adventures around the island. A great place to research is the Hawaiian Entomological Society. Who knew bugs could be so fascinating?

Situated along South Kihei Road beside St. Theresa Church is a home to native species and an important coastal region on Maui. The Lā‛ie Wetlands are a watershed area with native plants that filter toxins, improving the quality of water that enters the ocean as it impacts our coral reefs. The wetlands are managed by the County along with volunteer organizations that work to restore the environment and protect the native habitat.

Lā‛ie offers a great place for bird watching and nature walks, and it is right in the heart of busy Kihei. The small open water area is bordered by wetlands that come and go with the rainfall, and sand dunes where the ocean meets the land. Lā‛ie’s water is brackish and you can see a lot of salt on the ground during drier seasons.

While preserving a home for native species like birds, plants, and fish, the Lā‛ie Wetlands give a view into Kihei’s history and wildlife.

The ‛Auku‛u or black-crowned night heron is native to the islands. You’ll see them swimming and fishing for the abundant tilapia.

Native Nene birds usually found Upcountry can occasionally be seen taking a break in the wetlands.

Invasive water cabbage and hyacinth sometimes take over the area and have to be removed. This is often the work of dedicated volunteers.

Native ducks live in the wetlands, along with a variety of non-natives like Mallard and Muscovy.

Hunakai (Sanderling) are birds that fly all the way here from Alaska and can be seen wintering on Maui at Lā‛ie.

Feral cats can be found making a home for themselves in the wetlands.

St. Theresa Church is right next to the watershed.

One of my favorite places to explore in Kihei, the Lā‛ie Wetlands are a great area to visit and appreciate Maui’s natural beauty.

Maui is known for a colorful variety of hibiscus flowers. There are actually several hundred species of hibiscus in existence, and the flowering plants thrive in tropical climates like Hawaii’s. Traveling around the island of Maui, you’ll see a number of beautiful shades of this floral species. The yellow Hawaiian hibiscus is our state flower, known in the Hawaiian language as the pua aloalo or ma`o hau hele. There are seven hibiscus that are native to the Hawaiian islands, but many that are seen here grow as ornamental plants and come from the Chinese hibiscus and its many hybrids. Here are a few flowers that I’ve photographed around the island.

I saw this unique variety while walking on Old Makena Road…

This one was blooming just off South Kihei Road…

This one fell on a rock in Iao Stream at Iao Valley…

A bright hibiscus being pollinated in Central Kihei…

A blooming red flower in Wailea…

Seen way Upcountry in Olinda…

Another variety spotted in Olinda…

Hibiscus are seen island-wide on Maui, ornamental and wild. Look for their large palm-sized colorful displays, and you may even find pollinators like bees and butterflies nearby. One of many vibrant flower species to enjoy on the islands.

This mother Ae`o was right beside the boardwalk at Ma`alaea with her chicks.  She didn’t seem bothered by the foot traffic of tourists passing by and provided a prime photo opportunity.

The extra feet underneath her are her baby chicks nestled under her wings.  I was able to catch a quick video of two of her chicks making their way under mom.

The chicks were running around and drinking from the pond.

There’s always some kind of wildlife activity happening just off the boardwalk at Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge.