Monday, September 2, 2013

Hawaiian Stilts at the Kealia Coastal Boardwalk on Maui

We've been back from Hawaii for two months, and I still haven't posted any of the birds we saw there. I think it's about time I got busy. Here's the first in a Hawaiian Birds series:

On June 28, Rick and Matty, and our friends, Cindy, Tom, Emily and Joe all went out to Molokini (a submerged volcanic crater that forms a small island off Maui) to snorkel. They took a Trilogy sailing trip out to Molokini and had an amazing time. Unfortunately, I couldn't go because I get seasick...horribly seasick, but I wasn't too disappointed because I had plans to go to the Kealia Coastal Boardwalk at Kealia Pond...

Kealia Coastal Boardwalk sign
...even the Kealia Coastal Boardwalk sign is beautiful. I loved the vibrant painting of the Hawaiian Stilt and the Hawaiian Coot.
I really didn't know what to expect when I got there. From all I had read, summer was the "off season" for Kealia Pond, but it wasn't the off season for me. As soon as I started walking the boardwalk, I started hearing the insistent kek-kek-kek call of the beautiful and graceful Hawaiian Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni), which led me directly to an area where a few of the gorgeous birds were foraging. On the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service web site, the phrase "Chihuahua of the wetland" is used to describe their constant chatter. It fits, and you can hear the bird's call in the following video...


Hawaiian Stilt Feeding in the Shallows at the Kealia Coastal Boardwalk on Maui from Kelly Riccetti on Vimeo.

This bird is spectacularly slim and delicate looking. Stilts have long, "bubble gum" pink, pencil-thin legs that cut through water effortlessly, and because they are the longest legged of all the shorebirds, they have extra depth when foraging for food. I enjoyed watching him tip his body over to capture invertebrates and other water creatures with his long, thin and pointy bill. Dennis Paulson in his book "Shorebirds of North America" (one of my favorite shorebird ID books) decides stilts should be called "Slenderellas" (Paulson, pg. 91). What a perfect description!

Female Hawaiian Stilt
A Hawaiian Stilt wades through the mudflats along the Kealia Coastal Boardwalk. Female stilts have a bit of brown on their backs, so this bird is probably a female. Males have only black feathers on their backs.
Their long, thin pink legs when combined with the sleek black feathers on their head, neck and back, and the snowy white feathers on their belly and throat, create one good-looking bird! There is no getting around it, "Slenderella" is pretty.

Hawaiian Stilt foraging
Hawaiian Stilts are visual feeders. This bird definitely has its eye on something here!

Female Hawaiian Stilt in the water

Hawaiian Stilt in deeper water.
Hawaiian Stilts look like our Black-necked Stilts, except they have more black on their neck.

Interpretive signs on the boardwalk are helpful. At the beginning, maps and other helpful information are on the signs, but as you progress along the boardwalk, the birds take center stage...
The Hawaiian word for the Hawaiian Stilt is Ae'o. All the interpretive signs are beautiful and colorful paintings like this one.

trees bent by the tradewinds
If you're visiting Maui, definitely make the Kealia Coastal Boardwalk a destination for a birding trip. Even though I was there during the "off season," I saw spectacular birds. Fall and winter are reported as the best viewing times because large numbers of shorebirds overwinter at the ponds and along the boardwalk. 
...more to come on the Kealia Coastal Boardwalk and the Hawaiian Stilt.

12 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

the boardwalk looks awesome. love those fragile-looking stilts.

Sue said...

Those pink legs look silly.
And the boardwalk looks so pretty. Can't wait to see more!
:)

holdingmoments said...

Pure elegance. What a beautiful bird.

Janice K said...

What long legs, but it looks so graceful.

Anxious to hear and see more!

Bob Bushell said...

Oh Kelly, that is one bird alone, Hawaiian Stilt is superb, and the video, beautiful.

Montanagirl said...

That's a fabulous boardwalk! That Stilt sounds just like the ones we see here in Montana. And welcome back, Kelly! I've missed your posts.

Tammie Lee said...

such cute birds! so glad it is a good season for you!

Appalachian Lady said...

I don't know how we missed this when we were in Maui. We went in January once and all the beaches were so crowded. I love the stilt--he has such long legs!

Elaine said...

I love that Stilt! I'd be with you on that Boardwalk trip instead of the scuba diving. When we were in Maui some 30 years ago we went out on a fishing charter--we didn't catch anything, and I spent the day hanging over the side feeding the fish, not to mention the horrible sunburn I got. Needless to say I now avoid all boating charters! Other than the boat trip I loved Maui. Hmmm, we haven't decided where to travel this winter, and maybe it's about time to visit Hawaii again.....

Chris said...

Wow pretty cool are to visit... Guess you enjoyed it... The video and the pictures of this little fellow are awesome Kelly.. Thanks for sharing...

Our photos said...

Beautiful photos!
Greetings, RW & SK

Kelly said...

Thanks, everyone for the kind words. This bird is so cool. It's bittersweet watching them because they are endangered. Several programs exist on the island to continue to save the bird.