Ao.
The ao is the only sea bird endemic to Hawaii not classed as a subspecies. It may possibly have close affinities elsewhere. Alexander in "Birds of the Ocean" suggests that it may be a form of Townsend's shearwater that inhabits the ocean off the coast of Mexico.
Above it is glossy black, underneath pure white except borders of under wing-coverts which are black. The white extends well up on the sides of the neck and on the flanks. This feature makes for easy identification in flight side on, visible as a white spot at neck and in front of tail. My notes on August 14, 1891 say: "After sighting Kauai, a petrel that we had not secured was to be seen yesterday. We had noticed them some days before... It differs from the uau in being stouter and shorter in proportion, a little larger, darker on the back and with no white on forehead."
Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands but in danger of extinction, it was formerly a common bird, nesting on Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Kauai and probably on other smaller islands also. There were 4 specimens in the Gay and Robinson collection in 1891. Mr. F. Gay said the ao laid its eggs in May and June in holes in the earth near the sea. Mr. Deverill of Hanalei, Kauai was informed by old natives that it was a black and white petrel the size of a mudhen. It was not described till 1900 when Henshaw procured a specimen from Brother Matthias Newell to whom it was given by natives who took it, with others, from burrows in the Waihee Valley, Maui. Henshaw described it and named it after Mr. Newell.
Alanson Bryan was told of it and heard its call in Pelekunu Valley, Molokai in 1907. It used to nest in the Waipio Valley, Hawaii, and the natives used it for food. Mr. W. H. Meinecke told me of a straggler that used to come to a cliff (Puuao on recent maps), near the town of Waiohinu, Hawaii, where it flew up and down uttering its eerie cry "ao". It came only at long intervals and was thought an omen of death by the natives. Mr. Meinecke said old natives told him the original name of the locality was Pu-a-ao "a flock of aos," so it is evident that the site was an original nesting place of the ao. Several instances have come under my notice of straggling sea birds returning.to long deserted nesting places.
Little is known of the habits of this species except that it nested in burrows at the foot of cliffs near the sea at from 500 to 1,000 feet elevation. It has most likely been killed out by the mongoose on Hawaii, Maui and Molokai. But it may still nest in remote valleys on the north side of Kauai and perhaps on Niihau. By some it is thought to be extinct and if so there are only about 7 specimens in existence. It will be most unfortunate if this, our only endemic species of sea bird, has entirely disappeared.
DARK-RUMPED PETREL
| Pterodroma phaeopygia sandwichensis (Ridgway) | Plate 7, Fig. 1 |
Hawaiian names: Uau; Uuau; Uwau.
This is a subspecies with P. P. phaeopygia of the Galapagos Islands. It appears to be a white-headed bird at a distance. Its forehead, cheeks and underparts are white; head black; back brownish slate, wings and tail darker; length 15.5 inches.
Endemic to the main group of the Hawaiian Islands and in danger of extinction, the uau probably did not range far from the main islands. It nested in the mountains of Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai and Lanai. The mongoose has killed it out on Hawaii, Maui and Molokai. Pigs and cats accounted for it on Lanai. No doubt the ancient Hawaiians exterminated it on Oahu. The name of a hill Puu Uau, on Oahu, is evidence that it nested there. There are no mongooses on Kauai so it may still nest there in the mountains.
In flight it is more erratic than the wedge-tailed shearwater. It darts and zigzags, sailing between times. Coming in to the islands from the sea it flies fairly high. No observations have been recorded of its feeding habits. Its cry when flying round the cliffs en Molokai is described by Alanson Bryan as weird: "A long drawn out u-a-u, suggesting the wail of a lonesome cat," and other variations.
It nests in holes under the roots of trees and stones at elevations of from 1,500 to 5,000 feet. The egg is laid in April and May and the natives took the young when nearly full grown but still in the down, in October. The natives used the old birds as well as the young for food, netting them as they flew to the mountains in the evening. The young birds were considered a delicacy, kapu to the common people and reserved for the chiefs. The old birds were probably not kapu as their flavor was so strong that they could not be eaten till they had been salted for a considerable time. Taking the old birds from the burrows as described by Alanson Bryan was no doubt resorted to after the kapu was removed. This practice probably helped to exterminate the species on Molokai. Alanson Bryan mentions a glossy white egg.
Bonin Island petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera hypoleuca) at entrance to burrow. Showing grass formerly covering large areas of the island.
Photo by courtesy of the Bishop Museum.
BONIN ISLAND PETREL
| Pterodroma leucoptera hypoleuca (Salvin) | Plate 7, Fig. 5 |
Other names: Salvin's Petrel; Bonin Petrel; Small Moaning Bird (Midway).
This interesting petrel is about 13 inches long; forehead is white and slate color, upper parts slaty to black; below white; bill black; legs flesh color; feet black. The immature bird does not differ from the adult.
It ranges the North Pacific Ocean and breeds on islands of the Hawaiian Chain. A remnant of one (head and wing, enough to identify the species) was found on Lanai in 1914. It may have been a straggler, or perhaps an old bird visiting what may have been a former nesting place on dry ridges of the forest in the vicinity. This is the only record of the species on the main Hawaiian group. The specimen is in the Bishop Museum. Caum saw a chick which he believed to be of this species on Kaula in 1932.
When we arrived oa Laysan in the middle of June 1891, the young of this species had nearly all left; the Christmas shearwater was hatching its chicks and the wedge-tailed shearwater was laying its eggs. A few young Bonins were in burrows and seemed blind when brought out into the light of day. We found young birds, some alive and some dead, on Lisiansky and Midway.
Descriptions of the arrival of these birds in immense numbers on Laysan and Midway in August are given by Schauinsland, Hadden and Donaghho. Their beautiful flight, aerial evolutions in the evenings, their terrible growling, squalling and squealing when preparing to lay are extremely interesting.
Nature's wonderful plans are astonishing. We can only guess at the course of controlled competition among the different species; how the Christmas shearwater nests on the ground; the Bonins in burrows and the wedge-tails at a deeper level. Also the conservation of food supply insured by the Bonins leaving, as the wedge-tails arrive, and the Christmas shear-water feeding its young at a time different from the other two.
BULWER'S PETREL
Bulweria bulweri (Jardin & Selby)
Hawaiian names: Ou; Owow.
This gentle little petrel is about 11 inches long. It is sooty brownish black with a paler band along the wings; bill black and feet brown. There is no perceptible difference between the old and young birds in first plumage. The chick in the down is black.
The species has a wide range over the seas of the world. It nests on a number of islands off the coast of Oahu and on islands of the Hawaiian Chain. In 1912 Dill estimated that there were 1,000 on Laysan. Where rats abound it is soon exterminated.
It has the graceful flight of the petrels, generally keeping close to the water. Ashore it does not stand on its feet but takes short waddling runs and assumes a sitting posture. Surface sea-life
