Tag Archives: hawk

Description of the Nene by Kepelino, 1863.

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THE STORY

—OF—

The Birds of Hawaii nei

NUMBER 5.

Nene Bird.

The Nene is a bird from the high uplands, and it is a big bird; it resembles a Turkey [Pelehu] and it is that height, its legs are long, and its toes are flat, its neck is nicely slim, its head is small, its eyes are like the eyes of a Chicken [Moa], its beak is short, it has a fine loud voice, and its call sounds like, “unele, unele, unele.”

It is said in the old Hawaiian stories, that the Nene and the Fly [Nalo] were deprived of their wealth, and that is why the Nene cries in that manner, “unele, unele” [“without, without”] and the Nalo chose its place to live as Kapalapilau [“Rotting dab of excreta”], and that is still what they do.

The Nene does not eat Rats [Iole] and other things like the Hawk [Io], and the Owl [Pueo], it only eats leaves of vegetation and flowers of grasses. Continue reading →

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The dwindling numbers of the Hawaiian hawk, 1889.

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THE IO BIRD.

When Captain Cook came upon the island of Kauai and his two ships docked in Waimea, the kamaaina showed him a number of large birds. Captain Cook’s journals say that he saw a Pueo, an Aukuu, and an Io.

These days, we see indeed the Owl [Pueo] and Heron [Aukuu], but who sees the Hawk [Io]? The Io is skilled at snatching chickens and small birds.

If some kamaaina is able to find and catch an Io, V. Knudsen of Waiawa, Mana, is always prepared to pay $10 for it; and for a pair, $15; and for three, $20.

If the bird is live, be careful with the feathers and do not harm them and have them fall off; and so too if it is dead. Also be careful lest it rots, and put a few drops of kerosene in its beak to ward off rotting.

(Kuokoa, 3/30/1889, p. 2)

KA MANU IO.

Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Buke XXVIII, Helu 12, Aoao 3. Maraki 30, 1889.

On Owls and wishing organizations who have kuleana would fund reshooting the newspapers, 1893/2012.

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Some Recollections about Birds

The Owl.

The Pueo is a smaller large bird, like a hen of a chicken. Its flesh is delicious like chicken or Turkey. It is a very intelligent bird in stealing chicks by swooping down. So too other small birds, like the amakihi, and therefore, it is called a thieving bird, and called an Iwa [Frigate bird]. The owl is not eaten regularly by most people, there are only a few that eat Pueo. Those who eat it are greatly ridiculed. It is in Kula, on Maui, that people eat a lot of Pueo. The perching of that bird is famous at Kula, Maui. This bird is not famous on Hawaii or here on Oahu.

The Pueo is ???? like a Hawk [Io], and its cry is like a whispering “pi——o”. And if the Pueo fights, it hoots.

The eyes of a Pueo are round. Its eyes are large. That is why it is called a Pueo, as it has staring eyes…

[This article goes on, but most of it is hard to make out. I am not even sure about that part that says Kula people ate a lot of owls because of the bad image. Maybe now that Hamilton Library has a super scanner, there can be progress made on reshooting all of the Hawaiian-Language Newspapers?!

Also this is part of a series on birds, but much of it and a lot of this paper in general is hard to read because of the bad images now available.]

(Lei Momi, 7/27/1893, p. 2)

He Wahi Hoomanao no na Manu o ka Lewa.

Ka Lei Momi, Buke I, Helu 30, Aoao 2. Iulai 27, 1893.