Hawaiian Red Jungle Fowl

This is a handsome fellow - Hawaiian Red Jungle Fowl - I photographed on the island of Kauai.   Most of the true red jungle fowl are found on Kauai, primarily at Koke'e State Park and Alaka'i Swamp.  They are shy birds of dense rain forests.    They were brought to Hawaii by the first Polynesians and are called "Moa" in Hawaiian.   They are not as widespread now, and many have bred with other chickens so a true red jungle fowl is hard to find.   There are some feral jungle fowl on Oahu and the other main islands.   

Sometimes it seems like there are more wild roosters and chickens on the islands than there are people !   You see them almost everywhere, and some are so use to humans that they are almost tame.   Below is a painting of mine of a not so wild rooster that I photographed  right on the beach at Hanauma Bay on Oahu.  One of his female companions thoughtfully laid an egg right in front of me while I took photos !  I am not inclined to eat their eggs, however, and they say the wild chickens themselves are pretty tough to eat cooked.   

"Hanauma Bay Resident"

12" x 16" Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas

Available painting

I have only painted one red jungle fowl, and that was a miniature and can be found at my other blog by going here  .   I intend to paint more jungle fowl and other roosters in the future.

Hawaiian Gallinule At Hamakua Marsh, Oahu

Hawaiian Gallinule

The Hawaiian Gallinule is a subspecies of the common moorhen.   It is endangered and is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands....now limited to Kauai, Oahu, and Molokai.  The population today is probably only in the hundreds.   This photograph and the ones below were all taken at Hamakua Marsh in Kailua, Oahu.  

The one photo gives a good glimpse of their rather large feet.  I had a big surprise when I took the following two photographs of the same bird at the marsh .

This is not a juvenile Hawaiian Gallinule, but just a mostly white adult which must be rather rare.  I contacted the Hawaii Audubon Society and sent them these two photographs and they informed me that it was an adult and that another one had been seen at Kahuku on Oahu.  Rather pretty bird, I think.  

This is a view of Hamakua Marsh.  It was a grey overcast day when I took this photograph; the color there can be quite beautiful at times.

"Making Ripples"

24" x 24" Acrylic on gallery wrap canvas

This is an available painting of mine of the Hawaiian Gallinule at Hamakua Marsh. 

There will be more posts about Hawaii's endemic birds (and others as well) very soon.  I enjoy all wildlife, but birds are very special to me for some reason.   

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com

Surprise at Hamakua Marsh Oahu

"Surprises are the joy of living.  Surprises directly touch the soul.  Good surprises energize and bad surprises teach."  - Alev Oguz

Black-Necked Stilt or Ae'o

Capturing these stilts in flight was one nice surprise at Hamakua Marsh on a visit there last month. I visit there often and this was the first time I got a good shot of them in flight.   They are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and are similar to the mainland USA race, although there is more black on the neck and lower face than on the ones found in North America.   There were several at the marsh the day I took this photo; the marsh is located in Kailua on Oahu not too far from Honolulu.   

Black-Crowned Night Heron or 'Auku'u

The Hawaiian form of this bird is pretty much the same as those found in North America.   What a great surprise to view this photo on my computer and to realize I had captured the quick turn of its head at just the right moment.   These Black-Crowned Night Herons are found on all the Hawaiian Islands and every time I have visited Hamakua Marsh there have been several of them there.   I have also seen them at Waikiki and several other places on Oahu.

Hawaiian Coot or 'Alae ke'oke'o

The Hawaiian Coot also may be found on all the main islands.  I will include more photos of them and other birds found at the Hamakua Marsh in a future post.  

Hamakua Marsh - Kailua, Oahu

This is one view of the area on a cloudy, wet day with Hamakua Marsh being to the right.  Well, the main  marshy area is to the right.   

Black-Necked Stilts and Mallards

 I will make another post of Hamakua Marsh very soon.   Hope you enjoyed your visit here today !

reynoldsrenditions@gmail.com