Category Archives: Animals

Glimmers of a forest bird future

O`ahu is depauperate when it comes to native forest birds. Only 3 species `Elepaio (Chasiempis ibidis), `Apapane (Himetone sanguinea) and `Amakihi (Chlorodrepanis flava) are known with any confidence on the island. What is hopeful is that all 3 species are … Continue reading

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Snapshot: My first Megapode

Megapodes are a cool radiation of galliformes centered around Australia and spreading up to the Philippines in the west and into parts of Polynesia in the east. Unfortunately many insular Pacific forms went extinct. So while during super touristy things … Continue reading

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Two lined Coral Snake of Mt. Mansilawit

Currently back in the motherlands. Was exploring Palawan when we came across a very pleasant surprise. Our tour guide was leading up the short (but muggy!) hike up Mt. Mansilawit outside of El Nido, when she stopped dead in her … Continue reading

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The Luzon Giant Cloud Rat

I just got back from a trip to Japan a few days ago and I was pleasantly surprised by the Kobe Animal Kingdom. It deserves a longer post on it’s own but for now I really wanted to highlight one … Continue reading

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`O`opu of Limahuli Stream

For as much as Hawai`i is known for rainforests and waterfalls, freshwater streams seem surprisingly depauperate compared to continental ecosystems. They like many other native Hawaiian habitats are imperilled, making this encounter with a fairly healthy stream with native fish … Continue reading

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Grackles and spectres of Ole Owyhee

Many species of grackles (Qusicalus spp) have adapted fairly well to the human landscape. I came across them in large numbers in and around San Antonio a few years back. Here on my trip to Puerto Rico it was no … Continue reading

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Snapshot: Pinao

Hawaiian damselflies are another neat radiation of invertebrates here in Hawai`i. They evolved to exploit some niches and habitats that aren’t readily available to them elsewhere. Most damselfly elswhere in the world are aquatic, but some occupy other niches here. … Continue reading

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The Takahe at Zealandia

Takahe (Porphyrio hochstetteri) are another member of New Zealand’s wonderful endemic avifauna. Once thought to be extinct, they are making a comeback and giving us a glimpse of a lifestyle that we don’t really associate with birds.

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Snapshot: More Cerambycid beetles

I wanted to see if I could get a little bit better shots of that native cerambycid beetle I took a few weeks back. They seem to really like rotten koa trees as I rather easily found another one on … Continue reading

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The weka of Kapiti Island

In honor of Kahurangi, I will continue to talk about the other awesome birds we came across in Aotearoa. I mentioned in that post that each conservation area we went to had a different bird taxa stand out. Kapiti Island … Continue reading

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