Hawaiian Stilt
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DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:
In Hawaii the Ae'o is found on all the main islands except Lanai. On Oahu, the largest numbers are found at Pearl Harbor and Kaneohe.
Studies have proven that the stilts fly from one island to another. The Ae'o requires shallow brackish water ponds, mud flats and shorelines where it finds its diet of small invertebrates.
BEHAVIOR:
The Ae'o has a flapping flight, its long legs stretched out straight behind it. It forms small flocks of varying numbers.
The mature birds use tricks such as a "broken wing act" to lure intruders away from the nest area. It has a short sharp cry, "keek," that is given in flight and on the ground when disturbed. A soft muted call is given when resting.
DIET:
The Ae'o feeds in groups or singly, on the larvae of dragon flies, small fish, worms, crabs, water insects, and the seeds and roots of water plants. In the Zoo they are fed a mixture of bird chow, mealworms and fruit fly larvae.
ENDANGERED STATUS:
The Hawaiian Stilt is an endangered species. Although the species was formerly much more abundant, it now numbers around 1500. Until 1941, the stilt was considered a game bird and it is still sometimes shot illegally. It is also subject to predation by mongooses and feral dogs and cats.
A major reason for the decline of this species has been habitat destruction due to drainage of marshes and other wetland areas. Wildlife refuges in Hawaii help to protect this and other water birds by maintaining and protecting their habitats. The Zoo is also helping in efforts to protect the stilt and increase its population, in cooperation with other wildlife agencies.
Four stilt eggs were received in 1980 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and were among the first to be raised and studied in a successful in-zoo propagation program. Since then more stilts have been raised at the zoo, including the ones seen in the Hawaiian water bird exhibit. Because it is often hard to observe all aspects of stilt behavior in the wild, the zoo program allows us to observe this endangered species more closely, and the information gathered can help not only in propagation but in protection of this unique Hawaiian bird.
