Native and Endangered Bird Field Guide

Your Impact

Field Guide Birds of Lāna‘i You Help Protect

Because of your support, cats are safely cared for at the Sanctuary. By keeping them off the landscape, native and endangered birds like these are better protected.

Ae‘o (Hawaiian Stilt) A striking black-and-white bird with long pink legs, often seen wading through shallow wetlands.

Markings: Black above, white below, with a long black bill and bright pink legs.

What they eat: Worms, small crabs, insects, and fish found in shallow water.

Nesting: Builds nests on open mudflats or small wetland islands.

Parents fiercely protect their nests, calling loudly and even pretending to have a broken wing to distract predators.

Where they live: Shallow wetlands, ponds, and mudflats.

On Lāna‘i, they can often be found near the wastewater treatment ponds.

Status: Endangered Why it matters: Ground nests like these are vulnerable.

Keeping cats safely housed helps protect these nesting areas.

Wedge-tailed Shearwater (‘Ua‘u kani)

A large seabird known for its haunting wails and moans heard at night.

Markings: Long, narrow wings, a wedge-shaped tail, and a hooked bill.

Where they live: Found across Hawai‘i and throughout the Pacific.

Comes in both light and dark color forms.

Returns to the same nesting sites year after year.

What they eat: Fish and squid found far out at sea.

Nesting: Nests in underground burrows on sandy or coastal areas.

Forms long-term pairs and raises just one chick each year.

Status: Least Concern (population declining) Why it matters: Each nest has a single entrance and one chick, making them especially vulnerable.

Safe, undisturbed nesting areas help these colonies thrive.

Hawaiian Petrel (‘Ua‘u)

A rare seabird that nests in remote inland habitats, often hidden in forests and upland areas.

Markings: Dark above with a white face and underside, and a black bill.

What they eat: Primarily squid, along with fish and small crustaceans.

Nesting: Nests deep underground in burrows, crevices, and lava tubes, sometimes up to 30 feet below the surface.

Each pair raises just one chick.

Where they live: Nests in remote inland areas on islands like Lāna‘i, often in forested or upland habitats.

Status: Endangered Why it matters: Because they nest in isolated areas, even small disturbances can have a big impact.

Protected nesting areas are essential for their survival.

Hawaiian Coot (‘Alae ke‘oke‘o) A native waterbird often seen gliding across wetlands, known for its bright white bill and shield.

Markings: Dark gray body with a black head, white bill, and a distinctive white forehead shield.

Where they live: Found in lowland wetlands across Hawai‘i, including ponds, marshes, and taro fields.

Feet are lobed instead of webbed, helping it move easily through water.

On Lāna‘i, they can be seen at the wastewater treatment ponds.

What they eat: A flexible feeder that eats plants, insects, small fish, and crustaceans, both in and around the water.

Status: Endangered

Nesting: Builds floating nests made of wetland plants, often anchored to vegetation or resting in open water.

Why it matters: Healthy wetlands provide everything these birds need to survive.

Your support helps protect the balance of these ecosystems.

Pueo (Hawaiian Short-eared Owl)

A native Hawaiian owl often seen flying during the day over open landscapes.

Markings: Mottled brown with a rounded face, yellow eyes, and a sleek, long-winged shape in flight.

Where they live: Found across a variety of habitats, but most often seen in open areas like grasslands and shrublands, including parts of Lāna‘i.

What they eat: Hunts rodents, insects, and small animals across open areas.

Status: Endangered on O‘ahu

Nesting: Nests on the ground in simple grass-lined scrapes.

Why it matters: Ground nests and open habitats make these birds especially vulnerable.

Chicks leave the nest before they can fly and stay hidden in grasses.

Keeping these landscapes undisturbed helps give species like the Pueo a chance to thrive.

How This Protection Happens The birds you just met rely on safe, undisturbed habitats. Here are a few of the cats who were brought in from those same areas.

From mountain slopes to the welcoming committee Crista was rescued from the Hi‘i mountain area in 2024, a region that supports nesting seabirds like the Hawaiian Petrel. When she first arrived, she kept her distance.

Crista

Now, she’s part of the welcoming committee in Koele Park.

Loves watching lizards dart along the fence Chases toys when visitors play with her Has fully embraced her new, safe routine Today: Crista spends her days napping, playing, and greeting guests, while the mountain habitats she came from remain protected.

A gentle senior who now enjoys comfort instead of life on his own Teddy was rescued from the wastewater treatment area, where native waterbirds like the Hawaiian Stilt and Hawaiian Coot gather. He arrived at the Sanctuary in 2016 and now lives in the Kupuna Center for senior cats.

12 years old and loves attention Always ready for pets from visitors Has a strong opinion about the clinic staff

Teddy

Today: Teddy enjoys a calm, cared-for life, far from the wetlands that support these birds.

From defensive to devoted Zephaniah came from the Koele buffer zone, near protected bird habitats. When he first arrived in 2020, he was extremely feral and didn’t trust people.

Zephaniah

That changed over time.

Now enjoys pets and treats Seeks out attention instead of avoiding it Lives comfortably in Koele Park Today: Zephaniah’s world is safe, stable, and full of care, while the surrounding habitats remain undisturbed.

Because of you, this model is working.

Cats are safe. Birds are protected.

And Lāna‘i remains a place where coexistence is possible.

LanaiCatSanctuary.org | 808.215.9066 | PO Box 631577 Lanai City, Hawaii 96763