No he is not giving me the bird. He is using his huge talons to scratch off the old layer on his beak, he is a growing boy. The Hawaiian Hawk is only found on the Big Island of Hawaii nowhere else in the world.
Its Hawaiian name is ‘io, pronounced “eee oh”, short for “Iolani” or “exalted hawk”. Although not totally endangered they are quite rare and a joy to see, hear and photograph.
This young male just let me walk right up to his tree. He would screech his high pitched shrill “EEEE…oh” and let me shoot away. Hopefully in flight next time…it’s all about being in the right place at the right time.
Happy Hump Day!
