Pueo, the Beautiful Hawaiian Owl By Reona Note from the author~ The Pueo is important in Hawaiian history. Many people have given them love and ohana in the Hawaiian Islands. But most recently, they are in the danger of extinction. The causes? The cause of the extinction is us, humans. We have cut and burned down many beautiful forests in the wild and we are the ones that are ruining their homes. So after you read this paper I hope that you will help save the Pueo so that the next generation can see this intelligent and beautiful part of nature, as I did. (So, please stop the littering today. Hey listen up, this might mean you!!! Just saying...) What They Symbolize Owls have played a lot of important roles in myths, stories, tales, legends, and folklore from ancient times. But the owl I will talk about is the Hawaiian owl, or the Pueo. You can tell a Pueo by their sharp eyes and also their beautiful brown thick layered coat. If you look closely, you can see that they have a slight mix of gold in their feathers. These layers of brown on its coat can give the Pueo a warm winter. The females are slightly bigger than the males. The Pueo have flexible necks and they can see all around themselves. Some people may say that these owls are hawks, but they are really owls. Unlike other owls, the Pueo are very important to the Hawaiians and are known for the beauty and symbolize wisdom. Their scientific name is Asio flammeus sandwichensis.
The Pueo’s Habitat The Pueo can live anywhere they want to, but most likely, they will choose a forest full of prey to feast on. They can occupy a range of habitats, including the wet and dry forests on the islands, but they prefer the more open habitats, like grasslands and shrublands. Arrival Of The Pueo Are the Pueo native to the Hawaiian Islands or were they brought to us by other foreigners? We do not know the exact date of the Pueo’s arrival but the species is thought to have colonized the Hawaiian Islands sometime after the arrival of Polynesians.
Pueo's Diet The primary diet of the Pueo is something that you might not want to eat. The diet of the Pueo consists of objects or creatures that are small and furry. These creatures that the Pueo eats are nocturnal mice and other rodents. It also can eat what is smaller than itself, like rabbits or small birds. They will go for the foolish birds, but most birds are smart enough to get away from a Pueo. They know that they might become a midnight snack! The Pueo also can eat the native ‘ōpe‘ape‘a (Lasiurus cinereus semotus, Hawaiian hoary bat). They only hunt at night when the rats are at work and when the birds are curled up in their cozy nests. The Pueo have huge eyes that helps them look in the dark. With these huge eyes they can spot a mouse scurrying by from really high, like a five-story building! Mating Season During the mating season, the Pueo male performs an elaborate “sky-dancing” display to draw the attention of a prospective mate. The dance is pretty interesting and very attractive to the female Pueo but if you see it, I think that you will think that it is very unlike a “dance”. Females make shallow nests on the ground. They do all the brooding, with chicks hatching at different times. But watch out, if predators venture too close, both parents will scream, hiss, and bark. (Believe me, it is very scary.) The females will produce about three to six eggs, though it depends on the Pueo and the right climate. Action To take action, you can help stop littering. That may seem small, but that can make a major difference. The forest will be clean and the Pueo will be happy living in a clean area, not a home filled with rubbish. Also cleaning the world and the forest is not only helping the Pueo, but other endangered animals all around the world. I hope you get the message. The Pueo are in the list of endangered animals. These are the efforts to help preserve their number.
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have a community clean up of the forests during the weekends
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always think before you throw away something (one little piece of trash is small but if every one of us from the earth litters, that a whole lot of trash)
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ask the government to preserve the rainforest and not to cut or burn trees
Bibliography
"Pueo." Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation, Inc., 10 Jan. 2014. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pueo>
"Pueo,The Protector." Coffee Times. LBD Coffee LLC dba Coffee, 2006. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. <http://www.coffeetimes.com/mar98.htm>.
"Pueo." ‘Ahahui Mālama I Ka Lōkahi. 12 Dec. 2012. Web. 9 Apr. 2014. <http://www.ahahui.net/Pueo.html>.