By Silvia K.
This is the Hawaiian coot or Fulica alai is also known as the ‘alae ke’oke’o.
Description The ‘Alae ke'oke'o is all black except for some white covering its beak and near its eye. It also has a little redorange on its beak. The Alae ke’oke’o weighs 1.5 pounds. The coot belongs to a rallidae family and is similar to the American Coot, only that the American Coot lives in North America, not Hawaii.
Habitat The ‘Alae ke'oke'o or the Hawaiian coot, lives on the central islands of Hawaii in freshwater places, like in ponds and marshes and in wetlands. This bird, as a chick, instinctively knows how to swim after birth, but still stays with its parents. The coot, like other birds, feasts on marine plants, bugs, small frogs, and little fish.
Sadly, the Hawaiian Coot has been endangered since 1970, perhaps by the loss of its shelter or the introduction of new predators, like mongooses; deadly diseases; such as botulism, and most importantly, humans. For example, hunters used to hunt the coot. Developers build shopping malls, buildings, golf courses, landfills, right on top of their habitats. Isn’t it miserable for these poor birds to lose their homes?
What You Can Do to Save The Bird Even though the coot is a threatened bird and its population is less than 1,000 birds, we can help its name be erased off the endangered species list. The government helped a little by banning hunters that hunt the Hawaiian Coot, making it illegal and trying to preserve wetlands, for example. If you want to do something simple and ecofriendly, please save water. This helps because the Hawaiian Coot lives in freshwater, and you use freshwater every day. You can remember these tips: 1. Twist the faucet handlebars, for example, all the way to prevent water dripping. 2. When you are done using the sink, turn it off. 3. Never use too much of what you need Hopefully, by doing these tips, we will protect the Hawaiian Coot with care and love and make the future of this bird better, not worse.
Works Cited "Hawaiian coot'Alae ke' oke 'o." U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service., 13 June 2013. Web. 7 Apr. 2014. <www.fws.gov/pacificislands//HIcoot.html>. Stiver, Harold. "Hawaiian Coot, Fulica Alai." Nature Notes. N.p., 22 Jan. 2014. Web. 14 Apr. 2014. <http://www.ontfin.com/word/hawaiiancootfulicaalai/>. "Hawaiian Coot." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 19 Jan. 2014. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_Coot>.