LOCAL VIBE

Twilight Hunter

Short legs and an even shorter neck give the ‘auku‘u, or black-crowned night heron, a laid-back but regal look. However, this demeanor is misleading, for there is nothing relaxed about the way these water-loving species attack their prey. When hunting, the heron waits patiently motionless at water’s edge until an unsuspecting fish, frog, mouse, insect or small bird comes by and then snatches the prey quickly with its long sharp beak. Despite its name, the night heron also likes to hunt early morning as well as dusk, and spends its time in aquatic habitats from mountain streams to ponds and the shoreline. Since much of its wetland habitat has been lost, ‘auku‘u are often seen hunting in golf course ponds, fish farms and even resort ponds awaiting the arrival of its next meal.