Kolea - Golden Plover

by Heidi Fickinger

Title

Kolea - Golden Plover

Artist

Heidi Fickinger

Medium

Photograph - Photographic Print

Description

This beautiful, dainty bird is the Hawaiian Kolea, also known as the Golden Plover. The Kolea comes to Hawai'i from late summer through October or November all the way from Alaska. These are some of the longest distance migratory birds in the world, wending their way to Hawai'i, Fiji and other South Pacific islands. Some even make it all the way to New Zealand, a journey of 5000 miles one way. The breeding plumage is even more lovely than the wintering plumage, with more pronounced patterning and more golden feathers. After rearing their young in Alaska, the parent leave sooner than the young, so amazingly the young birds make the flight the first time without older birds and find their way to the area that the parents winter.
In Hawai'i, these birds are beloved and their return is eagerly awaited by many. Birds love lawns where they can forage for bugs and so can be seen in many people's yards. The birds typically return to the same area every year and since they can live up to 26 years, they are often given pet names.

Uploaded

September 28th, 2017

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Viewed 383 Times  -  Last Visitor from Cambridge, MA on 04/20/2024 at 11:25 AM

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