Manu-o-Ku, Fairy, or White Terns (Gygis alba) are found only on Oahu, with regards to the main Islands of Hawaii but are common in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands and other parts of Polynesia. Manu-o-Ku are listed as a threatened species by the State of Hawaii.
They do not build nests but rather lay their eggs in craggy ledges and tree knots. Their diet consists almost entirely of flying and goat fish and both parents take turns caring and feeding their young.
The female does not leave the incubating egg until it hatches and the male will keep his mate amply fed while she keeps vigil.
Breeding pairs will sometimes produce three broods a year and nest either in solitude or in small groups preferring to nest in the same place year after year.
They are very social birds noted by their cacophonous interactions with each other in the early morning and at dusk. They often roost in Monkey Pod trees because of it's expansive canopy and afforded protection from predation.
We were blessed to have three breeding pairs living outside our former home in Diamond Head Hawaii. It was a wonderful experience to watch the hatchlings grow and finally fly away.
The parents always kept a watchful eye on human beings but many times I got the impression that they liked showing us their little ones. If we got too close they would let us know by flying around our heads and screeching but that was rare.
We need your Kokua to keep Hawaii beautiful!
Photos by Kimo Stowell Copyright ©2008
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