Kaelepulu Wetland - Home to Endangered Hawaiian Wetland Birds
Birds found in the Wetland
'Alae 'Ula ~ Hawaiian Gallinule (Moorhen) Gallinula chloropus sandvicensis
This 13-inch tall slate-gray bird has black feathers on its neck and
head with white feathers on its flanks and under its tail. It has a bright
red frontal shield and bill with a yellow tip. Its legs and rather large
unwebbed feet are yellowish-green.
The 'Alae 'Ula is very secretive, usually remaining close
to dense vegetation and hiding quickly when it senses danger.
Gallinules feed on aquatic insects, mollusks, algae, water plants and
grasses. They build nests of reeds and other aquatic vegetation and lay
clutches of between 6 and 13 eggs. Young chicks are able to run and swim
within a few hours of hatching. They are covered with black down and
have a bright red bill.
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