Overview

Oscar “Wally” Johnson,the undisputed world expert on Pacific Golden-Plovers,and Susan Scott,a popular-science writer, have combined their knowledge and enthusiasm to create a book for everyone who admires the exceptional birds known as K?lea in Hawaiian.With easy-to-understand,yet scientifically accurate, text and outstanding color photographs, Hawai‘i'sK?lea:The Amazing Transpacific Life of the Pacific Golden-Plover is a handy, reliable source of information for both general readers and ornithology specialists. Although the Pacific Golden-Plover is a member of the shore bird group,K?lea spend most of their time in land,favoring open space with short vegetation.This makes Hawai‘i’s cemeteries,golf courses, and backyard lawns prime real estatefor the semigratory birds,which have adapted remarkably well to life among humans. Each year K?lea fly thousands of miles nonstop from Alaska and return to the same spot in the Islands,whether a condominium courtyard,a busy beach park,or strip of grass in down town Honolulu. As a result, many Hawai‘i residents get to know individual birds,calling them“myK?lea.”In turn,urban plovers often grow tame around people,an endearing trait uncommon in other birds.Their human admirers see city K?lea as charming, alert, and personable—qualities that, together with their grace and beauty, have made them arguably Hawai‘i’s favorite bird. Observing the birds gives rise to countless questions: “When do the birds leave Hawai‘i? When do they return? Do they have chicksintheIslands?Howlongdoesittakethemtoflyto Alaska?”Toanswertheseandotherquestions,theauthorshave gatheredtogetherjustabouteverydetailresearchersknowabout PacificGolden-Plovers.Ifyoumarvelattheremarkablebirdsthat prance through your park,strut in your street,and rest on your rooftop, this book willmake you love K?lea even more.

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9780824866969

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Oscar W. Johnson is the world expert on Pacific Golden-Plovers. An affiliate research scientist in the Department of Ecology at Montana State University, he became fascinated with plovers while working in the Marshall Islands and hasstudied them since 1979. Johnson conducts his research throughout the Pacific and in Alaska. Susan Scott writes the “Ocean Watch” column for the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and has written seven books about nature in Hawai‘i. Her newspaper columns about K?lea generate more reader e-mail than all other subjects combined. Scott shares Johnson’s fascination with these extraordinary birds and has followed his research for over three decades.

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