Ae`o - Black-necked Stilt

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Maui probably has the only Costco in the world where you can stand in the parking lot and watch an endangered species fly overhead. That species of course is the ae`o, or stilt, which live and nest only a block away at Kanahā Pond State Wildlife Sanctuary.

Stilts are named for their long legs, an adaptation for wading in shallow wetlands as they feed. In flight, the legs trail behind them looking like long, thin, pink tails.

Like many water birds, stilts have suffered from a loss of wetland habitat, and also from predation by introduced cats, dogs and mongoose. Recent estimates put their population at around 1500 birds.

On Maui ae`o are commonly seen at Kanahā and also at Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge, and occasionally at other sites including scattered wetland areas on the remote leeward side of Haleakalā.

On O`ahu birds are known to nest at Pearl Harbor, Kane`ohe Marine Corps Air Station, and The James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge at Kahuku.

Other populations exist on both Kaua`i and the Big Island.