VOICE: A medium-pitched, but fairly soft, scream.
The io is certainly one of the rarest hawks in the world, as its range is limited to the island of Hawaii, and even here it is not common. It feeds on rats, mice, and large insects and spiders, and occasionally will catch birds, but today birds comprise a minor part of the diet. It tends to be tamer than mainland hawks, perhaps because it has not been harassed as much in recent years, and sometimes you can approach a perched io quite closely. Because of its rodent diet, the io is a very beneficial bird to Hawaii.
California quail (male and female)
CALIFORNIA QUAIL Lophortyx californicus
DESCRIPTION: 9½″-10½″. The distinctive curved head plume identifies this plump quail. Males have a black and white face pattern beneath the brown crown, while females are duller and lack the striking facial pattern. The bill is short and black.
PARK DISTRIBUTION: Introduced from California before 1855 to all major islands. Kilauea—Moderately common along the Mauna Loa Strip and south and west of Kilauea Crater, for example Kipuka Nene. Haleakala—Fairly common on slopes outside the crater up to about 8,000 feet.
VOICE: Both sexes issue a three noted ka-kér-ko, also clucking notes tek-tek, etc.
Although the California quail has been in the islands for a long time, it has not spread much in the park, probably because there is no available open water. In this situation the birds must rely on dewfall, berries, or succulent vegetation for their moisture requirements. They shun heavy forests and do best where small grassy openings are interspersed with dense brush thickets.