The pueo (Asio flammeus sandwichensis) is a subspecies of the short-eared owl and is endemic to Hawaii. The pueo is one of the more famous of the various physical forms assumed by ʻaumākua (ancestor spirits) in Hawaiian culture.
| Pueo | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Strigiformes |
| Family: | Strigidae |
| Genus: | Asio |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: | A. f. sandwichensis
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| Trinomial name | |
| Asio flammeus sandwichensis | |
| Synonyms | |
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Taxonomy
editThis taxon was first named by Andrew Bloxam (as the species Strix sandwichensis). He saw it, although did not collect a specimen, while in the Hawaiian Islands in 1825 as the naturalist on board HMS Blonde. It is now considered to be a subspecies of the short-eared owl, Asio flammeus, although Storrs Olson did not consider it to be distinct from Asio flammeus flammeus.[3]
Distribution and population
editThe pueo inhabits forests and grasslands throughout the Hawai’i archipelago. However, recent surveys suggest that their population is declining, specifically on Oʻahu, an island where they were once quite common. O’ahu is the most populated island by humans in Hawai'i, as well as the most consistently-developed area. Additionally, the island is also the location of the state capital (and largest city in Hawai’i). Thus, O’ahu is consequentially the most-visited part of Hawai’i by foreigners and tourists, as well—all factors that potentially affect the pueo’s natural range and behaviors. The pueo is recognized as an endemic subspecies of short-eared owl by the state of Hawai’i;[4] on the island of O’ahu, the state currently lists it as an endangered species.[5] Nevertheless, the pueo’s presence in Hawai’i is the result of prehistoric human activities, not solely natural evolution or avian migration, thus blurring the concept of a true native species. The pueo is thought to have somehow colonized Hawai’i after the arrival of the Polynesians. This relatively recent arrival of the pueo in Hawai’i may be linked to Polynesian rats (Rattus exulans), which were brought to the islands by humans.[4] The only truly native land (non-aquatic) mammals in Hawai’i are two species of bat—the Hawaiian hoary bat[6] and the (extinct) Synemporion keana.[7] A further seven raptor species formerly inhabited prehistoric Hawai’i—the Hawaiian hawk, the wood harrier, the white-tailed eagle (or a very close relative of),[8] and four species of stilt-owls.
Much like the related, continental short-eared owls, pueo primarily consume small mammals, which they can expertly detect from far distances with their large eyes, an adaptation for superb night vision and hunting after-dark. Their incredibly advanced nocturnal vision also enables them to fly through densely wooded areas with ease, deftly navigating between trees. Strigiformes (owls), as a whole, are well-known for flying silently, and without overly flapping their wings; this ensures their prey does not escape, as they cannot hear or suspect a predator approaching from above. As soon as a choice prey animal is spotted by the pueo, the owl intently glides-over and lands directly on top of it, killing it instantly before flying away, without a sound.
Threats to survival
editPueo nest on the ground, which makes their eggs and young susceptible to predation by the introduced small Indian mongoose and other predators.
Pueo are strongly affected by light pollution. They are often killed in vehicular accidents in which they dive toward the headlights of cars, possibly in an attempt to hunt. Many such collisions have been reported on Interstate H-3 and other newly built roadways in areas which once held high populations of pueo.
Pueo appear to be somewhat resistant to the avian malaria that has devastated many other endemic bird populations in Hawaii;[5][9] however, they have recently become victim to an unknown mysterious "sick owl syndrome", or SOS, in which large numbers of pueo have been found walking dazedly on roads, leading to death by collision. The cause of sick owl syndrome is unknown; it is suspected that pesticide toxicity may be responsible, particularly through secondary rodenticide poisoning. However, it has also been hypothesized that the cause may be an infectious agent, seizure-like confusion due to light pollution, or a variety of other causes.
References
edit- ^ "Asio flammeus sandwichensis. NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
- ^ "Asio flammeus sandwichensis". ITIS Report. Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
- ^ Olson, Storrs L. (1996), "The contribution of the voyage of H.M.S. Blonde to Hawaiian ornithology" (PDF), Archives of Natural History, 23 (1): 1–42, doi:10.3366/anh.1996.23.1.1
- ^ a b "Pueo". Division of Forestry and Wildlife: Wildlife Program. 2021-08-22. Retrieved 2023-04-16.
- ^ a b "Pueo or Hawaiian Short-eared Owl" (PDF). Hawaii's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy. State of Hawaii. 1 October 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 June 2009.
- ^ Pinzari, Corinna A; Kang, Lin; Michalak, Pawel; Jermiin, Lars S; Price, Donald K; Bonaccorso, Frank J (2020-08-27). "Analysis of Genomic Sequence Data Reveals the Origin and Evolutionary Separation of Hawaiian Hoary Bat Populations". Genome Biology and Evolution. 12 (9): 1504–1514. doi:10.1093/gbe/evaa137. ISSN 1759-6653. PMC 7543519. PMID 32853363.
- ^ Ziegler, Alan C.; Howarth, Francis G.; Simmons, Nancy B. (2016-03-21). "A Second Endemic Land Mammal for the Hawaiian Islands: A New Genus and Species of Fossil Bat (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)". American Museum Novitates (3854): 1–52. doi:10.1206/3854.1. hdl:2246/6641. ISSN 0003-0082. S2CID 56234957.
- ^ Hailer, Frank; James, Helen F.; Olson, Storrs L.; Fleischer, Robert C. (2015). "Distinct and Extinct: Genetic Differentiation of the Hawaiian Eagle" (PDF). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 83: 40–43. Bibcode:2015MolPE..83...40H. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2014.11.005. PMID 25463753.
- ^ Kilpatrick, A. Marm (2006). "Facilitating the evolution of resistance to avian malaria in Hawaiian birds". Biological Conservation. 128 (4): 475–485. Bibcode:2006BCons.128..475K. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2005.10.014. ISSN 0006-3207.
...one of the multiple stressors that have devastated the native bird community of Hawai'i.