Pueo, on the way to work

A Pueo, or Hawaiian Short-eared Owl, perches on a rock in North Kohala

I was on my way to work yesterday, whizzing along only a smidge over the speed limit, when I noticed a familiar image out of the corner of my eye. ‘That’s a Pueo,’ I thought. It was standing on a rock alongside the highway. By the time the thought registered, I was past it, so I drove on a bit until I could turn around and head back.

Sure enough, on my return, the bird was standing in the same place. I stopped a little way beyond it, got out, and snapped the photo above. The Pueo started watching me the moment I got out of the car and, as I edged towards it, it took off and disappeared toward the ocean.

I crossed the road to the spot where it had been perched, then walked a bit farther to get a view down the gully it had disappeared into. I didn’t really expect to see it again, but then I spotted it, clamped to a tree branch, head swiveling 360° as it searched for breakfast. It spotted something, took off in pursuit, and glided from view behind some trees.

I see Pueos occasionally on this stretch of road, but always in flight, usually passing in front of my car at windshield level, which makes me cringe. This is the first time I’ve seen one perched here as this one was.

A Pueo, or Hawaiian Short-eared Owl, perches on a branch in North Kohala

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