Pueo

Pueo (Asio flammeus sandwichensis) are a subspecies of short-eared owl endemic to Hawaii.

Pueo inhabit forests and grasslands throughout the islands of Hawai'i, although their numbers are declining rapidly, particularly in the last two decades, and especially on the island of O'ahu, upon which they were at one time very prevalent. Pueo are now listed as an endangered species.

Threats to survival

Pueo nest on the ground, which makes their eggs and young susceptible to predation by the introduced mongoose and other hunters, as well as by bulldozers.

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 decimated many other endemic bird populations in Hawai'i; however, they have recently become victim to a 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.

Pueo is the Hawaiian name for the Hawaiian Owl. The Hawaiian Owl is one of the various aumakua's in Hawaiian culture.

External links

* [http://homepage.mac.com/juanwilson/islandbreath/%20Year%202005/a05-20-nature/0520-03pueo.html More information with sounds produced by the pueo]
* [http://www.coffeetimes.com/mar98.htm Article on the pueo by Veronica S. Schweitzer]