Katherine Orr

Discover Hawai'i's Soaring Seabirds Katherine Orr

This volume of the six book "Discover Hawaii's" nature series introduces young readers to the interesting lives of Hawaii's seabirds. Readers learn about the unusual habits of birds such as the Newell's Shearwater, or 'A'o, that dig their underground nesting burrows on the slopes of Hawai'i's high mountains; their eerie call, sounding very similar to a braying donkey, can be heard at night as the birds commute back and forth along "flyways" (like highways for birds) between mountains and sea. Readers are introduced to special features that enable some seabirds to live well in a salty ocean environment (such as excreting salt out the nose and being able to sleep while in flight). Local residents will recognize many familiar seabirds, from the albatross or M?l? that nest on Kauai and the White Terns or Manu-o-k? that are seen in the parks around Waikiki in spring, to the frigate birds or'Iwa that soar high on warm air currents and the fish diving antics of boobies, or '?. Text and colorful illustrations are equally balanced throughout the book, which concludes with an environmental message and some recommended "Do"s and "Don't"s that suggest what each of us can do to help protect these wonderful birds.