MAUNA KEA — Four miles up a four-wheel-drive dirt road from the Kilohana hunter check-in station off the old Saddle Road sits the newly opened Palila Forest Discovery Trail, a looping one-mile hike on the western slope of Mauna Kea. An exciting find for avid bird watchers, the trail was opened to the public by Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife in late July.
Gradually winding up the mountain, the path leads through old-growth Mamane and Sandalwood trees to a scenic point that boasts panoramic views of the Kohala Range and the coastline. Lance Tanino, founder of Manu Conservation Birding and Nature Tours and one of the leading birding experts in Hawaii, now voluntarily leads guided hikes along the trail.
“The preserved forest here is called is the Mamane Naio Forest,” he said. “Some of the shrubs and trees are native, such as A’alii, Mamane and Naio trees — also known as false sandalwood. Before humans found these islands they were all over this elevation.”
As hikers traverse the trail, Tanino points out the distinctive bird calls: Hawaii Amahiki, Saffron Finch and Red Northern Cardinals frequently heard nearby.
“Then you’ve got the native honeycreeper, or Palila,” he said, referring to the star of the show on this trail. “This species is so specialized it evolved to survive and depend on just this kind of Mamane Naio Forest. It nests in these trees, it feeds in these trees — its total life is dependent on the Mamane. It feeds on the green, unripe Mamane seed pods that are poisonous to everything else, but they have evolved to feed on the pod seeds and also on the larvae of a native beetle moth that can be found inside the pods for protein, especially during nesting season for egg building and development.”
Only about 2,000 of these birds remain, all in this unique habitat on the mid-elevations of Mauna Kea.
“Other species of honeycreepers, like the Apapani, have evolved to feed on nectar of flowers,” Tanino said. “Certain flowers have co-evolved with the birds, so their bills fit perfectly with the particular shape of the flower.”
At least a dozen other bird species can be seen along the trail, including Francolin Quail, California Quail, Kalij Pheasant and Ring-necked Pheasant — all of which were introduced to the Big Island originally for hunting.
“We’re past the breeding season now, so when the birds vocalize it really helps to locate them because when they’re on silent mode they’re invisible,” Tanino said.
Along this trail, at least, there is no hunting allowed. It’s strictly for the birds.
Info: Palila Forest Discovery Trail 987-1779 or Manu Conservation for birding tours 495-6545