Honeycreepers (Draw a Bird Day)
“The forests are getting silent”
–Hanna Mounce, Maui Forest Bird Recovery
extinction–
always more words, less
habitat–
repeated
hollow justifications–
vast human wasteland
Eight birds from the Hawaiian Islands were on the official extinction list released by wildlife officials last week. Honeycreepers, descended from finches, are only found in Hawaii and have been losing species ever since explorers started bringing in invasive animals and diseases and destroying habitat in order to profit from the land.
Almost all the remaining honeycreepers are endangered. Besides their visual beauty, they pollinate native plants and keep insect populations under control.
Mosquitos, which are not native to the islands and arrived in the early 1800s, are one of the biggest dangers. They are hard to control and impossible to eliminate. The Avian Malaria and Avian Pox they brought has decimated the lower forest dwelling birds. As honeycreepers have retreated to higher elevations, climate change has followed them, raising the temperatures of the upper forests to levels that mosquitos can tolerate. The Maui Forest Recovery Project is working to save forest habitats and the plants and animals that live in its unique ecosystem.
I’ve written a shadorma this week for Colleen’s #TankaTuesday, poet’s choice.
28 responses to “Honeycreepers (Draw a Bird Day)”
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- October 11, 2021 -
This is so sad. We honeymooned in Hawaii and didn’t see a single honeycreeper. I did get to see the Nene, or Hawaiian goose, and lots of green sea turtles though. I don’t suppose the tourist industry is helping any.
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It doesn’t have to be bad. We need a major restructuring of all the ways we live in the world.
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Lovely watercolors.
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Thanks!
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great shadorma! the brevity of the powerful word choice really brings the message home – especially in the opening – it’s gripping — less but more, except words with paltry actions hardly effects changes ….
I’m really pulled in by your message – and the drawings/sketches are lovely as well
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Thanks. We need to make major changes if we want to survive.
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Your words are to the point and effective. And I love your birds.
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Thanks Ken. We can’t seem to get out of this downward spiral.
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You know I love your birds and your message is spot on! I just read that Florida’s Ivory-Billed Woodpeckers are now extinct! https://phys.org/news/2021-10-florida-ivory-billed-woodpecker-extinctbut.html. It’s such a sad state of affairs. Your shadorma really drew me into your message. ❤
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I did see that about the woodpecker too. There’s no going back now–all we can do is try to save what remains.
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It’s so sad. 😣
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I also love birds, Kerfe, and you commentary makes me sad. I just don’t understand humanity on mass.
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Birds are disappearing in many places. We are too disruptive of ecosystems.
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I know, Kerfe, its so sad.
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Your birds are lovely. It’s horrible that this is the only way anyone may see them soon. Your words are powerful.
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Thanks Merril. I hope we don’t just become resigned to it.
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No, I hope we don’t either.
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A beautiful post – with wonderful illustrations. How sad it is that we are losing so much wildlife worldwide. We must wake up!!
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Yes, and soon. Thanks Janet.
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The birds are awesome, Marta and yes so sad we all are loosing a part of our environment. It is time that we all did something.
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It is! Thanks Marta.
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Welcome 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
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Beautiful drawings, but very 😢, Kerfe
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It is. The world grows poorer every day.
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Sad. A sad message rendered beautifully.
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And only going to get worse, I’m afraid.
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Beautiful birds, Kerfe, and so sad to hear that they’re now going extinct. I don’t think people realize how each change in the climate creates ripples and that changes on the micro level will have resounding consequences on the macro level and ultimately on human life. A beautiful but sad poem.
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