Hawaii O'o with Shell Lei

Lithograph by Marian Berger

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Hawaii O'o - Mohoidae Moho nobilis

A lithograph dated 1994.

This 1990's lithograph appears here to have a black section on the birds neck that is blocked out (solid black without detail), although direct examination of the lithograph itself reveals more detail than the image above. This particular lithograph is signed and titled by Marian, but not numbered.

The shell for the lei is likely from Ni'ihau, the most Hawaiin place on earth. The white bone on the necklace is whale bone, most likely from a sperm whale. The Hawaiians did not and do not hunt whales, but when one washed up dead on the beach its bones were considered sacred and were worn ornamentally only by royalty. As described below, the O'o itself is extinct.

From the German Naturalis website: "The cultivation of the Hawaiian Islands had a disastrous effect on the indigenous avifauna. After Europeans arrived in the archipelago, various rails, thrushes, and many of the famous Hawaiian honeycreepers vanished. Another group which suffered heavily were the O-o honeyeaters. All four species of Moho are extinct. These are the Hawaii O-o Moho nobilis, the Molokai O-o Moho bishopi, the Oahu O-o Moho apicalis and the Kauai O-o, Moho braccatus."

Copyright Marian Berger. All rights reserved; images are protected under US copyright laws and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner.


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