Oma'o

Giclee by Marian Berger

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Oma'o - Turdidae Myadestes obscurus

Also known as the Hawaiian Thrush or Hawaiian Solitaire.

From the series of thirty-three prints, Living Endemic Birds of Hawaii, by Marian Berger.

From www.state.hi.us and search: "One of five species of solitaire found in the Hawaiian islands,Oma‘o are endemic to Hawai‘ii island. ‘oma‘o perch silently for long periods, and so are more often detected by their song than visually. The diet consists primarily of fruits of both native and introduced understory plant species, though they are also known to take koa (Acacia koa) flowers from the canopy. Oma‘o forage opportunistically for invertebrates. Both sexes defend small nesting territories and may also defend all-purpose territories. Oma‘o are apparently socially monogamous."

The Oma'o is an omnivorous species that forages for fruits and berries in the forest canopy and occasionally searches for insects on the forest floor. It is found in ohi'a and koa forests on the Big Island of Hawaii, where it nests in protected tree cavities. Although it is not listed as endangered, it is considered vulnerable because of its small range. Researchers hand raised Oma'o to learn techniques that could be applied to the endangered Puaiohi, and 25 Oma'o were raised and released on the Kona side of the Big Island, where the species had been absent for nearly 100 years.

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