ʻAlalā Basics
Who am I?
Description
- The ‘Alalā is a native bird that has black feathers and a large bill.
- ʻAlalā weigh as much as a football and is over 1.5 feet long from bill to tail.
- ʻAlalā are very intelligent and by far the loudest bird in the forest. They can make incredible human-like cries, screams and moans.
Click here to listen to ʻAlalā calls
Where do I live?
Habitat
In the past, ‘Alalā lived in dry and semi-dry forests in the South Kohala, Kona, Kaʻū and into Puna districts. They would range from 1,000 – 8,200 feet in elevation.
These koa and ʻōhiʻa forests on the slopes of Hualālai and Mauna Loa had a lot of fruiting plants in the understory.
A large number of understory shrubs provided food and cover to hide from predators.
What do I eat?
Diet
The diet of the ‘Alalā includes:
- Over 30 species of native fruits
- Eggs and nestlings of other birds
- Insects
- Some nectar, flowers, and dead animals
Their favorite foods include native fruits like ‘Ōlapa, ‘Ie‘ie and Hō‘awa. In fact, ʻAlalā are an important seed disperser for large-fruited native plants.