Happy Birthday Hawaiian Common Moorhen, Lily Pond Card

Known in the Hawaiian language as 'alae 'ula, which means red forehead, the Hawaiian Common Moorhen was listed as an endangered species in 1967 under the Federal Endangered Species Act. The 'alae 'ula (Hawaiian Common Moorhen) is known as the most secretive native waterbird. In Hawaiian legend, these birds were thought to have brought fire from the gods to the Hawaiian people. These secretive birds can be found in freshwater marshes, taro patches, irrigation ditches, reservoirs, and wet pastures. They favour dense emergent vegetation near open water, floating or barely emergent mats of vegetation, water depths of less than 3 feet (1 metre), and prefer fresh water as opposed to saline or brackish water.