Population status of the endangered Hawaiian hawk
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We assessed the current abundance and distribution of Hawaiian Hawks ('io; Buteo solitarius) on the island of Hawaii to determine if this federally endangered bird should be downlisted to threatened status. We found a density of 0.004 hawks/ha on the island. Using an estimate of 400 000 ha of suitable 'io habitat on Hawaii, we estimated a total of 1600 hawks (1120 adults; 560 pairs) on Hawaii. Based on the wide distribution of 'io among vegetation types on the island and little apparent change in numbers during the past decade, we agreed with the recommendation for downlisting the hawk but suggested that researchers collect long-term demographic data to better understand the status of this species. 1997 The Raptor Research Foundation, Inc.