Oh! you may be lucky enough to get a glimpse of the endangered ‘Io (Hawaiian Hawk), found only on the Big Island. Seen nesting at The Falls at Reed's Island. To ancient Hawaiians, the ‘Io was a royal figure: strong and aggressive, but also graceful and stately, poised silently high above the earth. Certainly to see hawks wheeling about silently in the sky or to hear their piercing cries is an impressive and unforgetable thing.
The Hawaiian saying "kaha ka ‘io i ka malie" translates as "the hawk stands out in the calm skies," and is used to denote admiration for a person who stands out in a crowd because of their appearance or charisma. The palace of the Hawaiian monarchy in Honolulu was named ‘Iolani, "Exalted Hawk", which reflects this long-standing symbolism.
