32 pp. September 1998
cloth, ISBN 978-0-8248-1961-3, $14.99
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Keywords: |
bird
native
ocean
Hawaii
Islands
Pacific
biology
children |
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Kolea: The Story of the Pacific Golden Plover
by Marion Coste
illus. by Fred E. Salmon Jr.
A Kolowalu Book
Winner, Ka Palapala Po`okela Award for Excellence in Children's books, 1999
"This handsome picture book, written in two parts, celebrates [the kolea's] journey and includes scientific information on kolea habitat, diet, nesting, breeding, and history.... Coste writes with an enthusiasm that makes learning fun." --Honolulu Advertiser
The Kolea (Pacific Golden Plover) leads a double life. From May to August it nests and raises its young on Alaska's chilly subarctic tundra. Come winter, just as its plumage turns from black and white to gold and brown, the kolea makes its way to Hawai`i's distant shores, where it will remain for the next eight months before returning to Alaska. It undertakes this incredible journey of nearly 3,000 miles twice a year without stopping once to rest or feed. Amazingly, young kolea, left far behind on the Alaskan coast, find their way to Hawai`i without any help from their parents. Those of us who witness the comings and goings of these amazing birds often wonder how they travel across thousands of miles of trackless ocean without losing their way. What signs or clues do they follow? Do they use the sun and stars as their guides? The ability of the kolea to navigate such a tremendous distance remains a mystery. In the first part of this book you will journey with the kolea from the treeless plains near the Arctic Circle, across the vast Pacific Ocean, to its warm and sunny winter home in Hawai`i. The second part contains information on habitat, food, nesting and breeding, and the challenges facing scientists who study kolea migration. Both sections are clearly written and will engage and inform young readers.
Marion Coste has been an elementary school teacher in six states and a museum educator/administrator at Mystic Marinelife Aquarium, Bishop Museum, Honolulu Academy of Arts, and the Hawai`i Children's Museum. She is the author of two previous books on Hawai`i's native species. Fred E. Salmon, Jr., specializes in landscapes, seascapes, portraiture, and animal art. His works have won many awards in juried exhibitions. He resides in Honolulu.
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