ARTICLES ON HAWAIIAN
BIRDS AND BIRDWATCHING
Jim Denny - Photographer, Educator and Ambassador of Kaua'i's Native Birds.
Jim Denny received his B.A. degree at Louisiana Tech and his B.S. at the university of Hawai'i at Manoa. He is employed at the Kaua'i Veterans Hospital as a medical technologist. In 1968 Jim moved from the bayous of Louisiana to Hawai'i and brought with him his love and enthusiasm for the outdoors. In the forests of Kaua'i he developed a keen interest in the endemic flora and fauna of the Islands. Through his writing and photography Jim hopes to convey to other people the beauty and plight of Kaua'i's native species.
His articles have appeared in many publications such as Island Scene Magazine, Kaua'i Magazine, Aloha Airlines in-flight magazine Spirit of Aloha and the Kaua'i newspapers Garden Island
and Kaua'i Times. Nationally his photographs have
appeared in literature for the United states Fish and Wildlife Service, in Audubon
Magazine, in National Geographic
as well as many private, biological and conservation publications.
Above right: Puaiohi © by Jim Denny. One of Hawai'i's rarest birds is found only in the forests of the Alakai Swamp on Kaua'i where it is extremely shy and elusive. Below left: An adult I'iwi feeds on flowers for which its bill has become especially adapted to feed on. I'iwis are still one of the more common native forest birds on Kaua'i, although numbers fluctuate from year to year. Photo © Jim Denny.
His work has also appeared on the Discovery
Channel Online as well as on Japanese Television and the acclaimed nature magazine
SINRA. Jims work has been exhibited at the Hall of
Discovery in the Bishop Museum, O'ahu and at the Koke'e Museum, Kaua'i.
In 1994 he was awarded the "volunteer of the year" by the environmental organization Hui O Laka for his efforts to educate the public about Hawaiian birds. He also lectures frequently at local schools and visiting environmental and eco-tour groups about Kaua'i's precious avifauna.
Jim has his own website detailing his work and the Birdlife of Kaua'i:
http://www.aloha.net/~jhdenny/
Jim has produced a superb book and video about Kaua'i's birds with stunning photographs and video images and thoughtful text and narration, which really convey the beauty and preciousness of the endemic avifauna of Kaua'i. The book includes introduced and migrant species as well as photographs of some of the rarest forest species on Kaua'i, such as Puaiohi and the nuthatch-like Akikiki or Kaua'i Creeper. In 2002 Jim, along with Dean Jamieson published Hawai'i's Butterflies and Moths - A field guide to the Butterflies and Moths of Hawai'i, which covers thirty species of butterflies and moths which are currently established in the Hawaiian Islands. The book includes endemics such as Kamehameha Butterfly and Blackburn's Sphinx Moth. Jim has also produced a high quality DVD called "Hawai'i Birds" which has excellent footage of birds from around the Islands including many of the native forest birds, migrants and introduced species and the superb footage and bird calls and songs are backed with a relaxing, locally-played slack-key guitar soundtrack.
The Birds of Kaua'i
University of Hawaii Press, 1999. 103pp.
Jim Denny has spent many hours in the native forest of Kaua'i in search of some of
the World's rarest birds, and here readers are able to view the results of those long days in the field. The book
is split into sections dealing with native forest birds, wetland birds and shore birds, seabirds and introduced
birds. The photographs of the native forest birds are all of superb quality and really convey the feeling of the
observer having just spotted the birds whilst they are feeding. The photographs of birds such as the Puaiohi and
'Akikiki are some of the best ever taken of these rare and sought-after species. Unfortunately some species such
as 'Akialoa and Kama'o slipped into extinction just before Jim could capture them on film, and so they are represented
with colour drawings, however we should be grateful that he has captured so beautifully those species that do remain.
The remaining species (both native and introduced) are also well represented with sharp images of birds taken at
various locations around Kaua'i. A few species which are difficult to photograph on Kaua'i have been represented
with specimens in typical habitat, although hopefully in the future these will be replaced by live birds. They
do not however detract from the quality of the book. A few migrant species are included such as Long-billed Dowitcher,
Ring-billed and Laughing Gulls, as well as migrant waterfowl such as Pintail and Shoveler. I would certainly like
to see more photographs of migrants and vagrants in future editions, as the variety of species recorded from the
Island is quite amazing for such an isolated piece of land. A few species have not been included such as Greater-necklaced
Laughing Thrush and some Gamebirds such as Quail, but as anyone who has searched for these species on the island
will know, it can be rare enough to see the species, let alone photograph them.
Each photograph is accompanied by a short piece of text, which is written simply but interestingly, without the jargon of many other publications. At the back there is a checklist of birds occurring on the island which has columns for addition of ones own sightings.
Jim has certainly provided an invaluable reference source of photographs and information, from a resident birders perspective, and through his words and pictures he conveys the love and wonder that he obviously has for the special species and sites that exist on the Garden Isle of Kaua'i. The best bird book on the birds of Kaua'i, I thoroughly recommend it to everybody interested in the birds of Hawai'i.
Birds of the Rainforest
Jim Denny. VHS Video. 2001. 26minutes.
Review will be posted soon
"...the best Hawaiian bird footage I have ever seen" - Tom Coffman, PBS documentarian
"The close-up imagery of the birds moving about is spectacular" - Dr. Robert Pyle, Bishop Museum
Hawai'i Birds
Jim Denny. DVD. 2003. 30 minutes.
With this superb DVD Jim Denny has once again provided a magical and beautiful record of the birds of the Hawaiian
Islands. From the opening sequences of waterfalls at Mount Waialeale and stunning footage of I'iwi through to the
closing shots of a Western Meadowlark giving its melancholy song, the DVD is packed with amazing footage taken
by Jim from throughout the main Hawaiian Islands. I am quite sure that much of the footage is the best ever taken
of many of the species and footage of some such as the I'iwi are breathtaking,
whilst others such as Puaiohi at the nest and Akikiki slowly creeping up a tree-trunk are superb images seldom
seen in the wild, let alone captured on video. The close-up images and deft camera-work bely the immense patience
and time in the field that is needed to so eloquently capture these birds on film. In all over eighty species of
birds from across the State are included on this thirty minute DVD and range from the rare and enigmatic endemics
such as 'Akiapola'au, 'Akikiki and Puaiohi to the commoner 'Apapane and 'Amakihi, through the endemic and indigenous
waterbirds and seabirds, such as Hawaiian Coot and Newell's Shearwater, to regular migrants (such as Northern Pintail
and Laughing Gull) to some of the large numbers of introduced species which now occur throughout the area, such
as California Quail, Zebra Dove and White-rumped Shama. The whole DVD is backed by a slack-key guitar soundtrack,
played by local musicians and although there is no narration on the DVD each species is introduced on screen in
text. The soft, soothing melodies of the guitar intertwined with the calls and songs of the birds featured works
extremely well and is very relaxing and the thirty minutes that the DVD runs for simply were not enough! Even if
you don't watch the DVD every time, the music and bird calls are so relaxing that it could be used just as a background
CD, although with such fantastic footage you will be hard pressed to keep your eyes away from the screen!
Jim hopes to add the Maui endemics in the future and this can only make the DVD even more beautiful and add to its usefulness as long-term documentation of those species found in the magical Hawaiian Islands. If Jim had been videoing before many of the unique Hawaiian species disappeared forever we would be truly blessed, however we are lucky that Jim has produced such a clear and effective record of the species that remain in the 21st century, and for that we will be indebted for many years for the hard work and long hours that he has spent to provide us with such beautiful images, both on video and on film. As with all of Jim's work, I thoroughly recommend this to all birders, naturalists and wildlife-watchers as well as those with a love for the beauty of nature of Hawai'i.
Hawai'i's Butterflies -
A field guide to the Butterflies and Moths of Hawai'i.
D. Jamieson and J. Denny
Mutual Publishing Company, Honolulu. 2002. 94 pages.
This light, handy-sized guide to the butterflies and moths of Hawai'i
is a much needed addition to the bookshelves of Hawai'i and will be particularly useful for visitors as it provides
identification of some of the most commonly seen species in the Islands. As the book itself states with 1150 or
more species recorded from the Islands it is beyond the scope of the book to describe and illustrate every species,
but is rather designed to help the reader identify the largest and most recognizable from among the many that exist.
In this it certainly accomplishes its goal with bright, clear and full colour photographs of many beautiful and
exotic species. There is a good balance between museum specimen photographs and species in their usual habitats,
often with the individuals perched on their favorite host plant. The text is clear, concise and informative detailing
occurrence (which Islands the species occurs on), when it was introduced to the State or first recorded and notes
on identification and habits.
The book opens with an introduction to insect evolution in Hawai'i, which although brief enlightens the reader as to the processes occurring. The book quotes the entomologist F. G. Howarth and naturalist W.P. Mull who state that the odds are so enormous, that a new insect species was successfully established in Hawai'i only once in every 175,000 years. The very same isolation that prevented many species from reaching Hawai'i also allowed the chosen few to radiate or evolve into many new species unmolested by parasites and diseases. This is particularly true with moths. Only a relatively few original colonizers are thought to be responsible for over a thousand distinct species of native Hawaiian moths. The reason butterflies did not experience such an explosion is poorly understood. According to the entomologist Elwood C. Zimmerman, Hawai'i's two native butterflies are clearly distinct species unlike all allied species elsewhere. In addition, both have adapted to the point of being able to develop on several different host plants, but neither has shown any tendency to speciate further. As Jamieson and Denny point out "many questions remain to be answered".
Further introductory chapters provide information on general biology of the Lepidoptera, life cycles of butterflies and moths and even a section on how to attract butterflies and moths to one's garden.
The main section of the book is split into three catagories: The Butterflies, the Large Moths and the Smaller Moths, which helps in finding species more quickly than if they were catagorised by species. The color photographs by Jim Denny are truly beautiful, with lighting and arrangement complimenting the natural beauty of the individual species. The specimen photographs are clear and attractive and in most cases show differences between the upperside and underside of each species as well as both sexes where they differ. The location shots, which include chrysalis and larvae, as well as adults show the species in their natural habitat and are equally (arguably more) as beautiful as the specimens, no mean feat knowing how difficult and frustrating it can be to gain really good shots of insects which seldom stay in the same place for long.
The two endemic butterflies are included with museum and wild individuals of both species. The Blackburn's Blue (Udara blackburni) is shown from the underside in the wild photograph and the iridescent green sheen immediately brought back memories of seeing the species in the forests of Hawai'i. The Kamehameha Butterfly (Vanessa tameamea), the other of Hawai'i's endemic butterflies is particularly well treated with four specimen photographs, a wild shot and five shots of the larval and chrysalis stages. A very useful comparison are the photographs of Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta), Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) and American Painted Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) which may be a pitfall for the unwary or newcomer to Hawai'i's butterflies and could be confused with the endemic Kamehameha Butterfly.
The moth section contains equally beautiful photographs, helped by the choice of species, which tend to be either bright or large and of course the ones most often recorded by visitors to the Islands. The Hawkmoths are truly beautiful species and several are endemic to Hawai'i and are well worth searching for, such as the Hawaiian Hawk Moth (Hyles calida calida). The inclusion of the Fabulous Green Sphinx Moth (Tinostoma smaragditis) is perhaps a little misleading, as the book is primarily for identification of easily observed species and this species has been recorded only a handful of times in the last century and the larvae and host plant are yet to be discovered! Hopefully however the inclusion of this little-known species and the officially endangered Blackburn's Hawk Moth (Manduca blackburni)(listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) will highlight the precarious knife-edge that some of Hawai'i's insects live upon and increase the public's awareness of insects in the State. As with all nature in Hawai'i, the more that is known about the species living there the better and quicker the response can be when a species needs help or recovery.
With this book Dean Jamieson and Jim Denny have highlighted many species which can be seen easily and commonly in the Islands and the book provides a useful, convenient and easily carried guide which will aid the average tourist, nature-watcher or wildlife enthusiast to identify those species that they come across. I thoroughly recommend this book.
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The Birds of Kaua'i (Book) by Jim Denny. The Birds of Kaua'i (March 1999) Univ of Hawaii Press; ISBN: 0824820975. This illustrated photo guide to the birds of the Garden Island is certain to help you identify and locate the many species of birds that can be seen on Kaua'i. |
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Birds of the Rainforest (Video) by Jim Denny. This documentary takes you on an incredible journey that ventures far into the remote valleys of the Alaka'i Wilderness Preserve. It is a Survey of Kaua'i's precious forest birds, from their discovery to their current status. Stunning digital footage is accompanied by the calls and songs of nearly every endemic forest bird still residing in the Alaka'i swamp, including the songs of the critically endangered 'O'o, 'O'u, and Kamao. Birders will find this video an indispensable guide to the location and identification of Kaua'i's native forest birds. |
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Hawai'i Birds (DVD) by Jim Denny A superb collection of digital video footage taken by Jim from throughout the islands. Footage includes many of the endemic Hawaiian forest birds with some of the best footage ever taken of some of the species. The close-up images and the birds calls and songs are a real treat for anyone interested in Hawai'i's birds. The DVD also includes footage of the endemic waterbirds, regular migrant species and many of the introduced species found in the Islands. The relaxing soundtrack and soothing images make this worthy of play after play after play. |
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Hawai'i's Butterflies and Moths (Book) by Dean Jamieson and Jim Denny. Mutual Publishing Company, Honolulu, May 2002. ISBN 1-56647-527-9. Hawai'i's Butterflies and Moths reveals the fascinating island micro-world of these beautiful, strange and exotic creatures. From the lovely Monarch and Kamehameha butterflies to the tiny Dancing Moth and amazing Carnivorous Caterpillar - here are the life cycles, habits and histories of Hawai'i's most easily observed species. Species descriptions and colorful photographs of caterpillars, cocoons, common plant habitats and full-grown adult butterflies and moths identifies over 30 species easily encountered in backyards and low-altitude hikes. Includes details of the two endemic Hawaiian butterflies, the Kamehameha and Blackburn's Blue and endemic moths. |
The Books, Video and DVD can be ordered directly from Jim through his website:
http://www.aloha.net/~jhdenny/
The Books can be ordered through the following outlets:
and the Video can be ordered from the American Birding Association:
Both the video and books can also be purchased at
Koke'e Natural History Museum and Borders Books on Kaua'i.
Christian Melgar, Worthing West Sussex, UK. 2002 and 2003.
