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A non-native brown pelican, named Kiko, has been spotted along the southern shore of Hawaii Island, marking a rare occurrence for the region.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe furthest sighting we had before this was about 600 miles off the continental east coast in Bermuda,\u201d Apiki said. \u201cThis one multiplied that distance by four.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kiko is now estimated to be roughly 2,300 miles from the nearest known pelican habitat.<\/p>\n
How the bird made the journey remains a mystery, but Apiki believes a nonstop flight is unlikely.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe average flight path is around 200 miles,\u201d Apiki said. \u201cWhat seems more likely is that it pitched a ride on a ship, stayed with it during the voyage, then abandoned ship once it reached the coastline.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since arriving, Kiko has been reported spending time along the south shore, resting on beaches and fishing in tide pools.<\/p>\n
The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) told Island News the pelican was likely blown off course and managed to survive by feeding in local waters. DLNR said there is no indication the bird poses a threat to Hawai\u02bbi\u2019s ecosystem and there are no plans to return it to the mainland.<\/p>\n
For now, Kiko is free to remain in Hawai\u02bbi. Apiki encourages the public to respect the bird\u2019s space and submit sightings through the Instagram account documenting its unexpected stay in the islands.<\/p>\n
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