Crazy for Ko'ko'

Once the sun starts to set and being outside is bearable, we love to hang out in the yard.
The neighborhood come alive! Kids are out playing, parents are out chatting, Molly is out greeting.

A while back, we spotted this unusual looking guy hanging out - trying not to be noticed.
But how could we NOT notice him! Have you ever seen such a creature?
Me neither!
It turns out he was an endangered Ko'ko bird (just a baby - which is why he's sporting such cute legs and head fluff!), trying to spot some of the neighborhood action.
















Here's what Guampedia says about this unique and unusual little guy.

• The Ko'ko or Guam rail, is the Territorial Bird of Guam.
• The Ko’ko’ is a large rail, standing eleven to twelve inches or about twenty-eight centimeters tall.
• It nests year round laying one to four eggs in a nest of leaves and grass on the ground. The eggs are tended by both parents. Chicks can run after four days.
• Considered flightless, the ko’ko’ can only fly very short distances. It is an omnivorous feeder but seems to favor animals. It feeds on seeds and leaves as well as snails, lizards, insects and carrion.
• Considered endangered by both the Government of Guam and the federal government. It has been extirpated from the wild and is held in captive breeding programs on Guam and the U.S. mainland. There has been an experimental population release on Rota, CNMI and in two locations on Guam.
• The Guam Rail was once abundant, commonly seen in backyards and agricultural fields. It was once hunted for food.
  Threats: Habitat destruction and predation by the brown treesnake as well as feral cats, possibly pigs and monitor lizards.