Description
The Ae‘o or Hawaiian stilt is a slender, graceful waterbird that is considered distinct from the North American subspecies. Adult males and females are mostly black above and white below with a long, thin black bill and long, delicate pink legs. We see this one foraging for a variety of animals that inhabit the shallow water in the coastal wetlands of Kanaha Pond. The Ae’o in this painting blends in with its environment. I mostly wanted to capture the early morning lighting at the wildlife refuge where I was mesmerized by the layers of textured grasses.