Pueo or Owl Gourd Necklace
SKU:
$40.00
$40.00
Unavailable
per item
The Pueo is another 'aumakua in the land of Hawaii. In Hawaii, from before the arrival of the first Polynesians, flies the short-eared brown owl, also named Hawaiian owl, or pueo. Like everywhere else, Hawaii gave the owl a special place in its mythology.
Pueo is sacred. Pueo is the protector. Pueo's legacy reaches far beyond brown feathers into the realm of the spirit world.
As for the facts about pueo, its Latin classification spells asio flammeus sandwicensis, but specialists are not in agreement whether this owl, endemic to the islands, is truly a subspecies of the North American Short-Eared Owl or indistinguishable from its continental friends. Either way, it measures 13 to 17 inches, with the females being slightly larger than the males. A dark mask surrounds large, yellow eyes, and its feathered body is streaked with shades of brown and white. The pueo, unlike most owls, is often active during the day and loves to fly at high altitude above open, grassy areas. The pueo feels at home at sea level as well as in the higher mountains. On the Big Island, its favorite cruising grounds seem to be the Waikii pastures above the Waimea-Kona mountain road, Mamalahoa Highway 190.