Do you ever wonder about that first noisy bird you hear in the morning? The Kikau, or Wattled Honeyeater (Foulehaio carunculata), is usually the first bird to herald the approaching dawn. It makes a “kee-kow” call, from which it gets its local name. It is one of the most common birds in suburban gardens, and is usually abundant in coconut plantations, except on Taveuni where it sticks to mature forests. The Kikau can be found in any habitat from mountain forests to the seaward edge of mangroves. They are energetic feeders, constantly on the move between flowering trees and bushes. They are also aggressive, driving off larger as well as smaller birds near their nest. Occasionally, they will even catch and mercilessly batter some of the smaller birds, who better learn to stay away from the Kikau’s nest!

“Forests and Biodiversity – Too precious to lose!” is the theme of the upcoming International Day of Forests on March 21. Each day until then, we’ll be sharing information about a different bird highlighted in our special edition playing cards. We hope you enjoy learning more about the precious diversity you can find right here in our Fijian forests! #IntlForestDay #IDOF2020