Twilight Sentinel

As dusk settles over Haleakalā Ranch, a Hawaiian short-eared owl — the endemic pueo (Asio flammeus sandwichensis) — glides silently above golden-lit brush in search of prey. One of the few native raptors of Hawaiʻi, the pueo plays a vital role in upland ecosystems and carries deep cultural significance as an ʻaumākua (ancestral guardian spirit). This twilight moment captures the quiet strength of a species adapted to open pastures and shrinking native habitat.