ʻŪlili at the Water’s Edge

A lone ʻŪlili (Tringa incana), or Wandering Tattler, pauses between waves along the Hawaiian shoreline. These nimble shorebirds are known for their distinctive teetering gait and far-ranging migrations between Alaska and the Pacific Islands. In Hawaiian culture, the ʻŪlili is often associated with rhythmic chants and movement—a quiet observer of tides and time. These shoreline sentinels are often spotted solo, scouting rocky coasts or sandy flats for invertebrates.