`Alae `Ula Feathers as black as night, Front shield, red beak, yellow tip, Hidden in dense reeds.  Hawaiian Moorhen

The 'Alae 'Ula, or Hawaiian Moorhen, is black above, and gray blue below. They stand 14 inches tall. The 'Alae 'Ula's under tail feathers are white., and their bill and frontal plate are red. Their bill is sometimes tipped with yellow. The 'Alae 'Ula's legs are greenish yellow. Its toes are not webbed, but it can swim well, and can also walk among floating plants. The 'Alae 'Ula's long spreading toes keep it from sinking into the water.

Hawaiian legends say that the `Alae 'Ula., or Hawaiian Moorhen brought fire to the Hawaiians. In the process it burned it's "lae" or forehead , causing it to become bright red or "'ula". The Hawaiian Moorhen then became known as the 'Alae 'Ula. The ancestors of this brave bird have this red mark of honor. 'Alae 'Ula were important in early Hawaiian legends, and were considered to be a common sight in the taro patches. Today, it is an endangered wetland moorhen species of the gallinule family.

The 'Alae 'Ula can only be seen on Oahu and Kaua'i. They are said to be shy, running secretively along trails and thick weeds in the marsh. They chose to hide instead of flying when disturbed. Their secretive ways makes it difficult to accurately gather information on their numbers.