Not many birds are as graceful and stately as the native ʻio, or Hawaiian hawk, seen soaring over fields, forest edges, and even towns. ʻIo are between 16-18 inches long, males are smaller than females. There are two major color phases that can be observed: dark phase birds are dark brown throughout; and light phase birds are dark brown above, and light below with some streaking. ʻIo are associated with Hawaiian royalty, partly because of their ability to soar higher than any other native bird.