A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal to remove the Hawaiian hawk, or io, from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife will be discussed at two public meetings this week on the Big Island.

The meetings will be 6:30-8:30 p.m. tonight at the Puueo Community Center, 145 Wainaku St., in Hilo and 6-8 p.m. tomorrow at Yano Hall, 82-6156 Mamalahoa Highway in Captain Cook.

The service proposes removing the io from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife thereby, removing protection by the Endangered Species Act. If that is done, the birds would be monitored every five years for the next 20 years to ensure the population was steady.

The Hawaiian hawk also would remain protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a federal law that prohibits killing, selling or otherwise harming migratory birds, their nests or eggs.

Researchers estimate current population of the io at about 3,000 birds, all of which are on the Big Island.

The io is a small, broad-winged species of hawk endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and is the only member of the hawk family that lives in the Islands. The io was listed as endangered in 1967.

Copies of the proposed rule and draft post-delisting monitoring plan can be downloaded from the Service's website at http://www.fws.gov/pacificislands/ or requested by calling 808-792-9400.