Hawaii is home to some of the most spectacular and rare birds in the world. Its remote island location in the Pacific has allowed unique bird species to evolve here, many of which exist nowhere else on Earth. Avian diversity is exceptionally high, with well over 100 endemic species as well as migrants from around the globe.
Whether you’re a passionate birder looking to add some exotic species to your life list, or simply want to enjoy Hawaii’s colorful native birds, these are the top 25 birds to watch for on your next trip to the Aloha State.
Introduction
Hawaii’s birds are one of the state’s greatest natural treasures. Many species have evolved over millions of years into spectacular forms found nowhere else on Earth. Sadly, habitat loss and introduced predators have taken a major toll, and over 70 species have already gone extinct. But with conservation efforts, many rare endemic birds still cling to existence and can be seen by birders who know where to look.
The main Hawaiian Islands offer very different birding opportunities. Kauai is renowned for forest birds, Maui and Hawaii for their honeycreepers, and Oahu for a diversity of endemics as well as migratory shorebirds and waterfowl. Whether you stick to just one island or island-hop, you’ll be rewarded with sightings of these unique tropical birds.
Hawaiian Goose (Branta sandvicensis)
The Hawaiian Goose, or Nene, is Hawaii’s state bird. It’s a rare success story among Hawaii’s endangered endemics. Numbers crashed to just 30 birds in the 1950s before captive breeding and release programs helped the Nene recover. Over 2,500 exist today across most of the main islands.
Look for these handsome gray-brown geese with black heads and distinctive yellow cheeks grazing on grasses in upland areas. They’re easily observed at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park and Haleakala National Park. Their feet have partially webbed toes rather than full webbing like other geese—an adaptation to living on islands lacking open water.
Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis)
With an enormous wingspan over 11 feet, the Laysan Albatross is the largest seabird in Hawaii. Midway Atoll is its stronghold, where over 1 million Laysan Albatrosses breed. But Kaʻena Point on Oahu also hosts a colony of around 20,000 breeding pairs.
See these huge elegant albatrosses wheel and glide over the ocean. Then watch waves of them arriving on shore to reunite with mates in elaborate mating rituals. Their wings seem to effortlessly lock into place to incubate the egg without even standing up. Mid-February to mid-June are the peak months to observe nesting albatrosses on Oahu.
Red-footed Booby (Sula sula)
The Red-footed Booby is a large seabird named for its bluish bill and bright red feet. Look for them soaring and plunge-diving to catch fish around Hawaii’s offshore islets. They breed in noisy colonies on remote islands and atolls across the Pacific.
Hawaii’s main breeding colonies are at Kure Atoll, Midway Atoll, Pearl and Hermes Reef, and Lehua Islet off Niihau. But Red-footed Boobies also nest on offshore islets just a boat ride away from Kauai, Oahu, and Maui. Watching their aerial acrobatics as they dive from great heights into the sea is mesmerizing.
Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor)
The Great Frigatebird is a large, mostly black seabird with a distinctive deeply-forked tail and huge wingspan up to 7 feet. Males have a bright red gular sac they inflate to attract females. Frigatebirds are masters of aerial piracy—they steal food from other seabirds rather than hunting fish themselves.
Many breed at French Frigate Shoals, but they also nest on islets off Kauai, Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii Island. Midway Atoll hosts an enormous colony of over 300,000 Great Frigatebirds. Watch for these acrobatic pirates chasing other seabirds to steal their catches.
Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)
With flowing white streamer-like tails up to 28 inches long, Red-tailed Tropicbirds are graceful aerialists of tropical oceans worldwide. Hawaii hosts around 4,000 breeding pairs on offshore islets and sea cliffs.
Their courtship flight displays are spectacular. Watch for their aerial back-and-forth passing maneuvers with tails dangling to impress potential mates. Kilauea Point on Kauai and Waimea Canyon Lookout on Oahu offer good vantage points, especially during the February-June breeding season.
Hawaiian Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni)
The Hawaiian subspecies of the Black-necked Stilt has striking jet-black upper parts and long pink legs. These shorebirds occur around shallow saltwater pools, ponds, and mangrove swamps throughout the main Hawaiian Islands.
Their fast footwork as they stalk and stir up aquatic insects is fun to watch. Note the subtle differences from migratory Black-necked Stilt subspecies when they overwinter in Hawaii October-April. Check wetlands like Keehi Lagoon on Oahu and Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge on Kauai.
Pacific Golden-Plover (Pluvialis fulva)
The Pacific Golden-Plover is a regular migrant to Hawaii, overwintering August-April across all the main islands. Their back is mottled gold and black in breeding plumage. Watch for them feeding along shorelines, grassy fields, even parking lots and golf courses.
Listen for their monotone, whistled to-to-to flight call. Good spots include Kahuku on Oahu, Kealia Pond on Maui, and Kauai’s large coastal wetlands. They perform spectacular aerial displays during the breeding season before departing to Arctic nesting grounds.
Bristle-thighed Curlew (Numenius tahitiensis)
This large brown curlew with a long, decurved bill winters primarily in the Hawaiian Islands after breeding in Alaska. They’re quite wary and can be tough to approach. Listen for their flute-like cour-lee call.
Scan mudflats, salt pans, and beaches with short grass and sparse vegetation. Hotspots include Hanalei taro fields on Kauai, Laysan duck ponds at Kilauea Point on Kauai, and the Kona Airport grassy strips on Hawaii Island. Their global population is under 8,000, making Hawaii an important refuge.
Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana)
This compact gray-and-brown shorebird breeds in Alaska and migrates down the Pacific Coast to overwinter in Hawaii and other tropical islands. Wandering Tattlers frequent rocky intertidal areas and reef flats, often bobbing their tails.
Look for them on emergent rocks and along shorelines. Kilauea Point and Poipu Beach Park on Kauai offer close views as they actively forage. Wandering Tattlers are thought to migrate nonstop from Alaska to Hawaii annually, an astonishing 4,500 mile journey over the open ocean for such a small bird.
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Named for their habit of overturning rocks and seaweed to uncover prey, Ruddy Turnstones breed in the Arctic then migrate down Pacific coastlines to Hawaii for the winter. They frequent rocky and sandy beaches statewide from October to April.
Watch for their energetic feeding behavior flipping over stones. Listen for their rattling flight call. Large numbers occur at coastal sites like Kahuku Point on Oahu and Hanalei Pier on Kauai. Changing molt patterns allow for confusing fall and spring “rusty” plumages.
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Sanderlings are small whitish shorebirds that scurry and probe along sandy beaches and mudflats worldwide. Their swift pace and restless energy make them a joy to observe. Wintering birds arrive in Hawaii from August-April, often in sizable flocks.
Look for them on beaches with open sand, sparse vegetation, and wave action like Pokai Bay on Oahu and Polihale State Park on Kauai. Watch for their flocks running closely behind receding waves in synchronization to grab exposed prey before the next wave lands.
Lesser Frigatebird (Fregata ariel)
The Lesser Frigatebird resembles its relative the Great Frigatebird but is smaller with a wingspan up to about 6 feet. Their base habitat is tropical oceans, where they feed on flying fish and squid. Unlike Great Frigates, Lesser Frigates don’t range as far and breed mostly in the central Pacific.
In Hawaii, they nest at French Frigate Shoals but can be seen soaring over waters around Oahu and Kauai as well. Scan for their swift, acrobatic flight and deeply forked tails. They may harass Red-footed Boobies into regurgitating meals for them to steal.
Black Noddy (Anous minutus)
The Black Noddy is a species of small seabird in the tern family named for their nodding displays during courtship feeding. They breed on islands and atolls throughout the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans. Hawaii hosts 20,000-30,000 breeding pairs, mostly at Midway Atoll with smaller colonies elsewhere.
Although they disperse widely when not breeding, a few hundred can usually be seen around Oahu and Kauai. Look for Black Noddies plunge diving for fish around offshore islets and natural arches. They elegantly fly with upbeat, floppy wingbeats.
Brown Noddy (Anous stolidus)
Closely related to the Black Noddy, the Brown Noddy is a slightly larger tern also named for its nodding courtship displays. This pale tern has a white head cap and darker wings and back. They breed on Hawaiian atolls and islets, with the largest colony of over 100,000 pairs at Laysan Island.
Smaller numbers nest on Moku Manu off Oahu and Mokolea Rock off Kauai, so Brown Noddies can sometimes be observed near those islands. Scan for noddies plunge diving or roosting on offshore rocks. They have a very limited breeding distribution worldwide.
Gray-backed Tern (Onychoprion lunatus)
The Gray-backed Tern breeds across the tropical Pacific. This medium-sized, gray and white tern nests in small colonies on low sandy islets and atolls. Hawaii’s population is around 2,500 pairs, mostly at French Frigate Shoals with smaller colonies on Oahu and Kauai islets.
They sometimes wander well away from breeding sites across warm ocean waters. Scan for their buoyant flight and quick wingbeats when passing offshore islets. Gray-backed Terns have declined over 30% in recent decades, making Hawaii an important global refuge.
Great Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)
The Great Crested Tern breeds on tropical coral islands and atolls across the world. This large tern has a black cap and formidable orange-yellow bill. Approximately 1,000 pairs nest at French Frigate Shoals, with smaller colonies at Midway, Kure, and Laysan.
Scan for Great Crested Terns plunge-diving for fish offshore. They disperse more widely outside the breeding season. Look for them along Hawaii’s coasts and harbors from Kauai to Hawaii Island. Their specialized habitat makes Hawaii an important location for this declining species.
Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)
The Arctic Tern makes the longest migration of any bird, nesting in the high Arctic then flying all the way to Antarctic waters and back yearly. Several hundred pass through Hawaiian waters from October-April during this epic global journey of over 44,000 miles!
Look for their swift, buoyant flight over offshore waters. Scan for their slender dark red bills, short legs, and long, deeply forked tails. Alaska-breeding terns arrive in Hawaii exhausted after nonstop flights of 3,000-4,000 miles over the Pacific Ocean at this key stopover to rest and feed.
Newell’s Shearwater (Puffinus auricularis newelli)
Newell’s Shearwater is a threatened Hawaiian seabird that nests high in mountain rainforests on Kauai, Hawaii, and Molokai. After breeding, they disperse widely over the tropical Pacific November-June. Small numbers appear off all the main islands.
At dusk, listen for their haunting moan from offshore. Scanning seas at sunrise and sunset offers your best chance to glimpse these elusive, crepuscular shearwaters. Avoid bright lights which can disorient them while flying at night between nests and ocean.
Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis)
The Hawaiian Petrel is an endangered seabird that nests in burrows high on Mauna Loa and Haleakala volcanoes. With a population around 20,000, they’re Hawaii’s most numerous remaining seabird. Outside the breeding season they forage over a vast area of the central Pacific.
Although rare to see from shore, hundreds pass offshore at dawn and dusk on foraging trips between nests and the ocean. Your best chance to spot these fast, graceful shearwaters is during summer near breeding colonies on Hawaii and Maui.
Band-rumped Storm-petrel (Oceanodroma castro)
Band-rumped Storm-petrels are small gray-brown seabirds of the central Pacific. They nest in colonies on remote islands and atolls, mainly at Midway, Kure, and Laysan in Hawaii. Nesting season is spring through fall, then they disperse across the region’s warm ocean waters.
Hundreds congregate off Kilauea Point on Kauai during summer and fall on their way to and from breeding colonies, offering the best chance to see this elusive species in Hawaii. Watch for their fluttering, bat-like flight low over the sea at dawn and dusk.
White Tern (Gygis alba)
The beautiful White Tern occurs across the tropical oceans worldwide. In Hawaii, about 2,000 pairs breed mostly on offshore islets across the archipelago. Their plumage is sparkling white with black outer wing feathers. Unlike most seabirds, White Terns build simple nest scrapes in trees and bushes.
Watch for these agile terns plunge diving for fish around coral reefs near their island colonies. They fly powerfully with shallow, floppy wingbeats. Scope Laysan Island or Lehua Islet to observe impressive breeding aggregations numbering in the hundreds.
Spectacled Petrel (Procellaria conspicillata)
The Spectacled Petrel is a large, burrowing seabird of the central Pacific. This species nests on remote islands and ranges widely when not breeding. In Hawaii, they breed only at Kure Atoll. But small numbers appear offshore statewide from July-April as they disperse between nesting and feeding areas.
This petrel’s markings are distinct, with a white “spectacled” pattern around its eyes. It otherwise has dark upperparts and underparts with a pale throat. Picking out a Spectacled Petrel from a fast-moving flock of seabirds offshore requires sharp eyes. But with patience, you may spot this regional rarity off Hawaii.
Bulwer’s Petrel (Bulweria bulwerii)
Bulwer’s Petrel is a medium-sized seabird scattered across tropical oceans worldwide. In Hawaii, scattered pairs nest on offshore islets and atolls, especially at Midway, Kure, and Laysan. But they nest in burrows only at night, then disperse widely to forage by day.
Your best chance to see this species is during the summer months off Kauai and Oahu. Scan for Bulwer’s Petrels recognizable by angular wings held stiffly straight in flight and angular white tail corners. They have rapid, stiff wingbeats and often fly just above the sea surface.
Maui Parrotbill (Pseudonestor xanthophrys)
The Maui Parrotbill is Hawaii’s only remaining species of Hawaiian honeycreeper restricted just to Maui. This colorful forest bird has a massive parrot-like bill used to pry and chisel bark and wood to find insect larvae. Listen for their loud, ringing ki-ker-DEE call in high-elevation wet forests.
Dedicated birders have the best chance of observing this critically endangered bird at Hanawi Natural Area Reserve. Joining a guided hike improves odds of sighting this active green and yellow honeycreeper as it hops through ohia trees probing for food. Seeing this Hawaiian treasure makes the rugged trek worthwhile!
Akiapola’au (Hemignathus wilsoni)
Unique among Hawaiian honeycreepers, the Akiapola’au has a strongly curved upper bill for prying bark, and a long, straight lower bill for probing insect holes. This striking yellow and black honeycreeper inhabits wet forests on Hawaii Island above 4,500 feet elevation.
Listen for its distinctive rasping call and woodpecker-like hammering on ohia trees in the early morning in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Joining a guided birding hike in the park offers the best opportunity to observe this endangered Hawaiian specialty feeding. Dedicated birders have a fair chance of sighting it.
Maui Amakihi (Chlorodrepanis virens)
The Maui Amakihi is a slender yellow-green honeycreeper still fairly common in native forests on Maui and Molokai. Watch for their fine curved bill adept at probing flowers for nectar and picking tiny insects off foliage. Listen in mid-level ohia and koa woodlands for their musical, twittering song.
Good places to observe Maui Amakihi include Hosmer Grove in Haleakala National Park, Polipoli Springs State Recreation Area, and Waikamoi Preserve. Planting native plants that provide food sources can help support populations of this important Hawaiian pollinator.
Anianiau (Magumma parva)
The Anian