Hawaiʻi is home to an incredible variety of birds, from the vibrant honeycreepers of upland forests to migrating shorebirds who visit our inviting coastlines. Learning to identify them is easy and fun! Start by noticing their unique colors, sizes, feather patterns, and songs. Two great resources to start birding are the free Merlin Bird ID app (download the Hawaiʻi Bird Pack) and eBird app by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Birds in Hawaiʻi thrive in diverse environments. Forests shelter rare songbirds like the vibrant red ʻapapane, while wetlands, including loʻi, host elegant aeʻo (Hawaiian stilts) and ʻalae ʻula (Hawaiian moorhens). Shorelines bustle with hunakai (sanderlings) chasing the tides, while scrappy mynas, golden saffron finches, and zebra doves fill urban landscapes.
Some birds, like the ʻamakihi, are endemic to Hawaiʻi, meaning they are found nowhere else in the world. Others were introduced by humans from other lands, like the Java sparrow that is native to Indonesia. Wherever you are, take a moment to slow down, watch and listen, and enjoy Hawaiʻi’s feathered friends!
