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Birds of hawaiiBirds of hawaii. 35 Beautiful Birds of Hawaii and the Polynesian Triangle
- List of the Common Birds of Hawaii – Facts with Pictures
Here is the complete guide to endemic birds of Hawaii. Of the 64 Hawaiian birds species, 34 are still in the wild and 30 have gone extinct. Hawaii was once home to a great number of exotic birds that have now gone extinct due to the introduction of non-native plants and animals.
Many of the indigenous bird species that remain are struggling to maintain their populations. Back when Captain James Cook first arrived in the Hawaiian islands in , there were about 25, of these birds, but hunters and predators like cats and Asian mongooses reduced the population down to only about 30 individuals in the mids.
Named for the island it lives on, this small, brown duck with the white eye-ring is a cute little fellow, but it does things differently than other birds. For example, it simply freezes up when startled instead of flying off. Also, it feeds on its favorite food, brine flies, by running through swarms of them with its beak wide open. Watch on YouTube. Would you believe that love is killing off the Hawaiian duck? No, this is not a silly old man.
The Hawaiian coot is a small, slate-gray waterbird with a distinctive white shield running along its forehead and beak. Called a mud hen in the native language, this bird loves hanging out in freshwater marshes and lagoons.
Named after the island on which it breeds, this black and white albatross normally enjoy a long lifespan of up to 40 years, but longline fishing and plastic trash are cutting short the lives of many of this species. Like other albatrosses, this species mate for life , but females are known to form bonds with each other when caring for their young. Standing out from other albatrosses, this smaller beauty has dark plumage and black feet for which it is named.
It thwarts off predators by screaming at them. Like other albatrosses, this species forms lifelong bonds and performs elaborate courtship displays. Can you imagine leaving your kids alone to go 6, miles to go grocery shopping? This vulnerable species is threatened by cats, rats, city lights and power lines. Many fishermen would envy the Bonin petrel for its excellent night vision which is the result of high levels of the pigment, rhodopsin.
Like the Hawaiian petrel above, this petrel also forages at night on the sea. But, it is believed to mate for life, and part of its stomach turns prey into an energy-rich oil that helps the bird fly lighter.
They are great divers that can dive into the ocean at a depth of feet 45 m when pursuing fish and squid. Sadly, their numbers are declining due to cats, pigs, invasive plants, and power lines. The only native hawk in Hawaii, this cream-colored and brown-mottled raptor is regarded as a symbol of royalty in Hawaiian culture.
Common threats to the Hawaiian hawk include starvation, illegal shootings, vehicle collisions, poisoning and habitat loss. Named for the island on which it lives, this songbird may be little but has a big personality. Historically, Hawaiian canoe makers revered these birds because any tree visited by them indicated that it was infested with insects.
They mate for life and prefer to stay in the same area throughout their lives up to 15 years. But, but there are differences. This little tan and brown, Old World warbler lives in dense, shrubby ground cover on the small island of Nihoa, forming long-term pair bonds and guarding the same territory for many years.
It is the only one of its kind to have inhabited the area. A relative species on the island of Laysan was recently recovered after nearly going extinct.
It is one of the last two remaining native thrushes in Hawaii. The other species is the puaiohi. An omnivore, it plays an important role in spreading native plant seeds throughout its territory. It also has a peculiar habit of quivering its wings when perched. Its name comes from the high-pitched call that males make at twilight. This grayish-olive brown honeycreeper likes to forage in pairs or family groups by hopping around branches and tree trunks snatching up a variety of insects.
Named after the island it inhabits, this yellow-green finch-like honeycreeper is pretty clever at removing tree bark with its blue bill to catch hidden insects with its specialized tongue. Unfortunately, it may be facing extinction due to habitat loss, avian malaria, and invasive plants. These birds really know how to respect their mothers. Offspring from previous clutches up to nearly 2 years old will stay near their mother and help feed her and her new nestlings.
This colorful honeycreeper may live on the Big Island, but it can only be found in a small habitat where its survival depends on the seeds and flowers of the mamane tree. Endemic to the island of Laysan, this large honeycreeper is a lovely sight. The male is bright yellow while the female is paler with heavy brown streaking. Even though it primarily eats seeds, fruits and insects, it will feed on the carrion of Hawaiian monk seals and seabirds when conditions cause food to be scarce.
Similar to the Laysan finch, the Nihoa finch is smaller and boasts a broad, gray band between the neck and back in contrast to its otherwise yellow plumage. Living only on the island of Nihoa, this little bird has a melodious song that includes warbles, whistles, and trills. Nihoa finches prefer open vegetation, nests in the holes of rocky crags, and lays three eggs per clutch. It is known to run and do acrobatics across the treetops, moving from blossom to blossom.
Its feathers were once used to decorate the headdresses, leis, and cloaks of nobility. The males are passionate singers and can sing up to six different calls during times of courtship, incubation and foraging. It often hovers over Hawaiian lobelia flowers while drinking the nectar much like a hummingbird. With a population of only about individuals living in Maui within a square-mile area in a high-elevated forest, this yellow bird features a specialized beak that it uses to break open branches and pluck out insect larvae, its favorite delicacy.
It uses its long, downward-curved bill like a woodpecker to drum through tree bark in search of insects and larvae. The smallest of all the Hawaiian honeycreepers, the anianiau is a bright yellow bird with a specialized tongue that it rolls up into the shape of a straw to suck up nectar.
Population numbers for this bird were decimated after the introduction of mosquitoes to Hawaii. Surviving in the wet, highland forests of Kauai, the anianiau faces the same threats as many other native birds of Hawaii that include avian diseases, habitat loss, invasive plants, climate change, and predators such as cats and rats. Equally or more important, some researchers think this bird is developing a resistance to avian malaria. The female lays one egg that hatches after two weeks.
After only another 2 or 3 weeks, the chick is ready to fly on its own. This grayish-green bird is called a creeper because it creeps along trees searching for insects. When the koa trees are in bloom, it drinks the nectar from the flowers.
Its population was once widespread across the Hawaiian archipelago but is now found only on the Big Island. It also drinks the nectar when the flowers have bloomed. A bright orange bird the female is dusty green found only on the Big Island, this akepa is different from many other birds of Hawaii. Because of this, its survival depends on old tree growth which is diminishing due to development.
This bird species also mates for life. What are your thoughts about these endemic birds of Hawaii? Were you surprised by some of these species? Are you as saddened by their decline as we are? Let us know in the comments! Drew Haines is an animal enthusiast and travel writer.
She loves to share her passion through her writing. She graduated high school at sixteen and started her own business, Everywhere Wild Media. And she runs Everywhere Wild and JustBirding. She also guest blogs on Storyteller. She lived in Ecuador for 6 years and explored the Galapagos Islands.
Currently based in N. Wait… Geese Have Teeth?! Thanks for your super review of Hawaiian birds! I hope to travel to Hawaii soon and hope to take some birding tours. Do you have any suggestions for best time to go to see birds and a good source of tour guides for the various islands? Volcano Village Lodge. One of the 34 surviving species, the […]. Great work Drew! Your details and photos really helped me identify some birds I have seen.
Table of Contents. Drew Haines. Travel She lived in Ecuador for 6 years and explored the Galapagos Islands. Click here to cancel reply. Bonnie Tuesday 18th of January Hi Drew! Volcano Village Lodge Tuesday 7th of December Carl Thursday 18th of February Wow I learned a lot about the Hawaiian birds, this website is the best.
Drew Haines Friday 19th of February
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