Hawaii is the southern most state in the USA and consists of a series of islands, reefs and shoals located in the central Pacific Ocean. The eight main islands of Hawaii cover an area of 6,425 square miles of land that is rich in diverse plant, animal and birdlife. Add to this the blue-green ocean, white sandy beaches, temperate climate and hospitable people, and it is easy to see why many birding enthusiasts agree that bird watching in exotic Hawaii is a very rewarding experience.

The impressive geological features of Hawaii are mainly as a result of ancient volcanic eruptions and subsequent erosion by rain, wind and the sea. Due to human settlements and farming activity it is believed that the Hawaii we see today is very different from what is was when the Polynesians arrived in about 800 AD. Despite the negative impact that humans tend to have on the environment, there are a variety of habitats supporting exciting birdlife, including a number of endemic species. Hawaii has 296 recorded bird species in 40 families with 33 endemic species. Birds can be found from the mountain-tops to the sandy beaches and in both rain-forest and dry-forest areas. Most bird species in Hawaii are accessible to bird watching activity and are likely to be spotted if birders exercise a little patience – a quality that all bird-watchers seem to possess.

Two of the more popular birding destinations in Hawaii are the distinctly different environments of the rain-forest and the dry-forest areas. Tour operators in Hawaii offer bird watching trips through both of these habitats. The trip to the rain-forest will require that birders hike along some uneven and rocky terrain as they cross fascinating lava flows which resulted from volcanic eruptions that took place in 1855 and 1881. Intrepid hikers will be richly rewarded with sightings of i’iwi, apapane, amakihi, elepaio, olomao and possibly the elusive and endangered akiapolaau with its unique multi-purpose beak. Found only in Hawaii, this member of the honeycreeper family uses its long curved upper bill to deftly pick insect larvae out of trees, making a tapping noise very similar to that of a woodpecker in its quest for food.

The dry-forest adventure through the mamane-naio forest is a little less strenuous and one of the highlights of this trip is the possibility of spotting the critically threatened palila, a bird which feeds almost exclusively on the mamane tree’s green pods. Other endemic species to look out for in the dry-forest habitat include the Hawaii amakihi and the Hawaii elepaio, which is noted for the striking white feathering on its head.

The Hawaii Audubon Society is active in promoting community values in an effort to protect and restore native ecosystems and, through education, science and advocacy, conserve Hawaii’s natural resources. With this objective in mind, they are spearheading ongoing improvements at a number of nature trails. These initiatives are to the benefit of local communities, as well as birders who choose to go bird watching in Hawaii.

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The Hawaiian Honeycreepers are only found in Hawaii. This special family may have descended from a single ancestor species, which landed on the newly-formed islands and diversified into 28 different species. These birds vary greatly in their bill shape, from the chunky bill of the Maui Parrotbill, to the long sickle-shaped bill of the bright-red I’iwi.

Many of the Alaka’i Swamp’s honeycreepers are threatened with extinction. These are the lucky ones- at least 23 species and subspecies of honeycreepers have already become extinct in the last two hundred years. More may have been lost 2,000 years earlier, when Polynesians first colonized the islands.

Humans contributed to these extinctions by clearing forests, and by introducing mammals to Hawaii that prey on the birds, like rats, cats, and the mongoose. Humans also brought feral pigs and rabbits, which destroy native vegetation needed by the birds.

The Alaka’i Swamp is the last refuge in Kauai for many of these honeycreepers. Once back in the lowlands, bird-watchers primarily see introduced bird species. Humans have brought 54 species to the islands which now successfully breed in the wild. In Kauai’s towns, you may see Mockingbirds from North America, Bulbuls from Asia, Mynas from India, White-eyes from Japan, and Red-crested Cardinals from South America, to name a few.

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Island birds are at particular risk from cats. In Hawaii, cats are blamed for contributing to the decline of the Palila- a federally endangered species. They also regularly kill the nestlings of 10 other threatened Hawaiian bird species.

Many cat-owners hope to help, by putting bells on their cat’s collar. However, belled cats easily prey on baby birds on their nests. And many cats learn to walk without ringing the bell. In the England study, cats with bells actually caught more birds than the cats without belled collars.

So how can cat owners help birds? Keeping their cat indoors is the most important step. Most free-roaming cats can easily adjust to an indoor life. They will also live longer, safer lives. Place a bird-feeder right by the window, and both cat and cat owner can have hours of entertainment watching the birds.

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Albatross soar gracefully over the ocean, without having to flap their wings. They ride the sea’s winds for months at a time, searching for their primary food: squid. They fly incredible distances: one albatross was recorded circling the entire globe in just 80 days.

Albatross are not so graceful on land. When they return to the islands where they nest, a landing may involve tumbling and somersaults. They can only take off by running into the wind – on calm days, the birds are grounded. Their ungraceful land antics earned them the nickname “Gooney-birds“.

Albatross nest colonially, on oceanic islands like the Galapagos, Midway Island, the Falklands, and small Hawaiian islands. The chicks grow slowly – it may take 6 months before it’s ready to fly. Their long stay on the islands made albatross easy prey for human hunters: many millions of albatross were killed in the 1900′s, for their eggs, meat, or feathers.

To feed the hungry chick, parent albatross sometimes travel far, leaving the nest for a week at a time. The Laysan Albatross sometimes commutes from Hawaii to Alaska, each week, searching for food to bring back to the nest.

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