There are as many as 350 species of birds living on the Hawaiian Islands, with 71 of them being endemic and found no where else on earth. Prior to the arrival of humans there were believed to be 113 endemic species.
One type of bird that Hawaii is most famous for is the honeycreeper, and all of its subspecies found on the islands. Today, 18 of those honeycreeper subspecies are extinct, with several others on the verge of extinction. Over 30 birds are endangered in Hawaii today.
The largest island of the small archipelago known as the Big Island, has more of these species than any of the other islands. Below you’ll find a few lists of some Hawaii bird species that we’ve hand-picked. We’ll add more to the site as we can.
Songbirds
The songbirds in Hawaii are diverse and beautiful. This will be the largest category of birds on this website.
- Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)
- Crested Honeycreeper (Palmeria dolei)
- Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonicus)
- Maui Creeper (Paroreomyza montana)
- Maui Parrotbill (Pseudonestor xanthophrys)
- Melodious Laughingthrush (Garrulax canorus)
- Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
- Red-billed Leiothrix (Leiothrix lutea)
- Red-crested Cardinal (Paroaria coronata)
- Saffron Finch (Sicalis flaveola)
- Yellow-faced Grassquit (Tiaris olivaceus)
- Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata)
- Red-masked Parakeet (Psittacara erythrogenys)
- Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
- Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis)
- Lavender Waxbill (Estrilda caerulescens)
- Orange-cheeked Waxbill (Estrilda melpoda)
- Hawaii Elepaio (Chasiempis sandwichensis)
- Chestnut Munia (Lonchura atricapilla)
- Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
- Oahu Elepaio (Chasiempis ibidis)
- Kauai elepaio (Chasiempis sclateri)
Water birds
Hawaii is home to many different species of water birds, or water fowl. Here are some of our favorites.
- Band-rumped Storm Petrel (Hydrobates castro)
- Hawaiian Coot (Fulica alai)
- Hawaiian Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus knudseni)
- Newell’s Shearwater (Puffinus newelli)
- Redhead (Aythya americana)
- Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda)
- White Tern (Gygis alba)
- Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
- Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
- Snow goose (Anser caerulescens)
- Brant (Branta bernicla)
- Cackling goose (Branta hutchinsii)
- Hawaiian Duck (Anas wyvilliana)
- Hawaiian Petrel (Pterodroma sandwichensis)
- Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)
- Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus)
- Gray-backed Tern (Onychoprio lunatus)
- Cinnamon teal (Spatula cyanoptera)
- Garganey (Spatula querquedula)
- Baikal Teal (Sibirionetta formosa)
- Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
- Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata)
- Black Scoter (Melanitta americana)
- Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
- Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope)
- Laysan Duck (Anas laysanensis)
- Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
- Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
- Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
- Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
- Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes Cucullatus)
- Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
- American Wigeon (Mareca americana)
- Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
- Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope)
- Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
- Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)
- Falcated Duck (Mareca falcata)
- Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena)
Game/ground birds
This category includes any species that lives and nests primarily on the ground.
- Gray Francolin (Ortygornis pondicerianus)
- Kalij Pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos)
- Zebra Dove (Geopelia striata)
- Spotted Dove (Spilopelia chinensis)
- Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse (Pterocles exustus)
- Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)
- California Quail (Callipepla californica)
- Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
- Gambel’s Quail (Callipepla gambelii)
- Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
- Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
- Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus)
- Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis)
Raptors
There are only a few birds of prey on the Hawaiian Islands, included in this short list are a few familiar species that may not be regulars to the islands.