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List of birds of Hawaii facts for kids

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This article is a comprehensive list of birds in Hawaii. For endemic species, see List of endemic birds of Hawaii.
Branta sandvicensis -Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, Hawaii, USA-8
The nene is the official state bird of Hawaii.

This guide lists all the amazing bird species that naturally live or visit the U.S. state of Hawaii. It covers the entire chain of Hawaiian Islands, from Kure Atoll in the north to the "Big Island" of Hawaii in the south. There are 337 different bird species on this list!

Many of these birds are special:

  • 64 species are endemic, meaning they are found only in Hawaii.
  • 130 species are vagrants, which are visitors that don't usually live here.
  • 52 species were introduced by humans.

Sadly, 33 of the 64 endemic species are now extinct, meaning they no longer exist anywhere. Also, two introduced species that used to live here are now extirpated, meaning they no longer live in Hawaii but can still be found elsewhere in the world. This list doesn't include introduced species that haven't made Hawaii their permanent home yet.

The birds are listed in a scientific order, similar to how they are organized by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). This helps scientists keep track of all the different bird families.

Understanding Bird Status in Hawaii

To help you understand where each bird comes from or its situation, we use these special codes:

  • (En) Endemic: This bird lives only in the Hawaiian Islands.
  • (V) Vagrant: This bird is a rare visitor and doesn't live in Hawaii regularly.
  • (Xt) Extinct: This bird no longer exists anywhere in the world.
  • (xd) Extirpated: This bird no longer lives in Hawaii, but you can find it in other places.
  • (I) Introduced: Humans brought this bird to Hawaii, and it now has a healthy breeding population here for at least 15 years.

We also use symbols from the IUCN Red List (International Union for Conservation of Nature) to show how safe or endangered a species is around the world. These symbols tell us if a bird is doing well or if it needs help.

Conservation status codes
= least concern = near threatened = vulnerable
= endangered = critically endangered = extinct in the wild
= extinct

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl: Pond & Lake Birds

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anatidae

Hawaiian duck
Hawaiian duck
Male Laysan Duck
Laysan duck

This family includes ducks, geese, and swans. These birds are perfectly built for life in the water. They have webbed feet for swimming, flat bills for finding food, and special feathers that shed water easily.

Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies: Game Birds

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

Lophura leucomelanos
Kalij pheasant

This family includes pheasants and their relatives. They are ground-dwelling birds, usually plump with broad, short wings. Many of these birds are hunted for sport or raised for food.

Pigeons and Doves: Common City Birds

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

Geopelia striata Big Island Hawaii
Zebra dove

Pigeons and doves are birds with sturdy bodies, short necks, and thin bills. You often see them in cities and towns.

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots: Shy Water Birds

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Rallidae

Hawaiian Coot RWD1
Hawaiian coot

This large family includes rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. They usually live in thick plants near lakes, swamps, or rivers. They are often shy and hard to spot. Most have strong legs and long toes, perfect for walking on soft ground.

Stilts and Avocets: Long-Legged Waders

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Recurvirostridae

This family includes avocets and stilts. Avocets have long legs and bills that curve upwards. Stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. They are often seen wading in shallow water.

Lapwings and Plovers: Shoreline Explorers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Charadriidae

Pluvialis fulva12
Pacific golden-plover

This family includes plovers and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies and short, thick necks. You can find them in open areas around the world, especially near water.

Sandpipers and Allies: Diverse Shorebirds

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Scolopacidae

Calidris-pusilla-001
Semipalmated sandpiper

This is a large family of small to medium-sized shorebirds. It includes sandpipers, curlews, godwits, and more. Most of these birds eat small insects and other tiny creatures they find in mud or soil. Their different leg and bill lengths allow many species to feed in the same areas without competing for food.

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers: Ocean Flyers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

White tern with fish
White tern

This family includes gulls, terns, and skimmers. Gulls are usually gray or white, often with black marks. They have strong bills and webbed feet. Terns are often gray or white with black markings on their heads. Most terns dive for fish, but some catch insects from the water's surface.

Albatrosses: Giants of the Sky

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Diomedeidae

Albatrosses are among the largest flying birds. Some, like the great albatrosses, have the biggest wingspans of any living bird! They spend most of their lives soaring over the open ocean.

Shearwaters and Petrels: Ocean Wanderers

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae

Puffinus nat
Christmas shearwater

These are medium-sized "true petrels." They have nostrils that are joined together and long outer wing feathers.

Boobies and Gannets: Diving for Fish

Order: Suliformes   Family: Sulidae

This family includes gannets and boobies. Both are medium-large seabirds that dive headfirst into the ocean to catch fish.

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns: Wading Birds

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Ardeidae

This family includes herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large birds with long necks and legs, often seen wading in water. Bitterns are usually shorter-necked and more secretive.

Osprey: The Fish Hunter

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Pandionidae

OspreyNASA
Osprey

The osprey is a unique bird of prey that specializes in eating fish. It's the only species in its family!

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites: Powerful Hunters

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

Hawaiian Hawk
Hawaiian hawk

This family includes hawks, eagles, and kites. These birds of prey have very strong, hooked beaks for tearing meat, powerful legs with sharp talons, and amazing eyesight.

Owls: Nighttime Hunters

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae

Typical owls are solitary birds of prey that hunt at night. They have large eyes that face forward, excellent hearing, and a hawk-like beak. A special circle of feathers around each eye helps them hear better. Hawaii has one native owl, which is a special subspecies.

Falcons and Caracaras: Fast Predators

Order: Falconiformes   Family: Falconidae

This family includes falcons and caracaras. Unlike hawks and eagles, falcons often kill their prey with their beaks instead of their talons. They are known for their incredible speed.

New World and African Parrots: Colorful Talkers

Order: Psittaciformes   Family: Psittacidae

Parrots are known for their strong, curved bills, upright posture, and strong, clawed feet. Many are brightly colored. They range in size from about 3 inches to over 3 feet long. Most of the species in this family live in the Americas.

Old World Parrots: More Colorful Friends

Order: Psittaciformes   Family: Psittaculidae

Like their New World cousins, Old World parrots have strong curved bills, stand upright, and have strong, clawed feet. They are also often brightly colored. These parrots are found in Africa, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Monarch Flycatchers: Insect Eaters

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Monarchidae

Chasiempis sandwichensis ridgwayi
Hawaiʻi ʻelepaio

Monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized birds that eat insects, often catching them while flying. Scientists have recently learned that many different-looking birds are actually related and belong to this family.

  • Kauaʻi ʻelepaio, Chasiempis sclateri (En)
  • Oʻahu ʻelepaio, Chasiempis ibidis (En)
  • Hawaiʻi ʻelepaio, Chasiempis sandwichensis (En)

Crows, Jays, and Magpies: Smart Birds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Corvidae

This family includes crows, ravens, jays, and magpies. Corvids are larger than average songbirds, and some of the bigger species are known for being very intelligent.

Reed Warblers and Allies: Plain but Unique

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Acrocephalidae

Acrocephalus familiaris -Laysan, Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, USA-8
Millerbird

These birds are usually plain brown or olive-green with yellow or beige undersides. They live in open woodlands, reed beds, or tall grass. This family is found mostly in Europe and Asia, but also stretches far into the Pacific.

Bulbuls: Fruit Lovers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Pycnonotidae

Bulbuls are medium-sized songbirds found in Africa and tropical Asia. They mostly eat fruit.

White-eyes, Yuhinas, and Allies: Ring Around the Eye

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Zosteropidae

Japanese White-eye
Japanese white-eye

White-eyes are small songbirds from tropical and subtropical Africa, southern Asia, and Australia. They are usually dull greenish-olive, but many have a clear white ring around their eyes, which gives them their name. They are social birds that form large flocks. They eat insects, nectar, and fruits.

Hawaiian Honeyeaters: Extinct Nectar Feeders

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Mohoidae

Kauaioo
Kauaʻi ʻōʻō

Honeyeaters move quickly from branch to branch, reaching for nectar. They have a special brush-tipped tongue that soaks up liquids easily. Sadly, the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō was the last species in this family, and it was last seen in 1987. All birds in this family are now extinct.

Mockingbirds and Thrashers: Amazing Mimics

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Mimidae

This family includes thrashers and mockingbirds. These birds are famous for their singing and their amazing ability to copy the sounds of other birds and outdoor noises. They are usually dull gray and brown.

Starlings: Social Birds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sturnidae

Acridotheres tristis1
Common myna

Starlings are small to medium-sized birds with strong feet. They fly strongly and directly, and most are very social, living in groups. They prefer open areas and eat insects and fruit. Many species have dark feathers with a metallic shine.

Thrushes and Allies: Ground Feeders

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Turdidae

Myadestes palmeri
Puaiohi

Thrushes are plump, soft-feathered birds that are small to medium-sized. They eat insects or sometimes everything (omnivores), often finding food on the ground. Many have beautiful songs.

  • Kāmaʻo, Myadestes myadestinus (En) (Xt)
  • ʻĀmaui, Myadestes woahensis (En) (Xt)
  • Olomaʻo, Myadestes lanaiensis (En) (Xt)
  • ʻŌmaʻo, Myadestes obscurus (En)
  • Puaiohi, Myadestes palmeri (En)
  • Eyebrowed thrush, Turdus obscurus (V)

Waxbills and Allies: Seed Eaters

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Estrildidae

Adult Black-headed Munia
Chestnut munia

These are small songbirds from tropical areas. They are social and often live in colonies. They eat seeds and have short, thick, pointed bills. They build large, dome-shaped nests.

Old World Sparrows: Common Backyard Birds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passeridae

Old World sparrows are small songbirds. They are usually plump, brownish or grayish birds with short tails and strong beaks. Sparrows eat seeds, but they also enjoy small insects.

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies: Hawaiian Honeycreepers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Fringillidae

Laysanfinchr
Laysan finch
Magumma parva
ʻAnianiau
Iiwi
ʻIʻiwi
Akohekohe
'Akohekohe

Finches are seed-eating songbirds, usually small to medium-sized, with strong, often cone-shaped beaks. Many of the birds listed here are "Hawaiian honeycreepers." These unique birds used to be in their own family. They have a wide variety of bill shapes, from thick, finch-like bills to slender, curved bills for probing flowers. This variety developed as they evolved to fill many different roles in their environment.

Cardinals and Allies: Strong-Billed Birds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cardinalidae

The cardinals are a family of strong, seed-eating birds with powerful bills. They usually live in open woodlands. Males and females often have different feather colors.

Tanagers and Allies: Brightly Colored Birds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Thraupidae

Red-crested cardinal - Oahu
Red-crested cardinal

Tanagers are a large group of small to medium-sized songbirds found mainly in tropical parts of the Americas. Many species are brightly colored. They eat seeds, but they also like fruit and nectar.

Images for kids

  • Grèbejougrisparade

    Red-necked grebe

  • Oceanites oceanicusPCCA20070623-3634B

    Wilson's storm-petrel

See also

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List of birds of Hawaii Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.