Birdwatcher’s Guide to Oahu

Birdwatcher’s Guide to Oahu provides you with the necessary information to plan a visit to twenty-four of the best locations on Oahu to see our fascinating avifauna. It is divided into seven geographic regions—Honolulu, Southeast, East, North Shore, Central, Ko‘olau Range, and Pelagics. Birding hotspots in the island’s coastal, rainforest, urban and offshore environments are also included.

Despite Oahu being densely populated with people and buildings, there are excellent opportunities to see birds across the island—from urban areas to beaches to hiking trails to wildlife refuges. Oahu is an ideal place for birding with 218 species on the official bird list that include waterfowl; game birds; seabirds; herons, egrets, and ibis; shorebirds; skuas and jaegers; gulls and terns; birds of prey; songbirds; and endemic forest birds.

Oahu has more breeding seabirds on the island than any other in the Southeastern Hawaiian Islands. It is the best island to see the rare Bristle-thighed Curlew and the only island with breeding White Terns which are extremely rare on the neighbor islands.

Whether you’re a backyard birder or a seasoned birder ready to hit the hiking trails with binoculars in hand, Birdwatcher’s Guide to Oahu is a must have with maps, charts, and information on all the birds you can find on the island.

Author: Michael Walther