This picturesque point features scenic views of an offshore sea arch, offshore seabird sanctuary, and coastline. The point’s proximity to the seabird sanctuary offers a convenient opportunity for viewing passing seabirds, especially ʻuaʻu kani (wedge-tailed shearwater), ʻā (red-footed and masked boobies), and the occasional noio koha (brown noddy).
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Easily accessed just off Kalanianaʻole Highway (HI-72), this scenic lookout is a popular spot for viewing seabirds and for watching whales (whale watching season is from November through May). In addition to bird and wildlife, on a clear day, this vantage point can offer views of Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi, and Maui.
A guided tour through the refuge is led by experienced birders who serve as volunteers with the Friends of Oʻahu Refuges group. During the two hour walking tour, participants learn about endangered water birds, migratory shorebirds, and waterfowl, as well as the history and conservation efforts of the Refuge.
Waimea Valley features botanical gardens, important cultural sites, a waterfall, and more. Managed by non-profit organization, Hiʻipaka LLC, Waimea Valley is accessible to the public with the purchase of admission. The valley is home to around 15 of the endangered ʻalae ʻula.
A hike along this coastal trail will bring you to Kaʻena Point Natural Area Reserve, one of the last coastal sand dune habitats on the island and an important nesting site for the mōlī (Laysan albatross) and ʻuaʻu kani (wedge-tailed shearwater). Along the route, you will find beaches and occasional tidepools. This trail also presents ...
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Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge is nestled between Kīhei and Ma‘alaea towns and features a coastal salt marsh habitat. Start your trip at the Visitors Center to learn all about the area and its feathery inhabitants. Nearby, the Kanuimanu Ponds offer an up-close view of waterbirds. A must-see is the Coastal Boardwalk that offers a ...
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The Kanahā Ponds were designated a State Wildlife Sanctuary in 1951 and provides a safe habitat for many native and vagrant waterbirds. Located near the Kahului Airport and the main towns of Kahului and Wailuku, this site is an easy escape to view nature.
A side trip on the road to Hana is always an adventure! The Wai‘ānapanapa State Park is a perfect rest stop steeped in Hawaiian culture. The off-shore rocks and cliffs provide excellent sightings of shore and seabirds, viewable from ancient shoreline trails.
Kahakapao Recreation Area is a mountain biker’s paradise. An extensive network of hiking trails, biking trails, and biking skills amenities are favorites of the Upcountry community. A mix of native koa/‘ōhi‘a and exotic trees provides a unique birding experience.
The Polipoli Springs State Recreation Area hosts a diversity of outdoor activites including hiking, camping, and hunting. The large Recreation area encludes several hiking trails that take you through various native and exotic forest habitats. As such, a wide variety of birds can be seen in this area.
The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC’s) Waikamoi Preserve was established to protect the fresh water source for the island and to provide a sanctuary for endangered plants, birds, and hundreds of other native Hawaiian species. The preserve is home to several critically endangered birds only found there, including the kiwikiu (Maui parrotbill) and ʻākohekohe.
Named after Hawai‘i’s first Superintendent of Forester, Ralph Hosmer, this grove of eucalyptus (planted by Ralph in 1909) and the adjacent nature trail though sub-alpine shrubland provides an excellent venue to sign Hawai‘i’s colorful native forest birds.
High up on the cliffs of Haleakalā Crater is the Leleiwi Overlook. On the short trail to the overlook, you may see nēnē and other native and common birds. From the lookout, you may glimps soaring tropic birds and seabirds returning to their burrows at night.
The waters off the Kona coast offer some of the best sport fishing available. And where there’s fish, there’s seabirds. Chartering a boat from Honokōhau Harbor is a good way to view these acrobats of the sky and sea up close. And you might catch a fish while you’re at it!
One of the best locations to see seabirds, without getting wet, is the Hawaiʻi’s Island’s western most point, Keāhole. This rocky point is also a good example of coast strand and the shorebirds that inhabit this type of ecosystem. This area is within the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaiʻi (NELHA) and is accessed by driving ...
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