Birding Tour USA: Hawaii – ABA & Endemic Birding in the Pacific

Our Hawaiian birding tour takes in the three most accessible islands of this remote Pacific archipelago. This tour is dedicated to tracking down the islands’ extraordinary endemics—some found nowhere else on Earth and teetering on the brink of extinction. Beyond these coveted treasures, birding in Hawaii brings with it an incredible array of other birds, both on land and at sea—Hawaii’s pelagic birding is truly world-class! Whether you’re chasing additions to your ABA list or yearning to encounter some of the planet’s rarest species, this is the ultimate Hawaiian birding experience. Join us and experience Hawaii like never before!

Hawaii Akepa is one of the many Hawaiian endemics, and a highly sought-after species.

Hawaii, known as the ‘Aloha State,’ is a tropical paradise unlike anywhere else. Once an independent nation, it is now the 50^th U.S. state, comprising the remote Hawaiian Archipelago in the far reaches of the Pacific Ocean. The chain includes eight main islands: Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui, and Hawaiʻi (Big Island).

While Hawaii is renowned for its luxurious weddings, stunning beaches, world-class surfing, and premier vacation resorts, it is also a top birding destination. Due to its isolation, Hawaii has an incredibly high rate of endemism, with many strange and peculiar-looking birds found nowhere else. Unfortunately, competition and predation by invasive species (primarily from Europe and Asia), habitat loss, and the spread of avian malaria by mosquitoes have devastated Hawaii’s birdlife, leading to extinctions and placing many species on the brink. It is one of those birding destinations to visit as soon as possible, before more endemics go extinct. Many species are now thinly distributed, becoming increasingly difficult to find.

During this tour, we target all three endemic elepaio species including this Kauai Elepaio.

Our expertly guided Hawaiian birding tour focuses on the three most accessible islands: Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, and Hawaiʻi (Big Island). We visit pristine montane forests and coastal hotspots to target sought-after endemic species, such as Iiwi, Akiapolaau, Apapane, and Anianiau, along with common and widespread species like the Nene (Hawaiian Goose) – Hawaii’s state bird. Other highlights include Bristle-thighed Curlew, Hawaiian Petrel, Laysan Albatross, and Blue-billed White Tern, along with notable introduced species that now form part of Hawaii’s birding landscape. Unfortunately, since 2021, Palila has become very difficult to find; this Hawaii tour is definitely one to do as soon as possible before more species slip into extinction. We’ve slightly abbreviated our tour by a day as we will only make an attempt for Palila if we feel it worthwhile based on recent sightings.

Iiwi is one of the most spectacular of Hawaii’s native birds.