bird sightings in Honolulu, Hawaii

Pacific Golden Plover resting by a koi pond

While I was in Honolulu, Hawaii during the Christmas holidays I enjoyed listening to and observing birds there.

Most native birds can only be observed in dense forests on the other islands. But one visitor species that can be seen every winter is the Pacific Golden Plover. They fly thousands of miles from their breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra that stretches from western Alaska through northern Asia to winter in Hawaii, where they are known as kolea.

It's fun to watch these plovers run across wide expanses of grass, or, as in the photo above, sunning themselves on rocks.

Brazilian, or red-headed cardinals and a sparrow in Manoa Valley, Honolulu, Hawaii

Brazilian, or red-headed cardinals were first introduced to the island of O'ahu in 1928 and have spread throughout the islands. Adult birds have very striking red heads, while juveniles have rust colored heads.