Big Island birds on the "wet side" (Hilo: house, live)

[Schwartzmann]

Hawaii does not seem to have many native birds left... many have become extinct and surviving species appear (mostly) confined to upper elevations of rain forests. I bought a couple of bird books on Hawaii and there are a lot of introduced species... from Asia, South America, North America. However, it looks like most do well / live on the dryer side of the Big Island.

On the wet side (i.e., around Hilo and southeastward to Pahoa and then westward to Mountain View and Volcan)…


!. Are there many birds?

2. If so, what kinds/species?

3. Do they come to backyard gardens?

4. What kinds of birds come to feeders?

5. What kinds of birds nest in backyard gardens?

6. Does one commonly hear birds singing in the backyard? If so, do they sing just in the morning or throughout the day? What kinds of singing birds are there?

Thanks in advance for any information about birds on the rainy side of the Big Island.

[hotzcatz]

Not sure if they were affected by the last eruption, but there used to be a whole lot of singing birds up around Volcano. Never really saw them much, they were up in the tree canopy, but they sounded nice. Palila? Some small reddish bird, although that's just one I saw, not sure if it was the one singing. I think Volcano may have more native species since it's got the Volcano National Park there to provide habitat.

There are some shauma thrushes in our back yard here in Honokaa. They sound nice. They generally sing mornings and evenings, although that doesn't keep them from singing during the day as well.

When the eruption was happening, there were loads of birds in my friend's yard since they were upwind of the lava flow and all the birds displaced by the lava had moved to their yard.

[Arktikos]

Mt. View area: Yes, lots of birds and bird sounds. Cardinals, doves and mynas are the ones you will hear the most. Cardinals seem to be more vociferous in the AM. Singing? I guess Cardinals are the only ones that I consider do this.

Japanese white eyes are also abundant and nest in backyard trees. I don't know about bird feeders.

There are also hawks and owls present, but you don't see or hear them often.

And of course, a few chickens and pheasants can be seen and heard wandering about.

[hotzcatz]

Turkeys, too. They make a lot of interesting noises, especially when someone startles them.

[trinity1111]

Colorful, beautiful Saffron Finches are very bright yellow/orange yellow=green birds that were introduced from South America in the 1960s. They are now all over the "wet" side they prefer short grassy areas, gardens and in open lawns.

I like their delicate song, it's a series of single or double notes with an occasional brief trill.

[67Cam]

We see Nene on the east side when we visit, but I have yet to see an 'io (Hawaiian hawk). I don't know if those are on the north east side but I recall seeing posts about them in Puna.

[hotzcatz]

Saffron Finches, eh? I've been wondering what those bright yellow birds are. I haven't heard them sing yet, but they are pretty to look at. I'm surprised we don't have more of the common pet birds like parakeets all over the place. Canaries might sound better than parakeets, although I've not seen either of them in the wild.

I've been seeing nene up in Waimea occasionally. Over between the new housing area across from Parker Ranch house and the new sports complex area.

I'o can be seen on the Hamakua coast. They don't make a very melodic song, though, more of a high pitched keening. Scares the bejeebs out of hens with chicks but doesn't alarm adult chickens too much.

We hear owls hooting at night occasionally, although they aren't often seen.

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

I'm surprised we don't have more of the common pet birds like parakeets all over the place.

Parakeets are considered invasive to Hawaii - they will wipe out entire fields of crops.

It is a huge issue on Kauai with roughly 5,000 parakeets in the wild.

[terracore]

In Orchidland around ~800 feet we see the occasional Io. Rarely a honeycreeper is seen and also an endemic red bird who's name escapes me now. I've seen owls but did not get a good enough look to identify them. The rest are all imported species. Avian malaria has pretty much wiped out all the native birds in the elevations where mosquitoes are common. There are GMO solutions to this problem but they will never be considered because too many people think Spider Man is real.

[Arktikos]

Viper is absolutely right about those bloody parakeets on Kauai. Lets hope they never make it to other islands.

I saw a barn owl-light color- very close up recently in the Kurtistown area. It was perched on a telephone line above and only about 10-15 ft. in front of me. Couldn't believe it didn't take off immediately as I approached and stopped. Even after I moved a bit in such close proximity it stayed put, just watching me.