University of Hawai`i at Manoa

Common Campus Birds

The following birds are found on the campus of the University of Hawai`i at Manoa.  Don't expect to see them all unless you are very patient and do a lot of exploration.  All are resident year around except the Koloa (Pacific Golden-Plover) and the White Tern.

Checklist

Clicking on the common name link will take you to a page with a variety of pictures of the species.

Common Name Alternative Common Names Scientific Name Origin (or found on O`ahu)1
VERY COMMON
Japanese White-Eye Mejiro Zosterops japonicus Introduced in 1929
Hard to see since it is small, flies fast and avoids people.  Generally found alone darting from place to place, rarely spending more than a few moments in one location.
Common Myna   Acridotheres tristis Introduced in 1865
Resident on lawns and trees, generally as pairs or in large groups of unattached males.  Sometimes a large group seen.  Large flocks gather in trees near sunset (this is a very noisy aggregation).
Zebra Dove Barred Dove Geopelia striata Introduced in 1922
Flocks on lawns or around places where they can get human leftovers.  Quite unafraid of humans.  You can often walk right up to them.
Rock Dove Domestic Pigeon Columba livia Introduced in 1796
Found Individually and in small flocks.  Frequent around humans.  Often seen on ledges of building.
House Sparrow English Sparrow Passer domesticus Introduced in 1871
Pest around outdoor eating areas, but also found on lawns and in shrubs.
Java Sparrow   Padda oryzivora Introduced in 1867 and late 1960s
Flocks up to a dozen or more found on lawns eating grasses.  Relatively approachable.
Red-Vented Bulbul   Pycnonotus cafer Unauthorized cage release in mid-1950s
Aggressive for human leftovers, often seen in lawns or on tree trunks.  One of the few large birds that can be seen on vertical tree trunks.
COMMON
Pacific Golden-Plover Kolea Pluvialis fulva Native
Singularly defends a territory on a lawn.  These migratory birds usually leave about April 24th and return in August or September.  Males change color before migrating.
Red-Crested Cardinal Brazilian Cardinal Paroaria coronata Introduced about 1930
Often in pairs, generally on lawns and in trees, it is a fairly aggressive species.
Spotted Dove Lace-necked Dove, Chinese Dove, Mountain Dove Streptopelia chinensis Introduced mid-1800s
Small groups of two or three.  Generally afraid of humans so they are difficulty to approach.  Found on lawns or in trees.

UNCOMMON
White Tern Manu-o-ku or Fairy Tern Gygis alba rothschildi Native
Most adults are resident from February to September (some stay year around).  Soars in pairs or more, very agile and fast fliers.
Northern Cardinal Kentucky or Red Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Introduced in 1929
Generally seen as individuals or pairs in or around shrubs or trees.
House Finch Linnet or Papayabird Cardodacus mexicanus Introduced before 1870
 
Common Waxbill   Estrilda astrild First identified in late 1970s
Found in small flocks eating grass in lawns.
Red-Whiskered Bulbul   Pycnonotus jocosus Unauthorized cage release about 1965
 
White-Rumped Shama Shama Thrush Copsychus malabaricus Introduced about 1940
Solitary or as pairs, an uncommon bird generally seen in trees.  You are likely to encounter this bird by being attracted to its song.  It is considered one of the finest singers.

1Information from Hawaii's Birds, Hawaii Audubon Society, 1993.

Illustrated Guide

Click on a thumbnail for a larger image (all 1600 x 1200 pixels).  Click on a name in the checklist (above) for more pictures.


Japanese White-Eye
Common Myna

Zebra Dove
Rock Dove

House Sparrow
Java Sparrow

Red-Vented Bulbul
Pacific Golden-Plover (Kolea)

Red-Crested Cardinal
Spotted Dove


White Tern
Northern Cardinal

House Finch
Common Waxbill

Red-Whiskered Bulbul
White-Rumped Shama

General References

Hawaii Audubon Society, 1993, Hawaii's Birds, Hawaii Audubon Society. 112 p.  A small, useful field guide to Hawai`i's birds.

 

About This Site

 The general purpose of this site is to show that it is possible to become an expert at identification for a set of species.  Birds are an obvious choice.  Many are obvious.  Some are even fun to watch.

Learn this set.  It will take work because some are hard to find.  You need to be patient and learn to observe carefully.  You'll be rewarded with the lifelong pleasure of better understanding your world.

Incidentally, birds are a difficult photographic subject.  They don't seem to like cameras.  As a result, most of these pictures were taken with a Canon D30 digital camera sporting a 100-400 mm L lens.  Images were cropped to 1600 x 1200 pixels and slightly manipulated to improve the tone balance and sharpness.  Further cropping and sharpening was done to prepare the 350 x 263 pixel thumbnails shown on these pages.  Clicking on a thumbnail will download a larger image.

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Last Updated: 05/04/02
For Information:  kim@hawaii.edu

All photographs by K. W. Bridges.  These photographs are not copyrighted and may be used without further permission.  Acknowledgements are appreciated.