Private Birding Tour

Join us inside Haleakala National Park for this exclusive tour for all the birders, bird lovers, and other wildlife enthusiasts. This tour is perfect for those who want to discover Maui’s unique species and hopefully add a few “lifers” to their eBird list, as well as for anyone who wants to enjoy being outdoors, learn about Maui’s birds and visit the various ecosystems in which they thrive. A checklist will be provided for all birds living on Maui, including their Hawaiian names, and you can borrow our binoculars if you didn’t bring your own. Birding in Hawaii doesn’t get any better than this!

On this tour, we start with visiting the summit of Haleakala National Park in search of the endemic Pueo (Hawaiian Short-eared Owl), the Nene (Hawaiian Goose), and the Chukar. We’ll make our way above the clouds and marvel at the amazing views into the “crater.”

At Hosmer’s Grove, we spend a while looking at our endemic ‘Apapane, ‘I’iwi, ‘Amakihi, and if we’re lucky the ‘Alauahio (Maui Creeper), as well as other non-native birds that live in the park, such as the Red-Billed Leiothrix, the Chinese Hwamei, the Ring-Necked Pheasant, and the European Skylark.

After a picnic lunch in the park, we head to the Kealia National Wildlife Refuge to find shorebirds and migrants. Local residents include the Black-crown Night Heron, Hawaiian Coots, the elegant Hawaiian Stilts, and various species of ducks. Depending on the season and our luck, we might find Kolea (Pacific Golden Plover) Wandering Tattlers, White-faced Ibis, Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitcher, Northern Shovelers, and others.

We will provide a checklist so you can keep track of your progress. On any given day, we can find a total of between 18 and 32 species–although this would include the ubiquitous Common Mynah and Cattle Egret!

Enjoy complimentary juices, fruits, snacks, and a full picnic lunch while learning about the ecology, history, myths, and legends of Maui.

All levels of birding enthusiasm welcome–from hardcore listers to first-timers!

• Binocular use is available at no extra charge. Hiking poles are available.
• Please note: It is extremely important to ensure that all shoes and gear are free of potential debris from the Big Island & Kauai in attempts to help stop the spread of the rapid Ohia death fungus that is killing Ohia Lehua trees.
• Due to the fact our native honeycreepers have been decimated by avian malaria, we have to drive to 7,000 ft elevation to find them. We also drive to the summit of Haleakala for a chance at finding Nene, Pueo, and Chukars (and breathtaking views too!) We do our best to spend as much time as possible at the viewing spots, however, be aware that we have to do a fair amount of driving on this tour.
• Temperatures at Haleakala can be 20-40 degrees cooler than sea level, and the weather is unpredictable, so we recommend bringing a rain jacket and a hoodie.