HIFB started in 2016 to showcase Hawai‘i’s bird species, encourage nature and environmental awareness and promote the Hawaii Island Coast to Coast Birding Trail. HIFB sought to broaden Hawai‘i Island’s brand beyond ocean and volcano-based activities by inspiring visitors and residents to experience Hawai‘i as a birding and ecotour destination. When the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center, a nonprofit wildlife conservation organization and native bird hospital and rehabilitation center, took over control of HIFB the festival focus spotlighted native species awareness and appreciation. 

HIFB remains under the management of the Hawai‘i Wildlife Center. The Hawaiʻi Wildlife Center is a state- and region-wide wildlife response and conservation organization. HWC programs include disaster response and responder training, contingency planning, research and hands-on wildlife rehabilitation at our wildlife hospital in Kapaʻau on Hawaiʻi Island. The vision of the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Center is a world where native species recover and thrive through comprehensive conservation strategies and partnerships. HIFB 2020 was a virtual event due to the pandemic and was the host of Hawk Week in October 2022. In 2023 Hawai‘i Wildlife Center partnered with Conservation Council for Hawai‘i to bring back an in-person festival, which was a huge success!

The Hawaiʻi Wildlife Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission of protecting, conserving, and aiding in the recovery of Hawaii’s native wildlife through hands-on treatment, research, training, science education and cultural programs. HWC is the first organization of its kind exclusively for native Hawaiian wildlife and provides state-of-the-art care and rehabilitation for native animals as well as comprehensive wildlife rescue training and public education and outreach programs. The HWC is not a zoo or a preserve, it is a professional organization that focuses on treating and rehabilitating sick, injured and oiled wildlife for release back into the wild

Conservation Council for Hawai‘i (CCH) is one of Hawai‘i’s oldest and most effective wildlife organizations. Since 1950, CCH has been on the forefront of the environmental movement in Hawai‘i and a leader in shaping some of the most important environmental policies and programs in the Islands. As the Hawai‘i state affiliate of the National Wildlife Federation, CCH has a voice on Capitol Hill on national issues affecting Hawai‘i.  CCH is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit grassroots organization based in Honolulu, Hawai‘i and is solely responsible for its own governance, program, and fundraising.

Trail Tours on Your Own

If you happen to be on our beautiful island and want to explore on your own, you can check out the Hawaii Birding Trail website at hawaiibirdingtrails.hawaii.gov. Typical self-guided etiquette applies! We ask that those who are touring on their own avoid joining any paid tour group they may encounter along the Trail.

The Trail’s 90-mile cross-island route links a remarkably varied set of locales featuring a broad representation of island birdlife, nature, geology, history, and scenic vistas. Rising from sea level to 7,000 feet and back again between the two tallest mountains on earth, the trail passes through desert with a few inches of rain annually and through tropical rainforest with nearly 300 inches of rainfall a year. Imagine the trail’s diversity of landscapes and climates matched by the diversity of birds including endangered waterbirds and forest birds, migratory waterfowl and shorebirds including such notable species as Nēnē, Hawaiʻi ʻAmakihi, ʻŌmao, Hawaiʻi ʻElepaio, ʻApapane, ʻIʻiwi, Hawaiian Hawk, Hawaiian Coot, and the endemic sub-species of the Black-necked Stilt, and Short-eared Owl (Pueo), and numerous established non-native species.

Birding Ethics

1. Keep your distance.

• Use binoculars, telephoto lenses, or spotting scopes to get a good look without approaching the bird.
• If the bird is reacting to your presence, you’re too close. Back away and give it time to settle down.
• Do not approach or attempt to flush birds from resting or feeding spots.
• Patience will usually be rewarded.

2. Keep the mute on.

• Avoid playback devices or loud talking.
• Carry a cell phone, but turn it off when on the trail.
• Blend into the background (unless it’s a hunting area where you’ll want to be easily seen).

3. Keep healthy and safe.

• Stay hydrated and wear appropriate shoes and clothing.
• Be aware of your surroundings at all times.
• Park only in designated areas.
• Pull off the road completely before stopping and only on paved shoulders. Do not pull off over grass, especially in the dry season.

4. Keep aloha alive.

• Respect private property and do not trespass.
• Carry out whatever you carry in and pick up after others who may not be aware they’ve left something behind.
• Be considerate of others and share your sightings.
• Participate in conservation projects to keep island habitats healthy.
• Take action to avoid spreading Rapid Ohia Death and invasive plants.