Hawaiʻi Island Festival of Birds 2026 - Hawaiʻi Island Festival of Birds

HIFB 2026 will be on Saturday October 24 from 9am to 5:30pm at the Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo.

The goal of the festival is to come together as a community to celebrate native bird species in Hawai‘i and fight against hopelessness in the face of tough conservation challenges. Through the sharing of manaʻo and enthusiasm, the festival aims to uplift and motivate. The theme of the 2026 festival is Celebrating Resilience.

Media: Press Release coming soon
Promotion: Download the Festival Poster
Volunteer: Volunteers receive free festival admission that they may enjoy before and after their shift as well as a festival lanyard.

Tickets

Purchase Presale Tickets Here

Presale via Eventbrite: $15 adult (ages 18+), $10 student (ages 13-17), keiki 12 and under free. Paid presale tickets come with full festival access, a $5 Birdie Bucks coupon to use for a discount at a vendor table or donate to a conservation exhibitor at the Bird Fair, a free festival keychain, and first priority to the keepsake festival wristband. Please note that presale tickets will also incur an Eventbrite fee for adult and student tickets
At the door: $25 adult (ages 18+), $20 student (ages 13-17), keiki 12 and under free. Tickets purchased at the door come with full festival access and a $5 Birdie Bucks coupon to use for a discount at a vendor table or donate to a conservation exhibitor at the Bird Fair. Tickets purchased at the door do not come with a free festival keychain, but keychains will be available for purchase.

Presale tickets are discounted from the at-the-door price and come with a free HIFB 2025 festival keychain. Free keychain must be picked up at check-in, shipping is not available. Presale ticket holders get first priority to the souvenir festival wristbands as well. We highly recommend purchasing your ticket presale through Eventbrite for the discount and included swag! Presale ends on October 23 at 5PM HST.

The Learning Lounge on the Lobby Lānai will be free all day. The Bird Fair will also have a free public hour from 4:30 – 5:30PM.

School Groups

The Hawaiʻi Island Festival of Birds is happy to offer discounted admission for school groups attending the 2026 event. Attending group must be representing a school or class. The group must be participating in the festival event together as a hui (collective). Each group must have at least one adult teacher or chaperone attending with students.

Learn more and sign up here!

Festival Gear

Get Your Festival Merch Here

AVAILABLE UNTIL DEC. 1, 2026

This year’s festival theme is Celebrating Resilience, highlighting the ways that native birds are able to persist through both old and new challenges with the help of the community. The featured species this year is the ʻalae keʻokeʻo (Hawaiian Coot), an endangered waterbird that can be commonly found in the wetlands of Moku o Keawe. The design reminds us all to e mālama i nā manu – protect the birds (and bats!). Manu illustration by festival organizer Rae Okawa, in a painted style honoring of the many creative artists and artisans that participate in the festival each year. No generative AI was used.

Each year we offer official festival merchandise as an additional way to support the event. These designs are exclusive to each event and are only available for a limited time. Merch is available for purchase through the print on demand service Threadless. Please note festival apparel is only available online. There will be no festival apparel for sale at the event. If you want to purchase gear to wear at the event, please do so early as production and delivery can take a up to a few weeks, especially for Hawaiʻi addresses.

Test your bird smarts!

Bird Trivia in the Crown Room
We will be asking trivia questions in the morning (to get the brain warmed up!) and after lunch, with additional questions spread out throughout the day. Answer a question correctly to win a prize.

FULL FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Schedule may change without notice. Any changes to the printed festival schedule will be updated below.

Bird Fair 9:00AM – 5:30PM:

Please note that Bird Fair rooms will close temporarily from 10-10:30AM to allow our vendors and exhibitors the opportunity to attend the opening presentation in the Crown Room. Bird Fair rooms will reopen at 10:30AM.

Learning Lounge Booths on Lobby Lānai (free to the public, no wristband required)
Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi (next to Registration tables) | Nēnē Recovery Action Group and Division of Forestry and Wildlife | Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project | ʻĀina Hoʻōla Initiative | ʻImiloa Astronomy Center | Keauhou Bird Conservation Center | ʻŌhiʻa Love | Kōlea Sparkling Hop Water will also be sharing samples on the Lānai near the registration table.

Optics Demos on Lawn (free to the public, no wristband required)
Binocular and spotting scope demos, courtesy of Kowa Sporting Optics. Have any questions about the best optics for birding? Here’s a good chance to get those questions answered!

Plus…

Hawaiʻi Island Festival of Birds Activity in the Palm Room

Nā Manu o Hawaiʻi Quilt Project by Waimea Middle School 7th grade students in the Hoʻomalimali Room

Sunday Birding Trips signups in the Palm Room
A limited number of free group birding walks and a volunteer day taking place the day after the festival will be available for signup on a first come first serve basis, while space is available.

Sunday’s guided Bird Walks with Bret Mossman will take place at Kaulana Manu at 7:00-8:15 AM, 8:30 – 9:45 AM, and 10:00-11:15 AM. Space is limited, so sign up early!

3:45PM Keiki Book Reading – Under the ʻŌhiʻa Tree
Please join us for a special keiki book reading of Under the ʻŌhiʻa Tree by book author Erzsi Palko, in the lobby area at 3:45PM. All ages are welcome and no wristbands required. Erzsi will also be have a paper bird craft before and after the reading.

The last hour of the festival (4:30pm – 5:30pm), all Bird Fair areas will be free to the public and not require wristbands.

Presentations in Crown Room 10AM – 3:30PM (HIFB wristband required)

Most presentations are 15 minutes long, including Q&A, and explores different areas of conservation and connection to the birds of Hawaiʻi. We will have two 45-minute presentations, including a panel presentation on Hakalau Forest National Wildlife Refuge and an interactive, ʻohana-tailored “Manu 101” session.

10AM – 10:30AM Opening Presentation

Warmup bird trivia

Opening soundscape
Originally introduced to the festival two years ago, this soundbath created and composed by UH Hilo LOHE Bioacoustic Lab’s Ann Tanimoto-Johnson, narrated by Dr. Patrick Hart has become a permanent part of the festival’s opening and closing. As you listen, we hope that it will help you imagine a Hawai‘i so naturally abundant in native birdsong and set your hopes/intentions for the day.

Opening oli O Ka Lele a Nei ʻĀuna led by ʻĀhuimanu.
The perfect way to continue to set the intention for the day. Come prepared to join your fellow festival attendees with native bird calls

10:30AM – 12:00PM Morning Presentations

The Many Names of the ʻIʻiwi – One of Our Most Cherished Birds – Noah Gomes
The ʻIʻiwi is one of Hawaiʻi’s most charismatic living birds, and one of the most important in Native Hawaiian tradition. Noah’s presentation will briefly go over some of the many names Native Hawaiians have for this bird, and the significance of these to our cultural understanding of the ʻIʻiwi. Noah is from Wahiawā, Oʻahu and has part-Hawaiian with ancestry from Kamaʻo, Lānaʻi. He has a lifelong passion for native Hawaiian birds and holds an M.A. degree in Hawaiian Language and Literature from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo.

Important Updates from Birds Not Mosquitoes – Ben Catcho, American Bird Conservancy
Ben will share what Birds Not Mosquitoes is and why this work matters for Hawaiʻi’s native forest birds. He will provide an update on where the project stands today, what they have learned from the mosquito suppression efforts, and where the next steps are leading as work continues on protecting Hawaiian Honeycreeepers.

Integrating Hawaiian Culture When Working with Manu in Hawaiʻi – Keoki Kanakaokai, The Nature Conservancy
Manu are woven throughout Hawaiian culture as ʻaumakua, messengers, teachers, companions, and kin. This presentation explores how rebuilding pilina with manu through kilo, ʻōlelo, moʻolelo, cultural practice, and mālama ʻāina can strengthen conservation. By bringing Hawaiian knowledge and ecological science together, we can move beyond simply saving birds toward restoring relationships in which manu, ʻāina, and kānaka can thrive together. Keoki Kanakaokai is a Natural Resource Manager with The Nature Conservancy in Hawaiʻi and a Native Hawaiian conservation practitioner. He works to protect native forests, watersheds, and biodiversity by weaving Indigenous knowledge and contemporary conservation approaches to mālama ʻāina and strengthen connections between people and place.

Hakalau Refuge Update – Friends of Hakalau Forest NWR

Updates from DLNR DOFAW on Palila and ‘Alalā conservation efforts and release plans – Alex Wang, DLNR Div. of Forestry and Wildlife.
Sharing an overview of the Palila Rear and Release Program to be started in 2027 on Mauna Kea and update about 2027 ‘Alalā releases in Kāʻu Forest Reserve

Nā Hoa Heʻenalu – Hālau Nāwehiokaipoaloha
Led by Kumu Hula Ipolei Lindsey-Asing, Hālau Nāwehiokaipoaloha has participated in the Hawaiʻi Island Festival of Birds since 2023. Presenting Nā Hoa Heʻenalu, a surfing mele but references the ʻiwa bird. The mele is not about the ʻiwa itself but it is a part of the mele that shows the importance of the ʻiwa and why the ʻiwa is chosen in hula to compare certain motions.

12:00 – 1:00PM Lunch Break

1:00 – 1:15PM Bird Trivia

1:15 – 2:00PM – Nā Leo Nahele – Keiki in conservation

What does conservation look like through the eyes of keiki? Hear it from Nā Leo Nahele, a youth conservation hui where haumāna build pilina with Hawaiʻi’s native manu, and communities. They’ll share their adventures in the fields, what they’ve learned, and the projects they’re creating to get others excited about mālama ʻāina. Rooted in Kanu ʻo ka ʻĀina’s connection to place and supported by American Bird Conservancy, Nā Leo Nahele shows what happens when keiki get the chance to lead. Ben Catcho is an Indigenous Communications and Outreach Specialist with American Bird Conservancy. As a Native Hawaiian working on Birds Not Mosquitoes, he brings Hawaiian knowledge and science together to help guide conversations about what is best for our native manu. A kumu at heart, Ben also leads Nā Leo Nahele and is the person behind the Birds Not Mosquitoes social media.

The festival will be distributing a special e mālama i nā manu wristband to presentation attendees, starting at this student panel and extending into the rest of the afternoon, while supplies last.

2:00 – 2:45PM: Afternoon Presentations

Loko Iʻa: Restore and They Will Come – Brenda Lima, KUA Kuaʻāina Ulu ʻAuamo
The revitalization of loko iʻa across Hawaiʻi has restored habitat for all kinds of special manu in Hawaiʻi. Loko iʻa restoration ultimately enhances our relationships to manu and is not at odds with efforts to protect them. Come hear inspiring examples from across Hawaiʻi and learn about ways to support this work. KUA has been an amazing help in our efforts to spotlight the benefits that loko iʻa have on manu resilience. Brenda is the coordinator for the Hui Mālama Loko Iʻa which is a network of loko iʻa across Hawaiʻi.

Hawaiʻi Island providing second chances for native birds being displaced by mosquitoes – Bret Nainoa Mossman
Bret is the statewide forest bird recovery coordinator for the department of land and natural resources division of forestry and wildlife. He has years of experience working in the conservation of native Hawaiian forest birds, seabirds, and natural resources management. Bret has an undergraduate degree in wildlife ecology and management from Utah State University and a masters’ degree in Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science from the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo.

Plus more Bird Trivia!

2:45 – 3:30PM: 50+ Years of Forest Bird Monitoring (Panel)

Sharing the results from and advances in monitoring reveal changes in Hawaiʻi Island forest bird distributions and densities, this 45 minute panel-style presentation will highlight the changes in Hawaiʻi Island forest bird distribution and density over the last 50 years. Presented by Colleen Cole, Amanda Navine, Noah Hunt, Pat Hart and Rick Camp. Panel will feature shorter presentations followed by Q&A

Moderator: Rick Camp

Panelists and Presentations:

Noah Hunt – The certain decline and uncertain future of Palila (Loxioides bailleui).
Noah is an Ornithological Field Technician with the Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit and the Division of Forestry and Wildlife. Noah focuses on monitoring Palila and understanding the factors contributing to population declines

Colleen Cole – A hui in action: Structured decision making to prevent Palila extinction.
Colleen is a Wildlife Biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Colleen has worked in conservation for 30 years.

Amanda Navine and Pat Hart – Passive acoustic monitoring reveals eleven years of change at Hakalau.
Amanda is a Bioacoustic Research Specialist with the UH Hilo LOHE lab. Amanda leads the development of bioacoustic tools to improve bird monitoring. She will be presenting alongside Pat Hart, Professor, Dept of Biology, UH Hilo LOHE Lab. Pat teaches and conducts Hawaiian forest bird ecology and conservation.

Rick Camp – Long-term changes in forest bird distribution and density on the Island of Hawaiʻi.
Rick is a Research Statistician with the U.S. Geological Survey. His research focuses on estimating abundance, distribution and trends in populations

3:30PM – Closing Reflections

Final Soundscape, Mauka to Makai
The many voices of our native manu will be the conclusion of the Crown Room presentation program. We hope the liveliness and abundance of birdsong will motivate and inspire you to carry on supporting and engaging in conservation work so that native birds thrive and our islands can one day be full of native sounds.

Silent Auction closes at 4:30PM

Support the Hawaiʻi Island Festival of Birds and its two nonprofit hosts, the Hawaiʻi Wildlife Center and Conservation Council for Hawaiʻi, by bidding on items in the silent auction. Items were generously donated by Bird Fair vendors, HIFB presenters, local artists, and community members. Mahalo to all of our auction donors and those participating as bidders!

Bird Fair FREE Public Hour 4:30PM – 5:30PM:

During this time all Bird Fair rooms will be free and open to the public, no admission or wristbands required. Come and support all of our vendors and learn more about important conservation work being done by our nonprofit and agency exhibitors!

ACCOMMODATIONS

The Grand Naniloa Hotel Hilo, the official exclusive hotel partner of the Hawaiʻi Island Festival of Birds, is a wonderful place to stay the weekend. Secure your room by emailing reservations directly at ITOHN_Res@hilton.com or calling 808-932-4550. Be sure to mention that you’re coming for the festival!