Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii (Offshore Waters)

Hawaiian pelagic birdwatching remains a largely unexplored frontier, yet the productive waters just offshore from Kailua-Kona are within easy reach of any traveler, even those on a tight budget.  The distance from the shore to deep ocean is minimal, and over twenty species of tubenoses are known to occur regularly: including at least five Pterodroma petrels and six shearwaters.  This is among the most accessible areas that are consistent for several species, including “Hawaiian Storm-Petrel” and Black-winged, White-necked, Juan Fernández, and Bulwer’s Petrels.  Other seabirds seen regularly include two species of tropicbird, three boobies, and South Polar Skua.

Orientation

Directions

Kailua-Kona is the principal settlement on the western coast of the Big Island.  Offshore boat trips depart from the Honokohau Marina, which is between Kona International Airport and Kailua-Kona.  The marina’s access road is along Highway 19 about 4.5 miles south of the airport, or 2.5 miles north of Kailua-Kona.

Birdfinding

Along the coast from Keahole Point to Kailua-Kona, the seabed slopes steeply to abyssal depths very close to shore, reaching several hundred meters depth between one and two miles off the beach.  Pelagic birdwatching is therefore possible in almost any seaworthy craft—even a hand-paddled kayak.

Some members of the local birdwatching community have organized group trips on chartered boats from time to time (about two or three per year in the 2010s and ‘20s) to go many miles offshore.  Participation in such trips is the best option, if possible, but solo excursions and fishing charters are also likely to yield interesting sightings.

Bulwer’s Petrel is common in the offshore waters of Kailua-Kona.  © Jeroen Vanheuverswyn

The offshore waters of the Kona Coast are largely unknown and could produce novel sightings at any time.  Many of the seabirds of interest to North American birdwatchers are austral breeders, mostly absent from November to February—so most Kona pelagic trips are scheduled between March and October.

Both diversity and numbers presumably peak during the transitional seasons when many populations migrate between the hemispheres, roughly March-April and September-October.  Many of the locally breeding seabirds also arrive around March and depart around October.

The following species are annual, or at least fairly regular, in Kona’s offshore waters:

Yellow-billed Tropicbird: fairly common year-round

Red-tailed Tropicbird: uncommon March-April

“Hawaiian Storm-Petrel”: fairly common March-October

Leach’s Storm-Petrel: fairly common March-April

Black-winged Petrel: fairly common September-October

Mottled Petrel: uncommon March-April and October

Juan Fernández Petrel: fairly common April and September-November

White-necked Petrel: uncommon March-October

Hawaiian Petrel: fairly common April-November

Bulwer’s Petrel: common April-October

Wedge-tailed Shearwater: very common March-November

Buller’s Shearwater: uncommon March-April and September-October

Sooty Shearwater: common March-April and September-October

Short-tailed Shearwater: rare October-December

Christmas Shearwater: fairly common June-July

Newell’s Shearwater: uncommon April-September

Great Frigatebird: fairly common March-September

Red-footed Booby: fairly common year-round

Brown Booby: fairly common year-round

Masked Booby: uncommon March-October

Red Phalarope: uncommon March-April

Pomarine Jaeger: uncommon April and October

South Polar Skua: uncommon August-October

Brown Noddy: uncommon year-round

“Hawaiian Noddy”: uncommon year-round

Common Fairy-Tern: fairly common April and October

Sooty Tern: fairly common April-November

Arctic Tern: uncommon in April

The following have been seen infrequently in Kona’s offshore waters, but probably occur regularly:

Laysan Albatross

Black-footed Albatross

Cook’s Petrel

Stejneger’s Petrel

Kermadec Petrel

Murphy’s Petrel

Parasitic Jaeger

Species that have been recorded at least once, but might not occur regularly, include:

Tahiti Petrel: November 14, 2014

Jouanin’s Petrel: August 25, 1999; August 20, 2010

Services

Accommodations

Kailua-Kona has a wide array of lodgings.

Notes

When to Visit

Local birdwatchers usually organize a few offshore trips each year, so it may be possible to plan a visit accordingly.  The peak months for such outings are April and October, followed by March and September, followed by June, August, and November, but they might occur at any time of year.