Waikoloa, Big Island, Hawaii
Waikoloa Village is an artificial oasis in the Big Island’s northern desert. Among birdwatchers it has become known as the most convenient place in the U.S. to see Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, and a reliable spot for Hawaiian Goose, Gray Francolin, and Rosy-faced Lovebird. The nearby South Kohala coastline, from Waikoloa Beach to Holoholokai Beach, is dominated by seaside resorts and golf courses that regularly host a flock of Bristle-thighed Curlew.
Orientation
Directions
Waikoloa Village is in the northwestern interior of the Big Island about 40 minutes’ drive (30 miles) north of Kailua-Kona, or an hour and ten minutes (60 miles) west of Hilo.
From Kona International Airport. Take Route 19 north for 18 miles to Waikoloa Road. Turn right and go 5.6 miles to Paniolo Avenue, then turn left into Waikoloa Village.
From Hilo International Airport. Turn left (south) onto Kanoelehua Avenue, go one mile, turn right (west) onto Puainako Street (Route 2000). Remain on Puainako through its dogleg intersection with Komohana Street at the University of Hawaii – Hilo Campus, then continue west on Puainako which departs Hilo and becomes Saddle Road.
Approximately 40 miles from the university, you will reach a junction with the Daniel K. Inouye Highway. Fork left, and follow this segment for 9.8 miles to its end at the junction with Route 190, the Hawaii Belt Road. Turn north on the Belt Road, go 2.9 miles, turn right onto Waikoloa Road and go 6.4 miles to Paniolo Avenue, then turn right into Waikoloa Village.
Birdfinding
The Waikoloa area includes large expanses of potentially productive habitat, but two of its subdivisions are especially notable for unusual birds: Waikoloa Village for Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse and Rosy-faced Lovebird, and Mauna Lani Golf Course for Bristle-thighed Curlew.
Waikoloa Village. The most consistent spot to find Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse is the recreational area at the end of Paniolo Avenue called the Waikoloa Skatepark. The sandgrouse can often be found on the athletic fields beside the skateboarding habitat, which can be surveyed from your vehicle in the parking lot.
Male Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse at Waikoloa. © Don Coons
Other birds often seen at this site include Gray Francolin, Rosy-faced Lovebird, Eurasian Skylark, African Silverbill, Yellow-fronted Canary, Northern and Yellow-billed Cardinals, and Saffron Finch. Black and Erckel’s Francolins and Java Sparrow are seen occasionally as well.
To reach the skatepark, turn north from Waikoloa Road onto Paniolo Avenue and follow it 2.4 miles to its end. Sandgrouse are also seen fairly often along Waikoloa Road near this junction, and south of it along Pua Melia Street, just past the post office.
The Waikoloa Village Golf Course is another consistent spot for Rosy-faced Lovebird, and more reliable for most of the other species mentioned above, plus Hawaiian Goose and Wild Turkey.
Mauna Lani Golf Course. Along the coast west of Waikoloa lie several plush resorts amid seemingly endless golf courses where one or more flocks of Bristle-thighed Curlew have been found since around 2010. The curlews are in their winter quarters, and are most often seen between August and April, but subadults sometimes remain during the summer and there have been records from all months. They forage both along the shore and on the open lawns, and often roost on lava outcroppings. The highest probability areas are in the southern part of Mauna Lani, near South Kaniku Drive, especially near the Kings Highway Foot Trail crossing.
The greenery of the golf course and resorts supports a few Hawaiian Geese, a robust population of Gray Francolin, and several species of finches: Common Waxbill, African Silverbill, Scaly-breasted Munia, Java Sparrow, Yellow-fronted Canary, Northern and Yellow-billed Cardinals, and Saffron Finch.
Bristle-thighed Curlew at Mauna Lani Golf Course. © Aaron Maizlish
Services
Accommodations
The South Kohala coastal strip from Waikoloa Beach to Holoholokai Beach has several resort hotels, including some that are very pricey. Three Hilton properties are closer to mid-range prices:
Hilton Waikoloa Village, 1-808-886-1234
Kings’ Land by Hilton Grand Vacations, 1-808-881-3000
Kohala Suite by Hilton Grand Vacations, 1-808-886-8700
Another alternative, centrally located for access to both coasts and sites along Saddle Road, are a handful of hotels in the town of Waimea, about 17 miles northeast of Waikoloa Village. Reasonable options there include:
Waimea Country Lodge, 1-808-885-4100
Kamuela Inn, 1-800-555-8968