Hawaii Audubon Society

08/18/2026

All over Hawaiʻi people are reporting the return of the kōlea (Pacific Golden-Plover), and we are so happy to see them!

Did you notice a kōlea in your area is back from Alaska? Report it now at www.koleacount.org!

Video by Kumiko Hasegawa Mattison
Photo 1 by David Strang reported August 2 at Punahou School
Photo 2 by Suzanne Hammer reported August 13 in Kailua’s Enchanted Lake
Photo 3 by Sheridan Parker

And please join us on September 19 to celebrate the homecoming of kōlea at the Welcome Home Kōlea festival! https://hiaudubon.org/events/welcome-home-kolea-2026/

08/08/2026

Happy Hawaiian Honeycreepers Celebration Day!🐦😍 The Hawaiʻi State Legislature officially recognized August 8 as Hawaiian Honeycreepers Celebration Day through a resolution in 2023.

Photo: ʻiʻiwi by Ann Tanimoto-Johnson, which was used as the cover photo for our Hawaiʻi’s Birds book 📚

08/06/2026

Submit your kōlea artwork to be displayed during our Welcome Home Kōlea festival on September 19! Our Board President Susan Scott is sharing hers:

“This artwork belongs to Hawaiʻi’s Laysan Albatrosses because parent albatrosses collected the cigarette lighters floating at sea. The lighters likely bear flying fish eggs, an albatross favorite. Chicks digest the eggs and throw up the lighters, a natural adaptation for getting rid of indigestible material. I found the lighters around nests while working at Midway Atoll.

I collected most of the plastic bits from Kailua Beach, and the shells during my South Pacific sailing adventures. I’ve made 34 of these lighter pieces, which I trade for donations.” – Susan Scott, HAS Board President

Kōlea artwork submission guidelines: Open to any age or medium, but the artwork must feature kōlea 🪶😍 Please email us at [email protected] with the following information:

- Name
- Email address
- A photo of the artwork
- Dimensions
- Medium used
- Artwork title (optional)
- Brief description or inspiration (optional)

Deadline to submit is September 10.

08/05/2026

We need your help! Join us as a volunteer to ensure our kōlea festival on September 19 runs smoothly 🐦 Assist with one or more of the following tasks:

- Help setup partner booths as they arrive on site
- Volunteer at Hawaiʻi Audubon Society’s booth by leading games, sharing information, etc.
- Assistance with breakdown after event is over
- Wear the kōlea or manu o Kū mascot costume
- Handler for mascots
- Watch over the art booth
- Fill in where needed!

Email us at [email protected] with the following info:

- Your name
- Your email address
- Your phone number
- If you want to sign up for the morning (9:00am - 12:00pm) or afternoon (12:00pm - 3:00pm) shift

Mahalo nui loa for helping us make the Welcome Home Kōlea festival a great event where friends and family can learn about this amazing native migratory bird 🪶😍

07/30/2026

Some snapshots of our yearly egg count at Freeman Seabird Preserve. We also have a record amount of adult birds! Mahalo nui loa to all the volunteers who joined us 🐦😍

Pictures by David Hyrenbach & volunteers

07/29/2026

We are SO excited for the Welcome Home Kōlea festival, now less than 2 months away!! Join Hawaiʻi Audubon Society and partners to celebrate this amazing migratory native bird! We hope to see you there 🪶😍

🗓️Date: Saturday, September 19, 2026
🕖Time: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
📍Location: Ala Moana Beach Park, Magic Island, Picnic Site 31 (Oʻahu)

https://hiaudubon.org/events/welcome-home-kolea-2026/ Kolea Hop Water Hawaii Wildlife Center Livable Hawaii Kai Hui Hawaii DLNR (Department of Land and Natural Resources) Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum

07/29/2026

Okay Kaua‘i birders… STAY CALM. We admitted a very special bird this week into care… a Manu-o-Kū! While this species is commonly found Oahu, there are not any known nesting pairs on Kaua‘i. We are extremely excited to be able to care for this guy/gal as this is a first time patient for our program.

This patient is ataxic (poor body control) and has a cut eyelid, likely due to head trauma. The towel you see in front of him is to help him remain upright on his perch for the time being. We are doing our best to stabilize this patient and are not out of the woods yet. Mahalo to our friends at Hawaii Wildlife Center as they treat this species regularly on Oahu and have been giving us advice to provide the best care possible 🤗
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07/28/2026

07/28/2026

Congratulations to these KCC students!!

Dedicated scholars help safeguard rare native Hawaiian bird on campus.