Originally, I planned to post separate articles with birds of Fiji images depending on their size and type. A few months back I posted the first article with images of small to medium-sized birds here in Fiji and followed a few weeks later with another one dedicated to the beautiful doves here. Instead of following with a post on the larger birds, I decided to compile all birds I managed (and will manage) to photograph so far in this post. And because everything sticks a little better in our heads with a catchy name, I am going to call this project “Project manumanu vuka“, which means “Bird” in Fijian.
As I wrote before, according to Wikipedia the avifauna of Fiji “includes a total of 178 species, of which 31 are endemic, and 13 have been introduced by humans”. This sounds a lot, and indeed it is but we have to start somewhere regardless.
As I am living and working in Fiji and generally love birding, I came up with the (probably impossible) plan to photograph each and every one of the birds found here in Fiji – whether just as occasional visitors or as resident breeding birds. I figured the easiest way to display them in alphabetic order. The expectations for myself are that the shown images must be of good quality, visually pleasing, and facilitate the identification of the respective bird(s).
This will be an ongoing project and I will update this as I am able to shoot new birds. Luckily, I do get to travel a fair bit throughout Fiji due to my work assignments and fingers crossed will be able to photograph birds than can only be found on a certain island or islands.
It is thought that back in time Fiji was entirely covered by forest – the reason why native birds here are either adapted to forests or are of coastal/oceanic nature. Some species have adapted though and others were introduced making the avifauna of Fiji a little more diverse.
An Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) photographed on Taveuni Island in Fiji.
A small group of Barking Imperial Pigeons (Ducula latrans) in Suva.
A Barking Imperial Pigeon rests in a tree on Beqa Island.
A Bar-Tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) at the Suva forefront.
A Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) spotted around Namena Island just off Vanua Levu.
A juvenile Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) resting on a tree on Namena island in Fiji.
A Brown Booby flying in the warm evening light.
A relatively newborn Booby chick.
A Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) spotted around Namena Island just off Vanua Levu.
Two Buff-Banded Rails photographed on Namena island off Vanua Levu.
A Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) photographed on Wakaya Island.
Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris).
Collared Lory (Phigys solitarius).
Collared Lory (Phigys solitarius).
Common Mynah (Acridotheres trisis)
Common Mynah (Acridotheres trisis).
A group of Common Mynahs (Acridotheres trisis) at the Suva waterfront.
A Feral Pigeon (Columba livia) photographed in Suva.
A flock of Feral Pigeons (Columba livia) in Suva.
Fiji Bush Warbler (Horornis ruficapilla)
The Fiji Bush-Warbler (Cettia ruficapilla) is a very difficult bird to photograph as it moves quickly from branch to branch in dense bush like here in Colo-i-Suva just outside of Suva.
A Fiji Goshawk couple (Accipiter rufitorques) photographed around Sigatoka.
A juvenile Fiji Goshawk (Accipiter rufitorques) photographed just outside Ba.
A Fiji Parrotfinch (Erythrura pealii) encountered on Viti Levu.
A Fiji Parrotfinch (Erythrura pealii).
Fiji White-Eye (Zosterops explorator) in Colo-i-Suva.
Fiji Woodswallow (Artamus mentalis).
A Fiji Woodswallow (Artamus mentalis) resting on an electricity line.
Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii)
A Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii).
A flying Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii).
Male Golden Dove (Chrysoena luteovirens).
Female Golden Dove (Chrysoena luteovirens) sighted in Colo-i-Suva.
A female Golden Dove (Chrysoena luteovirens) perfectly camouflaged in its environment. Can you spot it?
Male Golden Dove (Chrysoena luteovirens).
a Jungle Mynah (Acridotheres fuscus) in Suva. Easy to spot here is the array of feathers at the base of its beak.
A Blue-Crested Broadbill (Myiagra azureocapilla)
Blue-Crested Broadbill (Myiagra azureocapilla).
A female Many-Colored Fruitdove (Ptilinopus peroussi) on Wakaya Island.
A male Many-colored Fruitdove (Ptilinopus peroussi).
A female Many-Colored Fruitdove (Ptilinopus peroussi).
A Masked Shining Parrot (Prosopeia personata) in Colo-i-Suva.
A Masked Shining Parrot (Prosopeia personata) couple photographed in Colo-i-Suva.
Masked Shining Parrot (Prosopeia personata).
Orange-Breasted Myzomela (Myzomela jugularis).
An Orange-Breasted Myzomela (Myzomela jugularis).on Beqa Island.
A Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva) on a sabndy beach near Beqa Island.
A Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva) on a small island near Beqa.
A Pacific / Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans).
A Pacific / Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans).
A Pacific Imperial Pigeon (Ducula pacifica) photographed on Wakaya Island.
Pacific Imperial Pigeon (Ducula pacifica).
A pair of Pacific/Eastern Reef Herons (Egretta sacra) rest on a palm tree on Beqa Island.
Pacific/Eastern Reef Heron (Egretta sacra) in its white phase.
Two Pacific/Eastern Reef Herons (Egretta sacra) in different color phases are fighting on Suva’s waterfront during low tide.
A Male Pacific Robin (Petroica pusilla)
A female Pacific Robin (Petroica pusilla)
Very, very cool to have seen this little fella: a juvenile Pacific Robin (Petroica pusilla) in Colo-i-Suva.
A Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica) resting for a moment on a pole.
The beautiful male Red Avadavat (Amandava amandava) photographed on Suva’s waterfront
Female Red Avadavat (Amandava amandava)
A Red-Footed Booby (Sula sula) building a nest in a tree on Namena Island
A Red-Footed Booby (Sula sula) with its chick in a nest on Namena Island in Fiji
A relatively newborn Booby chick.
A Red-Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) photographed in Suva.
A Red-Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) on Viti Levu.
A Red-Vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer).
A Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis) photographed on Namena Island.
A Slaty Monarch (Mayrornis lessoni) in Colo-i-Suva.
A couple of Spotted Doves (Streptopelia chinensis).
A Spotted Dove (Streptopelia chinensis) on Wakaya Island.
Fiji Streaked Fantail (Rhipidura layardi).
A Streaked Fantail (Rhipidura spilodera) on a branch in Colo-i-Suva.
Male Vanikoro Broadbill/Flycatcher (Myiagra vanikorensis) photographed around Labasa on Vanua Levu.
A male Vanikoro Broadbill/Flycatcher (Myiagra vanikorensis) photographed in Suva.
A female Vanikoro Flycatcher (Myiagra vanikorensis) on an island near Beqa.
A female Vanikoro Broadbill/Flycatcher (Myiagra vanikorensis).
A Wattled Honeyeater (Foulehaio procerior) in a Papaya tree in Suva.
A female Fiji Wattled Honeyeater (Foulehaio taviunensis) in her nest on the eastern side of Taveuni Island.
Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana)
A White-Faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) at the Suva waterfront.
A White-Faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae) just taking off at the waterfront in Suva.
A White-Tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus) on Namena Island in Fiji.
A White-Tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus) flying with its beautiful tail clearly visible.
A White-Tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus) nesting in a hollow tree trunk on Namena island.
White-Throated Pigeon (Columba vitiensis) encountered in the Colo-i-Suva area.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Tom Vierus is an award-winning photographer, filmmaker, and marine biologist based in Suva, Fiji Islands.
This page is dedicated to his work, projects, and assignments and to share some behind-the-scenes footage.
Get in contact tom(at)vierus.de
Instagram @tomvierus
Twitter @tomvierus
Share On