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 like 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 that 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.
Alphabetical List of Birds
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.
Several dozen bar-tailed godwits rest on a jetty on Toberua island
Two Black-naped Terns (Sterna sumatrana) rest on a limestone formation in Fulaga Lagoon, Lau Island Group, Fiji.
Black Noddy (Anous minutus) near Dravuni Island in northern Kadavu, Fiji.
Two bridled terns rest on a limestone formation in the Fulaga atoll in Fiji’s Lau Group-
A bridled tern photographed at the Fulaga atoll in Fiji’s remote Lau Group.
A bridled tern (Onychoprion anaethetus) flies among the limestone rocks at Fulaga, Lau Group, Fiji.
A Black-shouldered Lapwing (Vanellus miles ssp. novaehollandiae) photographed in Vunisea, Kadavu, Fiji.
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).
Crimson Shining-Parrot (Prosopeia splendens) on Turtle Island, Nacula District, Yasawa Islands, Fiji.
Crimson Shining-Parrot (Prosopeia splendens) on Turtle Islands, Nacula District, Yasawa Islands, Fiji.
A rare melanistic fan-tailed cuckoo photographed on the University of the South Pacific Campus in Suva.
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).
A Fiji Shrikebill (Clytorhynchus vitiensis) on Vuaqava Island in the Lau Group in Fiji.
Fiji whistler (Pachycephala vitiensis)
Fiji whistler (Pachycephala vitiensis).
Fiji White-Eye (Zosterops explorator) in Colo-i-Suva.
Fiji Woodswallow (Artamus mentalis).
A Fiji Woodswallow (Artamus mentalis) resting on an electricity line.
A Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii).
A flying Greater Crested Tern (Thalasseus bergii).
A Great frigatebird (Fregata minor) on Leleluvia Island in Fiji.
Great frigatebird (Fregata minor) in full flight.
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).
An Island Trush (Turdus poliocephalus) photographed in Colo-i-Suva.
a Jungle Mynah (Acridotheres fuscus) in Suva. Easy to spot here is the array of feathers at the base of its beak.
Kadavu Honeyeater (Meliphacator provocator) photographed near Vunisea on Kadavu.
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.
Orange-Breasted Myzomela (Myzomela jugularis).
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An Orange-Breasted Myzomela (Myzomela jugularis).on Beqa Island.
Two Pacific black ducks (Anas superciliosa) photographed near Nakelo Landing in Nausori.
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.
Two pink-billed parrotfinches kept returning to the nest before leaving again. Likely a couple that is tending to their chicks.
A Pacific Swallow photographed in Momi Bay on Viti Levu.
A Pacific Swallow (Hirundo tahitica) resting for a moment on a pole.
A Polynesian starling (Aplonis tabuensis).
A Polynesian starling (Aplonis tabuensis) on Vuaqava Island, Lau Group, Fiji.
The beautiful male Red Avadavat (Amandava amandava) photographed on Suva’s waterfront
Female Red Avadavat (Amandava amandava)
A Red Shining-Parrot (Prosopeia tabuensis) photographed on Taveuni Island in Fiji.
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.
Several Red Junglefowls (Gallus gallus) photographed on Namena Island in Fiji.
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).
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 in full flight at Fulaga in the Lau Group.
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.
Just stumbled on this while trying to ID some weird bird in my Lami garden. Haven’t found my bird, but enjoyed these photos very much. Hard enough to get a clear photo of many birds, but even harder to get these showing so much character. Hope you will be adding more.
Hi Helen, thanks for your comment! Do you have a cell phone image of your bird in te garden? If so, send over 🙂
Bula! I’ve really enjoyed looking through these beautiful photos. We lived in Fiji for 3 years from 1978 and I always used to watch and record the birds seen from our balcony in the Suva area. Sadly those records are long since lost and I’ve been trying to recall which birds I used to see on a regular basis. I know we had 2 species of honeyeater, the orange-breasted and the wattled but the latter is confusing me somewhat. My black and white field guide (written by Robin Mercer and published in 1966) refers to the wattled honeyeater as Foulehaio carunculata, whereas you refer to it as Foulehaio procerior – I wonder which it was I used to see? Any ideas?? Vinaka vinaka Clare
Hi Clare, thank you for your comment! Must have been quite different back then in Fiji 🙂 Yes, I understand the confusion, I was just recently made aware that the Fiji Wattled Honeyeater has been split into three – the Western Wattled Honeyeater (Foulehaio procerior) is on Viti Levu, the Eastern Wattled Honeyeater (Foulehaio procerior) on Kadavu and the other smaller eastern Fijian islands and American Samoa and Tonga, and the Northern Wattled Honeyeater (Foulehaio taviunensis) on Vanua Levu and Taveuni. (More info here: Andersen et al. (2014): A molecular phylogeny of Pacific honeyeaters (Aves: Meliphagidae) reveals extensive paraphyly and an isolated Polynesian radiation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 71:308–315) . Hope this helps! All the best from Suva, Tom
I just realised you are a marine biologist, my father is a retired marine biologist, he used to teach at USP! We just celebrated his 90th birthday, joined by several other marine biologists 🙂
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Thank you so much for this comprehensive (and beautiful!) guide. I was able to identify the birds that visit our balcony at a resort in Momi Bay – Pacific Swallows!
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