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.
Project manumanu vuka – photographing all birds of Fiji
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.
Birds of Fiji
Alphabetical List of Birds
Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen)
An Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) photographed on Taveuni Island in Fiji.
Barking Imperial Pigeon (Ducula latrans)
A small group of Barking Imperial Pigeons (Ducula latrans) in Suva.
A Barking Imperial Pigeon rests in a tree on Beqa Island.
Bar-Tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)
A Bar-Tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) at the Suva forefront.
Several dozen bar-tailed godwits rest on a jetty on Toberua island
Black-Naped Tern (Sterna sumatrana)
Two Black-naped Terns (Sterna sumatrana) rest on a limestone formation in Fulaga Lagoon, Lau Island Group, Fiji.
Black Noddy (Anous minututs)
Black Noddy (Anous minutus) near Dravuni Island in northern Kadavu, Fiji.
Bridled Tern (Onychoprion anaethetus)
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.
Black-Shouldered Lapwing (Vanellus miles ssp. novaehollandiae)
A Black-shouldered Lapwing (Vanellus miles ssp. novaehollandiae) photographed in Vunisea, Kadavu, Fiji.
Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster)
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.
Buff-Banded Rail (Gallirallus philippensis)
Two Buff-Banded Rails photographed on Namena island off Vanua Levu.
Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris)
A Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris) photographed on Wakaya Island.
Collared Kingfisher (Todiramphus chloris).
Collared Lory (Phigys solitarius)
Collared Lory (Phigys solitarius).
Collared Lory (Phigys solitarius).
Crimson Shining-Parrot (Prosopeia splendens)
Crimson Shining-Parrot (Prosopeia splendens) on Turtle Island, 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)
Common Mynah (Acridotheres trisis).
A group of Common Mynahs (Acridotheres trisis) at the Suva waterfront.
Feral Pigeon (Columba livia)
A Feral Pigeon (Columba livia) photographed in Suva.
A flock of Feral Pigeons (Columba livia) in Suva.
Fiji Bush-Warbler (Cettia ruficapilla)
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.
Fiji Goshawk (Accipiter rufitorques)
A Fiji Goshawk couple (Accipiter rufitorques) photographed around Sigatoka.
A juvenile Fiji Goshawk (Accipiter rufitorques) photographed just outside Ba.
Fiji Parrotfinch (Erythrura pealii)
A Fiji Parrotfinch (Erythrura pealii) encountered on Viti Levu.
A Fiji Parrotfinch (Erythrura pealii).
Fiji Shrikebill (Clytorhynchus vitiensis)
A Fiji Shrikebill (Clytorhynchus vitiensis) on Vuaqava Island in the Lau Group in Fiji.
Fiji Whistler (Pachycephala vitiensis)
Fiji whistler (Pachycephala vitiensis)
Fiji whistler (Pachycephala vitiensis).
Fiji White-Eye (Zosterops explorator)
Fiji White-Eye (Zosterops explorator) in Colo-i-Suva.
Fiji Woodswallow (Artamus mentalis)
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).
Great Frigatebird (Fregata minor)
A Great frigatebird (Fregata minor) on Leleluvia Island in Fiji.
Great frigatebird (Fregata minor) in full flight.
Golden Dove (Chrysoena luteovirens)
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).
Island Trush (Turdus poliocephalus)
An Island Trush (Turdus poliocephalus) photographed in Colo-i-Suva.
Jungle Mynah (Acridotheres fuscus)
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)
Kadavu Honeyeater (Meliphacator provocator) photographed near Vunisea on Kadavu.
Blue-Crested Broadbill (Myiaggra azureocapilla)
A Blue-Crested Broadbill (Myiagra azureocapilla)
Blue-Crested Broadbill (Myiagra azureocapilla).
Many-Colored Fruitdove (Ptilinopus peroussi)
A female Many-Colored Fruitdove (Ptilinopus peroussi) on Wakaya Island.
A male Many-colored Fruitdove (Ptilinopus peroussi).
A female Many-Colored Fruitdove (Ptilinopus peroussi).
Masked Shining Parrot (Prosopeia personata)
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)
Orange-Breasted Myzomela (Myzomela jugularis).
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An Orange-Breasted Myzomela (Myzomela jugularis).on Beqa Island.
Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa)
Two Pacific black ducks (Anas superciliosa) photographed near Nakelo Landing in Nausori.
Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva)
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.
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.
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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