List of bird species introduced to the Hawaiian Islands
Encyclopedia
This List of bird species introduced to the Hawaiian Islands includes only those species known to have established self-sustaining breeding populations as a direct or indirect result of human intervention. A complete list of all non-native species ever imported to the islands, including those that never became established, would be much longer. In the following list, ^ indicates a species indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands
but introduced to an area or areas outside its known native range, * indicates a formerly established population that is now extirpated, and parenthetical notes describe the specific islands where each species is known to be established.
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
but introduced to an area or areas outside its known native range, * indicates a formerly established population that is now extirpated, and parenthetical notes describe the specific islands where each species is known to be established.
- Cattle EgretCattle EgretThe Cattle Egret is a cosmopolitan species of heron found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species, the Western Cattle Egret and the Eastern Cattle Egret...
(most of the larger islands) - MallardMallardThe Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia....
(throughout) - Wild TurkeyWild TurkeyThe Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
(Hawaii, Lanai, Maui, & NiihauNiihauNiihau or Niihau is the seventh largest of the inhabited Hawaiian Islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii, having an area of . Niihau lies southwest of Kauai across the Kaulakahi Channel. Several intermittent playa lakes provide wetland habitats for the Hawaiian Coot, the Black-winged Stilt, and the...
) - California QuailCalifornia QuailThe California Quail, Callipepla californica, also known as the California Valley Quail or Valley Quail, is a small ground-dwelling bird in the New World quail family...
- Gambel's QuailGambel's QuailThe Gambel's Quail, Callipepla gambelii, is a small ground-dwelling bird in the New World quail family. It inhabits the desert regions of Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Texas, and Sonora; also New Mexico-border Chihuahua and the Colorado River region of Baja California...
(Lanai & Kahoolawe; possibly Hawaii) - ChukarChukarThe Chukar Partridge or Chukar is a Eurasian upland gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It has been considered to form a superspecies complex along with the Rock Partridge, Philby's Partridge and Przevalski's Partridge and treated in the past as conspecific particularly with the first...
(all main islands from Kauai eastward, except Oahu) - Black FrancolinBlack FrancolinThe Black Francolin, Francolinus francolinus, is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. It was formerly known as the Black Partridge.-Identification:...
(Hawaii, Kauai, Maui, & Molokai) - Gray Francolin (Hawaii, Lanai, Maui, Molokai, & Oahu)
- Erckel's FrancolinErckel's FrancolinThe Erckel's Francolin is a species of bird in the Phasianidae family.It is native to Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan. In 1957 the species was also introduced to the Hawaiian islands.-References:...
(all main islands from Kauai eastward, except Maui) - Japanese QuailJapanese QuailThe Japanese Quail, also known as Coturnix Quail, Coturnix japonica, is a species of Old World Quail found in East Asia. They are a migratory species, breeding in Manchuria, southeastern Siberia, northern Japan, and the Korean Peninsula, and wintering in the south of Japan and southern China. They...
(all main islands from Kauai eastward, except Oahu) - Red JunglefowlRed JunglefowlThe Red Junglefowl is a tropical member of the Pheasant family. They are thought to be ancestors of the domestic chicken with some hybridisation with the Grey Junglefowl...
(Kauai & Oahu's Waimea Falls Park) - Kalij PheasantKalij PheasantThe Kalij Pheasant, Lophura leucomelanos, is a pheasant found in forests and thickets, especially in the Himalayan foothills, from the Northern India to western Thailand. Males are rather variable depending on the subspecies involved, but all have an at least partially glossy bluish-black plumage,...
(Hawaii) - Ring-necked Pheasant (all main islands from Kauai eastward)
- Green PheasantGreen PheasantThe Green Pheasant, Phasianus versicolor, also known as Japanese Pheasant, is native to the Japanese Archipelago, to which it is endemic. The male is distinguished from that species by its dark green plumage on the breast and mantle. The male also has an iridescent violet neck, red bare facial...
(Lanai & Kauai; possibly Maui) - Common Peafowl (Hawaii, Maui, & Oahu)
- Helmeted GuineafowlHelmeted GuineafowlThe Helmeted Guineafowl is the best known of the guineafowl bird family, Numididae, and the only member of the genus Numida...
(Hawaii; possibly other main islands) - Laysan RailLaysan RailThe Laysan Rail or Laysan Crake was a tiny inhabitant of the Northwest Hawaiian Island of Laysan. This small island was and still is an important seabird colony, and sustained a number of endemic species, including the rail. It became extinct due to habitat loss by domestic rabbits, and ultimately...
^ (Midway Islands*) - Chestnut-bellied SandgrouseChestnut-bellied SandgrouseThe Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Pterocles exustus, is a species of sandgrouse. They are found in sparse, bushy, arid land which is common in central and northern Africa, and southern Asia. Though they live in hot, arid climates, they are highly reliant on water. They have been known to travel up...
(Hawaii) - Rock PigeonRock PigeonThe Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae . In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon"....
(Hawaii, Maui) - Spotted DoveSpotted DoveThe Spotted Dove , also known as the Spotted Turtle Dove, is a pigeon which is a resident breeding bird in the Indian Subcontinent including India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka east to southern Tibet and Southeast Asia...
(all main islands from Kauai eastward) - Zebra DoveZebra DoveThe Zebra Dove Geopelia striata, also known as Barred Ground Dove, is a bird of the dove family Columbidae, native to South-east Asia. It is closely related to the Peaceful Dove of Australia and New Guinea and the Barred Dove of eastern Indonesia...
(all main islands from Kauai eastward) - Mourning DoveMourning DoveThe Mourning Dove is a member of the dove family . The bird is also called the Turtle Dove or the American Mourning Dove or Rain Dove, and formerly was known as the Carolina Pigeon or Carolina Turtledove. It is one of the most abundant and widespread of all North American birds...
(Hawaii) - Rose-ringed ParakeetRose-ringed ParakeetThe Rose-ringed Parakeet , also known as the Ringnecked Parakeet, is a gregarious tropical parakeet species that has an extremely large range. Since the trend of the population appears to be increasing, the species has been evaluated as Least Concern by IUCN in 2009.Rose-ringed parakeets are...
(Hawaii & Oahu; possibly Kauai) - Barn OwlBarn OwlThe Barn Owl is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is also referred to as Common Barn Owl, to distinguish it from other species in the barn-owl family Tytonidae. These form one of two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical...
(all main islands from Kauai eastward) - Mariana Swiftlet (Oahu)
- Varied TitVaried TitThe Varied Tit is a perching bird from the tit family, Paridae. It occurs in eastern Asia in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and locally in northeastern China and extreme southeastern Russia .- Description :It is 12–14 cm long and weighs 16–18 g. The wing length is 6.0–7.8 cm. In the nominate race P. v...
(Kauai* & Oahu*) - Red-vented BulbulRed-vented BulbulThe Red-vented Bulbul is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka east to Burma and southwestern China. It has been introduced and has established itself in the wild in many Pacific islands including Fiji, Samoa,...
- Red-whiskered BulbulRed-whiskered BulbulThe Red-whiskered Bulbul is a passerine bird found in Asia. It is a member of the bulbul family. It is a resident frugivore found mainly in tropical Asia. It has been introduced in many tropical areas of the world where populations have established themselves...
- Japanese Bush-Warbler
- White-rumped ShamaWhite-rumped ShamaThe White-rumped Shama is a small passerine bird of the family Muscicapidae. It was formerly classified as a member of the Thrush family, Turdidae, causing it to be commonly known as the White-rumped Shama Thrush or simply Shama Thrush.-Distribution:They are native to South and Southeast Asia, but...
- Greater Necklaced LaughingthrushGreater Necklaced LaughingthrushThe Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam...
- Hwamei
- Gray-sided Laughingthrush
- Japanese White-eyeJapanese White-eyeThe Japanese White-eye , also known as the mejiro , is a small passerine bird in the white-eye family. The specific epithet is occasionally written japonica, but this is incorrect due to the gender of the genus. Its native range includes much of east Asia, including Japan, China, Vietnam, Taiwan,...
- Northern MockingbirdNorthern MockingbirdThe Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos, is the only mockingbird commonly found in North America. This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Turdus polyglottos....
- Common MynaCommon MynaThe Common Myna or Indian Myna also sometimes spelled Mynah, is a member of family Sturnidae native to Asia. An omnivorous open woodland bird with a strong territorial instinct, the Myna has adapted extremely well to urban environments...
- Yellow-faced GrassquitYellow-faced GrassquitThe Yellow-faced Grassquit is a passerine bird from the Central American tropics and surrounding regions. It was formerly alled with the American sparrows and placed in the Emberizidae; actually, however, it is one of the tholospizan "finches" which are specialized tanagers...
- Saffron FinchSaffron FinchThe Saffron Finch is a tanager from South America and is common in both open and semi-open areas in lowlands outside the Amazon Basin. They have a wide distribution in Colombia, Venezuela , Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and Argentina...
(Hawai'i) - Red-crested CardinalRed-crested CardinalThe Red-crested Cardinal is a bird species in the tanager family . It was formerly placed in the Emberizidae, and notwithstanding its common name, it is not very closely related to the true cardinals .It is found in northern Argentina, Bolivia, southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay...
(Oahu, Maui) - Yellow-billed CardinalYellow-billed CardinalThe Yellow-billed Cardinal Paroaria capitata is a bird species in the tanager family . It was formerly placed in the Emberizidae and is not very closely related to the cardinals proper ....
(Hawaii) - Northern CardinalNorthern CardinalThe Northern Cardinal or Redbird or Common Cardinal is a North American bird in the genus Cardinalis. It can be found in southern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and south through Mexico...
- Western MeadowlarkWestern MeadowlarkNot to be confused with Eastern MeadowlarkThe Western Meadowlark is a medium-sized icterid bird, about 8.5 in long. It nests on the ground in open country in western and central North America. It feeds mostly on insects, but also seeds and berries...
- House FinchHouse FinchThe House Finch is a bird in the finch family Fringillidae, which is found in North America. This species and the other "American rosefinches" are usually placed in the rosefinch genus Carpodacus...
- Common Canary
- Yellow-fronted CanaryYellow-fronted CanaryThe Yellow-fronted Canary is a small passerine bird in the finch family. It is known elsewhere and in aviculture as the Green Singing Finch....
- Laysan FinchLaysan FinchThe Laysan Finch is a species of finch in the Hawaiian honeycreeper subfamily, Drepanidinae, that is endemic to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It is one of four remaining finch-billed Hawaiian honeycreepers, and is closely related to the smaller Nihoa Finch. The Laysan Finch is named for...
^ (Pearl and Hermes Reef*) - House SparrowHouse SparrowThe House Sparrow is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the House Sparrow occurs naturally in most of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and much of Asia...
- Red-cheeked Cordonbleu
- Lavender WaxbillLavender WaxbillThe Lavender Waxbill is a common species of estrildid finch native to Central Africa and widely introduced in the USA...
- Orange-cheeked WaxbillOrange-Cheeked WaxbillThe Orange-cheeked Waxbill Estrilda melpoda is a common species of estrildid finch native to western and central Africa, with an estimated global extent of occurrence of 3,600,000 km².-Lifestyle:...
- Black-rumped WaxbillBlack-rumped WaxbillThe Black-rumped Waxbill is a common species of estrildid finch found in Southern Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 2,000,000 km²....
- Common WaxbillCommon WaxbillThe Common Waxbill , also known as the St Helena Waxbill, is a small passerine bird belonging to the estrildid finch family. It is native to sub-Saharan Africa but has been introduced to many other regions of the world and now has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 10,000,000 km²...
- Red Avadavat
- African SilverbillAfrican SilverbillThe African Silverbill is a small passerine bird formerly considered conspecific with the Asian species Indian Silverbill, . This estrildid finch is a common resident breeding bird in dry savanna habitat, south of the Sahara Desert...
- Nutmeg Mannikin
- Tricolored Munia
- Chestnut Munia
- Java SparrowJava SparrowThe Java Sparrow, Padda oryzivora also known as Java Finch, Java Rice Sparrow or Java Rice Bird is a small passerine bird. This estrildid finch is a resident breeding bird in Java, Bali and Bawean in Indonesia. It is a popular cagebird, and has been introduced in a large number of other...
(Maui) - Pin-tailed WhydahPin-tailed WhydahThe Pin-tailed Whydah, Vidua macroura, is a small songbird. It is a resident breeding bird in most of Africa south of the Sahara Desert.This whydah is found in many open habitats including open woodland, scrub and cultivation....
*
Sources
- American Ornithologists' Union. 1998. Check-list of North American birds. 7th edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. 829 pp.
- Berger, Andrew J. 1981. Hawaiian birdlife. 2nd edition. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu. 260 pp.
- Long, John L. 1971. Introduced birds of the world: the worldwide history, distribution, and influence of birds introduced to new environments. Universe Books, New York. 528 pp.