Hawaiian Seabirds

Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) or 'Ewa 'ewa (cacophony) in Hawaiian. Referred to as manutara (tern or common tern) elsewhere in Polynesia. A fair number of these terns were flying above the Makapu'u cliffs on a particularly windy day.

Red-tailed Tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda, or Koa'e 'ula in Hawaiian.  Several of these birds were spotted flying high above the Makapu'u cliffs on Oahu on a particularly windy day (onshore wind).  These birds normally feed far out at sea where they dive for squid and flying fish.  They nest in low scrub, often on isolated atolls.  They are distributed across the Pacific, ranging from Hawaii to as far south as Queensland, Australia and Easter island.