About 50 species of birds live in the South Pacific island of Niue. Some notable species include the Brown Booby, the Polynesian Triller, the Polynesian Starling, the Collared Kingfisher, and the Pacific Golden Plover.
List of Common Birds Found in Niue
Native Birds
- Australian Swiftlet
- Barn Owl
- Black-naped Tern
- Black Noddy
- Black-winged Petrel
- Blue-crowned Lorikeet
- Blue-gray Noddy
- Brown Booby
- Brown Noddy
- Buff-banded Rail
- Buller’s Shearwater
- Collared Kingfisher
- Collared Petrel
- Common Myna
- Crimson-crowned Fruit Dove
- Golden Whistler
- Gray-backed Starling
- Gray Fantail
- Great Crested Tern
- Herald Petrel
- Kermadec Petrel
- Lesser Frigatebird
- Long-tailed Cuckoo
- Many-colored Fruit Dove
- Metallic Pigeon
- Mottled Petrel
- Pacific Golden Plover
- Pacific Imperial Pigeon
- Pacific Long-tailed Cuckoo
- Pacific Pigeon
- Pacific Robin
- Pacific Swallow
- Phoenix Petrel
- Polynesian Imperial Pigeon
- Polynesian Starling
- Polynesian Storm-petrel
- Polynesian Triller
- Red-capped Fruit Dove
- Red Shining Parrot
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Samoan Woodhen
- Sanderling
- Short-tailed shearwater
- Silvereye
- Sooty shearwater
- Spotless Crake
- Tahiti Petrel
- Tropical Shearwater
- Wandering Tattler
- Wattled Honeyeater
- Wedge-tailed Shearwater
- White-bellied Storm-petrel
- White-faced Heron
- White-necked Petrel
- White-rumped Swiftlet
- White-tailed Tropicbird
- White Tern
Non-native Birds
- Australasian Swamphen
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Bristle-thighed Curlew
- Eurasian Curlew
- Far Eastern Curlew
- Great Frigatebird
- Kelp Gull
- Mallard
- Masked Booby
- Pacific Black Duck
- Pacific Reef Heron
- Pectoral Sandpiper
- Red Junglefowl
- Red-vented Bulbul
- Southern Giant Petrel
- White-faced Heron
Some of the best places to go birdwatching in Niue include Togo Chasm, Huvalu Forest Conservation Area, and Avatele Bay. The peak season for birdwatching in Niue is generally during the southern hemisphere’s winter months, specifically from May to September. This time coincides with the migratory season for many bird species that breed in Niue or pass through the island on their migration routes.
During this time, you can expect a higher diversity of bird species, including resident and migratory species that visit Niue for the season. The weather tends to be generally mild and pleasant during the winter, making it a favorable time for outdoor activities such as birdwatching.
Some species may have specific breeding or feeding patterns different from the general peak season. Therefore, it’s recommended to research the specific bird species you are interested in or consult with local birdwatching experts for more precise information on their migratory patterns and peak viewing times.
