Fauna: Pacific Golden Plover
Pacific golden plover with nonbreeding plumage at Pier 7, Honolulu Harbor. 6 November 2021.
Pacific Golden Plover (Pluvialis fulva)
Hawaiian Name: Kōlea
The Pacific golden plover is a migratory shorebird that can be seen around Honolulu Harbor as well as in other flat, open areas (natural and developed) throughout the Hawaiian Islands. They are recognized as indigenous by the State of Hawai‘i.
Pacific golden plover breeding season is from May through July. This time is spent in the tundras of Siberia and the western parts of Alaska. Their migration and arrival in the Hawaiian Islands, beginning in August, signals the end of summer.
Once a bird selects a wintering territory, it will return to the same location year after year.
Pacific golden plovers start to molt from their nonbreeding plumage (above) to their breeding plumage (below) in the spring, prior to their migration north in April.
For more information about the Pacific golden plover, see All About Birds (Pacific Golden Plover).
Pacific golden plover with breeding plumage at Pier 6, Honolulu Harbor. 9 April 2017.
