Birding

/ˈbəːdɪŋ/

the observation of birds in their natural habitat as a hobby.

Birds have become one of the great passions of my life - and living in Fiji has taken that fascination to another level. The islands are home to extraordinary birdlife, including many species found nowhere else on Earth, and over the years I have spent countless hours exploring Fiji’s forests, coastlines and remote islands to observe, photograph and document them.

My work as a photographer and filmmaker has also taken me across the wider Pacific, allowing me to encounter and document remarkable species in Papua New Guinea, Samoa and beyond. One of the most significant moments came in 2024, when I captured the first-ever photograph of the New Britain Goshawk - a rare bird that had remained scientifically undocumented for decades and was listed among the world’s “lost species.”

Alongside my photography and filmmaking, I contribute sightings and observations to citizen-science platforms including eBird and iNaturalist, and work on bird-related stories, publications and conservation projects. I am also beginning to offer dedicated birding and bird-photography experiences in Fiji, sharing the country’s unique species, landscapes and conservation stories with others.

The first photo ever.

The New Britain Goshawk.

In 2024, while on assignment for WWF-Pacific in Papua New Guinea, Tom made history with one of his photos. For the first time ever, he photographed the New Britain Goshawk, a rare bird that was on the “Lost Species” list. This great conservation news went viral and where shared by dozens of news outlets across the world, garnering hundreds of millions of social media impressions.

Read the WWF Press Release here.

Bird Photography Tours in Fiji: Register Your Interest

In late 2026, I’ll be leading my first dedicated bird photography tour in Fiji, with further tours planned for 2027. If exploring and photographing Fiji’s unique birdlife is something you’d be interested in, please feel free to get in touch.

Get in touch

My POCKET GUIDE TO FIJI’S BIRDS

After many years of birding across Fiji, I realised something was missing: a sturdy, water-resistant field guide I could actually take with me outdoors. Since no such guide existed, I decided to create one myself.

In collaboration with a talented artist who drew the birds, I designed and produced this foldable bird guide, which is now available at various locations around Fiji as well as online through the Projects Collective Shop.

This durable, water-resistant guide is the only resource of its kind currently available in Fiji and has undergone several updates already. Unlike older and now out-of-print guides, it is up to date and specifically designed for field use. Each bird illustration was hand-drawn, and the guide took nearly a year and a half to develop.

I’m also proud that the guide has been able to support conservation and environmental education directly. More than 150 copies have been donated to a school on Taveuni and to community rangers on Vanua Levu, in collaboration with Live & Learn Fiji, helping make information about Fiji’s unique birdlife more accessible to young people and those working directly in conservation.

With nature tourism steadily growing and more families spending time in Fiji’s great outdoors, this affordable guide is designed to be a practical companion for both locals and visitors—something you can slip into your pocket and take on any adventure.

A printed guidebook titled "A Pocket Guide to Fiji's Birds" featuring a mountain landscape on the cover, with two inner pages showing illustrations and information about various bird species.

Fiji’s Birds 

From the moment I first arrived in Fiji in 2015, I found myself drawn to the country’s remarkable birdlife. What began as a casual interest quickly grew into a deep passion, and a few years later, I launched Project Manumanu Vuka—an ongoing personal mission to photograph every bird species found in Fiji.

My professional assignments have taken me to remote corners of the country, and whenever possible, I carve out time for birding—sometimes hours, sometimes just a few minutes. To date, I have photographed 69 species, including many endemics found only on specific islands. Many species are still missing, but the collection is already shaping up to be one of - if not - the most complete visual record of Fiji’s birds.

Importantly, I only count images that meet a high standard of quality—the same level you see in the examples below.

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A bird perched on a tree branch against a blue sky background.
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Pacific Kingfisher in Fiji
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Bat-tailed Godwit in Fiji
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Swamp Harrier in Fiji
A bird on the forest floor with a chicken leg in its beak.
Pink-billed Parrotfinch
Pacific Golden Plover in Fiji
Buff-banded Rail in FIji
Pacific Robin in Fiji
White-tailed Tropicbird in Fiji
Orange Dove
Fiji-Whiteye
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Red Avadavat in Fiji
A small green bird perched on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves.
Red-vented Bulbul in Fiji
Jungle Myna in Fiji
A bird with a black head and brown body perched on a tree branch.
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A bird perched on a tree branch with a background of green leaves and blue sky.
Golden Dove
White-faced Heron
Red-footed Booby in Fiji
Western-Wattled Honeyeater
Reef Heron in Fiji
Many-Colored Fruit Dove in Fiji
A black bird with a small beak sitting on a wooden perch, surrounded by green foliage, with a wire mesh below.
Pacific Duck

Finding Fiji’s rare Pink-billed parrotfinches

The elusive Pink-billed parrotfinch (Erythrura kleinschmidti) is only found on Fiji's largest island Viti Levu and had never been filmed. Thanks to Fiji's leading ornithologist, Vilikesa Masibalavu, who had previously identified an active nest in the Sovi Basin in Fiji's Naitasiri Province, we were able to capture many stills and video of two individuals tending to their nest at about 9m height in an African Tulip tree.

The pink-billed parrotfinch is listed as 'Vulnerable' on IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species, mainly due to increasing deforestation and resulting habitat loss in its small distribution area on Viti Levu.

Where is Fiji’s Kulawai?i

This film documents the quest of Fiji’s first local Non-Governmental Organisation NatureFiji-MareqetiViti to find a long-lost bird that is of national importance. Last seen more than 20 years ago, the Kulawai (red-throated lorikeet) is a small, elusive parrot that might still be located in areas of Fiji’s vast and dense forests.

Screenings & Awards:

2023 - ‘Highly Honoured’ at Nature’s Best International Photography Awards

2021 - Wildlife Conservation Film Festival - Official Selection

Papua New Guinea Birds 

Close-up of a toucan with large beak and black feathers, partially obscured by green leaves.
A bird of prey in flight, catching a smaller bird mid-air against a cloudy sky.
A kingfisher bird perched on a tree branch against a clear blue sky.
A small yellow bird with brown wings and a long, curved black beak perched on a tree branch, surrounded by green leaves and blue sky.
Close-up of a bird with an unusual beak, vibrant iridescent colors around its eye, and predominantly dark feathers, in a green natural environment.
Two black birds perched on a palm frond against a clear sky.
A bird with gray head and brown body perched on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves in a natural setting.
Two white birds, possibly monarch or tropical kingfishers, perched on a tree branch amidst green leaves, with blurred background.
Close-up of a blue-footed booby bird with another similar bird slightly blurred in the background, against a green natural background.
Close-up of a bird with dark feathers and a small, pointed, yellowish beak, standing on the ground with a blurred green background.
Close-up of a bird with a long, hooked beak, dark head, and white breast, set against a light sky background.
A bird with iridescent green and black feathers and bright red eyes perched among dried twigs and green leaves.
A colorful bird perched on a tree branch against a pale blue sky, with some leaves visible.
A brown bird with a long tail perched on a moss-covered tree branch in a lush green forest.
A green bird perched on a bare, slightly curved branch against a plain, light gray background.
A bird with a pale face, black wings, and long tail perched on a branch among green foliage.
A bird perched on a tree branch amidst green leaves, with a cloudy sky in the background.
A black bird, likely an ovenbird, sits in a nest on a tree branch, with a large egg visible in the nest, surrounded by tree bark and leaves.
Small bird perched on a branch in a lush green forest, singing or calling.
Four yellow birds perched on a moss-covered tree branch against a clear sky.

Samoa Birds

A small bird with a curved beak perched on white flowers and green berries amidst green leaves and branches.
A small bird with yellow and gray feathers perched on a tree branch.
A bird perched on a tree branch with a blurred green leafy background.
A colorful bird perched on a tree branch, with green foliage in the background.
A black and white bird in mid-flight with wings spread against a blurred green and yellow background.
A bird with a red beak perched among green leaves and branches in a dense forest.
A colorful bird with a pink head perched on a branch among green leaves and dark purple berries, with a blurred green forest background.
A bird with a red face, blue neck, and dark body standing amidst green foliage.
A small bird with dark feathers and a fan-shaped tail perched on a thin branch among green leaves and foliage in a dense jungle.
Colorful bird perched on a tree branch among green leaves, with a blue sky in the background.
A colorful kingfisher bird with blue and yellow feathers perched on a thin branch amidst green foliage.
A bird with dark green and yellow markings is perched among green leaves and budding white flowers, reaching for the flowers with its beak.
A small bird perched on a thin tree branch with green leaves and a blurred blue sky background.
A bird perched on a tree branch holding a small insect in its beak.
A small bird with a white belly and dark, patterned wings perched on a leafless branch among green foliage.
A bird with iridescent blue and green feathers perched on a branch amongst green leaves.
A small gray bird with yellow markings on its side, perched on a thin branch with green foliage below and a blurred background.
A bird with a bright red head and upper chest, and black wings and tail, perched on a branch surrounded by green leaves and small white flowers.
A small green and yellow bird perched on a tree branch with large green leaves in the background.
A small bird with orange and black coloring perched on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves.
A red and black bird perched on a branch among green leaves, with a cluster of small green fruit or buds nearby.
A yellow and green bird perched on a thin branch near dried seed pods on a tree against a blurred green background.
A brown bird perched on a large green palm leaf with blurred green palm fronds in the background.
A small bird, likely a young songbird, sitting on a nest among green foliage in a dense forest or jungle.
A person holding a small, colorful bird with blue and white feathers, with the bird's beak open and wings slightly spread, in front of a blurred green background.

Australia & more Oceania Birds

Close-up of a pink and white cockatoo bird resting on green grass with a blurred green background.
A woodpecker perched on a tree branch in a forest, with green leaves around and sunlight filtering through the background.
A red bird perched on a palm tree leaf surrounded by green palm fronds.
Three pied oystercatchers on a sandy beach, one catching a small fish from a piece of driftwood, with a blurred ocean background.
Close-up of a white cockatoo with a black beak, partially obscured by green leaves.
A hawk standing on a tree stump with a fish in its talons.
A dark-colored bird of prey with a crest of feathers on its head, perched among green leaves and branches.
A barred dove standing on sandy ground with scattered small twigs and shells.
A bird perched on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves.
Colorful bird with a long beak perched on a wire against a blue sky.
A close-up of a kingfisher bird with a large bill, vibrant blue and brown feathers, and light-colored eyes perched on a tree branch with a blurred green and yellow background.
A bird with blue markings on its face, black and white head, and yellow-green body, perched on green tropical leaves with a water background.
Two birds with gray and brown feathers touching beaks, forming a heart shape, in a natural setting with green leaves in the background.
A black bird, possibly a crow or raven, perched on a tree with its beak open and eyes wide.
A bird holding a lizard in its beak while perched on a tree branch with green leaves and a blurred background.
A kookaburra perched on a tree branch with a blurred green background.
Two crested pigeons perched on a tree branch amidst green leaves.
Close-up of a bird with a sharp beak, detailed feathers, and yellow eyes, standing against a blurred green and brown background.
A close-up of a moorhen with dark gray feathers, a bright orange beak with red and yellow accents, floating on green water.
A white bird with a dark beak perched on a tree branch among green leaves.
A black and white bird perched on a tree branch among green leaves, with its beak open as if singing.
A bird perched on a tree branch with green leaves.

South America Birds

A bright orange bird with distinct black and white tail feathers perched on a thin tree branch in a dense, leafy forest.
Two marbled murrelets engaging in courtship behavior with beaks touching among branches of a tree.
A heron standing on a rock in a grassy plain with sparse trees and shrubs under a clear sky.
A bird with black feathers and a distinctive red ring around its eye, perched among green leaves and twigs in a forest setting.
A small grayish-brown bird with speckled plumage blending into dry grass and dirt.
A gull with red-ringed eyes and a black beak, open-mouthed, against a gray sky.
A colorful bird with a spiky crest perches amidst dense green foliage, peering through leaves in a lush jungle setting.
A pelican flying low over calm water, with its wings outstretched and reflection visible below.
A small bird with yellow and brown feathers perched on a log in a lush green forest.
Four red ibises flying over water with sparse greenery and a gray cloudy sky.
A bird perched on a tree branch in a green forest canopy, seen from below.
Close-up of a raptor bird with a sharp beak and dark feathers.
Two yellow and brown birds in a small water pool surrounded by black rocks.
Two penguins standing on rocks near water, with a background of large pebbles.
A bird perched on a branch amidst green foliage in a natural habitat.
A bird flying with a bright red face, black body, and long wings against a blue sky and ocean background.
A close-up of a brown, mottled owl perched on a branch against a dark green background.
A black bird underwater near rocks and a blue swim fin.
A small black bird with a bright blue head perched on a thin branch in a lush green forest.