Birding in Fiji: My First Private Bird Photography Trip
At the end of September, I led my first private birding and photography trip in Fiji. We spent three days exploring Viti Levu before continuing to Taveuni, moving between forest trails, inland roads and coastal birding spots. There were plenty of early starts and some demanding days, but it was a very productive trip—with a few particularly memorable encounters for me, too.
Birding in Colo-i-Suva and Suva Foreshore
We began on 28 September at Colo-i-Suva Forest Park, recording 16 species during our first morning. A female Golden Dove posed very nicely for us, giving us a great opportunity to photograph her, although we didn’t find a male that day. Barking Imperial-Pigeons, Masked Shining-Parrots and several honeyeaters were among our other records. In the afternoon, we headed to the Suva foreshore, where we recorded another selection of 12 species, including Bar-tailed Godwits, Pacific Golden-Plovers, Wandering Tattlers and Ruddy Turnstones.
A female Golden Dove (Ptilinopus luteovirens) posed nicely for us in Colo-i-Suva Forest Park on our first day of birding. We didn’t find the male that day.
A Polynesian Triller (Lalage maculosa) photographed in Colo-i-Suva Forest Park on our first day of birding.
A kikau, or Western Wattled Honeyeater (Foulehaio procerior), feeding on a small caterpillar along Suva’s foreshore.
Getting a lower angle can dramatically improve the composition of a photo.
A Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) photographed during our visit to Suva foreshore.
A Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana) photographed during our visit to Suva’s foreshore.
Bird Photography in Namosi and Naitasiri
After a very early start from Suva, we reached Namosi as the first sunlight came through. A Fiji White-eye and a female Yellow-throated Fiji Whistler gave us some lovely opportunities for photography. Later, we found a flowering tree busy with kikau (Western Wattled-Honeyeaters), Duetting Giant-Honeyeaters and Collared Lories feeding among the flowers. We took our time, slowly working our way along Namosi Road towards Naitasiri and spending several hours exploring the area. By the end of the morning, we had recorded 21 species. It was a beautiful day, with stunning scenery to enjoy between bird encounters.
A Fiji White-eye (Zosterops explorator) perched beside Namosi Road during our second day of birding.
A Duetting Giant Honeyeater (Gymnomyza brunneirostris) feeding at a flowering tree in Namosi. The same tree also attracted kikau and Collared Lories.
A female Yellow-throated Fiji Whistler (Pachycephala graeffii) photographed during our early morning birding along Namosi Road.
A White-throated Pigeon (Columba vitiensis) photographed during our morning in Naitasiri.
Roadside birding along Namosi.
Early-morning Selfie.
A Fiji Parrotfinch (Erythrura pealii) photographed along Namosi Road on Viti Levu.
A Black-throated Shrikebill (Clytorhynchus nigrogularis) photographed along Namosi Road.
On Wednesday, we tried our luck in the interior of Naitasiri with help from a local guide. We spent quite some time trying to photograph a Long-legged Thicketbird, and I eventually managed a record shot. I had visited the area and seen the species several times before, but had never managed to photograph one, so I was particularly happy to finally get an image. A beautifully perched male Golden Dove gave us another lovely photographic opportunity. In the afternoon, we returned to Colo-i-Suva, where a group of two male and three female Golden Doves kept us busy as they moved among the trees. Otherwise, bird activity was fairly low, and after another early start, we were happy to head back to our base in Suva in the late afternoon.
After several previous sightings, I finally managed to photograph a Long-legged Thicketbird (Cincloramphus rufus) in Naitasiri.
A male Golden Dove (Ptilinopus luteovirens) posed beautifully for us on a branch in Naitasiri.
From Viti Levu to Taveuni
On Thursday, 1 October, we flew onwards to Taveuni. We spent some time that morning editing images before heading out to explore a few of the island’s roads, finding Australasian Swamphens, Fiji Goshawks and Red Shining-Parrots along the way. We also came across a Swamp Harrier feeding on the ground. It flew up to perch in a tree, where I managed to get a few nice photographs.
Two Red Shining Parrots (Prosopeia tabuensis) perched together in a tree on Taveuni.
After feeding on the ground, this Swamp Harrier (Circus approximans) flew up to perch in a tree, giving us a lovely photo opportunity on Taveuni.
Friday’s outing to Des Voeux Peak was challenging, with strong winds and plenty of rain making birding and photography difficult. We had to be patient, but the effort paid off with some incredible encounters with the stunning Taveuni Silktail. Found only on Taveuni, Fiji’s third-largest island, this was one of the highlights of our time in the forest. Having the chance to watch and photograph these birds made the difficult conditions worthwhile.
We also managed to find a beautiful male Azure-crested Flycatcher and a Slaty Monarch. Other highlights included Yellow-billed Giant-Honeyeaters and Many-colored Fruit-Doves, along with the unmistakable Orange Dove, a close relative of the Golden Doves we had photographed on Viti Levu. Seeing that brilliant orange plumage among the green foliage is always a treat. Over six hours, we recorded 22 species and came away with some rewarding photographs despite the weather.
Endemic Birds of Taveuni
A Yellow-billed Giant Honeyeater (Gymnomyza viridis) photographed near Des Voeux Peak on Taveuni.
The Azure-crested Flycatcher is a stunning bird and one of my favourites.
Photographing this Taveuni Silktail (Lamprolia victoriae) was one of the highlights of our time on the island.
The Orange Dove - one of the most beautiful pigeons in the world if you ask me!
A Slaty Monarch (Mayrornis lessoni) in its typical perch position.
Saturday’s walk at Vidawa brought another standout experience: Shy Ground Doves calling in the forest. We recorded at least two individuals calling over several hours. Hearing them was particularly exciting and became one of the most memorable encounters of the trip. We also found another beautiful male Orange Dove and a Streaked Fantail among a few other species.
Watching the Fiji Streaked Fantail dart around the undergrowth is difficult. The local Taveuni subspecies has a uniquely clean, unstreaked chest.
Hearing the unique vocalization of the Orange Dove (Ptilinopus victor) in the canopy is at first a little odd: its rhythmic call sounds less like a bird and remarkably like a ticking metronome or a water droplet.
Unlike the solid pinkish-grey adults, the young Fiji Goshawk (Tachyspiza rufitorques) displays this beautifully detailed, heavily streaked brown chest pattern.
Portrait of a Northern Wattled-Honeyeater (Foulehaio taviunensis) perched on a branch near Vidawa in Taveuni.
Later that afternoon, back by the coast, a Mangrove Heron flew in and landed on a rock in shallow water. It caught a fish and spent around 15 minutes holding it in its beak before swallowing it, giving us time to watch and photograph the encounter.
Finalya managed to get a photo of the Striated Heron (sometimes referred to as the Little or Mangrove Heron).
The Long-legged Thicketbird and Mangrove Heron were especially rewarding additions for me, bringing my Manumanu Vuka project to 71 photographed bird species. Even after years of photographing birds in Fiji, there are still encounters like these that leave me very happy to have been out with a camera.
Looking back, it was a demanding but rewarding first private trip. We covered a good variety of locations, spent many hours in the field and came away with photographs and observations from both islands. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing this time exploring Fiji’s birds, with valuable help from local guides along the way.
If you are on eBird or iNaturalist, I uploaded all my sightings to both platforms, as I usually do. Check out my eBird here and my iNaturalist here.
Interested in exploring and photographing Fiji's remarkable birdlife? Find out more about my private birding and photography trips in Fiji.
