Nikko Bay Tour

Palau's avifauna is a biogeographically blend of Austro-Papauan species, Asiatic forms, and of course a host of wide ranging sea birds. In total Palau boasts 46 native species, a host of annual migrants, and an odd assemblage of unusual vagrants. Our native birds include the multi-colored fruit dove, the mound nesting Megapod, and the graceful white tern. Palau's forests are filled with the haunting whistle of the endemic bush warbler and the deep growl of the Micronesian Pigeon. Here's a list of resident species and seasonal migrants:

FAMILY PROCELLARIDAE: Shearwaters
1. Audubon Shearwater: Puffinus lherminieri. Resident

FAMILY PHAETHONTIDAE: Tropicbirds
1. White Tailed Tropicbird: Phaethon lepturus. Resident

FAMILY SULIDAE: Boobies.
1. Brown Booby: Sula leucogaster. Resident (outer islands only)
2. Red Footed Booby: Sula sula. Resident (outer islands only)

FAMILY PHALACROCORACIDAE: Cormorants
1. Little Pied Cormorant: Phalacrocorax melanoleucos. Resident

FAMILY FREGATIDAE: Frigates.
1. Great Frigate: Fregata minor. Resident (outer islands only)
2. Lesser Frigate: Fregata ariel. Resident (outer islands only)

FAMILY AREIDAE: Herons, Egrets, & Bitterns.
1. Yellow Bittern: Ixobrychus sinensis. Resident
2. Pacific Reef Heron: Egretta sacra. Resident
3. Intermediate Egret: Egretta intermedia. Migrant
4. Little Egret: Egretta garzetta. Migrant
5. Cattle Egret: Bubulcus ibis. Migrant
6. Rufous Night Heron: Nycticorax caledonicus. Resident

FAMILY ANATIDAE: Ducks
1. Grey Duck: Anas superciliosa. Resident

FAMILY MEGAPODIDAE: Megapodes
1. Micronesian Megapod: Megapodius laperouse. Resident

FAMILY PHASIANIDAE: Pheasants.
1. Red Jungle Fowl: Gallus gallus. Pre-historic Introduction

FAMILY RALLIDAE: Rails.
1. Banded Rail: Rallus philippensis. Resident
2. Slaty Legged Crake: Rallina eurizonoides. Resident
3. White Browed Rail: Poliolimnas cinereus. Resident
4. Purple Swamphen: Porphyrio porphyrio. Resident
5. Common Moorhen: Gallinula chloropus. Resident

FAMILY CHARADRIIDAE: Plovers.
1. Lesser Golden Plover: Pluvialis dominica. Migrant

FAMILY RECURVIROSTRIDAE: Stilts
1. Black Winged Stilt: Himantopus himantopus. Migrant

FAMILY SCOLOPACIDAE: Sandpipers & Waders.
1. Wood Sandpiper: Tringa glareola. Migrant
2. Grey-Tailed Tattler: Heteroscelus brevipes. Migrant
3. Common Sandpiper: Actitis hypoleucos. Migrant
4. Whimbrel: Numenius phaeopus. Resident & Migrant
5. Ruddy Turnstone: Arenaria interpres. Migrant
6. Rufous-Necked Stint: Calidris ruficollos. Migrant

FAMILY STERNIDAE: Terns
1. Great Crested Tern: Sterna bergii. Resident
2. Black Naped Tern: Sterna sumatrana. Resident
3. Bridled Tern: Sterna anaethetus. Resident
4. Sooty Tern: Sterna suscata. Resident (outer islands only)
5. White Winged Tern: Chlidonias leucoptera. Migrant
6. Brown Noddy: Anous stolidus. Resident
7. Black Noddy: Anous minutus. Resident
8. White Tern: Gigas alba. Resident

FAMILY LARIDAE: Gulls
1. Black Headed Gull: Larus ridibundus: Migrant

FAMILY COLUMBIDAE: Pigeons & Doves.
1. Nicobar Pigeon: Caloenas nicobarica: Resident
2. Palau Ground Dove: Gallicolumba canifrons. Endemic
3. Palau Fruit Dove: Ptilinopus pelewensis: Endemic
4. Micronesian Pigeon: Ducula oceanica: Resident

FAMILY PSITTACIDAE: Cockatoos & Parrots.
1. Greater Sulphur Crested Cockatoo: Cacatua galerita. Introduction
2. Eclectus Parrot: Eclectus roratus. Introduction

FAMILY CUCULIDAE: Cuckoos.
1. Oriental Cuckoo: Cuculus saturatus. Migrant

FAMILY STRIGIDAE: Owls
1. Palau Owl: Pyrroglaux podargina. Endemic

FAMILY CAPRIMULGIDAE: Nightjars
1. Jungle Nightjar: Caprimulgus indicus. Resident.

FAMILY APODIDAE: Swiftlets.
1. Vanikoro Swiftlet: Aerodramus vanikorensis. Resident.

FAMILY ALCEDINIDAE: Kingfishers.
1. Micronesian Kingfisher: Halcyon cinnamomina. Resident.
2. Collared Kingfisher: Halcyon chloris. Resident.

FAMILY HIRUNDINIDAE: Swallows.
1. Barn Swallow: Hirundo rustica: Migrant

FAMILY CAMPEPHAGIDAE: Cuckoo-Shrikes
1. Cicadabird: Coracina tenuirostris. Resident

FAMILY MUSCICAPIDAE: Thrushes, Old World Warblers, & Flycatchers
1. Palau Bush Warbler: Cettia annae. Endemic
2. Palau Flycathcer: Myiagra erythrops. Endemic
3. Palau Fantail: Rhipidura lepida. Endemic
4. Palau Morningbird: Pitohui tenebrosa. Endemic

FAMILY MOTACILIDAE: Wagtails & Pipits
1. Yellow Wagtail: Motacilla flava. Migrant

FAMILY ARTAMIDAE: Woodswallows
1. White Breasted Woodswallow: Artamus leucorhynchus. Resident

FAMILY STURNIDAE: Starlings
1. Micronesian Starling: Aplonis opaca. Resident

FAMILY MELIPHAGIDAE: Honey Eaters
1. Micronesian Honey Eater: Myzomela rubratra. Resident

FAMILY ZOSTEROPIDAE: White Eyes
1. Citrine White Eye: Zosterops semperi. Resident (Possible Endemic)
2. Dusky White Eye: Zosterops finschii. Resident (Possible Endemic)
3. Palau Giant White Eye: Megazosterops palauensis. Endemic

FAMILY ESTRILIDAE: Mannikins & Finches
1. Blue Faced Parrot Finch: Erythrura trichroa. Resident
2. Chestnut Mannikin: Lonchura malacca. Introduction

Bird Watching in Palau is a simple affair. Birders can walk around Koror and find many of the Residents, Endemics, and Migrants. Some of the harder to find birds are best seen in remote locations in the rock islands. Ulong Island is a virtual guarantee for finding the Endemic Ground Dove with common sightings of the Megapods. The Old German Light House Trail is a great place to spot Endemic Fantails, Bush Warblers, and Morning Birds. Peleliu Island is also fantastic bird watching with undisturbed forests and a wide variety of habitat types. The Palauan Owls are tough to spot, and are best seen at night with a recording device. They will quickly respond to their own calls and that may allow a close up view of a normally shy bird. Several quiet inlets in the rock islands harbor resident populations of the owls and will yield best results.