Backyard birds in Hilo, Hawaii
Which birds visit Hilo yards, when they nest at this latitude, and when to be out for the dawn chorus, all worked out from Hilo's own coordinates.
- Coordinates
- 19.730°, -155.091°
- Population
- 43,263
- June 21 daylight
- 13 h 19 min
- December 21 daylight
- 10 h 56 min
- Sunrise mid-April / late June
- 6:03 AM / 5:41 AM
- Nesting vs state average
- roughly 6 days earlier than the state-wide average
- Hardiness zones (state)
- USDA 9a–13a
Nesting timing in Hilo
The state guides give nesting windows for Hawaii as a whole, weighted toward where most people live (about 21.2°N). Hilo is at 19.7°N. Going by Hopkins' bioclimatic law, spring events move about four days per degree of latitude, so breeding here starts roughly 6 days earlier than the state-wide average. Elevation and nearby water also play a part.
Daylight triggers breeding. Hilo goes from 10 h 56 min of daylight at the winter solstice to 13 h 19 min in June, a 2 h 23 min swing.
- Northern Cardinal — state window March–August
- House Finch — state window March–August
- Northern Mockingbird — state window February–August
Birds you can expect in Hilo
Year-round residents (3)
When to watch: dawn chorus in Hilo
Songbirds sing hardest in the 30–60 minutes before sunrise, and most of all in spring. In Hilo, sunrise is around 6:03 AM in mid-April, 5:41 AM at the June solstice and 6:50 AM in late December (local time, Pacific/Honolulu). Fill feeders the evening before so the first birds find food.
Native plants for Hilo yards
Native coastal to montane shrub with small white fruit.
Native rose-family shrub with white fruit.
Coastal groundcover that supports insects and seed-eaters.
The keystone native tree; red blossoms are nectar for honeycreepers.
Nearby cities in Hawaii
- Kīhei — 113 mi away, nesting roughly 4 days later than Hilo
- Kahului — 120 mi away, nesting roughly 5 days later than Hilo
- East Honolulu — 201 mi away, nesting roughly 6 days later than Hilo
- Kailua — 207 mi away, nesting roughly 7 days later than Hilo
- Honolulu — 210 mi away, nesting roughly 6 days later than Hilo
- Pearl City — 219 mi away, nesting roughly 7 days later than Hilo
Frequently asked
What birds live in Hilo all year?
Year-round residents across Hawaii include Northern Cardinal, House Finch, Northern Mockingbird. All of them visit backyard feeders in Hilo.
When do birds start nesting in Hilo?
Hilo sits at a different latitude from Hawaii's population centre, so nesting runs roughly 6 days earlier than the state-wide average, going by the rule of about 4 days per degree of latitude.
What time does the dawn chorus start in Hilo?
Songbirds start singing about 30–60 minutes before sunrise. In Hilo, sunrise is around 6:03 AM in mid-April and 5:41 AM in late June.
Sources
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Hawaii
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- GeoNames gazetteer (city coordinates & population)
- NOAA Solar Calculator methodology
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.