Backyard birds in Kīhei, Hawaii
Which birds visit Kīhei yards, when they nest at this latitude, and when to be out for the dawn chorus, all worked out from Kīhei's own coordinates.
- Coordinates
- 20.765°, -156.446°
- Population
- 20,881
- June 21 daylight
- 13 h 24 min
- December 21 daylight
- 10 h 52 min
- Sunrise mid-April / late June
- 6:07 AM / 5:45 AM
- Nesting vs state average
- about the same time as the state-wide average
- Hardiness zones (state)
- USDA 9a–13a
Nesting timing in Kīhei
The state guides give nesting windows for Hawaii as a whole, weighted toward where most people live (about 21.2°N). Kīhei is at 20.8°N. Going by Hopkins' bioclimatic law, spring events move about four days per degree of latitude, so breeding here starts about the same time as the state-wide average. Elevation and nearby water also play a part.
Daylight triggers breeding. Kīhei goes from 10 h 52 min of daylight at the winter solstice to 13 h 24 min in June, a 2 h 31 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 Kīhei
Year-round residents (3)
When to watch: dawn chorus in Kīhei
Songbirds sing hardest in the 30–60 minutes before sunrise, and most of all in spring. In Kīhei, sunrise is around 6:07 AM in mid-April, 5:45 AM at the June solstice and 6:57 AM in late December (local time, Pacific/Honolulu). Fill feeders the evening before so the first birds find food.
Native plants for Kīhei 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
- Kahului — 9 mi away, nesting about the same time as Kīhei
- East Honolulu — 90 mi away, nesting about the same time as Kīhei
- Kailua — 94 mi away, nesting roughly 3 days later than Kīhei
- Honolulu — 98 mi away, nesting about the same time as Kīhei
- Pearl City — 108 mi away, nesting roughly 3 days later than Kīhei
- Koolauloa — 112 mi away, nesting roughly 3 days later than Kīhei
Frequently asked
What birds live in Kīhei all year?
Year-round residents across Hawaii include Northern Cardinal, House Finch, Northern Mockingbird. All of them visit backyard feeders in Kīhei.
When do birds start nesting in Kīhei?
Kīhei sits at a different latitude from Hawaii's population centre, so nesting runs about the same time as the state-wide average, going by the rule of about 4 days per degree of latitude.
What time does the dawn chorus start in Kīhei?
Songbirds start singing about 30–60 minutes before sunrise. In Kīhei, sunrise is around 6:07 AM in mid-April and 5:45 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.