Kingdom of Tonga
Tonga is an island country in Polynesia, part of Oceania. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about 750 km2 (290 square miles), scattered over 700,000 km2 (270,000 square miles) in the southern Pacific Ocean. Tonga has a population of about 105,000 people, 70% of whom reside on the main island, Tongatapu. The country stretches approximately 800 km (500 miles) north-south. It is surrounded by Fiji and Wallis and Futuna to the northwest, Samoa to the northeast, New Caledonia and Vanuatu to the west, Niue to the east and Kermadec to the southwest. It is about 1,800 km (1,100 miles) from New Zealand’s North Island. It is divided into three main groups – Vava’u, Ha’apai, and Tongatapu. The largest island, Tongatapu, on which the capital city of Nukuʻalofa is located, covers 257 square kilometres (99 square miles). Geologically, the Tongan islands are of two types: most have a limestone base formed from uplifted coral formations; others consist of limestone overlaying a volcanic base.
Tonga has a tropical rainforest climate with a distinct warm period (December to April), during which the temperatures rise above 32 °C and a cooler period (May to November), with temperatures rarely rising above 27 °C. The temperature and rainfall range from 23 °C and 67 inches on Tongatapu in the south to 27 °C and 117 inches on the more northerly islands closer to the Equator. Temperatures of 15 °C or lower are usually measured in the dry season and are more frequent in southern Tonga than in the northern islands. Tonga ranks third among the countries with the highest disaster risk worldwide – mainly due to the country’s exposure to multiple natural hazards.
Nuku Island, Kapa, Vavav’u – ©David Broad CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Tonga contains the Tongan tropical moist forests terrestrial ecoregion. In Tonga, dating back to Tongan legend, flying bats are considered sacred and are the property of the monarchy. Thus, they are protected and cannot be harmed or hunted. As a result, flying fox bats have thrived in many of the islands of Tonga.
Birding Tonga
The bird life of Tonga includes a total of 73 species, of which two are endemic. Five species have been introduced by humans, and eight are rare or accidental. Seven species are globally threatened. Ten of the region’s endemic birds can be seen in Tonga including its own endemics, the Tongan Megapode which is restricted to the isolated Nuiafo’ou and the Tongan Whistler which is found only in the Vava’u Group.
The original vegetation of Tonga was tropical rain forest – today this has been almost completely lost, throughout the Kingdom. Only small remnants remain on Tongatapu, some of the Vava’u islands and on ‘Eua. The 449 ha ‘Eua National Park is the sole terrestrial biodiversity protected area in the Kingdom. The Tongan Government has now completed a number of successful rat eradications on islands in the Vava’u group including Taula, Maninita, Lua Loli, Fangasito and Luahaipo. Vava’u’s communities have already witnessed the significant impacts of this work, with the return of seabird populations and the increased productivity of local coral reef systems. Scientific studies have shown that, with the removal of rats and recovery of seabird populations, the increased nutrients from their guano can increase fish numbers by up to 50%.
‘Eua National Park – ©Виктор Пинчук CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Meanwhile, a scheme is underway to rid Late Island of invasive species in general and rats in particular. The island supports one of Tonga’s largest intact tropical broadleaf forest ecosystems, one of the most threatened ecosystem types in the world. This tropical forest provides a stronghold for several globally threatened species including the Friendly Ground-dove and Tongan Whistler. Once cleared of rats other threatened species will be reintroduced. With completion of the Late Island eradication Muomua and Fuaamotu islands will also be cleared of rats. There are also future plans to remove invasive species from the islands of Tofua, Kao and Ata.
Species likely to been seen depending on time of year: Wandering Albatross, Southern Giant Petrel, Cape Petrel, Tahiti Petrel, Phoenix Petrel, White-naped Petrel, Herald Petrel, Kermadec Petrel, Mottled Petrel, Black-winged Petrel, Collared Petrel, Audubon’s Shearwater, Wedge-tailed Shearwater, Short-tailed Shearwater, Buller’s Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater, Polynesian Storm-petrel, Red-tailed Tropicbird, White-tailed Tropicbird, Masked Booby, Brown Booby, Red-footed Booby, Greater Frigatebird, Lesser Frigatebird, Eastern Reef Heron, White-faced Heron, Mangrove Heron, Pacific Black Duck, Northern Pintail, Tongan Megapode, Junglefowl, Pacific Harrier, Banded Rail, Spotless Crake, Purple Swamphen, Pacific Golden Plover,Bristle-thighed Curlew, Bar-tailed Godwit, Wandering Tattler, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Pomarine Skua, Artic Skua, South Polar Skua, Crested Tern, Black-naped Tern, Sooty Tern, Grey-backed Tern, Bridled Tern, Blue Noddy, Grey Noddy, Brown Noddy, Black Noddy, White Tern, Feral Pigeon, Friendly Ground-dove, Pacific Pidgeon, Many-coloured Fruit-dove, Crimson-crowned Fruit-dove, Blue-crowned Lory, Red Shining Parrot, Long-tailed Cuckoo, Barn Owl, White-rumped Swiftlet, White-collared Kingfisher, Pacific Swallow, Polynesian Starling, European Starling, Jungle Mynah, Red-vented Bulbul, Lesser Shrikebill, Tongan Whistler, Polynesian Triller and Wattled Honeyeater.
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'Eua National Park
InformationSatellite ViewThe southern cliffs and forests are perhaps most rewarding, as many of the seabirds and most of the forest birds can be seen here. Among seabirds, Grey Noddies are the most unusual species to be encountered. Brown Bobbies and Brown Noddies breed on the cliffs and White Terns and White-tailed Tropicbirds are common over the sea as well as above the forest. Most of 'Eua's land birds are seen in this area such as the introduced Red-breasted Musk Parrots, Pacific Pigeons, Crimson-crowned Fruit-doves, Polynesian Trillers, Wattled Honeyeaters, Polynesian Starlings and the White-collared Kingfisher. -
Maninita & Taula
InformationSatellite ViewThe remote southern islands of Maninita and Taula are important seabird nesting sites with 19 species of birds recorded on or around the islands. There are 3 species of resident breeding land birds – the Wattled Honeyeater, Banded Rail and White-collared Kingfisher. 5 seabirds nest on the islands – Black and Brown Noddies, White Terns, Black-winged Petrels and the Red-footed Booby. In 2002, with assistance from NZAid, a rat eradication programme was successfully conducted on Maninita and Taula. -
Nuiafo'ou
InformationSatellite ViewThe ultimate destination for birders in Tonga is the remote northernmost island of the archipelago, Nuiafo'ou, home of the critically endangered endemic Tongan Megapode. This extremely interesting and beautiful island can now be accessed by air. However, bookings well in advance are essential as arrangements need to be made with the villagers from Angaha to organize boat transport to the islands in the caldera to see this extremely rare bird. -
Tongatapu - Sopu Mudflats
InformationSatellite ViewThese fringing mudflats and patches of Mangroves are located west of Nuku'alofa. This is a good site for waders and Pacific Black Duck, Reef Egrets, Black-naped and Crested Terns are normally seen. Both White-faced and Mangrove Herons have been observed here, neither of which is a confirmed breeder in Tonga. On the coast here the ubiquitous White-collared Kingfisher is common and Pacific Swallows, a rare species in Tonga, may be seen. -
Vava'u
InformationSatellite ViewVava'u is outstandingly beautiful. Those in search of the endemic Tongan Whistler will find them in the native forest on the northern side of the main island. Listen for their characteristic whistling call.
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Number of bird species: 89
(As at January 2025)
Number of endemics: 2
Tongan Megapode Megapodius pritchardii
Tongan Whistler Pachycephala jacquinoti
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Avibase
PDF ChecklistThis checklist includes all bird species found in Tonga , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to report them. -
Wikipedia
Annotated ListThis is a list of the bird species recorded in Tonga. The avifauna of Tonga include a total of 88 species, of which two are endemic and five have been introduced by humans. 10 species are globally threatened. -
eBird
PDF ChecklistThis checklist is generated with data from eBird (ebird.org), a global database of bird sightings from birders like you. If you enjoy this checklist, please consider contributing your sightings to eBird. It is 100% free to take part, and your observations will help support birders, researchers, and conservationists worldwide.
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A Guide to the Birds of Fiji and Western Polynesia
| (including American Samoa, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Wallis & Futuna) | by Dick Watling | Dick Watling | 2004 | Paperback | 272 pages, 16 col plates, figs, tabs, maps | Out of Print | ISBN: 9789829030047 Buy this book from NHBS.com -
Guide to the Birds of the Kingdom of Tonga
| By Dick Watling | Dick Watling | 2006 | Poster | Out of Print | ISBN: 9829030075 Buy this book from NHBS.com -
Tongariro National Park - An Artist's Field Guide
| By Desmond Bovey | Potton & Burton | 2023 | Paperback | 200 pages, 400 colour illustrations | ISBN: 9781988550510 Buy this book from NHBS.com
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Best Places to See Wildlife in Tonga
WebsiteSatellite ViewWildlife lovers, don’t forget to pack your binoculars, mask and snorkel because Tonga has all sorts of wildlife to encounter. Most famously, the humpback whales of Tonga can be seen in a unique underwater encounter, while some of the nation’s uninhabited islands provide sanctuaries for South Pacific birds. Learn more about where to see wildlife in Tonga in the guide below.
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Birdwatch Tonga Ltd
GuideWe offer guiding throughout the Kingdom, for a day or two or a comprehensive tour of the island groups and their unique birdlife -
Jones Travel
Tour OperatorA lifetime experience guided tour to Megapod sighting, an island on the lake! Kava ceremony and Tongan entertainment will be held after the birding tour with light refreshments! -
Mounu Island Resort
Facebook PageThe remote uninhabitated islands to the south of Mounu are home to prolific colonies of sea birds. Day trips can be made to these islands where we will take you ashore to view at close range the habitat and behaviour of the numerous species. For the past couple of years we have invested time into research, monitoring and perserving these islands for the continous breeding and protection of the birds.
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2017 [11 November] - Brian Gibbons
PDF ReportWe started our adventure on Viti Levu, Fiji at the Westin Denarau resort, which is a set in a tropical garden paradise where we found our first Fijian endemics. Fiji Parrotfinch was quite charming and common. Western Wattled-Honeyeater, Fiji Woodswallow, and the ubiquitous and sometimes feisty mynas all reside around the resort. After a tour of the Garden of the Sleeping Giant and Viseisei Village, we embarked the Caledonian Sky, our fine home in the South Pacific for the next two weeks, as we island-hopped through this beautiful slice of the world.
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Fafa Island Resort
AccommodationFafa is one of the 170 islands of the idylic Polynesian Kingdom of Tonga. The seven hectare coral island is about 7 kilometres north of Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga or 30 minutes sailing with Fafa's motor sailer. A maximum of 32 guests stay in traditionally built fales surrounded by gardens - there are 8 rustic fales and 8 superior beach bungalows with enclosed courtyards. -
Heilala Holiday Lodge B&B
AccommodationActivities we can arrange for you: Boat trips to islands off Tongatapu, Diving and snorkeling, Island/Beach tours, Whale watching, Tongan feasts, Game fishing and more