The manu-o-Kū or white tern is a small, entirely white tern (Family: Laridae) with a pantropical distribution. Individuals have dark eyes and a thick, sharply pointed black bill with an electric blue base. Adult males and females are identical and there are no seasonal changes in plumage.

The Manu-o-Kū is a native seabird that breeds among the Kukui, Monkeypod, and Shower Trees of urban Honolulu. They lay their eggs directly on the tree branch (no nest!) and both parents will incubate for about ~35 days.

The manu-o-Kū (white tern) is a native Hawaiian seabird that inhabits many tropical and subtropical areas in the Pacific, Southern Atlantic, and Indian Oceans. In Hawai‘i, most manu-o-Kū are found in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

Sep 21, 2017 · The vast majority of Hawaii’s manu-o-Ku population lives on Midway Atoll and the other scattered atolls of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, but a growing number have adopted downtown Honolulu.

The manu-o-Kū, also known as the white tern or fairy tern, is a small, all-white bird with a short, forked tail, dark eyes, and a thick, pointed black bill with a blue base. Males and females are identical in appearance.

May 25, 2012 · From January to July, the trees on the grounds of civic buildings, parks, and courtyards in Honolulu become nesting sites for manu-o-Kū, literally the bird of Kū. Kū is one of the four major gods in ancient Hawaiʻi and is god of war, governance, and leadership.

Manu-o-ku possess black eyes and a long, conical beak. Their feathers are completely white and they fly on sleek, blade-like wings that can stretch 2 feet from tip to tip. Manu-o-ku spend the day hunting at sea as far as 120 miles from their roost, before returning home in the afternoon.

Honolulu’s official bird, the white tern (manu-o-Ku, Gygis alba), is abundant in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, but within the Main Hawaiian Islands occurs only on Oÿahu. Photo by Cynthia Vanderlip.

Providing emergency response, medical and rehabilitative care for native birds and bats statewide, alongside conservation programs that aim to create a community where native wildlife thrive.

Jul 8, 2021 · The white tern, or Manu-o-Kū, is a rarity among them—a native seabird that is doing well in an urban setting. Throughout the main islands, people have destroyed much of the native habitat...