Mauna Loa Birding Trail: the Beautiful Kīpukapuaulu in Hawaii Volcanoes NP

One of my favorite places for birdwatching in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in the Kipuka Puaulu Trail on Mauna Loa. Located outside of the gated portion of the Park, the Kīpukapuaulu Trail is reached via the Mauna Loa Lookout Road as it ascends the mountain. Have you gotten to do this hike and look for i’iwi and amakihi birds? Even if you’re not a birder, this is a really pretty hike and a wonderful walk in the woods.

We’ve got the full scoop on planning for the Kīpukapuaulu Trail and how to add the Mauna Loa Lookout Road to your visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. If you have any questions or need additional recommendations, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help YOU plan an unforgettable Aloha trip.

What You’ll See on the Mauna Loa Birding Trail

No matter how many times we drive between Kona and Hilo we always stop at the Kīpukapuaulu Birding Trail, aka the Mauna Loa Birding Trail. It’s such an easy stop and the wildlife is really beautiful. I love how simple the trail and access to the area is, and because it’s such an interesting part of Hawaii Volcanos National Park in terms of the habit for birds, we always see so many! Our kids enjoy this stop too and it’s one of the few hikes where they never moan about any part of it.

When it comes to bird watching, of it’s not your jam, don’t worry, you’ll still love the Kīpukapuaulu Trail. Giant ferns, towering eucalyptus trees, flowers and crazy pheasants make for an interesting stop. The Mauna Loa Birding Trail is a loop at about a mile, and the elevation change is minimal. You can go either way on the loop, but we usually go clockwise.

The most common wildlife we see are the kalij pheasants and the apapane birds. The pheasants are really cool and totally wild to watch. They can be really loud and sometimes put on quite the display. I actually had one get very interested in me once and ultimately chase me up the trail. These are very different from the more elusive Erckel’s Francolin (brown and speckled, similar size). The apapane are small red and black birds that fly all around, but mostly in the upper branches. They’re the most fun to see. The real big ticket bird here in the Mauna Loa Birding Trail is the i’iwi (said ee-ee-vee). This almost completely red honey creeper has the most interesting curved beak, red legs and interesting song. Even if your not into birds you’re going to think it’s a cool one. No matter what island we’re on, the i’iwi is always my favorite bird to see. The Kīpukapuaulu Trail is one of the best places on the Big Island to see the i’iwi so plan to stop here on the Mauna Loa Lookout Road to see if you can spot one!

Tips for the Mauna Loa Birding Trail

When you come to the Kīpukapuaulu Trail, give yourself a full hour to do the hike. You may rush through it or take all the time you need, but an hour should be enough time to complete the loop and see a good number of birds. Remember that bird watching is a marathon, not a sprint, so take your time observing the forest as you move through the trail. I find that I am most successful sitting the smaller birds when I just stand and let my eyes adjust to the mottled light and stillness because then I can easily pick up small movements and sounds. I wish it was a fast and easy sighting every time, but the Mauna Loa Birding Trail isn’t quite that. If your visiting Haleakala National Park during your Hawaii trip, go through the Hosmer Grove and you’ll be thrilled how fast and easy that birding is (it’s laughable how easy it is).

Here at Kīpukapuaulu Birding Trail you’ll want to also be ready with a bird call sound of you’re into it. Merlin or YouTube are both good options for playing the i’iwi bird song from your phone and this can be helpful in attaching the birds closer to the trail. This isn’t like feeding them or luring them to danger, but it just gets them interested in the new call and they’ll often come down lower or fly by to investigate. It’s so cool when it works! This is a great tip if you’re also visiting the Kaulana Manu Trail on Mauna Kea.

I prefer to be on the Mauna Loa Birding Trail early in the day if possible. I don’t mean sunrise, but just before there are many other hikers. It’s nice to be the only one on the trail and much of it has thin enough forest in places that the lower light still comes in well. Photography, when it comes to smaller birds, is easier when you don’t have direct sunlight streaming from above.

Being Prepared for Birdwatching on Mauna Loa

The path at the Mauna Loa Birding Trail is well maintained and not too crazy. While I wouldn’t call it an accessible trail by any means, it’s suitable for any level of hiker and age group. You don’t need hiking boots, but it’s not a trail for wearing slippers / flip flops. Tennis shoes or sandals are just fine because you won’t need to traverse rocks or streams. This part of Hawaii Volcanos National Park is subject to Misty clouds rolling in, but typically it’s not too bad. You can tell if a downpour is in the world usually, so before you start your adventure on the Kīpukapuaulu Birding Trail take a moment to evaluate the weather and then bring a rain jacket or umbrella if you think there’s a chance of rain. This side of Mauna Loa tends to be more moist, so just be prepared.

When it comes to camera gear, your going to be tempted to bring a tripod for bird photography, but I would advise against it. Being a monopod of you have one, but due to the fleeting nature of the i’iwi and apapane you’ll have better luck getting good photos of you can remain awhile and steady on your own. For lenses, 250mm and up are recommended. The only birds you’ll be able to get close enough to for using a small lens would be the kalij pheasants, but even with them you’ll likely want to use a bigger lens.

Parking at Kīpukapuaulu Trail

To get to the Kīpukapuaulu Birding Trail in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park you’ll access the Mauna Loa Lookout Road from the main highway. It’s outside of the primary area of the park where you would visit Kilauea or so the Chain on Craters Road. Mauna Loa Lookout Road is near the Volcano Winery outside of the park entrance. Once on the road it’s maybe five minutes to the trailhead. There is usually plenty of parking, but if it’s just, just be sure to park it if the flow of traffic but not damaging the plant life along the road. If it’s busy, maybe drive up Maybe Kids to the first lookout (when open) and then stop back here at the Kipuka Puaulu Trail on your way back down.