We hired Explore Maui Nature for a birding and natural history tour. It was super-great, though we are not avid birders. Hawaii has a mostly-isolated ecosystem with unique birds, so the story of its birds are the story of natural migration via wings, water, and wind. Polynesian and European migration and trade also changed evolution on the island.

Wendy, our tour guide, was a former Maui Haleakala National Park ranger, who first sang a song about our tour (hilarious), then provided many interesting facts and anecdotes about Maui, Hawaii, volcanism, evolution, and, of course, birds. I was entranced by her thoughtful descriptions, and her wide-ranging knowledge. We saw many bird species unique to Hawaii, and learned how the environment impacts them.

Though I have been to Maui many times, this tour has changed how I think about wetlands and birds. I can now identify many bird species, and I understand how they eat, reproduce, and otherwise interact with their environment.

I loved this tour. I'm now recommending it to my visiting friends.