Manu o Kū have been documented nesting in the courtyard inside the Waikiki Aquarium since at least 2022, and Hui Manu o Kū has been fortunate to have an educational table there while the terns are actively breeding! This year, the aquarium's striped mullet tank was removed due to a leak and a temporary construction wall erected in its place, right beside the terns' trees. Noting another mural lining the former Edge of the Reef exhibit, our Kupu service member Kelly proposed a manu o Kū mural to aquarium staff, who enthusiastically agreed! Kelly's design was approved and painting began on November 3, 2025. Over four days, she and volunteers Sora, Iris, Charlotte, Noelle and Bella transformed the blank blue wall into a tribute to the manu o Kū who have chosen the Waikiki Aquarium as the place to raise their chicks! 

Photos courtesy of Sora Gallo and Kelly Furuya

You may start seeing the White Tern referred to by a new common name: the Blue-billed White-Tern — a name that highlights one of this graceful bird’s most distinctive features.

This update comes from the North American Classification Committee (NACC), which recently adopted several changes based on new genetic, morphological, and behavioral research. As part of a proposal led by H. Douglas Pratt and Eric VanderWerf, with contributions from the late Storrs Olson, the subfamily relationships within the tern family (Laridae) have been revised:

🔹 The genus Gygis (white terns) — once grouped with all other terns in the subfamily Sterninae — has now been moved into its own subfamily: Gyginae.

🔹 The familiar Gygis alba, formerly called simply the White Tern, is now officially the Blue-billed White-Tern.

🔹 In addition, G. candida (Blue-billed), G. microrhyncha (Little), and G. alba (Atlantic) are now treated as three separate species based on differences in morphology, vocalizations, and even archaeological evidence of historical overlap.

🌺 Here in Hawaiʻi, of course, we’ll continue to affectionately refer to our birds as the Manu o Kū — or simply, the White Tern. But it’s good to know the science behind their evolving story.

Mahalo to the many researchers and citizen scientists who contribute to our growing understanding of this extraordinary species. And Mahalo to Eric VanderWerf for the photo below showing the distinctive blue coloration at the base of the bill leading to its new name. 

The UH Mānoa campus remains one of the busiest parts of the White Tern breeding range on Oʻahu with lots of nesting manu o Kū tending eggs and newly-hatched chicks. Join us for a guided tour of areas with optimal views of nesting terns, sponsored by Hui Manu o Kū and the Hawaiʻi Audubon Society. Explore the wonders of White Terns in their natural habitat here on Oʻahu!

📅 Date: Sunday, March 23
🕘 Time: 9:00 AM
📍 Meeting Point: SOEST Courtyard (Red Circle on Map Snippet)
🚗 Parking: Free behind Kennedy Theater on weekends (Blue Square on Map Snippet)



📌 RSVP by text to 808-379-7555 to secure your spot. Don't miss this chance to be part of the White Tern Citizen Science community and witness firsthand what makes these birds so special. See you there! #WhiteTernBreeding #NatureWalk #CitizenScience

The 8th annual Manu O Ku Festival is just days away! Make plans to join the growing Manu O Ku Ohana on the grounds of the Iolani Palace from 10AM to 2PM this Saturday, May 6. There will be booths manned by several of the groups and organizations that are working together to help Honoluluʻs official bird thrive in our urban environment. And there will be performances of Hawaiian dance and music, including a free mini concert by ukulele virtuosos  Corey Fujimoto and Kalei Gamiao. And there will games and prizes for keiki. The guests of honor - the Manu O Ku - are already there, a half dozen tending eggs and chicks in trees on the Palace grounds. So bring the whole family and come join in this yearʻs celebration of our Manu O Ku!