A Short-tailed Albatross off Torishima by Nigel Voaden.
- An incredible selection of seabirds between New Zealand and Japan
- Including over 45 species of albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters, such as Wandering, Short-tailed, Laysan and Black-footed Albatrosses, Beck’s, Bonin and Tahiti Petrels, and Heinroth’s Shearwater, as well as New Zealand and White-faced Storm-petrels, boobies, frigatebirds, tropicbirds, Common White and Grey-backed Terns, and Japanese Murrelet
- And a long list of possible cetaceans including whales such as Blue, Humpback, Killer, Sperm, Bryde's and beaked whales, and several dolphins
- As well as numerous endemic landbirds, mostly on New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands, not least Kagu
- All in some of the most beautiful parts of the Pacific Ocean
- The Western Pacific Odyssey cruise usually lasts 31 days, departing from near Auckland on North Island, New Zealand, and ending near Tokyo, Japan, a distance of over 5000 nautical miles, although it is possible to join the cruise in roughly the middle, taking just the New Zealand to New Britain/Ireland in Papua New Guinea leg, or the New Britain/Ireland to Japan leg.
- New Zealand, the departure point for cruises through the Western Pacific, has a highly unique flora and fauna, of which about half is endemic. Six bird families and over 50 bird species are at least breeding endemics and they include five kiwis, Blue Duck, Black Stilt, Wrybill, Rifleman, rockwren, two saddlebacks, Stitchbird, Pipipi, Tui, Takahe, Kea, Kokakos, Kaka and Weka, while offshore there are also cetaceans such as Sperm Whale, and Bottlenose, Dusky and Hector's Dolphins. All these mammals and birds inhabit a degraded but nevertheless very scenic land, especially the fjords, mountains and glaciers of South Island.
- The cruise usually ends in Japan around late April, too late to see Red-crowned Cranes dancing in the snow and the other wonders of Japanese winters but a good time of year to visit the small southern islands where most of the endemic bird species reside, including Okinawa Rail, Amami Woodcock and Amami (Lidth's) Jay. However, this may be too early for most summer visitors to the islands, which include White-throated Needletail, Ruddy Kingfisher, Fairy Pitta, Japanese Paradise-flycatcher, Siberian Blue Robin, Japanese Robin and Grey Bunting. On the main northern islands additional summer visitors include Latham's Snipe, Japanese Thrush, Narcissus Flycatcher, Marsh Grassbird, Middendorf's and Pleske's (Styan's) Grasshopper-warblers, Japanese Leaf-warbler, Chestnut-cheeked Starling and (Japanese) Yellow Bunting.
Best Birds and other wildlife on the Western Pacific Odyssey
Birds
Seabirds
Little (Blue) Penguin, Australasian Gannet, Masked and Red-footed Boobies, Japanese Cormorant, Red-tailed and White-tailed Tropicbirds, Great and Lesser
Frigatebirds, Black-browed, Black-footed, Campbell, Laysan, Short-tailed, Wandering and White-capped Albatrosses, Beck’s, Black (Parkinson’s), Bonin,
Bulwer's, Collared, Cook’s, Grey-faced, Kermadec, Providence, Tahiti, White-chinned, White-necked and White-winged (Gould's) Petrels, Fairy Prion,
Bannerman’s, Buller's, Flesh-footed, Fluttering, Heinroth’s, Little, Short-tailed, Sooty, Streaked, Tropical and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters, Leach’s,
Matsudaira’s, New Zealand, Tristram’s, White-faced (Latham's) and Wilson’s Storm-petrels, Common Diving-petrel, Common White and Grey-backed Terns, Grey
Noddy and Japanese Murrelet, Arctic, Brown, Long-tailed and Pomarine Skuas, Black-billed, Black-tailed, Kelp, Silver and Slaty-backed Gulls, Black-naped,
Bridled, Greater Crested, Lesser Crested, Sooty and White-fronted Terns, and Black and Brown Noddies.
Also a chance of Antipodean, (Northern) Buller’s and Northern Royal Albatrosses, Northern and Southern Giant Petrels, Fiji, Herald, Mottled, Pycroft’s, Vanuatu and Westland Petrels, Christmas Shearwater, Band-rumped, Polynesian and White-bellied Storm-petrels, Red-necked Phalarope, Aleutian and Fairy Terns, Ancient Murrelet and Rhinoceros Auklet.
Norfolk Island Endemics 5
Norfolk Island Parakeet, Norfolk Gerygone, Norfolk Robin, Slender-billed White-eye and White-chested White-eye.
New Caledonia Endemics 22
Mainland 19
Kagu, New Caledonian Imperial-pigeon, Cloven-feathered Dove, White-bellied (New Caledonian) Goshawk, Horned Parakeet, New Caledonian Parakeet, Crow
Honeyeater, New Caledonian Friarbird, New Caledonian (Scarlet) Myzomela, Barred Honeyeater, New Caledonian Whistler, New Caledonian Cicadabird, New
Caledonian Streaked Fantail, New Caledonian Crow, Yellow-bellied Robin, New Caledonian Thicketbird, Green-backed White-eye, Striated Starling and
Red-throated Parrotfinch.
Loyalty Islands 3 Ouvea Parakeet, Large Lifou White-eye and Small Lifou White-eye.
('New Caledonian Storm-petrel' (similar to New Zealand Storm-petrel) remained undescribed in 2021. It was believed at that time to range through the subtropical western Pacific as far west as the Brisbane Seamounts off eastern Australia)
New Caledonian Nightjar, New Caledonian Rail and New Caledonian (Painted) Buttonquail are probably or presumed extinct, there have been no recent records of New Caledonian Owlet-nightjar, and there is only one old record (from Mount Ignambi) of New Caledonian Lorikeet)
Solomon Islands Endemics 72
(Six kingfishers, eight monarchs and 13 white-eyes)
More than one island 10
Chestnut-bellied Imperial-pigeon, Silver-capped Fruit-dove, Buff-headed Coucal, Roviana Rail, North Solomons Dwarf-kingfisher, Yellow-bibbed Lory,
Crimson-rumped (Yellow-vented) Myzomela, Chestnut-bellied Monarch, White-billed Crow and Grey-throated White-eye.
Santa Isabel 1 Santa Isabel (Guadalcanal) Rail.
New Georgia Islands 11 New Georgia Dwarf-kingfisher, New Georgia (Solomons) Cicadabird, Kolombangara Monarch, White-capped Monarch, Kolombangara Leaf-warbler, Vella Lavella (Banded) White-eye, Ranongga (Ganongga) White-eye, Gizo (Splendid) White-eye, Solomons White-eye, Dark-eyed (Rendova) White-eye and Kolombangara White-eye.
Guadalcanal 10 Guadalcanal (Woodford’s) Rail, Guadalcanal Boobook, Guadalcanal Dwarf-kingfisher, Guadalcanal Moustached Kingfisher, Guadalcanal Honeyeater, Black-headed Myzomela (also nearby islands), Guadalcanal Hooded Whistler, Guadalcanal (Brown) Fantail, Guadalcanal Thicketbird and Guadalcanal Thrush.
Malaita 8 Malaita Boobook, Malaita Dwarf-kingfisher, Malaita (Red-bellied) Myzomela, White-gorgeted Fantail, Malaita Fantail, Malaita Monarch, Malaita White-eye and Malaita (Midget) Flowerpecker.
Ugi (Uki) 1 Ugi (Chestnut-bellied) Monarch.
Makira 16 White-headed Fruit-dove (also associated islands), Makira Moorhen, Makira Boobook, San Cristobal (Makira) Dwarf-kingfisher, Makira Honeyeater, Sooty Myzomela (also nearby islands), Makira Cicadabird, Dusky Fantail, Makira (Ochre-headed) Flycatcher, White-collared Monarch, Makira (Chestnut-bellied) Monarch, Makira Leaf-warbler, Shade Bush-warbler, Makira Starling, Makira Thrush and Mottled Flowerpecker.
Rennell 8 Rennell (Singing/Song) Parrot, Rennell (Fan-tailed) Gerygone, Rennell Whistler, Rennell Fantail, Rennell Shrikebill, Bare-eyed White-eye, Rennell White-eye and Rennell Starling.
Santa Cruz Islands (Solomon Islands) 7 Temotu Whistler, White-fronted (Rufous) Fantail, Vanikoro Monarch, Nendo (Santa Cruz) Shrikebill, Sanford’s White-eye (Nendo), Santa Cruz White-eye (Nendo) and Vanikoro White-eye.
Solomon Islands and Bougainville 24 Crested Cuckoo-dove, Pale Mountain-pigeon, Solomons Frogmouth, Solomons Nightjar, West Solomons Boobook, Fearful Owl, Imitator Goshawk, Sanford’s Sea-eagle, Ultramarine Kingfisher, Solomons (Ducorps’s) Cockatoo, Meek’s Lorikeet, Duchess Lorikeet, Black-faced Pitta, Red-capped (Scarlet-naped) Myzomela, Oriole Whistler, North Melanesian Cuckooshrike, Solomons Cicadabird, White-winged (Cockerell’s) Fantail, Steel-blue Flycatcher, Solomons Pied (Black-and-white) Monarch, Yellow-throated White-eye, White-eyed Starling, Brown-winged Starling and Midget Flowerpecker.
Micronesia Endemics
Widespread 2
Caroline Swiftlet (Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae) and Caroline Reed-warbler.
Chuuk (Truk) 3 Chuuk (Oceanic) Flycatcher, Chuuk Monarch and Teardrop White-eye.
Chuuk (Truk) and Pohnpei 2 Caroline Ground-dove and Pohnpei (Purple-capped) Fruit-dove.
Chuuk (Truk), Pohnpei and Palau 1 Citrine (Caroline Islands) White-eye.
Micronesia, Palau and Northern Mariana Islands 1 Micronesian Myzomela.
Bonin Islands Endemics
Bonin White-eye (Honeyeater).
Bonin Islands and Volcano Islands Endemics 1
Bannerman’s (Tropical) Shearwater.
Izu Islands Endemics 2
Izu (Owston’s/Varied) Tit (present on Miyake-jima) and Izu (Japanese) Robin.
Ryukyu Islands and Izu Islands Endemics 1
Izu Thrush (present on Miyake-jima).
Other specialities
Ijima’s Leaf-warbler (Izu and Tokara Islands, Japan, in summer, migrating south via Taiwan to the Philippines during the winter when rarely seen) and
Micronesian Starling.
Others
Rufous Night-heron, Yellow Bittern, Brahminy Kite, Pacific Baza, Australasian (Purple) Swamphen, Grey-tailed and Wandering Tattlers, Brown-capped (Pacific)
Emerald Dove, Metallic Pigeon, Coconut Lorikeet, Papuan Eclectus, Moustached Treeswift, Oriental Dollarbird, Papuan Hornbill, White-breasted Woodswallow,
Golden Whistler, Pacific Robin and Blue-faced Parrotfinch.
Mammals
Sperm Whale, Bottlenose, Risso’s, (Eastern) Spinner, (Pantropical) Spotted and Striped Dolphins, and Rennell Flying
Fox. Also a chance of Blue, Humpback, Killer, Bryde’s (Omaru’s), False Killer, Pygmy Killer, Dwarf Sperm, Pygmy Sperm, Ginko-toothed, Blainville’s
Beaked, Cuvier’s Beaked, Gray’s Beaked, Hubb’s Beaked, Longman’s Beaked, Long-finned Pilot and Short-finned Pilot Whales, and Fraser’s and Rough-toothed
Dolphins.
Best Sites for Birds and other wildlife on the Western Pacific Odyssey
- Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand Little Penguin, Campbell, Wandering (Gibson’s), White-capped and Campbell Albatrosses, Little Shearwater, New Zealand and White-faced Storm-petrels, Common Diving-petrel and Grey Noddy. Also a chance of Antipodean, Northern Royal and (Northern) Buller’s Albatrosses, and Pycroft’s Petrel.
- New Zealand to Norfolk Island Albatrosses, Black-winged Petrel, and Buller’s, Flesh-footed and Wedge-tailed Shearwaters.
- Norfolk Island Five endemic landbirds; a arakeet, a gerygone, a robin and two white-eyes, as well as Red-tailed Tropicbird, Masked (Tasman) Booby, Common White Tern, Black Noddy and Pacific Robin.
- Norfolk Island to New Caledonia Kermadec and Providence Petrels, and Sooty Tern. Also a chance of Polynesian Storm-petrel.
- New Caledonia New Caledonia 19 mainland endemics including Kagu.
- New Caledonia to the Solomon Islands Collared, Tahiti and White-winged Petrels, Lesser Frigatebird and Red-footed Booby. Also a chance of Vanuatu Petrel, Tropical Shearwater and Polynesian Storm-petrel.
- Solomon Islands 72 endemics and 24 near-endemics shared with Bougainville (Papua New Guinea), not all possible on this cruise, but including Sanford's Sea-eagle, and more widespread birds such as Great and Lesser Frigatebirds, Papuan Eclectus and Papuan Hornbill.
- Solomon Islands to Chuuk (Truk) Beck’s Petrel (near New Ireland) and Heinroth’s Shearwater (off Bougainville), as well as frigatebirds, boobies and terns.
- Chuuk (Truk) Three endemic landbirds: Chuuk (Oceanic) Flycatcher (Weno), Chuuk Monarch (Dublon and Tol South) and Teardrop White-eye (high up on Tol South), as well as Caroline Ground-dove (Weno and Dublon), Pohnpei Fruit-dove, Caroline Swiftlet (Weno), Caroline Reed-warbler (Weno), Micronesian Myzomela, Citrine White-eye, Micronesian Starling, Rufous Night-heron, Yellow Bittern, Pacific Golden Plover, Wandering Tattler, Common White Tern, Blue-faced Parrotfinch and Chuuk Flying Fox.
- Chuuk (Truk) to the Bonin Islands Bonin Petrel, Matsudaira’s Storm-petrel and Bannerman’s Shearwater.
- Bonin Islands Laysan Albatross and Tristram’s Storm-petrel. Also a chance of Bonin White-eye (Honeyeater) if landing on Haha-jima.
- Bonin Islands to Torishima Black-footed Albatross and Streaked Shearwater.
- Torishima Short-tailed Albatross.
- Miyake-jima, Izu Islands Japanese Murrelet, Izu Tit, Izu Robin, Izu Thrush and Ijima’s Leaf-warbler.
- Miyake-jima, Izu Islands to Tokyo A chance of Laysan Albatross.
Best Times for Birds and other wildlife on the Western Pacific Odyssey
Cruises usually operate in April-May.
Recommended Bird Books etc. for the Western Pacific Odyssey
Collins Birds of New Zealand by C T Kelly. Harper Collins, 2018.
The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand by B Heather and H Robertson. Penguin, 2015 (Fourth Edition).
The Hand Guide to the Birds of New Zealand by H Robertson and B Heather. Penguin, 2015 (Second Edition).
Birds of New Zealand: A Photographic Guide by P Scofield and B Stephenson. Auckland University Press, 2013.
Birds of New Zealand: Locality Guide by S Chambers. Arun Books, 2014 (Fourth Edition).
Field Guide to the Wildlife of New Zealand by J Fitter. Helm, 2010.
Bradt Travel Guide: New Zealand Wildlife by J Fitter. Bradt, 2009.
Birds of Melanesia by G Dutson. Helm, 2011. (covers New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands).
Birds of the Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia by C Doughty, N Day and A Plant. Helm, 1999.
A Field Guide to The Birds of Hawaii and the Tropical Pacific by H D Pratt, P L Bruner and D G Berrett. PUP, 1987.
Birds of East Asia by M Brazil. Helm, 2009.
Birds of Japan by M Brazil. Helm, 2018.
Birds of Japan and North-East Asia: A Photographic Guide by T Shimba. Helm, 2019 (Second Edition).
550 Birds of Japan by M Kirihara et al. Bun'ichi Sogo Shuppan, two volumes, 2000 and 2004.
Whales, Dolphins and Seals: A Field Guide to the Marine Mammals of the World by H Shirihai. Helm, 2006.
Apps etc.
Birds of New Zealand.
Birding and Wildlife Trip Reports for the Western Pacific Odyssey
Many trip reports, some for the Western Pacific, are posted on the websites listed here. On some of these websites some reports are independent and some are posted by tour companies who organize tours to the Western Pacific. These tour companies and others also post their own reports on their websites, which are listed under 'Some Organized Tours to the Western Pacific' below.
- The best website for trip reports is CloudBirders
- but these are also worth a look
- Birdtours
- Fatbirder
- Jon Hornbuckle
- Mammal Watching
Bird and wildlife guides specializing in the Western Pacific Odyssey
The costs of organized tours partly reflect the quality of the tour leaders. Some leaders are certainly better than others and many companies claim their leaders are the best but even the best rely at least to some extent on the exceptional skills of the local guides they employ. If you are travelling independently, employing such local guides will greatly increase your chances of seeing the wildlife you wish to see.
Ship-board accommodation on the Western Pacific Odyssey
Some Organized Tours for birds and other wildlife involving the Western Pacific Odyssey
There are many tour companies who organize tours to see mammals, birds, other wildlife and other natural wonders. The cost of these tours vary considerably according to such variables as the airlines used, the number of days the tours last, the number of sites visited, the number of people in the group (an important consideration if you wish to see such wildlife as rainforest mammals and birds), the number of tour leaders, the standard of accommodation and transport, and the percentage profit the company hopes to make. Generally, where the number of days tours last and the number of sites visited are similar, the cheapest tours are those that use the cheapest airlines, accommodation and local transport, that have the largest groups with the least number of leaders, and that make the least amount of profit. The most expensive tours tend to be those which are exceptionally long, use the most expensive accommodation (ridiculously lavish in some cases, even for single nights) and which make the most profit. Some tour costs partly reflect the quality of the tour leaders. Some leaders are certainly better than others and many companies claim their leaders are the best but even the best rely at least to some extent on the exceptional skills of the local guides they employ.
While tour companies organize tours with set itineraries many also organize custom tours for individuals and private groups who instead of taking a tour with a set itinerary want to follow their own itinerary to suit their own personal tastes, whether it be mammals, birds, other wildlife, other natural wonders or even man-made attractions, or a mixture of them all. Many organized tours with set itineraries are also fast-paced and target as many species as possible, whether they are mammals, birds or other wildlife or everything, which usually leaves little time to enjoy the best sites and individual species, but on a custom tour those taking part can specify the pace and the sites and species they wish to concentrate on. Custom tours also suit people who like to travel with people they already know, rather than with a group of strangers, and people with partners with different interests. Individuals and small groups will almost certainly have to pay more than the price of an organized tour with a set itinerary but a large group of friends may be able to travel for less than the price quoted for a set tour.
Tour companies who are running organized tours to the Western Pacific in the next couple of years include the following. Many of these also offer custom tours.
