HONOLULU (KHON2) -- It may be pumpkin spice season, but in Hawaii, it's the return of the kōlea.
The birds traveled 3,000 miles after having bred and raised their chicks in southern Alaska.
"These birds are amazing because we have them as friends, in our yards and our parks," Susan Scott, President of the Hawaii Audubon Society told KHON2.
The kōlea, or Pacific Golden-Plover, is a bird beloved for their beauty and familiarity--returning to the same spot year after year and residents have probably noticed the birds back in their yards and around their street.
They will winter in Hawaii.
While here, kōlea will feed on cockroaches, moths and caterpillars across pastures, mudflats, beaches, parks, residential lawns, golf courses and roadsides.
"They're only four-ounce birds in the winter; and by spring, they're seven ounces. So, they almost double their weight," according to Scott.
To welcome these beloved birds back to Hawaii, the Hawaii Audubon Society will hold a festival at Magic Island on Saturday.
The event is open to the public. It starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m.
To learn more, visit the Hawaii Audubon Societyʻs website.