When you are staying at a hotel, what sort of amusement do you expect there? I usually hope to find a pool, Jacuzzi, maybe even a sauna. However, during a recent stay at the Hyatt Regency in Maui, I found a different sort of amusement – birds!

Being a hotel in Hawaii, many parts of the hotel had open doors and windows without screens. So, songbirds were frequent visitors at restaurants, quickly landing on unattended plates in hopes of gathering a morsel or two. However, beyond the native birds, there were many other birds at our hotel. These birds could be seen while walking the hotel grounds or during a narrated tour.

Not only was the variety of birds amazing, but the detail paid to the beauty and cleanliness of each environment was impressive. Within the hotel lobby there were four parrots contentedly chatting in rings or cages. On the edge of the lobby, near the pool area, a family of five penguins enjoyed their rock-lined pool.

Outside of the hotel, the array of birds continued. A flock of flamingos strolled or napped on the lawn. At a nearby stream, a variety of ducks and black swans swam. The pond into which the stream emptied was occupied by a pair of white swans. Finally, on a higher section of the stream, a male and female crane made a home.

While housing birds at a hotel is not a typical attraction, it was a feature enjoyed by many of the guests, children and adults alike. These birds added to the beauty of the hotel and gave many visitors another reason to smile during their stay.