Overview

Hawaii Elepaio: Small monarch flycatcher. Crown and back are brown, may have white or rufous forehead and eyebrow. Black throat may show some white. Underparts are white with a brown-streaked breast. Wingbars and rump are white, brown tail may have white-tip. Black bill, dark gray legs and feet.

Hawaii Elepaio: Found on Hawaii in most forested areas above 2000'. More common in wet and mesic forests. Three subspecies are found on the big island, C. s. sandwichensis in mesic forest, C.s. ridgwayi in rainforest, and C. s. bryani in mamane-naio dry forest on the west slope of Mauna Kea.

Voice Text

"el-e-pai-o", "chit-chit", "whee-oo"

• The Elepaio was named by the ancient Hawaiians after the sound of its song.
• It is the first native bird to sing in the morning. Its song was thought to warn night spirits that dawn was approaching and their work must end.
• It is considered the guardian spirit of canoe makers, who noticed that koa trees frequented by these birds often harbored large insect populations that would make them unsuited for use as a canoe.
• A group of flycatchers has many collective nouns, including an "outfield", "swatting", "zapper", and "zipper" of flycatchers.

Author

Crystal Adams

Artist

Yury Lisyak