Alternative name Hawaiian Monarch
- Chasiempis sandwichensis
Identification
14 cm (5½ in).
- Brown upperparts
- Mottled grey/white/brown breast and flanks
- White throat, males with black collar and chin
- White rump
- Dark wings with white bars
- Long brownish-black tail
Juvenile
- Muted colors with brown above and white/grey below
There is variation in colour amongst the subspecies.
Distribution
Taxonomy
Oahu Elepaio and Kauai Elepaio were formerly included in this species.
Subspecies
There are 3 subspecies[1]:
- C.s. sandwichensis: Kona coast)
- Drier areas of Hawaii (Hawaiian Islands)
- C.s. bryani: (Mauna Kea)
- Mamame-naio forests on Mauna Kea (Hawaii)
- C.s. ridgwayi: Hilo coast
- Wetter areas of Hawaii (Hawaiian Islands)
Habitat
Forests, from ground level to just below the canopy. Usually the only native forest bird frequently seen on the ground or on ground-level plants and ferns.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet consists mostly of insects and spiders.
Breeding
They build small cup-shaped nests from grasses, rootlets, and lichens, held together by spider webs. The clutch consists of 2 eggs which are incubated for 18 days.
Vocalisation
Squeaky/wheezy voice resembles a "rubber ducky".
Calls include repeated squeaky agitated muttering, barks/shouts ("CHUP! CHUP! CHUP!"), wheezy "WHEEE-oh" "WUH WHEEE-oh" calls, developing into longer whistled calls which can occasionally sound like el-e-pai-o.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2017. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2017, with updates to August 2017. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- 51st supplement to the AOU checklist of North American birds
- Native Birds of Hawaii
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved Sept 2017)
- BF Member observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Hawaii Elepaio. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 8 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Hawaii_Elepaio
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
