Hawai'i 'elepaio are native species of Flycatcher - as their name suggests, they spend most of their time catching flies and other tasty insects "on the wing," or midflight.
Different species of 'elepaio live on Kaua'i, O'ahu, and Hawai'i island, but this little bird is conspiciously absent from Maui - neither living specimens nor fossils of the 'elepaio have been found on the Valley Isle.
'Elepaio appear to have a natural resistance to mosquito-borne disease, which has buoyed their populations. However, habitat loss has reduced their numbers on O'ahu, where they have been declared endangered.
To listen or read more about the birds of Hawai'i, check out our Manu Minute page.
