elepaio

or 'el·e·pai·o

[ el-uh-pahy-oh ]

noun

, plural el·e·pai·os.

1. a small brown-backed or gray-backed Hawaiian flycatcher, Chasiempis sandwichensis, having white wing bars, a white rump, and a blackish cocked tail.

Word History and Origins

Origin of elepaio¹

First recorded in 1855–60; from Hawaiian ʿelepaio

Example Sentences

They include iiwi and elepaio birds, a tree snail called pupu kani oe and the Hawaiian hoary bat, also known as opeapea.

From Seattle Times

However, the elepaio, an endangered native bird, lives in the lowland forests, as does the amakihi, an endemic honeycreeper that is not classified as endangered, he noted.

From Washington Times

Mongooses and rodents have caused extinctions and severe declines of many Hawaiian native species, including the Oahu elepaio, Oahu tree snails and native palms, according to the agency.

From Washington Times

Songbirds are generally shy and retreat from humans, but the elepaio is curious and will often closely approach and even follow a single person through the forest.

From New York Times

Canoe builders consider this bird a guardian spirit, and it is said that if the insect-eating elepaio shows interest in a koa tree, it is a sign that it is infested with insects and thus a poor choice for a canoe.

From New York Times