Oahu Elepaio Identification

A small, rare songbird found only on Oahu. Adult is brown above and whitish below, with white rump, wingbars, and tail tips. The amount of black and white on the throat is variable. Frequently holds tail cocked upward.

Immature has a rich cinnamon head, throat, and back; rufous wingbars; and a yellow base to the bill.

A small, long-tailed songbird found in native and non-native forests on Oahu. Pairs typically mate for life and share nesting and chick-rearing responsibilities.

An agile, acrobatic bird, capable of catching insects and spiders in foliage, along tree branches, on the ground, and in the air.

Most common in forested river and stream valleys, which are typically dominated by non-native plants. Note adult’s white rump, wingbars, and tips to tail.