O’ahu ‘Elepaio by Kelly N.
‘Elepaio Facts My endangered animal is the ‘Elepaio or O'ahu ‘Elepaio. It’s scientific name is Chasiempis Ibidis. I wanted to pick out the most endangered one out of all the ‘Elepaios. I felt that this one may go extinct without any help.
Ecology This bird has only 18 square miles to live on. It lives in mesic forests in valleys and likes big canopies with mature understory. They are rarely seen in very dry forests. Their habitat is the Waianae and Southern Ko'olau Mountain ranges. They like insects and invertebrates.
Description They are approximately 14 cm. long. Most times they cock their tail. They have white tips on their tail feathers. They are dark brown on their head and back. Light brown on their chest and has white underparts. Fledglings have beige wingbars. It’s chin is white unlike it’ s black legs, beak and feet.
Threats Diseases such as avian malaria and fowlpox have killed plenty. Rats eat eggs, fledglings and females. Humans take their habitat for agriculture purposes.
How People Helped People have controlled the rats in many places. They have prevented forest fires from happening. They proposed many great ideas to help one species of bird from going extinct such as disease resistance and captive breeding.
Their Name Their name came from ancient hawaiians. When they heard the ‘Elepaio go “eh-leh-PYE-o” early in the morning they knew they were going to call it Elepaio.
Bibliography "O'ahu ‘Elepaio." Wikipedia. N.p, 2013. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O%27ahu_%E2%80%98Elepaio>.
"O'ahu ‘Elepaio." Whatbird. N.p., 2002. Web. 25 Apr. 2014. <http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/1143/overview/Oahu_Elepaio.aspx>.
"O'ahu ‘Elepaio." BirdLife. BirdLife International, 2004. Web. 25 Apr. 2014. <http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/speciesfactsheet.php?id=32696>.