What is "apapane"

The apapane (Himatione sanguinea) is a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper, that is endemic to Hawaii. The bright crimson feathers of the apapane were once used to adorn the ahuula ( capes), mahiole (helmets), and nā lei hulu (feather leis) of alii (Hawaiian nobility). Apapane form small flocks when foraging through the canopies of ōhia lehua ( Metrosideros polymorpha) trees, drinking nectar from the flowers and simultaneously pollinating them. They never forage on the forest floor. When flowering of ōhia is low and if not part of a flock, apapane will be chased away from flowers by more aggressive competing birds such as the ʻakohekohe and iiwi.

The bird is considered to be an active singer. The males are known for their singing patterns at all times of the day. They have six different calls and about ten different recorded song patterns. The contact call or song of a male apapane is mainly used for mate attraction and breeding. The male who is most aggressive and sings the loudest is the one who wins the females' attention. Once courtship and pair formation has been established, and copulation is complete, both male and female apapane are involved in the nesting process. The male role is important for maintaining courtship feeding during the nest construction and incubation period. The male apapane sings continuously during incubation, while the female does not sing at all. His loud whistling, and chirping sound chases other male birds away from the nesting tree, while he sits on an adjacent perch guarding the nest. The apapane has two distinct flight patterns: straight flight and a circling flight.