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Hawaiian name is Alae ke'oke'o; although probably beautiful when spoken by a Hawaiin native, I am forced to say "Hawaiian Coot." A subspecies of the American coot, the Hawaiian Coot has a much more pronounced red frontal shield than its mainland cousin. The photograph below of an American Coot clearly shows the difference.
From deep in the Hawaii state website, www.state.hi.us: "Endangered. The ‘alae ke‘oke‘o or Hawaiian coot is a small waterbird (Family: Rallidae) endemic to Hawai‘i. Adult males and females have a black head, a slate gray bodywith white undertail feathers, and a prominent white frontal shield and bill; feet are lobed rather than webbed and are greenish-gray. The Native Hawaiian considered ‘alae ke‘oke‘o (Hawaiian coot) to be a deity, but also considered it good to eat."
Copyright Richard Shirley; all rights reserved; images are protected under US copyright laws and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner.