Birds Guide

White-Eyes
Zosterops palpebrosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Aves   Order: Passeriformes   Family: Zosteropidae
Genera
Cleptornis Heleia Hypocryptadius Lophozosterops Madanga Megazosterops Oculocincta Rukia Speirops Tephrozosterops Woodfordia Zosterops Apalopteron

The white-eyes are small passerine birds native to tropical and sub-tropical Africa, southern Asia and Australasia. They also inhabit most of the islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Many white-eye species are endemic to single islands, and the brown-backed species only occur on islands, but some have a very wide distribution. The Silvereye, Zosterops lateralis, naturally colonised New Zealand, where it is known as the "Wax-eye" or Tauhau, from 1855. The genus Apalopteron, formerly treated in the Meliphagidae, has recently been transferred to the Zosteropidae on genetic evidence.

The birds of this group are mostly of undistinguished appearance, the plumage above being generally either mouse-coloured or greenish olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast or lower parts, and several have buff flanks. They have rounded wings and strong legs. The size ranges up to 15cm (6 inches) in length.

All the species of white-eyes are sociable, forming large flocks which only separate on the approach of the breeding season. They build tree nests and lay 2-4 unspotted pale blue eggs.

Though mainly insectivorous, they eat nectar and fruits of various kinds. The Silvereye can be a problem in Australian vineyards, through piercing the grape allowing infection or insect damage to follow.

The scientific name of the group derives from the Greek for girdle-eye, and refers to the ring of white feathers round the eyes, which is very conspicuous in many species.

Species in taxonomic order

• Black-capped Speirops, Speirops lugubris
  Cameroon Speirops, Speirops melanocephalus
  Fernando Po Speirops, Speirops brunneus
  Principe Speirops, Speirops leucophoeus
  African Yellow White-eye, Zosterops senegalensis
  Broad-ringed White-eye, Zosterops poliogaster
  White-breasted White-eye, Zosterops abyssinicus
  Cape White-eye, Zosterops pallidus
  Pemba White-eye, Zosterops vaughani
  Mayotte White-eye, Zosterops mayottensis
  Madagascar White-eye, Zosterops maderaspatanus
  Comoro White-eye, Zosterops mouroniensis
  Sao Tome White-eye, Zosterops ficedulinus
  Annobon White-eye, Zosterops griseovirescens
  Mascarene White-eye, Zosterops borbonicus
  Reunion White-eye, Zosterops olivaceus
  Mauritius Olive White-eye, Zosterops chloronothos
  Seychelles White-eye, Zosterops modestus
  Sri Lanka White-eye, Zosterops ceylonensis
  Chestnut-flanked White-eye, Zosterops erythropleurus
  Oriental White-eye, Zosterops palpebrosus
  Japanese White-eye, Zosterops japonicus
  Lowland White-eye, Zosterops meyeni
  Enggano White-eye, Zosterops salvadorii
  Bridled White-eye, Zosterops conspicillatus
  Caroline Islands White-eye, Zosterops semperi
  Plain White-eye, Zosterops hypolais
  Black-capped White-eye, Zosterops atricapillus
  Everett's White-eye, Zosterops everetti
  Yellowish White-eye, Zosterops nigrorum
  Mountain White-eye, Zosterops montanus
  Christmas Island White-eye, Zosterops natalis
  Javan White-eye, Zosterops flavus
  Yellow-bellied White-eye, Zosterops chloris
  Ashy-bellied White-eye, Zosterops citrinellus
  Great Kai White-eye, Zosterops grayi
  Little Kai White-eye, Zosterops uropygialis
  Sulawesi White-eye, Zosterops consobrinorum
  Black-ringed White-eye, Zosterops anomalus
  Yellow-spectacled White-eye, Zosterops wallacei
  Black-crowned White-eye, Zosterops atrifrons
  Sangihe White-eye, Zosterops nehrkorni
  Seram White-eye, Zosterops stalkeri
  Cream-throated White-eye, Zosterops atriceps
  Black-fronted White-eye, Zosterops minor
  White-throated White-eye, Zosterops meeki
  Black-headed White-eye, Zosterops hypoxanthus
  Biak White-eye, Zosterops mysorensis
  Capped White-eye, Zosterops fuscicapillus
  Buru White-eye, Zosterops buruensis
  Ambon White-eye, Zosterops kuehni
  New Guinea White-eye, Zosterops novaeguineae
  Australian Yellow White-eye, Zosterops luteus
  Louisiade White-eye, Zosterops griseotinctus
  Rennell White-eye, Zosterops rennellianus
  Banded White-eye, Zosterops vellalavella
  Ganongga White-eye, Zosterops splendidus
  Splendid White-eye, Zosterops luteirostris
  Solomon Islands White-eye, Zosterops kulambangrae
  Kulambangra White-eye, Zosterops murphyi
  Yellow-throated White-eye, Zosterops metcalfii
  Grey-throated White-eye, Zosterops rendovae
  Malaita White-eye, Zosterops stresemanni
  Santa Cruz White-eye, Zosterops santaecrucis
  Large Lifou White-eye, Zosterops inornatus
  Green-backed White-eye, Zosterops xanthochrous
  Small Lifou White-eye, Zosterops minutus
  Lord Howe White-eye, Zosterops tephropleurus
  Slender-billed White-eye, Zosterops tenuirostris
  White-chested White-eye, Zosterops albogularis
  Layard's White-eye, Zosterops explorator
  Silvereye, Zosterops lateralis
  Yellow-fronted White-eye, Zosterops flavifrons
  Samoan White-eye, Zosterops samoensis
  Dusky White-eye, Zosterops finschii
  Grey White-eye, Zosterops cinereus
  Yap White-eye, Zosterops oleagineus
  Truk White-eye, Rukia ruki
  Long-billed White-eye, Rukia longirostra
  Golden White-eye, Cleptornis marchei
  Rufescent White-eye, Tephrozosterops stalkeri
  Rufous-throated White-eye, Madanga ruficollis
  Javan Grey-throated White-eye, Lophozosterops javanicus
  Streak-headed White-eye, Lophozosterops squamiceps
  Grey-hooded White-eye, Lophozosterops pinaiae
  Mindanao White-eye, Lophozosterops goodfellowi
  White-browed White-eye, Lophozosterops superciliaris
  Dark-crowned White-eye, Lophozosterops dohertyi
  Pygmy White-eye, Oculocincta squamifrons
  Flores White-eye, Heleia crassirostris
  Timor White-eye, Heleia muelleri
  Mountain Black-eye, Chlorocharis emiliae
  Bare-eyed White-eye, Woodfordia superciliosa
  Sanford's White-eye, Woodfordia lacertosa
  Giant White-eye, Megazosterops palauensis
  Cinnamon White-eye, Hypocryptadius cinnamomeus
  Bonin White-eye, Apalopteron familiare (formerly Bonin Honeyeater)

External links

• White-Eye videos on the Internet Bird Collection