For example, an Ethiopian endemic - Abyssinian white-eyed, Zosterops abyssinicus.
Coloration is quite typical for white-eyed. The only marker that catches the eye is a bright periobital ring, which gives the white-eyed girls a somewhat theatrical circus look, as if they overdid it with makeup.
But for comparison Eastern white-eyed, Zosterops palpebrosus is a common Asian species found from India to southeastern China.
As they say, find 5 differences!
White-eyed is very widespread throughout the Old World, we can say that there is literally no corner in this whole space where these birds have not penetrated. They even
managed to get to New Zealand, having covered a huge distance - almost 2,000 km (!), separating these islands and Australia, which, given its tiny size (10-11 cm with a weight of 10 grams), will be more abrupt than a flight across the North Pole on an iron horse! This is not known for any other passerine bird. At the same time, not a single bird crossed this distance, but several at once, which allowed them to successfully gain a foothold and settle on the New Zealand islands. This process, by a happy coincidence, took place in front of scientists - the first silver white-eyed, Zosterops lateralis, noted in NZ in 1832.
White-eyed tree birds, very rarely they descend to the ground, and many species generally spend most of their lives in the very crowns. In the non-nesting period, they live in small flocks that roam over a certain area of the forest. Very often, white-eyed birds are combined with other small species of birds - warblers, small thymelia, flower beetles, flycatchers or titmice.
They like to feed on the most extreme and thinnest twigs, often hanging upside down or upside down. The legs of white-eyed women are very strong, and besides, there is a big and crooked nail on the back toe, which helps to keep in such an uncomfortable position. Then there are several pictures of feeding white-eyes. Well, I'll send it to the first one too - they do this often! I warn you, not all of them are watchable, but they will do to illustrate what has been said.
Senegalese white-eyed, Zosterops senegalensis, is a common sight in plain Uganda.
Very often it comes across even in the suburbs of large cities, where it raids the gardens of Africans.
This is again the eastern white-eyed. So tightly clinging to a thin branch of acacia with its paws, the bird reaches for the flower.
White-eyed animals feed on both nectar of flowering plants and insects, as well as various berries, they can peck large fruits such as persimmons or ripe apples. But they have a special passion for sweet nectar! Even their tongue is slightly bifurcated at the end, and the beak is quite strong and sharp - obviously for piercing the calyx of flowers.
In this picture, the Senegalese white-eye is examining dense bushes intertwined with lianas in the undergrowth of mountain rift forests just like a titmouse.
I must say, she does it with almost the same confident agility.
Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of white-eyed nests, but they are worth attention. so let's use the internet. Not many birds build such a structure. This is an open bowl, birds place it on thin branches, very often in the crown itself, where it is difficult for any predator to get, be it a snake or some hungry weasel creature.
And at the end of the post, a small interesting video about parental concerns of white-eyed women.
31.08.2019
The Japanese white-eyed (lat.Zosteros japonicus) belongs to the White-eyed family (Zosteropidae) from the order Passeriformes. It got its name from the white feathers that grow in the form of a ring around the eyes.
They are absent in young birds and appear only in adults.
Japanese white-eyed insects destroy a large number of harmful insects, and also contribute to pollination and the spread of seeds of various plants. They are easy to tame and tolerate well being kept in captivity. In Japan during the Middle Ages, males were often kept in cages to enjoy their melodious voices. These songbirds are featured in many classical Japanese paintings.
The species was first described in 1845 by the Dutch zoologist Konrad Jakob Temminck and the German ornithologist Hermann Schlegel.
Spread
The original habitat covered the territory of Japan, Vietnam, Korea, China and the Philippines. At the end of the 19th century, white-eyed were introduced to many countries of Southeast Asia and Australia. Between 1929 and 1937, they were brought to the Hawaiian Islands for pest control. Soon, the birdies from caterpillar fighters turned into an invasive species, displacing native species of fauna, primarily the Hawaiian flower girls (Drepanidini).
Birds settle in forests, mangroves, gardens, parks and plantations. They are not afraid of humans and often nest near human dwellings.
For their place of residence, birds choose areas with an abundance of trees and shrubs, on the leaves of which they find food for themselves.
9 subspecies are known, of which 7 live in Japan. The nominative subspecies is distributed in South Korea and on all Japanese islands with the exception of Hokkaido. The subspecies Zosterops japonicus simplex lives in Taiwan, southeast China and northern Vietnam. Zosterops japonicus hainanus is found only in the Chinese province of Hainan, located on the island of the same name in the south of the country.
Behavior
Japanese white-eyed women are diurnal. They often gather in small groups of 5 to 20 individuals. While searching for food, birds regularly perform acrobatic stunts, hanging upside down on branches.
Outside the nesting period, they do not show aggression towards each other. During the breeding season, males become territorial and fiercely defend their home areas from the invasion of fellow tribesmen. They kindly allow birds of other species to nest nearby.
The boundaries of the occupied area are determined by loud singing. Males sing most intensely in the mornings and evenings, when their arias last 20 to 40 minutes.
Birds are very sociable and love mutual plumage cleaning. The social hierarchy in the flock does not depend on gender and is established by fluttering wings and clicking beaks.
The main natural enemies are mongooses, Polynesian, gray and black rats.
Food
The diet is based on beetles (Coleoptera), flies (Brachycera) and their larvae. To a lesser extent, arachnids (Arachnidae) are eaten. The bird looks for insects on the leaves and in the cracks in the bark of trees.
Approximately 30-40% of the daily menu is made up of food of plant origin.
The Japanese white-eyed woman loves to feast on the pulp of ripe persimmons, oranges, papaya and avocado. She also eats flower nectar and pollen.
Reproduction
Representatives of this species breed from February to December. Fertility peaks between July and August. Japanese white-eyed white-eyed breeding birds produce offspring two or three times during the breeding season.
The birds form monogamous pairs. The spouses build the nest for 7-10 days. Leaves, grass, mosses, lichens, animal hair, spider webs and spider cocoons are used as building materials. In settlements, human hair, foil and plastic bags are often used.
Despite the use of such a variety of building materials, the nest looks neat and well-groomed. It resembles a wicker basket or shell and is attached at the fork in the branches. Its diameter is about 56 mm and its depth is about 41 mm.
The female lays 2 to 5 smooth elliptical eggs, blue or white, one per day.
Both partners incubate the clutch. Incubation lasts about 11 days.
Chicks are born naked, blind and helpless. Their eyes open on the fifth day. At 10-12 days, they are already covered with feathers and for the first time leave the nest. By the fourth week, the chicks can already fly a little, but they continue to stay with their parents for about 15-20 days. By this time, adult birds again begin procreation and expel juveniles from their lands.
Young birds gather in flocks and stay in them until the next season. Their sexual maturity occurs at the age of one.
Description
The body length of adults is 10-12 cm. Weight is 9-12 g. The plumage is olive-green on the back, and yellowish or pale green on the chest. The upper part of the tail and wings are dark brown, with a greenish tint around the edges.
The lower part of the body is gray-white, the undertail is light yellow. The beak, legs and feet are black. The throat is smoky yellow and the sides are brownish. The back of the neck is olive, the chin is yellowish.
On the paws there are 4 toes, of which one is directed back. The fingers are armed with sharp claws.
The life expectancy of the Japanese white-eye in natural conditions is 5-6 years.
