''Zosterops'' (meaning "eye-

girdle A belt without a buckle, especially if a cord or rope, is called a girdle in various contexts, especially historical ones, where girdles were a very common part of everyday clothing from antiquity until perhaps the 15th century, especially for w ...

") is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

passerine A passerine () is any bird of the order Passeriformes (; from Latin 'sparrow' and '-shaped') which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds, passerines generally have an anisodactyl arrangement of their ...

birds containing the typical white-eyes in the white-eye family

Zosteropidae The white-eyes are a family, Zosteropidae, of small passerine birds native to tropical, subtropical and temperate Sub-Saharan Africa, southern and eastern Asia, and Australasia. White-eyes inhabit most tropical islands in the Indian Ocean, the ...

. The genus has the largest number of

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

in the white-eye family. They occur in the

Afrotropical The Afrotropical realm is one of the Earth's eight biogeographic realms. It includes Sub-Saharan Africa, the southern Arabian Peninsula, the island of Madagascar, and the islands of the western Indian Ocean. It was formerly known as the Ethiopi ...

Indomalayan The Indomalayan realm is one of the eight biogeographic realms. It extends across most of South and Southeast Asia and into the southern parts of East Asia. Also called the Oriental realm by biogeographers, Indomalaya spreads all over the Ind ...

, and

Australasian realm The Australasian realm is one of eight biogeographic realms that is coincident with, but not (by some definitions) the same as, the geographical region of Australasia. The realm includes Australia, the island of New Guinea (comprising Papua Ne ...

s. Typical white-eyes have a length of between . Their most characteristic feature is a conspicuous white feather

ring (The) Ring(s) may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell Arts, entertainment, and media Film and TV * ''The Ring'' (franchise), a ...

around the eye, though some species lack it. The species in this group vary in the structural adaptations of the tongue. The ''Zosterops'' 'griseotinctus''group is an example of a "great speciator" inhabiting a vast area and showing a remarkable morphological differentiation on islands, some of which may be as close as apart.

Systematics

The genus ''Zosterops'' was introduced by the naturalists Nicholas Vigors and

Thomas Horsfield Thomas Horsfield (May 12, 1773 – July 24, 1859) was an American physician and natural history, naturalist who worked extensively in Indonesia, describing numerous species of plants and animals from the region. He was later a curator of the Eas ...

in 1827. The name combines the

Ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

words ''zōstēros'' "belt" or "girdle" and ''ōpos'' "eye". The

type species In International_Code_of_Zoological_Nomenclature, zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the spe ...

was designated as the

Malagasy white-eye The Malagasy white-eye (''Zosterops maderaspatanus'') is a species of bird in the white-eye family, Zosteropidae. Found in Madagascar and Seychelles, its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist low ...

René Lesson René Primevère Lesson (20 March 1794 – 28 April 1849) was a French surgery, surgeon, natural history, naturalist, ornithologist, and herpetologist. Biography Lesson was born at Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, Rochefort, and entered the Naval ...

in 1828. The results of a series of molecular phylogenetic studies of the

published between 2014 and 2018 prompted a major revision of species limits, in which 10 new genera were introduced. In the reorganisation, the English names of three of the existing genera were replaced. Additionally, a study on

Sri Lanka white-eye The Sri Lanka white-eye (''Zosterops ceylonensis'') is a small passerine bird in the white-eye family, which is endemic to Sri Lanka. It is a resident breeder in forests, gardens and plantations, mainly in the highlands. Taxonomy A study showe ...

s (''Zosterops ceylonensis'') and Indian white-eyes (''Zosterops palpebrosus'') suggests that the Sri Lanka white-eye is the root species and the origin of all ''Zosterops species''. This raises questions upon the former theory of Southeast Asian origin.

Species

There are over 100 species in the genus. This includes three species (denoted by a dagger † in the list below) that have become extinct since the 16th century. *

(''Zosterops ceylonensis'') *

Yellowish white-eye The yellowish white-eye (''Zosterops nigrorum'') or golden-yellow white-eye, is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests. Description and taxonomy Ebi ...

(''Zosterops nigrorum'') * Black-capped white-eye (''Zosterops atricapilla'') *

Abyssinian white-eye The Abyssinian white-eye or white-breasted white-eye (''Zosterops abyssinicus'') is a small passerine bird belonging to the genus ''Zosterops'' in the white-eye family Zosteropidae. It is native to north-east Africa Africa is the world's s ...

(''Zosterops abyssinicus'') *

Pale white-eye The pale white-eye also known as Kenya white-eye (''Zosterops flavilateralis'') is a bird species in the family Zosteropidae. It is found in Kenya, eastern Tanzania, southern Ethiopia and southern Somalia. Taxonomy The pale white-eye was formal ...

(''Zosterops flavilateralis'') *

Mbulu white-eye The Mbulu white-eye (''Zosterops mbuluensis'') is a bird species in the family Zosteropidae. It is found in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. The Mbulu white-eye was formerly treated as a subspecies of the montane white-eye (''Zosterops pol ...

(''Zosterops mbuluensis'') – split from ''Z. poliogastrus'' *

Chestnut-flanked white-eye The chestnut-flanked white-eye (''Zosterops erythropleurus'') is a bird in the family Zosteropidae. The species was first described by Robert Swinhoe in 1863. It is found in forests, and prefers rather deep mixed and coniferous forests. Descrip ...

(''Zosterops erythropleurus'') *

Swinhoe's white-eye Swinhoe's white-eye (''Zosterops simplex'') is a bird species in the white-eye family, Zosteropidae.It is found in eastern China, Taiwan, north Vietnam, the Thai-Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. Additionally, populations have also been intro ...

(''Zosterops simplex'') – split from ''Z. japonicus'' *

Mountain blackeye The mountain blackeye (''Zosterops emiliae''), sometimes referred to as the olive blackeye or simply black-eye, is a species of passerine bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the highest mountains on the island of Borneo. It is kno ...

(''Zosterops emiliae'') *

Warbling white-eye The warbling white-eye (''Zosterops japonicus'') is a small passerine bird in the white-eye family. The specific epithet is occasionally written ''japonica'', but this is incorrect due to the gender of the genus. Its native range includes much of ...

(''Zosterops japonicus'') – includes Japanese white-eye and mountain white-eye * Indian white-eye (''Zosterops palpebrosus'') – formerly oriental white-eye * Lowland white-eye (''Zosterops meyeni'') * † Marianne white-eye (''Zosterops semiflavus'') * Karthala white-eye (''Zosterops mouroniensis'') *

Réunion olive white-eye The Réunion olive white-eye (''Zosterops olivaceus'') is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is found on Réunion. Its natural habitats are boreal forests and subtropical or tropical high-altitude grassland. Description like the ...

(''Zosterops olivaceus'') *

Mauritius olive white-eye The Mauritius olive white-eye (''Zosterops chloronothos'', often mistakenly spelled ''Zosterops chloronothus''.) is a very rare and localized passerine from the family of white-eyes (''Zosteropidae''). It is one of two white-eye species endemic ...

(''Zosterops chloronothos'') *

Réunion grey white-eye The Réunion grey white-eye (''Zosterops borbonicus'') is a small passerine from the family Zosteropidae, which is native to the islands of Réunion.Gill F. and Donsker D. (eds), Family Zosteropidae, in IOC World Bird Names (ver 6.2), Internatio ...

(''Zosterops borbonicus'') * Mauritius grey white-eye (''Zosterops mauritianus'') *

Mount Cameroon speirops The Mount Cameroon speirops or Cameroon speirops (''Zosterops melanocephalus'') is a species of bird in the disputed family Zosteropidae, which might be included in the Timaliidae. It is endemic to Cameroon. Its natural habitats are subtropical ...

(''Zosterops melanocephalus'') * Forest white-eye (''Zosterops stenocricotus'') *

Green white-eye The green white-eye (''Zosterops stuhlmanni'') is a bird species in the family Zosteropidae. It is found in Tanzania, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The green white-eye was formerly treated as a subspecies of the African yello ...

(''Zosterops stuhlmanni'') – split from ''Z. poliogastrus'' * Broad-ringed white-eye (''Zosterops eurycricotus'') – split from ''Z. poliogastrus'' * Fernando Po speirops (''Zosterops brunneus'') * Ethiopian white-eye (''Zosterops poliogastrus'') – formerly montane white-eye and Heuglin's white-eye * Kafa white-eye, (''Zosterops kaffensis'') – split from ''Z. poliogastrus'' * Kikuyu white-eye (''Zosterops kikuyuensis'') *

Socotra white-eye The Socotra white-eye (''Zosterops socotranus'') is a bird species in the family Zosteropidae. It is found on the island of Socotra and in Somaliland. This species was formerly treated as a subspecies of the Abyssinian white-eye (''Zosterops ab ...

(''Zosterops socotranus'') – split from ''Z. abyssinicus'' *

Príncipe white-eye The Príncipe white-eye (''Zosterops ficedulinus'') is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. The species was described by Gustav Hartlaub in 1866. It is endemic to the islands of Príncipe and São Tomé, where it is restricted to the hi ...

(''Zosterops ficedulinus'') * Annobón white-eye (''Zosterops griseovirescens'') * São Tomé white-eye (''Zosterops feae'') * Black-capped speirops (''Zosterops lugubris'') *

Príncipe speirops The Príncipe speirops (''Zosterops leucophaeus'') is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the island of Príncipe in São Tomé and Príncipe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and ...

(''Zosterops leucophaeus'') * Taita white-eye (''Zosterops silvanus'') *

Northern yellow white-eye The northern yellow white-eye (''Zosterops senegalensis''), formerly the African yellow white-eye, is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is found across sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal in the west across to southern Sudan in the eas ...

(''Zosterops senegalensis'') – formerly African yellow white-eye * Angola white-eye (''Zosterops kasaicus'') – split from ''Z. senegalensis'' * Orange River white-eye (''Zosterops pallidus'') * South Pare white-eye (''Zosterops winifredae'') – split from ''Z. poliogastrus'' * Cape white-eye (''Zosterops virens'') * Southern yellow white-eye (''Zosterops anderssoni'') – split from ''Z. senegalensis'' *

Pemba white-eye The Pemba white-eye (''Zosterops vaughani'') is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to Tanzania. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or ...

(''Zosterops vaughani'') * Seychelles white-eye (''Zosterops modestus'') * Anjouan white-eye (''Zosterops anjuanensis'') * Moheli white-eye (''Zosterops comorensis'') *

(''Zosterops maderaspatanus'') * Meratus white-eye (''Zosterops meratusensis'') * Aldabra white-eye (''Zosterops aldabrensis'') – split from ''Z. maderaspatanus'' *

Kirk's white-eye Kirk's white-eye (''Zosterops kirki'') is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the Comoros Islands. It was previously considered a subspecies of the Malagasy white-eye. Its common and binomial name are in honour of exp ...

(''Zosterops kirki'') * Mayotte white-eye (''Zosterops mayottensis'') * Lemon-bellied white-eye (''Zosterops chloris'') * Wakatobi white-eye (''Zosterops flavissimus'') – split from ''Z. chloris'' * Black-crowned white-eye (''Zosterops atrifrons'') *

Sangihe white-eye The Sangihe white-eye (''Zosterops nehrkorni'') is a species of bird in the white-eye family. It is endemic to Sangihe, Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. It was f ...

(''Zosterops nehrkorni'') * Pale-bellied white-eye (''Zosterops consobrinorum'') * Togian white-eye (''Zosterops somadikartai'') * Black-ringed white-eye (''Zosterops anomalus'') *

Green-fronted white-eye The green-fronted white-eye (''Zosterops minor'') is a songbird species. It is closely related to the Old World babblers, and its family (biology), family Zosteropidae might better be included in the Tiimalidae. Some sources include this species ...

(''Zosterops minor'') *

Black-fronted white-eye The black-fronted white-eye (''Zosterops chrysolaemus'') is a songbird species. It is closely related to the Old World babblers, and its family Zosteropidae might better be included in the Tiimalidae. The black-fronted white-eye was formerly con ...

(''Zosterops chrysolaemus'') – split from ''Z. minor'' * Tagula white-eye (''Zosterops meeki'') *

Morotai white-eye The Morotai white-eye (''Zosterops dehaani'') is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to Morotai in the northern Moluccas The Maluku Islands ( ; , ) or the Moluccas ( ; ) are an archipelago in the eastern part of Indo ...

(''Zosterops dehaani'') – split from ''Z. atriceps'' *

Cream-throated white-eye The cream-throated white-eye (''Zosterops atriceps'') is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the northern Moluccas. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical mang ...

(''Zosterops atriceps'') * Buru white-eye (''Zosterops buruensis'') *

Seram white-eye The Seram white-eye (''Zosterops stalkeri'') is a small passerine bird in the white-eye family. It is an endemic resident breeder in open woodland in Seram, Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southe ...

(''Zosterops stalkeri'') * Javan white-eye (''Zosterops flavus'') * Ashy-bellied white-eye (''Zosterops citrinella'') * Canary white-eye (''Zosterops luteus'') *

Silvereye The silvereye or wax-eye (''Zosterops lateralis''), also known by its Māori name tauhou, is a very small omnivorous passerine bird of the south-west Pacific. In Australia and New Zealand its common name is sometimes white-eye, but this name is ...

(''Zosterops lateralis'') * Hume's white-eye (''Zosterops auriventer'') – split from ''Z. poliogastrus'' * Sangkar white-eye (''Zosterops melanurus'') – split from ''Z. palpebrosus'' * Everett's white-eye (''Zosterops everetti'') * Vella Lavella white-eye (''Zosterops vellalavella'') * Santa Cruz white-eye (''Zosterops sanctaecrucis'') * Capped white-eye (''Zosterops fuscicapilla'') * Oya Tabu white-eye (''Zosterops crookshanki'') – split from ''Z. fuscicapilla'' * Vanuatu white-eye (''Zosterops flavifrons'') * Bare-eyed white-eye (''Zosterops superciliosus'') * Sanford's white-eye (''Zosterops lacertosus'') * Vanikoro white-eye (''Zosterops gibbsi'') * Fiji white-eye (''Zosterops explorator'') * Bismarck white-eye (''Zosterops hypoxanthus'') *

Biak white-eye The Biak white-eye (''Zosterops mysorensis'') is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the islands of Biak and Supiori in West Papua, Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It ...

(''Zosterops mysorensis'') * Bougainville white-eye (''Zosterops hamlini'') – split from ''Z. rendovae'' * Guadalcanal white-eye (''Zosterops oblitus'') – split from ''Z. rendovae'' * Makira white-eye (''Zosterops rendovae'') * Olive-colored white-eye (''Zosterops oleagineus'') * Dusky white-eye (''Zosterops finschii'') * Grey-brown white-eye (''Zosterops ponapensis'') * Kosrae white-eye (''Zosterops cinereus'') * Rota white-eye (''Zosterops rotensis'') * Yellow-throated white-eye (''Zosterops metcalfii'') * Malaita white-eye (''Zosterops stresemanni'') * Papuan white-eye (''Zosterops novaeguineae'') * Ambon white-eye (''Zosterops kuehni'') * Kai Besar white-eye (''Zosterops grayi'') * Gizo white-eye (''Zosterops luteirostris'') * Kai Kecil white-eye (''Zosterops uropygialis'') * Ranongga white-eye (''Zosterops splendidus'') * Solomons white-eye (''Zosterops kulambangrae'') * Dark-eyed white-eye (''Zosterops tetiparius'') * Christmas white-eye (''Zosterops natalis'') * Bridled white-eye (''Zosterops conspicillatus'') * Citrine white-eye (''Zosterops semperi'') *

Plain white-eye The plain white-eye (''Zosterops hypolais'') is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to Yap. The indigenous name in the Yapese language is "Alingithngith", which applies to both species of Zosterops found in Yap. Its natur ...

(''Zosterops hypolais'') * Wangi Wangi white eye (''Zosterops paruhbesar'') * Louisiade white-eye (''Zosterops griseotinctus'') * Kolombangara white-eye (''Zosterops murphyi'') *

Large Lifou white-eye The large Lifou white-eye (''Zosterops inornatus'') is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to New Caledonia New Caledonia ( ; ) is a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, southwest of Vanuatu and east ...

(''Zosterops inornatus'') * † White-chested white-eye (''Zosterops albogularis'') * Samoan white-eye (''Zosterops samoensis'') * †

Robust white-eye The robust white-eye (''Zosterops strenuus''), also known as the Lord Howe white-eye or robust silvereye and locally as the "big grinnell", is an extinct species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It was endemic to the lowland forests of Lord H ...

(''Zosterops strenuus'') *

Slender-billed white-eye The slender-billed white-eye (''Zosterops tenuirostris'') is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to Norfolk Island. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. It is threatened by habitat loss. ...

(''Zosterops tenuirostris'') *

Small Lifou white-eye The small Lifou white-eye (''Zosterops minutus''), also known as the sulphur white-eye, is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the island of Lifou in New Caledonia New Caledonia ( ; ) is a group of islands in th ...

(''Zosterops minutus'') * Green-backed white-eye (''Zosterops xanthochroa'') * Rennell white-eye (''Zosterops rennellianus'')

References

External links

Zosterops photos & videos
on the Internet Bird Collection {{Authority control Bird genera Taxa named by Nicholas Aylward Vigors