Reunion Grey White-eye

Zosterops borbonicus - Zostérops des Mascareignes Zostérops de Bourbon

Systematics

Order
:
Passeriformes
Family
:
Zostéropidés
Genus
:
Zosterops
Species
:
borbonicus

Descriptor

Pennant, 1781

Biometrics

Size
: 12 cm
Wingspan
: -
Weight
:

Geographic range

Distribution

Identification

The Reunion Grey White-eye is a small ball of feathers the size of a European Goldfinch, with a light gray belly marked with brown on its sides. In this species without sexual dimorphism, the clearly visible white rump and almost white throat earn it its Reunionese name of white bird. The tail is black, the iris brown-red. The head and back vary from one individual to another, from gray to brown.

Subspecific information 3 subspecies

Zosterops borbonicus borbonicus (n, e slopes of La Réunion)
Zosterops borbonicus alopekion (central highlands of La Réunion)
Zosterops borbonicus xerophilus (w coast of La Réunion)

Foreign names

Zostérops des Mascareignes,
Anteojitos gris de Reunión,
olho-branco-cinza-da-reunião,
Réunion-Graubrillenvogel,
réunioni pápaszemesmadár,
Grijze Réunionbrilvogel,
Occhialino delle Mascarene,
rostsidig glasögonfågel,
Hvitgumpbrillefugl,
okánik réunionský,
kruhoočko maskarénské,
Brunrygget Brillefugl,
reunioninharmaarilli,
zostèrops de les illes Mascarenyes,
szlarnik białorzytny,
Маскаренская белоглазка,
マスカリンメジロ,
留尼汪灰绣眼鸟,
rostsidig glasögonfågel,
灰繡眼,

Voice song and cries

play
pause

Habitat

The Reunion Grey White-eye originally occupied primary forests but has adapted to human-developed environments such as hedge boundaries, parks, and gardens, anywhere there are trees or bushes. This species indeed avoids open environments.

Behaviour character trait

Like many birds on Réunion, the Reunion Grey White-eye is very approachable and can be observed up close. It often moves in small flocks that are constantly buzzing with contact calls.

Flight

During his explorations of vegetation, conducted in the manner of pouillots, the Reunion Grey White-eye moves from one plant to another with rapid and undulating flights.

Dietfeeding habits

The Reunion Grey White-eye pecks insects through a systematic exploration of plants and complements its diet with berries during the Southern Hemisphere winter.

Reproduction nesting

The Reunion Grey White-eye is neither territorial nor truly colonial: couples settle at short distances from each other without defending a territory, but there are not true colonies.

This relatively gregarious behaviour encourages babysitting behaviour, where non-breeding individuals (often the young of the previous brood) help the adults in feeding their chicks.
The nest in the form of a deep cup is located at the fork of a low branch. The two or three eggs are incubated for about ten days, then the adults feed the young in the nest for two weeks. After the flight, the feeding is fairly brief (a few days), however the gregariousness of the species can be seen in the behaviour of the young, who follow their parents for several months.

Geographic range

Our bird is endemic to the Mascarenes, an archipelago mainly composed of the islands of Rodrigues (where it is absent), Reunion (subspecies borbonicus) and Mauritius (subspecies mauritianus).

Threats - protection

IUCN conservation status

Extinct

Threatened

Least
concern

Extinc
in the Wild

Near
threatened

Not
evaluated

EX EW CR EN VU NT LC NE

The Reunion Grey White-eye is the only endemic bird of Réunion whose population has not been greatly affected by human development, in particular deforestation. It remains very common and is protected.