White-breasted White-eye

Taxobox
name = White-breasted White-eye
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1


regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Zosteropidae
genus = "Zosterops"
species = "Z. abyssinicus"
binomial = "Zosterops abyssinicus"
binomial_authority = Guérin-Méneville, 1843The White-breasted White-eye or Abyssinian 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 and southern Arabia.

It is 10-12 cm long. The upperparts are green; darker and greyer in northern races. There is a narrow white ring around the eye and a thin black line between the bill and eye. The underparts vary from pale yellow to greyish-white depending on the race. The bird has various twittering and buzzing calls.

In Africa it occurs from north-east Sudan south through Eritrea, Ethiopia, northern Somalia and Kenya to north-east Tanzania. It is also found on Socotra Island. In Arabia it occurs in south-west Saudi Arabia, Yemen and southern Oman. It occurs in open woodland, scrub, wadis and gardens. It is found up to 1,800 metres above sea-level in Africa and 3,100 metres in Arabia. It usually forages among branches in trees but sometimes descends to ground-level. It feeds mainly on insects and will also take nectar from flowers.

References

*aut|Hollom, P. A. D.; Porter, R. F.; Christensen, S. & Willis, Ian (1988) "Birds of the Middle East and North Africa", T & AD Poyser, Calton, England.
*aut|Sinclair, Ian & Ryan, Peter (2003) "Birds of Africa south of the Sahara", Struik, Cape Town.
*aut|Zimmerman, Dale A.; Turner, Donald A. & Pearson, David J. (1999) "Birds of Kenya & Northern Tanzania", Christopher Helm, London.