Long-billed White-eye

Taxobox
name = Long-billed White-eye


status = NT | status_system = IUCN3.1
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Zosteropidae
genus = "Rukia"
species = "R. longirostra"
binomial = "Rukia longirostra"
binomial_authority = (Takatsukasa & Yamashina, 1931)
synonyms = The Long-billed White-eye ("Rukia longirostra") is a species of bird in the Zosteropidae family.It is endemic to the island of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia.Its natural habitats are subtropical and tropical moist forests, and plantations.It is threatened by habitat loss.

It has a curious nuthatch-like behavior of creeping along large tree limbs, and especially seems to enjoying using its long slightly-decurved bill to extract insects from the severed ends of branches.

Long-billed White-eye seems quite distinct in both plumage, structure, and habits from other "Rukia" and may deserve a change of genus, possibly to "Zosterops".

ource

* BirdLife International 2004. [http://www.iucnredlist.org/search/details.php/19764/all Rukia longirostra] . [http://www.iucnredlist.org 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. ] Downloaded on 27 July 2007.