The Lord Howe silvereye (''Zosterops lateralis tephropleurus''), also known as the Lord Howe white-eye, Lord Howe Island white-eye or, locally, as the "Little Grinnell", is a small bird in the
white-eye
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 ...
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
, Zosteropidae. It is a
subspecies of the
silvereye
The silvereye or wax-eye (''Zosterops lateralis'') 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 more commonly used to refer to all membe ...
(''Zosterops lateralis''), though sometimes considered a full species. It is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to
Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island (; formerly Lord Howe's Island) is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, part of the Australian state of New South Wales. It lies directly east of mainland P ...
in the
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea ( Māori: ''Te Tai-o-Rēhua'', ) is a marginal sea of the South Pacific Ocean, situated between Australia and New Zealand. It measures about across and about from north to south. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer ...
, part of
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
,
Australia.
Description
The Lord Howe silvereye is sometimes treated as a full species. It differs from the
nominate subspecies by being more robust, with larger feet and claws, a longer and heavier bill, with much olive-green on flanks, rump and lower back, and with canary yellow under-tail coverts.
Distribution and habitat
The Lord Howe silvereye is restricted to Lord Howe Island, where it widely distributed through the native
subtropical rainforest as well as around homes and gardens.
Behaviour
Breeding
The bird builds a small cup-shaped
nest
A nest is a structure built for certain animals to hold eggs or young. Although nests are most closely associated with birds, members of all classes of vertebrates and some invertebrates construct nests. They may be composed of organic materi ...
of palm fibre, grass and
spider web
A spider web, spiderweb, spider's web, or cobweb (from the archaic word '' coppe'', meaning "spider") is a structure created by a spider out of proteinaceous spider silk extruded from its spinnerets, generally meant to catch its prey.
Spi ...
s, in which it lays a clutch of 2-4 small eggs in spring and summer.
Feeding
The silvereyes
glean insects from leaves and flowers, as well as eating small seeds, nectar and fruits, particularly guava and will come into gardens and houses, in which people may feed them mince meat and food scraps.
Status and conservation
The population of the Lord Howe silvereye has been estimated at about 5,000 breeding birds and stable. It is considered
Vulnerable because of the restricted size of the population and area of its distribution.
[Garnett & Crowley, pp.608 and 633.]
Notes
References
* Garnett, Stephen T.; & Crowley, Gabriel M. (2000). ''The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2000''. Environment Australia: Canberra
* Hindwood, K.A. (1940). Birds of Lord Howe Island. ''Emu'' 40: 1-86.
* Hutton, Ian. (1991). ''Birds of Lord Howe Island: Past and Present''. Author: Lord Howe Island.
*
Richard Schodde, Schodde, R.; &
Mason, I.J. (1999). ''The Directory of Australian Birds: Passerines''. CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.
External links
Profile- Saving NSW threatened species
Birds described in 1855
Birds of Lord Howe Island
Endemic fauna of Australia
Zosterops
{{Zosteropidae-stub