Mindanao white-eye facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mindanao white-eye |
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| Conservation status | |
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Heleia
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| Species: |
goodfellowi
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The Mindanao white-eye (Heleia goodfellowi), also known as the black-masked white-eye, is a small bird found only in the Philippines. It belongs to the Zosteropidae family, which includes birds often recognized by their distinctive white rings around their eyes. This particular bird was named after Walter Goodfellow, a British collector who studied animals. It lives in wet montane forests, which are forests found on mountains.
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Discovering the Mindanao White-Eye
The Mindanao white-eye is a fairly small bird. It lives in the mountain forests of Mindanao, an island in the Philippines. Its upper body is olive green, with darker wings and tail feathers. It has a black mask-like marking around its eyes. Its belly is a dull yellow, and its throat is a pale gray color.
You can often spot this bird in groups with other species. These groups might include the Cinnamon ibon, the Warbling white-eye, and the Black-and-cinnamon fantail. The Mindanao white-eye looks a bit like the Yellow-bellied whistler. However, the white-eye usually lives at higher places on the mountains. It also has a thinner beak and its unique dark mask.
This bird makes a lovely musical whistle sound. It can also make a harsh, grating call.
Different Types of Mindanao White-Eye
Just like people can have different looks depending on where they live, animals can too. These slight variations are called subspecies. Scientists have found three main subspecies of the Mindanao white-eye:
- Heleia goodfellowi goodfellowi - This type is found in Central and South Mindanao.
- Heleia goodfellowi gracilis - This one lives in North East Mindanao.
- Heleia goodfellowi malindangensis - You can find this type in West Mindanao.
Scientists are also studying another type in South East Mindanao. They have not officially named it yet.
Where the Mindanao White-Eye Lives
This bird makes its home in tropical wet forests. It lives in both old, untouched forests and newer, regrowing forests. You can find it on mountainsides and at the edges of forests. It prefers elevations from about 1,250 to 2,400 meters above sea level. That's quite high up!
Protecting the Mindanao White-Eye
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) keeps track of how many animals are left. They have listed the Mindanao white-eye as a "least-concern species". This means that even though it only lives in a small area, there are still many of them. It is quite common in the places where it lives.
A big reason it's doing well is its home. It lives in rugged, hard-to-reach mountains. This means that much of its forest home is still safe and untouched. The bird can also live in forests that have been slightly damaged.
However, the number of these birds is slowly going down. This is because of habitat loss. People are cutting down forests for mining, farming, and other uses. This is called deforestation. Even though it's not as bad as in lowland forests, it still affects the Mindanao white-eye.
