Vanuatu white-eye facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vanuatu white-eye |
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| Vanuatu white-eye on Aore Island, Vanuatu | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Zosterops
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| Species: |
flavifrons
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The Vanuatu white-eye or yellow-fronted white-eye (Zosterops flavifrons) is a small passerine bird. It belongs to the Zosterops group in the white-eye family. This bird lives only in Vanuatu, an island nation. It is one of the most common birds found there.
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Naming the Vanuatu White-eye
The Vanuatu white-eye was officially named in 1789. A German scientist named Johann Friedrich Gmelin gave it its scientific name. He first thought it was a type of flycatcher. He called it Muscicapa flavifrons.
The name flavifrons has a special meaning. It comes from two Latin words. Flavus means "yellow" and frons means "forehead" or "front". So, the name means "yellow-fronted".
Gmelin learned about this bird from an English bird expert, John Latham. Latham had described the "Yellow-fronted flycatcher" in 1783. It came from Tanna Island in Vanuatu.
A scientist named Joseph Banks gave Latham a painting of the bird. This painting was made by Georg Forster. Forster traveled with James Cook on his second trip to the Pacific Ocean. The painting was made on August 7, 1774. It is now kept in the Natural History Museum in London. This painting is very important because it is the original example used to describe the species.
Today, the Vanuatu white-eye is part of the Zosterops group. This group has over a hundred other white-eye species. Nicholas Vigors and Thomas Horsfield created this group in 1827.
Different Types of Vanuatu White-eye
There are seven different types, or subspecies, of the Vanuatu white-eye. They are:
- Z. f. gauensis – found on Gaua Island in northern Vanuatu.
- Z. f. perplexus – found from Vanua Lava south to Epi and nearby islands.
- Z. f. brevicauda – found on Malo and Espiritu Santo islands.
- Z. f. macgillivrayi – found on Malakula Island.
- Z. f. efatensis – found on Efate and Erromango islands.
- Z. f. flavifrons – found on Tanna and Aniwa islands.
- Z. f. majusculus – found on Anatom Island (also called Aneityum).
What Does the Vanuatu White-eye Look Like?
The Vanuatu white-eye is a small bird. It is about 11 to 12 centimeters (about 4 to 5 inches) long. The adult male bird has a yellow-green back. Its belly and chest are bright yellow or yellow-green. The exact color depends on which type of white-eye it is.
Its forehead is yellow. It has a clear white ring around its eye. Its legs and feet are dark grey. The top part of its bill is brown, and the bottom part is pinkish.
Female birds and young birds look similar to the males. However, they are usually a bit paler. Young birds also have a thinner white ring around their eyes.
Sounds of the Bird
The Vanuatu white-eye makes a short, high-pitched sound to call to other birds. Its song is a repeated warbling sound.
Where Does It Live?
The seven different types of Vanuatu white-eye live almost everywhere in Vanuatu. They can be found from the Banks Islands in the north to Aneityum in the south.
These birds live in many different places. You can find them in forests, on farms with crops, and in gardens. They live from the coast all the way up to the mountains.
Nesting and Food
The Vanuatu white-eye builds a neat, cup-shaped nest. It usually places its nest about 2.5 meters (about 8 feet) or higher off the ground. The nest is made from grass, small pieces of bark, and spider webs.
The female bird lays three bluish-white eggs in her nest.
What Does It Eat?
These birds look for food in bushes and trees. They often move around in pairs or small groups. They eat a variety of foods. Their diet includes insects, sweet nectar from flowers, and fruit. Some of the fruits they enjoy are lantana berries and wild figs.
