White-chested white-eye facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White-chested white-eye |
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| (John Gould artwork) | |
| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Zosterops
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| Species: |
albogularis
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The white-chested white-eye (Zosterops albogularis) is a small bird from the white-eye family. It is also known as the white-breasted white-eye or Norfolk white-eye. This special bird lived only on Norfolk Island, which is located between New Caledonia and New Zealand. Sadly, it is now thought to be extremely rare or even extinct. The Australian government has considered this bird extinct since the year 2000.
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About the White-Chested White-Eye
The white-chested white-eye was one of the biggest white-eyes. It grew to be about 13 to 14 centimetres (about 5.5 inches) long. Its wings could spread about 7.5 centimetres (3 inches) wide. This bird weighed around 30 grams (about 1 ounce).
What It Looked Like
This bird had a pale green head. Its neck was olive green. The throat and belly were white. A special feature was a clear ring of white feathers around its eyes. Both male and female birds looked very similar.
What It Ate
The white-chested white-eye enjoyed eating different foods. Its diet included fruits, berries, and nectar from flowers. It also ate insects.
Where It Lived
This bird's only home was a small forest area on Norfolk Island. This area was about 5 square kilometres (2 square miles) around Mount Pitt. The birds usually lived alone.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
The breeding season for these birds was from October to December. During this time, a pair would build a nest shaped like a cup. They would lay two white eggs in the nest. The eggs would hatch after about eleven days. The young birds would be ready to fly about eleven days after hatching.
Why the White-Chested White-Eye Disappeared
The main reasons this bird became so rare were habitat destruction and new animals brought to the island. These new animals are called invasive species.
New Birds and Rats
The problems for the white-chested white-eye started when another bird, the silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), arrived on Norfolk Island. The silvereye took over the white-chested white-eye's nesting areas. This made it hard for them to raise their young.
Also, from the 1940s, rats on the island started destroying the nests. At the same time, people were clearing the forests where the birds lived. All these things caused the bird's population to drop very quickly. By 1962, there were only about 50 white-chested white-eyes left.
Efforts to Save the Bird
In 1986, the Norfolk Island National Park was created. This was an effort to protect the bird and save it from disappearing completely. However, it was hard to find the birds because their numbers went up and down a lot.
In 1978, only four birds were seen. In 2000, only one bird was spotted. Some bird watchers said they saw the bird in 2005. But official surveys have not found the species since 1980. A special fence was built around the last known home of the bird in the Norfolk Island National Park. This fence was meant to keep predators away. In 2009, a bird expert named Guy Dutson searched for the birds but could not find any.
See also
In Spanish: Anteojitos pechiblanco para niños
