Heuglin's white-eye facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Heuglin's white-eye |
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,_Lalibela,_Ethiopia_(17977024739).jpg) |
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| At Lalibela, Ethiopia | |
| Conservation status | |
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| Genus: |
Zosterops
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| Species: |
poliogastrus
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| Synonyms | |
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The Heuglin's white-eye (scientific name: Zosterops poliogastrus) is a small, lively bird also known as the Ethiopian white-eye. It belongs to the Zosteropidae family, which includes many types of white-eyes. These birds are found in parts of north-eastern and eastern Africa, mainly in Ethiopia and Kenya.
You can find Heuglin's white-eyes in different places. They live in warm, wet montane forests (forests on mountains), high-altitude shrubland (areas with lots of bushes), plantations (farms where crops like coffee are grown), and even in gardens in the countryside.
Some other white-eye birds, like the Mbulu white-eye, were once thought to be just different types (called subspecies) of the Heuglin's white-eye. But in 2014, scientists did a special study using genetics (like a bird's DNA). They found that these birds were different enough to be their own unique species. Because of this discovery, the Heuglin's white-eye got its current name.
There are three main types, or subspecies, of Heuglin's white-eye:
- Z. p. kulalensis (Kulal) – found near Mount Kulal in northern Kenya.
- Z. p. poliogastrus (Ethiopian) – found in southeast Sudan, Eritrea, and northern, central, and eastern Ethiopia.
- Z. p. kaffensis (Kaffa) – found in western and southwestern Ethiopia.
Contents
What Do They Look Like?
Kulal Heuglin's White-eye
The Kulal Heuglin's white-eye is a small bird, about 11 to 12 centimeters long. The male and female birds look a bit different. The male has a bright yellow forehead and a lime-green crown (the top of its head). Its upper feathers are also lime-green. Its flight feathers (the long feathers used for flying) are brownish-black to grey, with green edges. The tail is similar, brownish-black to grey with green edges. The male's belly is bright white, blending into the color of its other feathers. The female, however, might have a yellow belly, and her wings are mostly grey.
Ethiopian Heuglin's White-eye
The Ethiopian Heuglin's white-eye has a very bright yellow head and crown. This yellow color goes all the way to its white eyering (a circle of color around its eye). It also has a thin black line that goes from its eye to its black beak. The area under its beak is also yellow. The flight feathers of this subspecies are lime-green, with the tips turning brownish-black. Both male and female Ethiopian Heuglin's white-eyes look the same.
Kaffa Heuglin's White-eye
The Kaffa Heuglin's white-eye has a rich green crown and a yellow forehead that leads to its black beak. The chin, under the beak, is mostly yellow and green. Its eyering is white and a little bigger than the Ethiopian white-eye's. Their flight feathers are brownish-black, fading into a yellow-green edge. The color of these feathers can change a bit depending on what they eat. The tail usually matches the flight feathers but often looks like a shiny, dark brown. The sides of the bird's body (called flanks) are green, fading into a yellow-tinged middle on its breast. Both male and female Kaffa Heuglin's white-eyes look alike.
Where Do They Live?
Heuglin's white-eyes often gather in large groups. During the dry season, you can find flocks of up to fifty birds! However, in the wet season, you usually only see such big groups early in the morning or late in the afternoon. The places where these birds live can be different for each subspecies.
Kulal Heuglin's White-eye Habitat
The Kulal Heuglin's white-eye usually lives at the edges of forests and in wet bush areas. When it's the wet season, they might move to drier bush areas at lower altitudes. But during the dry season, they prefer montane forests at higher altitudes.
Ethiopian Heuglin's White-eye Habitat
The Ethiopian Heuglin's white-eye typically lives in woodlands and at the edges of forests. They can also be found in small, isolated farmed areas. In these places, they often live in younger trees or shorter plants. They can be found at heights from about 1,340 to 3,640 meters in Ethiopia, and above 1,800 meters in South Sudan.
Kaffa Heuglin's White-eye Habitat
The Kaffa Heuglin's white-eye also lives in woodlands and at the edges of forests. They prefer highlands with newer areas of secondary growth (where trees have grown back after being cut down). They usually live at altitudes between 1,340 and 3,640 meters above sea level.
Do They Migrate?
The Ethiopian and Kaffa Heuglin's white-eyes do not migrate; they stay in the same area all year round. However, the Kulal Heuglin's white-eye moves from higher mountains to lower areas when the wet season is about to begin.
What Do They Eat?
The diet of the Heuglin's white-eye mainly includes berries and small insects. In September and November, you might see them looking for food on Leonotis flowers. During the dry season, these birds mostly eat fruits (they are frugivorous). But in the wet season, they mainly eat insects (they are insectivorous).
