Order Passeriformes Higher classification Lesser white-eyes | Phylum Chordata Family Zosteropidae Scientific name Zosterops explorator Rank Species | |
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Similar Plain white‑eye, Green‑backed white‑eye, Small Lifou white‑eye, Yellow‑throated white‑eye, Black‑fronted white‑eye |
The Fiji white-eye (Zosterops explorator) is a species of passerine bird in the white-eye family Zosteropidae. The species is also known as the Layard's white-eye. It is endemic to the islands of Viti Levu, Vanua Levu, Taveuni, Kadavu, and Ovalau in Fiji, where it is a common bird of forests. Where it co-occurs with the closely related silvereye it is more common in denser forest.
It is a typical small white-eye of the genus Zosterops, similar in appearance to the silvereye, although the plumage is much yellower, it is chunkier and has a complete eye-ring. The back is olive green and the throat and belly yellow. The call is described as "a high pitched seeu-seeu".
The Fiji white-eye feeds by gleaning insects from shrubs and trees. It will join mixed-species feeding flocks with other Fijian birds, including silvereyes. It also feeds lower down in the trees than silvereyes.