Brown-eyed bird

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Brown-eyed bird
Systematics
Order : Passerines (Passeriformes)
Subordination : Songbirds (passeri)
Superfamily : Sylvioidea
Family : Spectacled birds (Zosteropidae)
Genre : Zosterops
Type : Brown-eyed bird
Scientific name
Zosterops brunneus
Salvadori , 1903

The brown- eyed bird ( Zosterops brunneus , syn .: Speirops brunneus ) is a species of bird from the spectacled family . Its occurrence is limited to the West African island of Bioko in the Gulf of Guinea .

features

The brown-eyed bird reaches a size of 13 to 13.5 centimeters and a weight of 14 to 18.5 grams. The top of the head is dark brown, with the crown being the darkest. The base of the upper beak shows a light narrow line. The back of the head and neck are tinged red. The cheeks and ear covers are grayish-brown. The top is brown, but less dark than the parting. The wings are black-brown with rust-brown edges. The tail feathers are dark brown on the top and blackish on the underside. The underside is brown, but slightly lighter than the back. The chin and throat are more grayish. The belly and under tail-coverts are light brown. The underside of the shield springs is dark gray-brown. The iris is dark. The beak is dark horn-colored, the legs are dark brown. The sexes look the same. The juvenile birds have not yet been described. Nothing is known about the singing either. The call varies between frequently repeated soft “ peep ” and rapid “ trik-trik-trik ” twittering while searching for food and beeping “ tweet ” tones during the flight. Occasionally a long “ trrrrrrrrau ” trill can be heard.

habitat

The Brown Glasses bird inhabits open areas and clearings in fairly open, dominated by lichen woodland, montane heath bushland, tree savannahs and of locust herbs ( Hypericum ), pittosporum ( Pittosporum ), Syzygium and Schefflera dominated forests at altitudes from 1,900 to 2,800 meters.

Way of life

The diet consists of insects , including caterpillars, as well as berries and seeds. The brown-eyed bird usually goes in groups of three to five individuals, but also in larger flocks of up to 30 specimens foraging, whereby it usually flies 0.5 to 6.5 meters above the ground. It is often seen in association with other bird species such as the long- tailed prince ( Urolais epichlorus ), the golden oriole ( Linurgus olivaceus ) and the mountain forest bulb ( Andropadus tephrolaemus ). Breeding birds were observed in October and December. Further information is not available on the breeding biology.

Existence and endangerment

BirdLife International estimates the population at 10,000 to 20,000 specimens and classifies the species as "endangered" ( vulnerable ). It is most common in the 50 km 2 region at Pico Basile . It does not occur in the forests in the southern part of the island of Bioko. The main threat is bushfires, which are started by hunters; however, in 1996 there was no evidence of this. A visit to the area at Pico Basile in 1996 confirmed that the habitat was intact. An expedition in 2005 found that the forests at Pico Basile were not affected by the increasing rate of deforestation on Bioko. Pictures taken in 2005 at the Caldera da Luba showed that there had been no encroachment in the southern forests of the island.

literature

  • Joseph Del Hoyo, Andrew Elliot, David A. Christie (Eds.): Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 13: Penduline-Tits to Shrikes. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona 2008, ISBN 978-84-96553-45-3 .

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