White-breasted spectacle bird
| White-breasted spectacle bird | ||||||||||||
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White-breasted Spectacled Bird ( Zosterops albogularis ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Zosterops albogularis | ||||||||||||
| Gould , 1837 |
The white-breasted spectacle bird ( Zosterops albogularis ), also known as the Norfolk spectacle bird or white-throated spectacle bird , is an extremely rare or already extinct representative of the spectacle birds (Zosteropidae). It is or was endemic to Norfolk Island between New Caledonia and New Zealand.
description
It reaches a length of 14 cm and is one of the largest species of spectacle bird. The wing length is 7.5 cm and the weight approx. 30 g. Its appearance is characterized by a light green head, an olive-green colored neck and a white throat and stomach area. Another characteristic is a noticeable white eye ring. Males and females are colored similarly.
habitat
Its only habitat is a 5 km² area on Mount Pitt in Norfolk Island National Park .
Way of life and food
He roams his territory solitary. Its diet consists of fruits, berries, flower nectar and insects.
Reproduction
In the breeding season from October to December, the pairs build a cup-shaped nest in which the female lays two whitish eggs. The breeding season lasts eleven days and after a further eleven days the young birds fledge.
status
The greatest threat is the destruction of habitats and introduced animal species. The decline of the white-breasted spectacled bird began in 1904 when the gray -coat-eyed bird ( Zosterops lateralis ) became a native of the island and drove its endemic cousin from the breeding areas. Furthermore, the rats introduced from 1940 destroyed the brood nest. But the deforestation also led to a dramatic decline, so that in 1962 there were only 50 specimens left. In 1986 the Norfolk Island National Park was established , but due to fluctuation, many searches for this species were unsuccessful. In 1978 4 specimens were observed, a sighting in 2000 resulted in one specimen. The last record was in December 2005 when a specimen was observed. After an unsuccessful search by the ornithologist Guy Dutson in 2009, this species is believed to be extinct.
Web links
- Recovery Outline White-chested White-eye
- Markus Kappeler - Norfolk Spectacle Bird
- Birdlife factsheet
- Zosterops albogularis in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2008. Posted by: BirdLife International, 2004. Retrieved on January 24 of 2009.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Guy Dutson: The ghost birds of Norfolk Island ( Memento of the original from December 13, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
