Oriental White Eye or Zosterops palpebrosus

Kerala, though small in size, is remarkable for its wide variety of flora and fauna. About 500 kinds of birds, with 16 endemic species, make Kerala an ornithologist’s heaven. No wonder that renowned ornithologists like Dr. Salim Ali found it a home away from home.

Oriental White Eye (Zosterops palpebrosus) is a small bird with just 10 centimetres length and found in the sholas and forests of high elevation. It gets its name from the conspicuous white rings around its eyes. The bird belongs to the order Passeriformes and is highly sociable. It is mostly seen in small flocks.

The plumage of the bird is green, and the underparts are white except for a bright yellow throat and breast. It has rounded wings and strong legs.

Oriental White Eyes are very much fond of the nectar of flowers like Erythrina, Woodfordia, Loranthus, etc. These lovely birds also function as agents of pollination to these flowers.

Apart from India, these birds are found in China and Indonesia.

Courtesy: www.birdwingtours.com