Zosterops stenocricotus
The Forest White-eye (*Zosterops stenocricotus*) is a small, vibrant passerine known for its distinctive appearance and active nature. Measuring a petite 10.5-11.5 cm in length and weighing 9.5-13 g, its plumage is characterized by bright olive-green upperparts, a vivid yellow throat, and greyish-white underparts, sometimes with a faint yellowish wash on the flanks. Its most defining feature is the narrow, often incomplete, white eye-ring that gives the 'white-eye' family its name. This speci...
Exclusively found in montane and lowland forests, including forest edges, secondary growth, and cultivated areas, typically at elevations between 800-2,500 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, consuming caterpillars, beetles, and flies, supplemented with nectar from flowers and small berries or fruits.
Forest White-eyes are highly active, diurnal birds often observed flitting through the canopy and mid-story. Outside the breeding season, they form noisy, often mixed-species foraging flocks, sometimes numbering up to 30 individuals, maintaining contact with high-pitched 'tsip' calls. Their forag...
The Forest White-eye is a resident species endemic to the tropical forests of Central and West Africa. Its distribution spans from southeastern Nigeria, eastward through Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea (including the island of Bioko), Gabon, the Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, and th...
Least Concern
- The 'stenocricotus' in its scientific name translates from Greek to 'narrow ring', aptly describing its characteristic eye-ring. - Despite their small size, Forest White-eyes are highly social, frequently joining mixed-species foraging flocks, a common trait among many African forest birds. - T...