Zosterops emiliae
The Mountain Blackeye, *Zosterops emiliae*, is a distinctive and enigmatic passerine endemic to the high-altitude montane forests of Borneo. Averaging 12-13 centimeters in length with a weight typically ranging from 10-15 grams, this robust white-eye stands out within its genus due to its most striking and defining field mark: the complete absence of the prominent white eye-ring characteristic of nearly all other *Zosterops* species. Its plumage is predominantly dark, featuring sooty-black to...
Exclusively found in montane and mossy cloud forests, elfin forest, and high-altitude scrub, typically at elevations above 1,200-1,500 meters (approx. 3,900-4,900 feet) in Borneo.
The Mountain Blackeye is an omnivorous species, primarily consuming small invertebrates such as insects and spiders, supplemented by a significant intake of small berries and fruits, and nectar from montane flowering plants, often foraging by gleaning and probing.
A diurnal and highly active species, the Mountain Blackeye is an agile arboreal forager, typically observed gleaning small insects and fruit from foliage and moss-laden branches. These birds are often found in small, cohesive family groups or join larger, fast-moving mixed-species foraging flocks...
The Mountain Blackeye is strictly endemic to the mountainous regions of the island of Borneo, encompassing areas within Malaysian Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak), Indonesian Borneo (Kalimantan), and Brunei. Its distribution is highly fragmented, confined to isolated mountain ranges and high plateaus r...
Least Concern
- It's one of the very few species in the entire *Zosterops* genus (White-eyes) that conspicuously *lacks* the characteristic white eye-ring, making it a true anomaly among its relatives. - The Mountain Blackeye is strictly endemic to the island of Borneo, meaning it can be found nowhere else in ...