Zosterops modestus
The Seychelles White-eye (Zosterops modestus) is a captivating, small passerine endemic to the Seychelles archipelago, renowned for its conservation success story. Measuring approximately 11 cm in length and weighing a delicate 7-9 grams, this agile bird is characterized by its dull olive-green upperparts, which transition to a pale greyish-white or faint yellowish wash on its underparts. Its most distinctive, albeit sometimes inconspicuous, field mark is a narrow, broken white eye-ring, whic...
This species primarily inhabits dense broadleaf native forests, favoring areas with a well-developed understory. It is found from lowland coastal areas up to mid-elevation forested slopes.
Their diet consists mainly of insects (caterpillars, beetles, spiders) and nectar, supplemented with small fruits and berries. They primarily forage by gleaning and probing foliage.
Seychelles White-eyes are active diurnal birds, typically foraging from dawn to dusk, often roosting communally in dense foliage. Their foraging strategy involves gleaning insects and spiders from leaves and bark in the mid-story and canopy, as well as probing flowers for nectar and consuming sma...
The Seychelles White-eye is strictly endemic to the Seychelles archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Historically, it was widespread on the granitic island of Mahé but suffered severe population declines due to habitat destruction and the introduction of mammalian predators like rats and cats. By the ...
Near Threatened
- The Seychelles White-eye was once thought to be extinct in the 1930s, earning it the nickname 'Modest White-eye' due to its elusive nature and drab plumage. - Its population plummeted to fewer than 300 individuals by the early 1990s, making it one of the most endangered birds globally. - Succes...