Rukia ruki
The Teardrop White-eye (Rukia ruki) is a captivating, small passerine endemic to the high islands of the Federated States of Micronesia, belonging to the Zosteropidae family. Measuring approximately 11 to 12.5 centimeters in length and weighing between 10 and 14 grams, this species is characterized by its distinctive olive-green upperparts and pale yellow underparts, often with a faint greenish wash on the flanks. Its most prominent and identifying field mark is a unique, inverted, dark teard...
The Teardrop White-eye primarily inhabits undisturbed montane cloud forests and dense, mature lowland primary forests, favoring areas rich in flowering and fruiting trees. It is typically found at elevations ranging from 200 to 700 meters above sea level.
This species has a varied diet consisting primarily of small insects such as beetles, caterpillars, and spiders, supplemented heavily by nectar from endemic flowering plants and small, soft-skinned fruits found in the forest understory and canopy.
The Teardrop White-eye is diurnal, with peak activity during early morning and late afternoon. It employs a diverse foraging strategy, gleaning insects from foliage and bark, probing into flower corollas for nectar, and occasionally making short aerial sallies to catch flying insects. Outside the...
The Teardrop White-eye is strictly endemic to the high islands of Pohnpei and Chuuk within the Federated States of Micronesia. Its distribution is fragmented, with the core populations residing in the intact montane cloud forests of these islands. It consistently occupies elevations generally bet...
Vulnerable
- The 'teardrop' facial marking of Rukia ruki is considered one of the most distinctive and unique among the entire Zosteropidae family. - Its complex, melodic song is often referred to by locals as the 'forest's own symphony,' particularly during dawn choruses. - The Teardrop White-eye plays a c...