Zosterops somadikartai
The Togian White-eye (Zosterops somadikartai) is a captivating and remarkably distinct passerine, unique for its complete lack of the characteristic white eye-ring that defines nearly all other members of its family, Zosteropidae. This small songbird, measuring approximately 10-11 cm in length, exhibits olive-green upperparts, greyish-white underparts, and a vibrant yellow vent, complemented by a dark bill and legs. Its most definitive field mark is, paradoxically, the *absence* of the eye-ri...
This species thrives in lowland to lower montane forests, secondary growth, disturbed areas, plantations, and coastal mangroves on the volcanic Togian Islands, typically found from sea level up to around 300-400 meters.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on small invertebrates gleaned from leaves and bark, but also consumes nectar from flowers and small fruits.
The Togian White-eye is a diurnal and highly active arboreal forager, typically seen singly, in pairs, or small conspecific groups, and frequently joining mixed-species foraging flocks alongside other small passerines. It employs a gleaning foraging strategy, meticulously searching foliage and ba...
The Togian White-eye is an island endemic, found exclusively on the Togian Islands, an archipelago situated in the Gulf of Tomini off the coast of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Its known distribution encompasses the main islands of Batudaka, Togian, Talatakoh, Malenge, and potentially the more rem...
Near Threatened
- The Togian White-eye was only formally described as a distinct species in 2008, making it a relatively recent discovery for ornithologists. - It is the *only* known species in the entire White-eye family (Zosteropidae) that completely lacks the characteristic white eye-ring, a feature that typi...