Silvereye
Silvereye
10-12.5 cm. In most of e., se. Aust. and sw. WA, the only small grey and olive-green bird with conspicuous white eye-ring. Colours (especially of underparts) vary:
throat grey; flanks buff to chestnut; undertail-coverts whitish.
throat/undertail-coverts citrine-yellow.
throat yellow; flanks grey or buffish; undertail-coverts lemon.
largest race; with robust bill (plumage like vegetus).
throat paler yellow; flanks rufous.
upperparts more olive-green; throat olive-yellow; breast grey; flanks washed buff.
throat/undertail-coverts greyish; breast grey; flanks pale rufous. Races interbreed: e.g. intergradation between pinarochrous and chloronotus is seen in green-backed birds from Eyre Pen.-Kangaroo I. (SA). Pairs when breeding, otherwise parties to flocks, in which pairs persist. Flocks cohesive; banded parties retrapped together several years apart. Moves rapidly through bushland, orchards, gardens, calling constantly. Migrating, flocks gather in trees, dash into air on next stage of journey. Pest in orchards/vineyards; aggressive at bird tables; has intimidating threat-display of flared eye-rings, yellow gape, quivering wings.
- Other name
- Blightbird; Grape-eater; Grey-backed, Grey-breasted or Western Silvereye or White-eye; Ringeye; Silvey; Tauhou; Waxeye.
- Similar Species
- Pale and Yellow White-eye.
- Voice
- thin peevish 'psee'. Alarm-call: wavering 'wee-ee-ee-ee-ee'; territorial song rapid succession of high-pitched notes, trills, warbles. Autumn sub-song includes mimicry. Calls of chloronotus harsher: flight-note staccato 'chip chip'.
- Habitat
- most vegetational types in coastal/sub-coastal s. Aust.
- Breeding
- Sept.-Jan.
- Nest
- suspended cup of grass, thistletown, moss, spiders' web, usually in shrub.
- Eggs
- 2-4, usually 3; delicate pale blue.
- Range & Status
- e. and se. Aust., sw. WA and coastal islands. Race chlorocephalus: Bunker/Capricorn Groups, Gt Barrier Reef (considered by some to be a full species - Capricornia White-eye). Race vegetus: breeds ne. Q, n. of Mackay, n. to Pascoe R. Race cornwalli: breeds from c. Vic. to c. Rockhampton (Q). Race westernensis: far se. Aust. from c. Hunter R. (NSW) to Port Phillip Bay (Vic.), and inland to NSW Riverina. Race tephropleurus: Lord Howe I. Race lateralis: breeds Tas., Bass Strait islands, s. Vic. Race pinarochrous: breeds w. Vic. to Kangaroo I., w. to c. Ceduna (SA). Race chloronotus: breeds sw. SA, s. of Nullarbor Plain w. along Bight coast, and throughout sw. WA, n. to Wongan Hills-Shark Bay, and coastally n. to c. Pt Cloates. Common, often very abundant; some races nomadic and/or migratory. Part of lateralis population leaves Tas. from mid-summer through autumn, dispersing through coastal se. Aust., n. to se. Q; returns to Tas. Aug.-Oct. Birds on Gt Barrier Reef islands n. of Bunker/Capricorn Groups sedentary; some resemble Pale White-eyes; subspecific status confused. Also NZ, Norfolk I., Pacific islands, to Fiji.
- Distribution key to races
- 1. Zosterops lateralis vegetus 2. Zosterops lateralis cornwalli 3. Zosterops lateralis chlorocephalus 4. Zosterops lateralis westernensis 5. Zosterops lateralis lateralis 6. Zosterops lateralis ochrochrous 7. Zosterops lateralis pinarochrous 8. Zosterops lateralis chloronotus 9. Zosterops lateralis tephropleurus (Lord Howe I.)
