Vanikoro White-eye
Encyclopedia
The Vanikoro White-eye (Zosterops gibbsi) is a species of bird
in the Zosteropidae family. It is endemic to Vanikoro in the Santa Cruz Islands
of Temotu Province
in the south-east of the Solomon Islands
chain. The species is named for David Gibbs who discovered it.
(Zosterops sanctaecrucis), by several features including a much longer bill and different eye-ring and leg colouring.
ecoregion
. Within its range the Vanikoro White-eye is common in upland forests although it also occurs in degraded lowland forests.
of the Vanikoro White-eye suggest that it is a cooperative breeder
, with additional helpers aiding the breeding pair, an unusual trait in Zosterops white-eyes. The nest of this species is a deep bowl of woven grass stems. The species forages in trees and frequently feeds on the trunks of trees and on the underside of branches.
in 2009. The upland forests that comprise its main habitat are not thought to be threatened by deforestation and the island is seldom visited, reducing opportunities for the accidental introduction of dangerous invasive species
, so the species is probably not threatened at the moment.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Zosteropidae family. It is endemic to Vanikoro in the Santa Cruz Islands
Santa Cruz Islands
The Santa Cruz Islands are a group of islands in the Pacific Ocean, part of Temotu Province of the Solomon Islands. They lie approximately 250 miles to the southeast of the Solomon Islands Chain...
of Temotu Province
Temotu Province
Temotu is the easternmost province of the Solomon Islands. The province was formerly known as Santa Cruz Islands Province. It consists, essentially, of two chains of islands which run parallel to each other from the northwest to the southeast.- Islands :...
in the south-east of the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
chain. The species is named for David Gibbs who discovered it.
Description
The Vanikoro White-eye differs from its geographically closest congener, the Santa Cruz White-eyeSanta Cruz White-eye
The Santa Cruz White-eye is a species of bird in the Zosteropidae family.It is endemic to the Solomon Islands.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 27 July 2007....
(Zosterops sanctaecrucis), by several features including a much longer bill and different eye-ring and leg colouring.
Habitat
The Santa Cruz Islands lie in the Vanuatu rain forestsVanuatu rain forests
The Vanuatu rain forests are a terrestrial ecoregion that includes the islands of Vanuatu, as well as the Santa Cruz Islands group of the neighboring Solomon Islands. It is part of the Australasia ecozone, which includes neighboring New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands, as well as Australia, New...
ecoregion
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
. Within its range the Vanikoro White-eye is common in upland forests although it also occurs in degraded lowland forests.
Behaviour
Observations of the nestNest
A nest is a place of refuge to hold an animal's eggs or provide a place to live or raise offspring. They are usually made of some organic material such as twigs, grass, and leaves; or may simply be a depression in the ground, or a hole in a tree, rock or building...
of the Vanikoro White-eye suggest that it is a cooperative breeder
Cooperative breeding
Cooperative breeding is a social system in which individuals contribute care to offspring that are not their own at the expense of their own reproduction . When reproduction is monopolized by one or few of the adult group members and most adults do not reproduce, but help rear the breeder’s...
, with additional helpers aiding the breeding pair, an unusual trait in Zosterops white-eyes. The nest of this species is a deep bowl of woven grass stems. The species forages in trees and frequently feeds on the trunks of trees and on the underside of branches.
Status
This species has been assessed by BirdLife InternationalBirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
in 2009. The upland forests that comprise its main habitat are not thought to be threatened by deforestation and the island is seldom visited, reducing opportunities for the accidental introduction of dangerous invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
, so the species is probably not threatened at the moment.