Northern Yellow White-eye

Overview

The northern yellow white-eye, formerly known as the African yellow white-eye, is a small bird in the family Zosteropidae found across sub-Saharan Africa. It was formerly considered conspecific with the Angola white-eye but is now recognised as distinct following a 2013 molecular phylogenetic study.

Identification

• A small yellow bird measuring 11.5 cm in length, with a prominent white eye ring surrounding a dark eye.
• Underparts and head are yellow, featuring a black loral stripe and a black bill.
• Flight and tail feathers are brown edged with yellowish olive; some subspecies appear greener, particularly in forest habitats.
• Juveniles are darker than adults.

Habitat

This species is widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania in the west to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the east, and south to northern Angola. It inhabits areas where it forages among the canopy of trees.

Diet

The diet mainly consists of insects such as caterpillars, aphids, and termite alates, supplemented by fruit including figs and cabbage tree (Cussonia spp.), as well as nectar from flowers. It forages by gleaning prey from foliage and bark, often as a member of mixed-species foraging flocks.

Did you know?

If disturbed in the nest, the young will often panic and jump out of the nest. The nest itself is a small cup made of dried grass and small twigs, placed in foliage about 3.5 m above the ground and secured with spider web.