The Sri Lanka white-eye (Zosterops ceylonensis)
is a small passerine bird in the white-eye family. It is a resident breeder in
forests, gardens and plantations which is endemic to Sri Lanka, mainly in the
highlands.
This bird is slightly larger than the Oriental white-eye (about
11 cm long) which it replaces above 4000 ft. The upper parts of the
body and sides of neck are dark olive green. The rump appears paler green while
the crown and forehead appear darker. The wings and tail are brown edged with
green on the back. The typical ring of tiny white feathers around the eye is
present. The lore’s are dark and there is a dark streak below the eye. The
chin, throat and upper breast are greenish-yellow as are the thighs and vent.
The belly region is grayish white. The dark bill has a slaty base to the lower mandible.
The legs are dark. The iris is yellow to reddish-brown.
This species
can be distinguished from the widespread Oriental white-eye, Zosterops
palpebrosus, by its larger size, duller green back and more extensive
yellow on the breast. It has a darker patch between the eye and the bill.
It is
sociable, forming large flocks which only separate on the approach of the
breeding season. It builds a tree nest and lays 3 unspotted pale blue eggs.
Though
mainly insectivorous, Sri Lankan white-eye will also eat nectar and fruits of
various kinds.
The English
and scientific names refer to the conspicuous ring of white feathers round the
eyes, Zosterops being Greek for girdle-eye.
In Sri Lanka,
this bird is known as Lanka Sithasiya in the Sinhala language. This bird
appears in a 35c Sri Lankan postal stamp first issued in 1983.
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