Bird Guide

Cape White-eye vs Silvereye

Cape White-eye (Zosterops virens)

Cape White-eye

Zosterops virens

Tiny11 gShrubland

This species is about 12 cm long with rounded wings, strong legs, and a conspicuous ring of white feathers round the eyes. The upperparts are green, and the throat and vent are bright yellow. The members of the Z. v. capensis has a grey breast and belly, whereas Z. v. virens has a greenish-yellow breast and belly. They are very vocal, and constantly keep in touch with soft trilled pee, pree or pirreee call notes.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa · CC BY 2.0
Silvereye (Zosterops lateralis)

Silvereye

Zosterops lateralis

Tiny13 gShrubland

A small bird 11 to 13 cm in length and around 10 g in weight, it has a conspicuous ring of white feathers around its eye. There are a number of plumage variations depending on the sub-species. Generally it has olive-green wings and either a grey or olive-green back, a lighter coloured throat - yellow or grey, flanks that range from chestnut to pale buff, and an undertail that may be white or yellow. Within Australia there are seasonal migrations and the ranges of the sub-species overlap.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Silvereye
Recorded by Richard Fuller · Nocturnal flight call · Carindale, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia · CC0
Photo: (c) BIHNZ, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by BIHNZ · cc-by

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Cape White-eye and Silvereye.