Green-backed White-eye

Zosterops xanthochroa

White-eyes, Yuhinas, and Allies · Passeriformes · Rare

The Green-backed White-eye (Zosterops xanthochroa) is a rare white-eyes, yuhinas, and alli found only in New Caledonia, weighing about 10 g. The green-backed white-eye is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae.

Least ConcernRareEndemicEats invertebratesforestcup nest10 g

About the Green-backed White-eye

The green-backed white-eye is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is also known as the New Caledonian white-eye. It is endemic to New Caledonia.

Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

How to identify it

The green-backed white-eye is 11.5–12.5 centimetres (4.5–4.9 in) in length and weighs around 8.5–12 grams (0.30–0.42 oz). The head and back are dark olive green with a wide white eye-ring and black lores (which breaks the eye-ring at the front), the throat and breast are yellow and the undersides are dirty white. The wings are brown and olive green. The bill is slate coloured with white at the base of the lower mandible, and the legs are pale slate coloured as well. Both sexes are alike, but the plumage of juvenile birds has not been described.

Where it lives

When to see it

Best months: January, March, April, May, July, August, September, October, November, December, with peak activity in November. It is a variable species across most of its range.

Easily confused with

Quick questions

How do you identify a Green-backed White-eye?
The green-backed white-eye is 11.5–12.5 centimetres (4.5–4.9 in) in length and weighs around 8.5–12 grams (0.30–0.42 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
How big is a Green-backed White-eye?
The Green-backed White-eye is a tiny sized bird weighing about 10 g.
Where can you see a Green-backed White-eye?
The Green-backed White-eye is endemic to New Caledonia, which is the only country where it occurs.
What birds look similar to a Green-backed White-eye?
The Green-backed White-eye is most easily confused with the Bridled White-eye, the Black-fronted White-eye and the Fiji White-eye.
Is the Green-backed White-eye endangered?
The Green-backed White-eye is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Learn the Green-backed White-eye for real

BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.

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