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Kikuyu White-eye Zosterops kikuyuensis Scientific name definitions

Josep del Hoyo, Nigel Collar, and Guy M. Kirwan
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated September 24, 2019

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

11·5–12 cm; 9–14 g. Adult is rich green on crown and upperparts, with very broad (3 mm) eyering, very broad and well-defined golden-yellow forehead band (to above lores and eyes); flight-feathers and primary-coverts blackish brown, edged green to yellowish green, tail dark brown with narrow green outer edges; centre of breast to undertail yellow, breast-sides and flanks dark green; axillaries pale yellow, underwing-coverts white with yellow tinge; iris brown or hazel; bill black; legs slate to pale grey. Sexes alike. Immature resembles adult.

Systematics History

Usually treated as conspecific with Z. poliogastrus, but see comments under that species. Differs from poliogastrus by its much more extensive yellow forehead (2); deep olive-green vs buffy-grey flanks (3); yellow vs whitish belly (3); and larger eyering (mensural character; 2); from Z. kaffensis by its much more extensive yellow forehead (2); deep vs pale olive-green flanks (2); paler yellow throat (1); and larger eyering (2); from Z. kulalensis by its much more extensive yellow forehead (2); deep olive-green vs grey flanks (3); larger eyering (1); and smaller size (bill and wing; at least 1); and from Z. silvanus, Z. eurycricotus, Z. mbuluensis and Z. winifredae in characters given under those species. Recent research suggests most of these taxa are also vocally distinct from one another (1), but work needed to assess levels of divergence. Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

C Kenyan highlands from Meru district, Mt Kenya and Aberdare Mts S to Nairobi.

Habitat

Highland forest, forest edge, bamboos and wooded gardens, Euphorbia and olive trees (Olea), eucalypt (Eucalyptus) and conifer woods; at c. 1500–3400 m.

Movement

Sedentary.

Diet and Foraging

Small berries, pieces of figs (Ficus), papaw (Carica) pulp; also invertebrates, especially aphids (Aphidoidea); also nectar (of exotic Grevillea robusta). Nestling diet small spiders (Araneae) and tiny caterpillars. Especially fond of Vernonia trees. Moves actively with short hops and brief flights, searching among creepers, upperside of leaves, poking into crevices, clumps of moss, lichen, leaf debris caught in branches and curled-up leaves; also sidles down twigs to reach small fruits in terminal foliage, mainly 1–6 m above ground. Forms flocks of up to 30 individuals.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song described as a rising and falling jumble of often-slurred notes, with a rather mournful quality, e.g. “zhree zhree zhri zhree zhri zhree zhri zhew”. Typical buzzing and twittering calls, given while foraging and moving in flocks together, e.g. “whii-tu-tu-her-tu” and “whii-tew”.

Breeding

Feb–Jun (mainly Apr–May) in E Africa; double-brooded, and may re-nest a third time if first two efforts both fail. Monogamous, but not territorial. No apparent territoriality; two nests may be close together. Nest built by both sexes, taking 7–10 days, a small cup 45 mm in diameter and 35 mm deep, neat inside, constructed of beard lichen (Usnea), moss, fine fibres and spider web, sometimes decorated externally with green moss and spider cocoons, slung between two stems, arms of a fork etc. in bush (e.g. Datura) or tree, typically c. 1–7 m above ground, protected from rain and sun by overhanging foliage. Clutch 2–3 eggs, blue or white, 17–18 × 12 mm; incubation by both sexes, for 11–12 days; nestling period 15 days. Young and eggs predated by shrikes (Laniidae) and arboreal rodents; nests parasitized by Green-backed Honeybird (Prodotiscus zambesiae).

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Very common in the forests around Nairobi, on the Aberdares, and on Mt Kenya, but more local elsewhere in its range.

Distribution of the Broad-ringed White-eye (Kikuyu) - Range Map
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Distribution of the Broad-ringed White-eye (Kikuyu)

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

del Hoyo, J., N. Collar, and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Kikuyu White-eye (Zosterops kikuyuensis), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.brrwhe3.01
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