Explore Taxonomy
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Zosteropidae
Genus
Zosterops
Surprise Me
Previous Pale White-eye
Next Chestnut-flanked White-eye
- Mbulu White-eye
© Markus Lilje
- Mbulu White-eye
- Mbulu White-eye
- Mbulu White-eye
- Mbulu White-eye
Listen

Mbulu White-eye Zosterops mbuluensis Scientific name definitions

Josep del Hoyo, Nigel Collar, and Guy M. Kirwan
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated September 25, 2019

Sign in to see your badges

Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

11–12 cm. Adult is most similar to formerly conspecific Z. kikuyuensis, with narrow and not well-defined yellow forehead, merging with yellow-green of crown, eyering somewhat narrow (c. 2 mm), upperparts green; flight-feathers and primary-coverts blackish brown, edged green to yellowish green, tail dark brown with narrow green outer edges; and has golden-yellow underparts, paler green on sides; 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 orange-tinged vs yellow forehead (2); olive-green vs buffy-grey flanks (3); strong yellow vs whitish belly (3); more golden vs yellow undertail-coverts (ns[1]); larger eyering (mensural character; 2); and shorter wing (allow 2); from Z. kaffensis by its orange-tinged vs yellow forehead (2); more golden vs yellow undertail-coverts (1); larger eyering (2); shorter wing (allow 2); and longer bill (ns[1]); from Z. kulalensis by its orange-tinged vs yellow forehead (2); olive-green vs grey flanks (3); strong yellow vs yellowish belly (2); more golden vs yellow undertail-coverts (ns[1]); larger eyering (2); and shorter wing (allow 2); from Z. kikuyuensis by its orange-tinged vs extensive yellow forehead (3); more golden vs yellow undertail-coverts (1); blacker tail (1); and shorter wing and notably tail (allow 2); from Z. eurycricotus by its orange-tinged vs green forehead (2); brighter yellow throat to belly (2); paler olive-green flanks (1); more golden vs yellow undertail-coverts (1); and shorter wing and notably tail (allow 2); and from Z. silvanus 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

S Kenya (Namanga Hills and Chyulu Hills) and N Tanzania (from Mt Hanang, Mbulu and Crater Highlands, Mt Ketumbeine and Longido E to N Pare Mts).

Habitat

Highland forest and forest edge, but precise elevational limits not yet established.

Movement

Sedentary.

Diet and Foraging

Diet basically unknown. Foraging behaviour presumably largely as described for Z. kikuyuensis.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Song and calls are probably similar to other highland white-eyes, but not yet recorded.

Breeding

No information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Common on Ol Doinyo Orok and the Chyulu Hills, in S Kenya, and the Crater Highlands, Mt Hanang, Mbulu Highlands, Longido, Mt Ketumbeine and North Pare Mts, in N Tanzania.

Distribution of the Broad-ringed White-eye (Mbulu) - Range Map
Enlarge
  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Broad-ringed White-eye (Mbulu)

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

del Hoyo, J., N. Collar, and G. M. Kirwan (2020). Mbulu White-eye (Zosterops mbuluensis), 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.brrwhe9.01
Birds of the World

Partnerships

A global alliance of nature organizations working to document the natural history of all bird species at an unprecedented scale.

American Ornithological Society American Ornithilogical Society Armonia Bolivia Aves Argentinas Avibase Aves Uruguay Birds Caribbean Bird Count India Conservación de Islas Corbidi Fundación Ñankulafkén Instituto Humboldt Lynx Edicions Oikonos Oriental Bird Club Ornithological Society Of The Middle East The Caucasus And Central Asia RED DE OBSERVADORES DE AVES Y VIDA SILVESTRE DE CHILE Roberts Birds Save Brasil Taiwan Biodiversity Research Institute Union Venezolana De Ornitologos