Redirect to:
- Zosterops montanus
Identification
11.5–12 cm 4.5-4.7 inches. 9.4–12.6 g.
- Forehead and Supraloral region yellow.
- Medium width white eyering with dark spot at front.
- Black lores extending under eyering.
- Crown and upperparts deep yellowish green, rump yellower.
- Primaries and retrices black-brown with greeny outer edging.
- Yellow throat, upper breast and undertail coverts.
- Rest of underparts are dirty white with the flanks with a buff wash.
- Eye off white or yellowish.
- Beak is horn or black with base of lower mandible grey.
- Legs lead grey.
- Sexes alike.
- Juvenile duller than adult, with a greener throat, forehead similar to rest of the head, Less well marked grey brown flanks.
Distribution
Indonesia and the Philippines.
Taxonomy
There are 10 subspecies[1]
- Z.m. whiteheadi Smaller and greener above.
- Northern Philippines (northern Luzon)
- Z.m. halconensis Larger than Z.m. vulcani occasionally a weak median stripe on belly.
- Philippines (Mindoro)
- Z.m. gilli
- Philippines (Marinduque)
- Z.m. pectoralis Wide yellow streak below, flanks washed yellow
- Philippines (northern Negros)
- Z.m. diuatae Very similar to Z.m. vulcani with more yellow upperparts.
- Southern Philippines (north Mindanao)
- Z.m. vulcani Similar to nominate with less yellow on forehead.
- Southern Philippines (Mount Apo and Mount Kitanglad on Mindanao)
- Z.m. parkesi Larger and more yellow than Z.m. whiteheadi, face and forehead greeny gold, eyering stronger and
brighter yellow on chin, throat and undertail coverts.
- Southwest Philippines (Palawan)
- Z.m. obstinatus Yellow belly.
- Indonesia: Moluccas (Ternate, Bacan and Seram)
- Z.m. montanus
- Z.m. difficilis Completely yellow underparts, paler on flanks.
- Indonesia: Southern Sumatra
Habitat
Primary forest and shrubs of the Ericaceae family, secondary growth and forest edge. Also in isolated scrub near summit and as far up as volcanic activity permits vegetation to approach. It is often the most common species in such areas. Also in evergreen forests on Timor, Java and Luzon, hop bushes on Sumbawa and cultivated woodland on Flores. Found above 500 m, but mostly above 900–1200 m. Above 1000 m in the Philippines, 2200–3100 m on Sumatra, 1600–3300 m on Java, 1500–3500 m (sometimes as far down as 900 m) on Sulawesi where it is relatively common, it is found between 1000 m and 1300 m, common between 1000 m and up to at least 2300 m on Sumbawa, rare at 2300 m on Seram. On Java it occurs on Mount Papandayan (2660 m) and higher.
Behaviour
Diet
Fruits, nectar and small insects, including small beetles, moths, caterpillars, and lice. Gregarious, moving in fast and noisy flocks of 4 or 5 individuals, but up to a dozen. Frequently seen in large flocks, often with other species. Occurs in upper levels of the forest.
Breeding
Recorded fromJanuary to May in the Philippines, August to October in West Java, April to June and August on Flores, August on Sulawesi. Nest material said to include lichens and bits of seeding grass-heads, but very little known. 2 or 3 eggs, white or creamy, occasionally with faint bluish to light blue tint on Sulawesi, pale greenish on West Java.
Vocalisation
Geographical variation in song occurs as follows: On Sulawesi, the song starts with a “peet-peet” followed by a quiet warbling. On Sumatra a low melodious song of 3 notes. On Java a longer clear warble similar to the Mountain Leaf Warbler. Contact calls are soft, flexible and high-pitched, or metallic sounding.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved October 2015)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Mountain White-eye. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 20 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Mountain_White-eye
