Socotra White-eye

Zosterops socotranus

A small, sharp-billed warbler-like bird. Note the yellow throat, pale-gray underparts, and narrow white spectacles around the eyes. Found at low elevations, in all habitats with bushes and trees, though especially fond of woodland in valleys. Usually encountered in small, hyperactive flocks. Most common calls include a high-pitched rising rattle and a soft “tew.” Distinctive within its very limited range.

Taxonomy

Scientific name
Zosterops socotranus
Authority
Neumann, 1908
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Zosteropidae
Genus
Zosterops

Photos

Other Birds

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Mackenziaena leachii

Medium-sized antshrike with a rather small head, a short robust bill, and a long tail. Males are black with white spots and an entirely black tail while females are black with cinnamon spots and barring throughout. Mostly seen in pairs in the dense understory of humid forests closer to bamboo, can be active but hard to see. The song is a loud and clear series of ascending and descending notes.

Lesser Crested Tern

Lesser Crested Tern

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Elegant medium-sized tern with a slender yellow-orange bill and black crown. Can be confused with Great Crested Tern; note proportionally longer, more orangey bill on Lesser Crested. Also note gray upperwing, which separates it from Sandwich Tern. Gray rump and tail are diagnostic if seen well. On juveniles, note dull legs, secondaries with dark centers, and a weakly patterned upperwing. Strictly coastal, usually found on beaches and estuaries. Call a noisy “kerrrick.”

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Rhipidura semicollaris

Small island specialist; a "classic" fantail, with long, pale-tipped tail and slim bill. Plumage extremely geographically variable, and likely involves multiple species. Most populations have some rufous on the back and rump, but birds on small islands off of western Papua and parts of the Banda Sea are entirely brown above. Note black mask in most populations, and a black necklace with a variable amount of additional black spotting on the chest. Frequently cocks and fans tail. Actively forages near the ground in areas with dense vegetation, including mangroves. Previously considered the same species as Rufous Fantail, and more recently, Arafura Fantail.

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