White Eyes

The Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonica) is an East Asian bird that is resident in Hong Kong, a natural part of Hong Kong’s ecology and also a common pet. The name of this tiny, ubiquitous bird comes from the white feathers that surround its eye.

Not the Japanese-White Eye anymore....Due to a taxonomic shift, it now has a new name. But I refuse to use it....as common names are not "policed" or considered inaccurate in the same way that the latin/binomial nomenclature system is/are/whatever. So there. In Hong Kong, the bird formerly called the “Japanese White-eye” is now generally called Swinhoe's white-eye.

Why the name changed

Scientists re-examined the genetics of white-eyes and found that the birds in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia were a different species from the true Japanese birds. A major study in 2018 split the old “Japanese White-eye” into multiple species.

These are sociable birds often joining flocks of other birds. When in their own groups, they have a social hierarchy established through varying physical displays. Both sexes flex, flutter and vibrate their wings, as well as opening their beaks and rapidly snapping them shut.

Males establish their dominance based on who can shrill the loudest. Omnivorous birds, they feed on insects, nectar and fruit. The consumption of pollen has lead to some interesting ‘orange-headed’ varieties.

These birds can be found in the new year cherry blossoms, or the flame trees that are found around Hong Kong.