Alternative name: Bonin Honeyeater; Bonin Islands White-eye
- Apalopteron familiare
Identification
13.5cm.
- Olive green upperparts
- Pale yellow underparts
- Grey flanks
- White eye rim
- Black mask
- Black legs
Distribution
Endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan.
Taxonomy
The familiy placement of this species was long unsure. It was first believed to be a Bulbul, the placed with the Old World Babblers or the Old World Warblers and then put into the Honeyeaters. However, recent study shows, that it's more closely related to the White-eyes and should be placed there (See this discussion).
Subspecies[1]
There are 2 subspecies:
- A. f. familiare on Muko-jima (Northern Bonin Islands), probably extinct.
- A. f. hahasima on several islands in the Southern Bonins.
Habitat
Forest edge, bushes, plantations and gardens.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes papaya, banana, other fruits and flowers.
Breeding
They nest in the fork of a tree or in cavities.
Vocalisation
Whistling calls.
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- BirdLife International
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Bonin White-eye. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 15 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Bonin_White-eye
