Alternative names: Teardrop White-eye; Faichuk White-eye
- Rukia ruki
Identification
14 - 14.5cm.
- Indistinct white eye-ring (white developed under eye only)
- Dull black lores
- Dark brownish-olive upperparts and underparts
- Darker, more blackish-brown primaries
- Reddish-brown eye
- Black bill
- Orange-rufous legs
Sexes similar, juveniles undescribed
Distribution
Found on four islands in the Faichuk Group, a group of islands within the Chuuk (Truk) atoll in Micronesia.
A restricted-range species with a very small population. A census in 1985 found 382 birds on Tol South (Mount Winipat), 19 on Onei, 32 on Paata and 93 on Polle. Classified as critically endangered.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
It seems to be structurally and vocally very similar to Golden White-eye.
Habitat
Native forest. Prefers dense, old-growth and well-developed forest above 400m with the endemic poison tree.
Behaviour
No information on diet for adults. Young birds are fed with insects.
Breeding season in April. One described nest was cup-shaped and made of moss, bark strips and dried grass-like plant fibres. It was placed 20m above the ground in a leaf cluster of a poison tree and contained a single chick.
Nothing known about movements.
References
- Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2008. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 13: Penduline-tits to Shrikes. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553453
- Gill, F and D Donsker (Eds). 2010. IOC World Bird Names (version 2.7). Available at http://www.worldbirdnames.org/.
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Truk White-eye. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 7 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Truk_White-eye
