The long-billed white-eye, known as tiht in Pohnpeian, is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to the island of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia.
Region
Micronesia
Typical Environment
Occurs only on Pohnpei, where it occupies native lowland to montane rainforest, favoring mature, undisturbed tracts with dense epiphytes and vine tangles. It uses the midstory and canopy, regularly foraging along mossy branches and among flowers. The species can persist in secondary forest if native structure and plant diversity remain. It is absent from open farmland and urban areas and is most frequent in the island’s interior hill and cloud forests.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Known locally as tiht, this small white-eye is notable for its unusually long, slightly decurved bill used to probe flowers, mosses, and epiphytes. It is restricted to the island of Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia and is sensitive to loss of native forest. Often found in small, active flocks, it may join mixed-species foraging parties. Conservation concerns include habitat degradation and invasive predators.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Outside the breeding season it forages in small, chattering flocks and may join mixed-species parties with other forest birds. Pairs form during the breeding period and defend small nesting territories. The nest is a small, neat cup placed in a fork or dense foliage, and both parents attend the young.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of thin, high, twittering notes interspersed with rapid trills. Calls are sharp and contact-oriented, keeping small flocks together as they move through the canopy.
Plumage
Compact, soft-plumaged white-eye with olive-green upperparts and paler grayish to yellow-tinged underparts. The feathers are smooth and close, giving a sleek appearance, with a clean, crisp eye-ring. The long, slender bill appears slightly decurved and dark.
Diet
Takes small insects and spiders gleaned from leaves, twigs, and bark, and also sips nectar from blossoms. It frequently probes mosses, lichens, and epiphytes with its long bill to extract hidden invertebrates. Small fruits and soft berries are also consumed, especially when insect prey is less abundant.
Preferred Environment
Feeds mainly in the midstory to canopy of native rainforest, especially in areas rich in flowering plants and epiphytes. It often forages along forest edges and gaps within intact forest but avoids open, heavily altered habitats.
