Warbling white-eye

The warbling white-eye is a small passerine bird in the white-eye family. The specific epithet is occasionally written japonica, but this is incorrect due to the gender of the genus. Its native range includes much of East Asia, including the Russian Far East, Japan, Indonesia, Korea, and the Philippines. It has been intentionally introduced to other parts of the world as a pet and as pest control, with mixed results. As one of the native species of the Japanese islands, it has been depicted in Japanese art on numerous occasions, and historically was kept as a cage bird.

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Distribution

Region

East Asia

Typical Environment

Native across much of East Asia, including Japan, Korea, parts of eastern China, Taiwan, and adjacent islands, with introductions on several Pacific islands such as Hawaiʻi. It thrives in forests, woodland edges, scrub, parks, gardens, and orchards. The species readily uses urban green spaces and agricultural landscapes. In winter it may move downslope or southward to milder areas, forming large feeding flocks.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 2500 m

Climate Zone

Temperate

Characteristics

Size10–12 cm

Wing Span18–22 cm

Male Weight0.011 kg

Female Weight0.01 kg

Life Expectancy6 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 3/5

Useful to know

Also called the Japanese white-eye, this species is famous for the bold white eye-ring and sweet, warbling song. It is an important pollinator and seed disperser, frequently visiting cherry blossoms and other flowering plants. Where introduced (notably in Hawaiʻi), it can become invasive and affect native bird and plant communities. It has long cultural ties in Japan and often appears in traditional art.

Gallery

Courting

Behaviour

Temperament

social and active

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats

Social Behavior

Outside the breeding season it gathers in chattering flocks, often joining mixed-species parties. Pairs are typically monogamous, building small cup nests in shrubs or trees. Both parents share incubation and chick-rearing duties.

Migratory Pattern

Partial migrant

Song Description

A sweet, varied warble of clear whistles and trills, delivered in short phrases. Calls include thin, high tseep notes that keep flocks in contact.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Ward's trogon

Ward's trogon is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. Its range includes the northeastern parts of the Indian subcontinent stretching eastwards to Southeast Asia. It is found in Bhutan, India, Tibet, and Myanmar. It also has a disjunct population in northern Vietnam, but there are no recent records from there. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Water rail

The water rail, western water rail or European water rail is a bird of the rail family which breeds in well-vegetated wetlands across Europe, Asia and North Africa. Northern and eastern populations are migratory, but this species is a permanent resident in the warmer parts of its breeding range. The adult is 23–28 cm (9–11 in) long, and, like other rails, has a body that is flattened laterally, allowing it easier passage through the reed beds it inhabits. It has mainly brown upperparts and blue-grey underparts, black barring on the flanks, long toes, a short tail and a long reddish bill. Immature birds are generally similar in appearance to the adults, but the blue-grey in the plumage is replaced by buff. The downy chicks are black, as with all rails. The former subspecies R. indicus has distinctive markings and a call that is very different from the pig-like squeal of the western races, and is now usually split as a separate species, the brown-cheeked rail.