Key data

• Size: 10 - 11,5 cm

• Weight: 9 - 13 g

• Diet: Fruits, nectar, and insects

• Season: resident bird

• Observation tip:  Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan

Photography tips:

• Lens: 600 mm or greater

• Difficulty level: middle

The Japanese Warbling white-eye (Zosterops japonicus) is a small, round bird that grows to be about 10 to 11 centimeters in size and weighs between 7 and 11 grams. It has a green or gray-green back and a white underside. The breast is pale gray, and the tail is short and slightly forked. The bird has a distinctive white eye-ring around its eye, which gives it its name "white-eye". The bill is black and has a slight curve.

The species is known for its lively, energetic behavior and its ability to fly quickly and nimbly. The Japanese White-eye feeds mainly on fruits, nectar, and insects. The bird is found on the Japanese islands of Honshu, Kyushu, Shikoku, and other nearby islands, as well as on the Korean Peninsula and in China.

The Japanese White-eye inhabits open and wooded areas that include both deciduous and evergreen forests with trees and shrubs that bear flowers and berries. These birds can also be observed in human settlements such as gardens, parks, and agricultural areas. The Japanese White-eye is adaptable and can be found in relatively dry areas with 25 centimeters of annual rainfall as well as in rainforests with up to 760 centimeters of rainfall.