Silvereye
Zosterops lateralis
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyZosteropidae (White-eyes, Yuhinas, and Allies)
- GenusZosterops (Typical White-eyes)
- SpeciesZosterops lateralis (Silvereye)
About the Silvereye
The silvereye or wax-eye (Zosterops lateralis), also known by its Māori name tauhou, is a very small omnivorous passerine bird of the south-west Pacific. In Australia and New Zealand its common name is sometimes white-eye, but this name is more commonly used to refer to all members of the genus Zosterops, or the entire family Zosteropidae.
In New Zealand, the silvereye was first recorded in 1832. It arrived in greater numbers in 1856, and it is assumed that a migrating flock was swept eastwards by a storm. As an apparently self-introduced bird it is protected as a native New Zealand species. Its Māori name, tauhou, means "stranger" or more literally, "new arrival".
The silvereye was first described by the English ornithologist John Latham in 1801 under the binomial name Sylvia lateralis. There are 17 subspecies: Z. l. chlorocephalus A. J. Campbell & S. A. White, 1910 (Capricorn silvereye)– Capricorn and Bunker Group, central Queensland, Australia
Z. l. chloronotus Gould, 1841 (western silvereye) – south-west Western Australia from Carnarvon southwards coastally and subcoastally to South Australia at the head of the Great Australian Bight Z. l. cornwalli Mathews, 1912... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Silvereye in Tongariro National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Tongariro National Park
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Silvereye in Tongariro National Park?
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Silvereye sighting in Tongariro National Park, based on 742 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Silvereye in Tongariro National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for Silvereye in Tongariro National Park in our monthly data.