26

Silvereye

(Zosterops lateralis)
: "Grey-backed Silvereye", "Blight-bird", "Sivve", "Silvey",
"Grinnell", "Tauhou", "Waxeye", "White-eye", "Grape-eater";
Race "chloronotus": "Grey-breasted White-eye"

Aboriginal name(s): Race "chloronotus": "boang", "djoolwedelong"
Size: 11-13 cm
Weight: 9-15 g

Similar
species

Description

Classification

Distribution

Sightings

Photos

Breeding

Nest

Eggs

Behaviour

Food

Call/s

Physical description

Click here for physical description of this species Click here for a physical description

Silvereyes are small bushland birds. Details of the colour pattern of their plumage depend on race. Common features across all races are an olive-green to olive-yellow head with conspicuous white eye-rings and black lores. The front is grey and the wings are olive-green with dark-grey edges on the flight feathers. The uppertail is olive-green. The eyes have brown irises. The nearly straight, pointy bill is dark-grey; the legs and feet are grey. Some races have a yellow throat, others a grey throat. Most races have a grey mantle, race "chloronotus" has an olive-yellow mantle. Most races have grey flanks; only race "lateralis" has brown flanks. The eyes have brown irises. The almost straight, pointy bill is grey. The legs and feet are also grey. Juveniles across all races have paler colours than adult Silvereyes.

Twitcher's tip

Compared with Yellow White-eyes, Silvereyes have more varied colour patterns. There is no overlap in the ranges of the two species.

Taxonomy, classification

See Silvereye at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org .

The global distribution of the Silvereye is available HERE .

Silvereyes are strongly migratory birds, with a total of eight races across Australia that can mix and hybridize. Recently a radical revision of these races has occurred - check a field guide for details.

Their overall range extends from Australia in the West, via Norfolk Island, Vanuatu and New Caledonia, to French Polynesia in the East. The species is also found across New Zealand, including outlying islands such as Chatham Island in the East and Adams Island and Campbell Island in the South.

Seven of the eight races of Silvereyes are endemic to Australia. Nominate race "lateralis" has also colonised New Zealand. Altogether, Silvereyes populate the coastal fringe from Cape York peninsula, via the East coast, the Great Dividing Range and, especially in the non-breeding season, parts of inland NSW (except the north-western corner of the state), all of VIC, the south-eastern corner of SA and south-western WA, plus the WA West coast, to about the North West Cape. They are also found in Tasmania. Only nominate race "lateralis" lives and breeds in Tasmania and Flinders Island. During the non-breeding season they colonize the south-eastern coastal fringe and ranges of the Australian continent, from Eyre peninsula to the area around Brisbane, QLD. During the breeding season, the other races should be in the following core ranges: Race "vegetus" on the East coast of Cape York, down to about Cairns; race "cornwalli" on the coastal fringe or the tablelands/ranges between Cairns, QLD, and Sydney, NSW; race "chlorocephalus" on the Whitsundays, QLD; race "westernensis" in the south-eastern corner of the continent, limited by lines from Sydney to Dubbo, NSW, and Dubbo to Cape Otway, VIC; race "ochrochrous" on Flinders Island; race "pinarochrous" in the area between Dubbo, NSW, Cape Otway, VIC, and Eyre peninsula, SA; from the SA/WA border, along a narrow coastal fringe and throughout the south-western corner of WA race "chloronotus" is found. Its range extends along the West coast up to about Lyndon, WA.

Silvereyes can be found in all kinds of habitat within their range, from rainforest to open woodland.

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Race "lateralis"

Silvereyes, nominate race "lateralis", were observed by us at Bullawa Creek SCA, 15 km East of Narrabri, NSW, in August 2011, as part of a mixed group of Silvereyes, together with specimens of race "cornwalli" and possibly also "westernensis".

Silvereyes, probably of the same mix of races, visited us infrequently where we lived until 2006, 20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, where we saw them in our garden only a few times. In 2006 the first Silvereye appeared in January. Also in previous years they were around in hot conditions, making use of our water supplies.

During the winter months, Silvereyes, race "lateralis", move westward from their breeding range, into parts of SA. J. Greaves reports finding them in the Barossa Valley, SA, in June 2016.

Click here for sighting information Race "cornwalli"

Silvereyes, race "cornwalli", were found by us in August 2008 in the foothills of the Nandewar Range, in Deriah Aboriginal Area, 30 km East of Narrabri. Subsequently, they were seen there again, in large numbers, in August 2010 feeding on nectar of eucalypt flowers.

A large, mixed flock of about 250 birds was observed by us feeding on both nectar from eucalypt flowers and insects taken from interspersed Cypress pine trees at Bullawa Creek SCA, 15 km East of Narrabri, NSW, in June 2012. Similar numbers were seen in the area of Eulah Creek, 20 km East of Narrabri, in July 2012. At least 50 birds were using the dam on our property for their daily baths at the time.

Several large flocks were also observed at Leard State Forest in May 2014.

J. Greaves reports spotting Silvereyes, race "cornwalli", at The Spit, Gold Coast, QLD, in October 2015.

M. Mearns reports spotting Silvereyes, race "cornwalli", at Bunya Mountains NP, QLD, in December 2015.

Click here for sighting information Race "westernensis"

Silvereyes, race "westernensis", were spotted by us at Watagans NP in June 2009. There was a flock of about 20 birds that, together with butterflies and bees, fed on the flowers of grass trees.

I. Duncan reports spotting race "westernensis" at South West Rocks, NSW, in April 2011.

Click here for sighting information Race "pinarochrous"

Silvereyes, race "pinarochrous", were observed by us in the Flinders Ranges in March 2008.

J. Greaves reports spotting Silvereyes, race "pinarochrous", at American River, Kangaroo Island, SA, in March 2016.

Race "chlorocephalus"

H. Mouritsen reports spotting Silvereyes, race "chlorocephalus" ("Capricornian Silvereye"), on One Tree Island, Capricornia Cays NP, near Rockhampton, QLD, in January 2011.

M. Mearns found Silvereyes, race "chlorocephalus" ("Capricornian Silvereye"), on Lady Elliott Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, in January 2016.

M. Eaton spotted Silvereyes, race "chlorocephalus" ("Capricornian Silvereye"), on Lady Musgrave Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, in September 2017.

Click here for sighting information Race "vegetus"

B. Hensen reports spotting Silvereyes, race "vegetus", at Rocky Creek, Cairns, QLD, in July 2013.

A. Ross-Taylor found Silvereyes, race "vegetus", on the Atherton Tablelands, QLD, in May 2022.

Race "chloronotus"

J. Greaves reports finding Silvereyes, race "chloronotus", regularly in various locations of south-western WA, such as e.g. Mundaring, 35 km East of Perth in December 2014, Albany in January 2015, Manjimup in March 2015, Balingup in May 2016 and at Mt. Duckworth, WA, in December 2016.

D. Dyer reports finding a Silvereye, race "chloronotus", dead under the nest of a family of Australian Hobbies in Cervantes, WA, in November 2018.

C. Pears reports that Silvereyes, race "chloronotus", are found commonly in Quindalup, WA. They were also found in the city of Perth, WA, e.g. in City Beach and at Lake Herdsman.

Click here for sighting information Race "tephropleurus"

In November 2014, B. Hensen spotted race "tephropleurus" on Lord Howe Island in November 2014.

Photos

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Race "lateralis"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of an adult Silvereye; note the pinkish-rufous flanks that characterise race "lateralis"
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, August 2011]

Frontal/ventral view of a roosting Silvereye (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cook, SA, June 2016]

Lateral view of a Silvereye
[Terry Hie Hie, NSW, June 2013]

Lateral view of a Silvereye (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mt. Wellington, Hobart, TAS, April 2021]

Close-up near-dorsal/ventral view of a Silvereye
[Terry Hie Hie, NSW, June 2013]

Race "cornwalli"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Silvereye, race "cornwalli" (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

"Head on" view of a Silvereye
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, January 2019]

Frontal view of a Silvereye on the ground
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, January 2019]

Near-frontal view of a Silvereye
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, May 2012]

Near-lateral view of a Silvereye looking at the observer
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2023]

Near-lateral view of a Silvereye taking something from an Acacia salicina flower
[Eulah Creek, NSW, April 2023]

Lateral view of a Silvereye (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, August 2012]

Lateral view of a Silvereye
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, September 2022]

Lateral view of a Silvereye
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, June 2012]

Lateral view of a Silvereye (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

Dorsal view of a Silvereye, race "cornwalli"
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, June 2012]

Lateral/ventral view of a Silvereye calling
[November 2011]

Ventral view of a Silvereye, race "cornwalli"; this is the bird whose calls were recorded on 14 September 2015
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, September 2015]

Near-frontal view of a Silvereye, race "cornwalli" with facial injuries
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2019]

View onto the back of a Silvereye, race "cornwalli" with facial injuries
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2019]

Race "westernensis"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Silvereye studying the photographer
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, November 2015]

Silvereye "westernensis" trying to dislodge parasites (psyllids?) from a twig
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, June 2012]

Near-lateral view of a Silvereye "westernensis"
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, June 2012]

Lateral view of a Silvereye "westernensis" (photo courtesy of I. Duncan)
[South West Rocks, NSW, April 2011]

Lateral view of a soaking wet Silvereye ("westernensis"?) just out of the bird bath
[Coonabarabran, NSW, October 2015]

Race "pinarochrous"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Silvereye in the first light of a new day
[Near Hawker, SA, March 2008]

Near-lateral view of a Silvereye (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[American River, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Lateral view of a Silvereye
[Near Hawker, SA, March 2008]

Two Silvereyes taking advantage of a crack in a water storage tank to get a drink
[Near Hawker, SA, March 2008]

Red-browed Finches and Silvereyes taking a bath together (photo courtesy of C. Hayne)

Race "chlorocephalus"

This race is also called the "Capricornian Silvereye".

ADULT

Sex unknown

"Head-on" Silvereye (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lady Musgrave Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, September 2017]

Near-frontal view of a Silvereye (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lady Musgrave Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, September 2017]

Near-frontal view of a Silvereye (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Near-lateral view of a Silvereye (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Lady Elliot Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, January 2016]

Lateral view of a Silvereye (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lady Musgrave Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, September 2017]

Lateral view of a Silvereye (photo courtesy of H. Mouritsen)
[One Tree Island, Capricornia Cays NP, QLD, January 2011]

Dorsal view of a Silvereye (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lady Musgrave Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, September 2017]

Race "vegetus"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Silvereye, race "vegetus" (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Atherton Tablelands, QLD, May 2022]

Lateral view of a Silvereye, race "vegetus" (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Rocky Creek, Cairns, QLD, July 2013]

Race "chloronotus"

This race is also called the "Grey-breasted White-eye".

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Silvereye (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Mt. Duckworth, WA, December 2016]

Near-frontal view of a Silvereye taking an insect (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Albany, WA, January 2015]

Near-frontal view of a Silvereye after a run-in with a window pane (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[City Beach, Perth, WA, June 2022]

Near-lateral view of a Silvereye (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Albany, WA, January 2015]

Near-lateral view of a Silvereye after a run-in with a window pane (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[City Beach, Perth, WA, June 2022]

Lateral view of a Silvereye (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, October 2022]

Lateral view of a Silvereye after a run-in with a window pane (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[City Beach, Perth, WA, June 2022]

Near-dorsal view of a Silvereye in dense shrubbery (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Mundaring, 35 km East of Perth, WA, December 2014]

Dead Silvereye that has fallen prey to an Australian Hobby (photo courtesy of D. Dyer)
[Cervantes, WA, November 2018]

Race "tephropleurus"

This race is also known as the "Lord Howe Silvereye", "Lord Howe White-eye", "Lord Howe Island White-eye" or "Little Grinnell".

ADULT

Sex unknown

Lateral view of a Silvereye, race "tephropleurus" (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Lord Howe Island, November 2014]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Sep - Jan Eggs: 3 - 4 Incubation period: 10 days Fledging age: ca. 12? days

Note that Silvereyes have a very short incubation period.

Nest building: Female & male Incubation: Female & male Dependent care: Female & male

While the male marks his territory, the female takes on the full load of caring for the offspring, from start to finish.

Nest
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Suspended basket Material: Dry grass Height above ground: 1-? m

A pair of Silvereyes, race "cornwalli", was found by us to be nesting near the top of this shrub
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, December 2015]

Silvereye sitting on its nest incubating
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, January 2016]

Eggs
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 18 x 13 mm Colour: Light-blue Shape: Tapered oval

View from above into the nest of a pair of Silvereyes, race "cornwalli", with three eggs in it
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, January 2016]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal Mobility: Migratory/dispersive Elementary unit: Small flock

Some Silvereye TLC; allopreening is part of a bonding ritual
[Eulah Creek, NSW, Mary 2018]

While waiting for the disturbance to clear out, the owners of the nest have some time for a bit of Silvereye TLC; this type of behaviour is part of a bonding ritual
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, December 2015]

We have observed Silvereyes in groups from about 10 birds, up to flocks of about 250. Different races can be mixed in one flock.

Silvereye at the very top of a dead tree; this bird was communicating with its mates in other, nearby trees by exchange of contact calls while perched, before the whole group moved on
[Near Narrabri, NSW, October 2014]

We have found Silvereyes in a variety of habitats and plants, in this case in coastal banksia
[Urunga board walk, Urunga Heads, NSW, March 2015]

This Silvereye was found in reeds (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Lake Herdsman, Perth, WA, September 2022]

Food, Diet

Silvereyes have been observed by us feeding on the flowers of grass trees and eucalypts. As shown below, they clearly also take insects and small fruit.

Silvereye taking nectar from an eucalypt tree
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, November 2017]

Silvereye feeding on the blossoms of Urn Heath
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, May 2013]

Silvereye ("lateralis") feeding on the blossoms of a low shrub called Urn Heath (Melichrus urceolatus)
[Terry Hie Hie, NSW, June 2013]

Silvereyes ("cornwalli" or "westernensis") feeding on the blossoms of a grass tree
[Watagans NP, NSW, June 2009]

Near-frontal view of a Silvereye taking nectar from a flower (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lady Musgrave Island, near Agnes Water, QLD, September 2017]

Silvereye taking a native elderberry, Sambucus australasica (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, January 2019]

Silvereye, race "cornwalli", with facial injuries picking psyllids/lerps off the underside of eucalypt leaves
[Near Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2019]

Silvereye "westernensis" that has picked up a parasite (psyllid?) from a twig
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, June 2012]

Silvereye "cornwalli" having a go at parasites (psyllids?); note how hard it must be to dislodge the animals, because their foothold is strong enough for the bird to get a strong grip to steady itself on them in turn
[Bullawa Creek SCA, NSW, June 2012]

Silvereye "chloronotus" with its prey, a comparatively huge caterpillar
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Balingup, WA, May 2016]

Silvereye prying open a cavity under the bark of a Cypress pine to get to a spider
[Killarney SCA, NSW, September 2022]

Silvereye having a drink of water; this is one of the birds whose calls were recorded on 11 December 2019
[Near Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, December 2019]

Silvereyes approaching a waterhole
[Mt. Kaputar NP, NSW, October 2013]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

slvreye_20191211.m4a	cornwalli (NW NSW)	Contact calls	© MD
slvreye_20191211_2.m4a	cornwalli (NW NSW)	Thirsty? Begging calls?	© MD
slvreye_20160920.m4a	cornwalli (NE NSW)	? (in rain)	© MD

slvreye_20150905.m4a	[unknown] (NW NSW)	Territorial calls?	© MD
slvreye_20220521.m4a	[unknown] (NW NSW)	Large flock feeding	© MD
slvreye_20200805.m4a	[unknown] (NW NSW)	Various	© MD
slvreye_20220517.m4a	[unknown] (NW NSW)	Various	© MD

More Silvereye sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

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26

Silvereye

Similarspecies

Physical description

Twitcher's tip

Taxonomy, classification

Range, habitat, finding this species

Sightings

Photos

Race "lateralis"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Race "cornwalli"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Race "westernensis"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Race "pinarochrous"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Race "chlorocephalus"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Race "vegetus"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Race "chloronotus"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Race "tephropleurus"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Breeding information

Nest

Eggs

Behaviour

Food, Diet

Call(s)/Song

Similar
species