Zosterops

This warbler-like bird readily becomes tamed and is a good exhibition species.

Description:

Size: 10 cm (4 in)

COCK:

Body: green. Breast: grey-white. Belly: grey-white. Chin: yellow. Throat: yellow. Eye ring: white feathers. Beak: black. Legs: grey.

HEN:

Similar, but these birds may be sexed by the attractive song of the cock bird.

Diet: (Softbill)

The basic diet consists of fruit, especially pears, oranges and grapes, fine grade insectile mix and sponge cake soaked in a honey and water mixture. Small live food is necessary, including mealworms, cleaned maggots, spiders and flies. This bird also enjoys crumbled rusks with grated carrot and finely chopped dates. Nectar should be available in drinkers at all times.

The delicate appearance of this bird is deceptive since it is surprisingly hardy and, once acclimatized, can winter successfully outside if there is access to a frost-proof shelter.

Breeding:

If conditions are right, Indian Zosterops make good parents. Since these birds are difficult to sex, try to keep several in the aviary and a pair should become evident. Breeding may be encouraged with an artificial nest, placed in a nest box. This may be added to by the pair. Sometimes, they construct a nest using grasses, roots and wool. Three to four pale turquoise, narrow eggs are laid. There are no flecks on the shells.

Plenty of live insects are needed to rear a nest of chicks, including greenfly, black fly and spiders. Nests are usually located high up in the aviary.

Zosterops Information

• The exact population of the bird is not yet determined but the bird specie covers an area of about 1,000,000-10,000,000 kmІ. The bird reported to be of least concern in the list of IUCN, the red list of species who are experiencing more than 30% decline in population in 10 years or three generations.
• The bird is accounted to be one of the most competent birds in spreading seeds.
• During the winter and the autumn seasons the birds flocks down to the trees full of berries and then move to another place after devouring the fruits and spreading the seeds while flying away.
• In fact the bird is largely responsible for influencing the type of vegetation in their native habitat.
• There several species of the zosterops family. The species are distributed in various regions of the world including Africa, southern Asia, south western part of Africa and Australia. The Tasmanian sub Australian specie migrates to the western part of the Australian mainland and New Zealand during winter.
• Though not originated in New Zealand but the bird is regarded to be the native of that place as the bird specie has naturally colonized in that country when a flock of migratory birds were compelled to shift their direction towards New Zealand due to an upcoming storm.