Eye-ring

For other uses, see Eye ring.
White-eyes are named for the conspicuous white eye-rings found in the majority of species.[1][2][3] Their genus name Zosterops likewise means "eye-girdle".[4]

The eye-ring of a bird is a ring of tiny feathers that surrounds the orbital ring,[5] a ring of bare skin immediately surrounding a bird's eye.[5][6] The eye-ring is often decorative, and its colour may contrast with adjoining plumage.[4] The ring of feathers is sometimes incomplete, forming an eye arc. In the absence of a conspicuous eye-ring, the orbital ring of a bird is often referred to as the eye-ring.[4][7][8][9] The bare orbital ring may be hardened or fleshy, or may form an eye-wattle. These are useful field marks in many bird species,[8][10] and the eye-ringed flatbill, eye-ringed tody-tyrant and eye-ringed thistletail are examples of species named for either of these.

  1. ^ Dutson, Guy; Allen, Richard (2011). Birds of Melanesia the Bismarcks, Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia. London: Christopher Helm. p. 402. ISBN 9781408152461.
  2. ^ "Australian yellow white-eye (Zosterops luteus)". arkive.org. Archived from the original on 2017-04-20. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  3. ^ Campbell, Bruce; Lack, Elizabeth (2010). A Dictionary of Birds. London: A & C Black. p. 307. ISBN 9781408138380.
  4. ^ a b c Carnaby, Trevor (2008). Beat about the bush: Birds (1st ed.). Johannesburg: Jacana. pp. 9–10, 31. ISBN 9781770092419.
  5. ^ a b Borrow, Nik; Demey, Ron (2013). Field Guide to the Birds of Ghana. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 24. ISBN 9781408189023.
  6. ^ Vinicombe, Keith; Harris, Alan; Tucker, Laurel (2014). The Helm guide to bird identification: an in-depth look at confusion species. London: Christopher Helm. p. 14. ISBN 9781408130353.
  7. ^ Mayntz, Melissa (2017-02-22). "Lores". The Spruce. Archived from the original on 2022-08-19. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  8. ^ a b Zimmerman, Dale A.; et al. (1999). Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania. Princeton University Press. pp. 43–45. ISBN 0691010226.
  9. ^ Kamm, Matthew; Kuss, Benjamin. "Glossary". Common Birds of New England, an electronic field guide. Brandeis University. Archived from the original on 12 March 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  10. ^ Birdsley, Jeff. "IB 461: Ornithology, External Anatomy" (PDF). School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 March 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2017.