Silvereye – Tauhou – Wax eye

Silvereye – Tauhou – Wax eye

Zosterops lateralis – Tauhau means stranger or new arrival

Silvereyes are self introduced and relatively new to New Zealand

The Silvereye was self introduced in the mid 1800s approximately 170 years ago. It is suspected a storm blew a migrating flock eastwards from Australia. With the opening up of the bush they were able to establish.

Because Silvereyes are self introduced they are considered native to NZ.

As Silvereyes came from Australia they had already adapted to predators allowing them a better chance of survival than longer term NZ native birds. They are not considered endangered.

Silvereyes can be seen in the Tangihua forest in small flocks

Silvereyes’ flit from branch to branch, often in Manuka, probing for insects. They are also found on farm land outside the forest

About Silvereye

Silvereyes are slightly smaller than a sparrow and have a silver circle around the eye. The feathers on their backs are olive-green. The underparts are whitish-cream on the throat and upper breast, creamy grey on the belly and under the tail tail. The flanks are pinkish-buff, the thighs are white, and the underside of the wings creamy-white. The sexs and juveniles all look very similar except the juveniles may lack the silver eye.

Silvereyes have a fine tapered bill for reaching into bark for insects and a brush tipped tongue for pollen and nectar similar to tui or bell birds

Silvereye life cycle

photo

juvenile silvereye New Zealand birds online

Silvereyes are monogamous and territorial when breeding, nesting between August-September and February
Nests are in the outermost branches of trees, shrubs and treeferns, mostly more than 8 metres above the ground. They are a well-built, delicate cup woven into small branches and comprising moss, lichen, small fine twigs, hair, spider web and thistledown. One or both sexes build nests.
Two or three clutches may be raised during a season, with 2-5 eggs per clutch. Eggs are pale blue and laid at 24 hour intervals. Incubation is shared by the sexes and takes 10-12 days.
Young are blind and naked when hatched apart from two tiny tufts of down on the head. Their eyes open after 4 days, they are well-feathered 10 days after hatching, and fledge at 9-11 days-old. Both sex’s feed fledglings.

Silvereyes form flocks when not nesting e.g winter.

Silvereye diet and impact on the native forest

Silvereye’s are omnivorous and eat a range of small insects such as aphids, caterpillars and flies, also spiders, gleaned from shrubs and trees. They also feed on a range of small and large fruits including small berries and ripening fruit . Silvereyes also feed on the nectar of native and exotic plants including kowhai, fuchsia, eucalypts and bottlebrushes.

Silvereyes are known to spread seeds of native trees and shrubs, including kahikatea and coprosmas. Silvereyes assist with pollination of some tree species such as kowhai and fuchsia when feeding on nectar. They will also spread weeds seeds as well

They have no recognised impacts on native bird species.

reference
DOC
NZ birds online