White-eye is the name of a group of small, active songbirds found mainly in Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. The birds get their name from the circle of bright white feathers that surround the eyes of most species in the group. Their other feathers are dull shades of green, yellow, gray, and tan. White-eyes average from 4 to 51/2 inches (10 to 14 centimeters) in length and have long, thin bills.
There are about 85 species of white-eyes. They live in open, shrubby, and sparsely wooded areas. These birds are usually found in flocks. The flocks continually move from tree to tree, feeding on insects, berries, fruits, and flower nectar. White-eyes seem to enjoy touching each other. They huddle close together on branches when resting, and members of the flock will often preen (groom) each other with their bills.
White-eyes build cuplike nests of tightly woven plant fibers, usually in the forks of branches. The female lays from 2 to 4 eggs, which normally hatch in 11 to 13 days. Often, several adult white-eyes feed the young.
For small birds, white-eyes have been exceptionally successful at reaching oceanic islands and establishing themselves there. Most of the islands in the Indian Ocean have at least one species of white-eye. Although white-eyes are useful to people because they eat insect pests, they also can be a nuisance because they destroy fruit crops.
