Crested White-eye vs Japanese White-eye

Heleia dohertyi compared with Zosterops japonicus

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Crested White-eye Japanese White-eye
Scientific Name Heleia dohertyi Zosterops japonicus
Order Passeriformes Passeriformes
Family Zosteropidae Zosteropidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length 11.5 cm (4.5 in)
Wingspan 12.2 cm (4.8 in) 17.0 cm (6.7 in)
Weight 20.0 g (0.71 oz) 11.0 g (0.39 oz)
Diet -- Insects, nectar, and fruit. Active gleaner that flits through foliage and visits flowers. Important pollinator …
Clutch Size 1-3 2-6
Population Trend
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Size Comparison

Body Length
Crested White-eye
Japanese White-eye 11.5 cm
Wingspan
Crested White-eye 12.2 cm
Japanese White-eye 17.0 cm
Weight
Crested White-eye 20.0 g
Japanese White-eye 11.0 g
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Crested White-eye only

None

Japanese White-eye only

None

Japanese White-eye

Broadleaf evergreen forests, gardens, parks, and suburban areas. Highly adaptable and common in East Asian gardens.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

Crested White-eye

Japanese White-eye

Song

Sweet, high-pitched 'tsee-tsee-tsee' whistle and soft melodic warbling. Flocks produce a continuous tinkling chorus. Alarm is a sharper 'tset'. Song is gentle and rhythmic.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Geographic Range & Migration

Crested White-eye

Japanese White-eye

East Asia including Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Introduced to Hawaii and other Pacific islands.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Crested White-eye

Least Concern

Japanese White-eye

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

Crested White-eye

Japanese White-eye

Plumage

Olive-green upperparts with a bright white eye-ring. Yellow throat and undertail coverts. Greyish-white belly.

Bill

Thin, pointed, slightly decurved dark bill

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

Japanese White-eye

The Japanese white-eye is a familiar garden bird across East Asia, beloved in Japan where it is called mejiro. These sociable birds form flocks outside the breeding season and are important pollinators of plum and cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, introduced populations in Hawaii have become invasive, competing with native honeycreepers.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Related Comparisons

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family