Japanese White-eye vs Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Zosterops japonicus compared with Cicinnurus respublica
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Japanese White-eye | Wilson's Bird-of-paradise |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Zosterops japonicus | Cicinnurus respublica |
| Order | Passeriformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Zosteropidae | Paradisaeidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 11.5 cm (4.5 in) | 16.0 cm (6.3 in) |
| Wingspan | 17.0 cm (6.7 in) | 19.0 cm (7.5 in) |
| Weight | 11.0 g (0.39 oz) | 55.0 g (1.94 oz) |
| Diet | Insects, nectar, and fruit. Active gleaner that flits through foliage and visits flowers. Important pollinator … | Fruit and insects gleaned from the forest canopy and subcanopy. Particularly favors figs. |
| Clutch Size | 2-6 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Japanese White-eye
Broadleaf evergreen forests, gardens, parks, and suburban areas. Highly adaptable and common in East Asian gardens.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Lowland and hill forests on the small islands of Waigeo and Batanta in the Raja Ampat archipelago, Indonesia.
Song & Call Comparison
Japanese White-eye
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.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Male gives a harsh, nasal 'waah' or 'eeah' from display perch. Song is poorly documented in wild. Also produces mechanical rattling wing sounds during display flights.
Geographic Range & Migration
Japanese White-eye
East Asia including Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Introduced to Hawaii and other Pacific islands.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Endemic to the islands of Waigeo and Batanta off the northwestern tip of New Guinea, Indonesia.
Conservation Status
Japanese White-eye
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
How to Tell Them Apart
Japanese White-eye
Olive-green upperparts with a bright white eye-ring. Yellow throat and undertail coverts. Greyish-white belly.
Thin, pointed, slightly decurved dark bill
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Males have a brilliant red back, yellow nape, turquoise blue bare crown, and green breast shield. Violet-blue curled tail wires. Females are brownish with bare blue crown.
Short, slightly curved greyish bill
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.
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Wilson's bird-of-paradise is one of the most extraordinarily colored birds on Earth. Males meticulously clear a patch of forest floor as a display court, removing every leaf and twig. The species was virtually unknown to science until the late 20th century due to its restricted island range.