Japanese White-eye vs Whiskered Yuhina

Zosterops japonicus compared with Yuhina flavicollis

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Japanese White-eye Whiskered Yuhina
Scientific Name Zosterops japonicus Yuhina flavicollis
Order Passeriformes Passeriformes
Family Zosteropidae Zosteropidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length 11.5 cm (4.5 in)
Wingspan 17.0 cm (6.7 in) 12.6 cm (5.0 in)
Weight 11.0 g (0.39 oz) 16.0 g (0.56 oz)
Diet Insects, nectar, and fruit. Active gleaner that flits through foliage and visits flowers. Important pollinator … --
Clutch Size 2-6 2-4
Population Trend

Size Comparison

Body Length
Japanese White-eye 11.5 cm
Whiskered Yuhina
Wingspan
Japanese White-eye 17.0 cm
Whiskered Yuhina 12.6 cm
Weight
Japanese White-eye 11.0 g
Whiskered Yuhina 16.0 g

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Japanese White-eye only

None

Whiskered Yuhina only

None

Japanese White-eye

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

Song & Call Comparison

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.

Whiskered Yuhina

Geographic Range & Migration

Japanese White-eye

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

Whiskered Yuhina

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Japanese White-eye

Least Concern

Whiskered Yuhina

How to Tell Them Apart

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

Whiskered Yuhina

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.

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