Bonin White-eye

Characteristics

It is an endemic species of the Ogasawara Islands and is also called Hahajima Meguro. It is a member of the Japanese white-eye, and as its name suggests, it has a black triangle around the eyes. The back and tail are green like a white-eye, and the belly is yellow. The size and movement are similar to those of Japanese white-eye, but the overall color looks a little yellow. It is an endemic species of Hahajima Island, and the only genus of Apalopteron is this species. It once lived on Mukojima Island, but became extinct after the Pacific War. The population is still decreasing due to development, and it has been designated as an endangered species.

Ecology

It lives in the common hardwood forests of Hahajima Island and eats insects and spiders as well as fruits and pollen with its thin beak. A few birds fly around the forest, searching for food from the branches to the ground. From April to June, it lays eggs on trees such as screw pine.

Habitat

I found it in the woods of Hahajima, Ogasawara Islands. It was flying around from trunk to trunk, and from trees to the ground, mixing with Japanese white-eye. Bonin White-eye and Japanese white-eye of the Ogasawara Islands seem to be less cautious, and they come close to people walking along the forest road. Unless it was intentionally approaching from here, he seemed to be searching for food without concern for humans.Unless it was intentionally approaching from here, they seemed to be searching for food without concern for humans.