Mountain blackeye

Richard Bowdler Sharpe first described the mountain blackeye in 1888, using a specimen collected on Mount Kinabalu in northern Borneo. He named it Chlorocharis emiliae, putting it into a monotypic genus that he created for the species.[3] It remained in that genus for more than a century, with its affinities to other white-eyes unclear.[4] However, molecular phylogenetic studies done early in the 21st century showed that it actually nested comfortably within the genus Zosterops, leading Chlorocharis to be subsumed into that larger genus.[5][6] Phylogenetic studies have shown that it is more closely related to species on other Sundaland islands than it is to species in Borneo's lowlands.[7]

There are four recognized subspecies.[2][4] These show a clinal variation. Those in the north are the largest, darkest, and relatively longest-tailed, while those in the south are the smallest, palest, and relatively shortest-tailed.[4]

• Z. e. emiliae, described by Sharpe in 1888, is found on Mount Kinabalu and Mount Tambuyukon, which are both located in the Malaysian state of Sabah.[3]
• Z. e. trinitae, first described by Tom Harrisson in 1957, is found on Mount Trus Madi in Sabah.[3]
• Z. e. fusciceps, first described in 1954 by Gerlof Mees, is found in the southern part of the Crocker Range, in the Maga Mountains.[3]
• Z. e. moultani, first described in 1927 by Frederick Nutter Chasen and Cecil Boden Kloss, is found in western Sarawak and West Kalimantan.[8]

The genus name Zosterops is a combination of the Ancient Greek words zoster, meaning "girdle" or "belt" and ops meaning "eye".[9] The species name emiliae commemorates Emilie Hose, wife of Charles Hose, an English naturalist and collector.[10] Other common names include olive blackeye or simply black-eye.[3]

The mountain blackeye is a small passerine, ranging in length from 11 to 14 cm (4.3 to 5.5 in).[8][11][12] Compared to most other white-eyes, it is larger and longer-tailed.[4] The only known measured individual (sex unknown) weighed 13.9 g (0.49 oz).[8] Male and female are similarly plumaged.[8] The adult of the nominate race emiliae, found on Mounts Kinabalu and Tambuyukon, is dark olive-green on the head and upperparts with a blackish tinge to the green, particularly on the crown. Its underparts are somewhat paler, with a yellowish tint, particularly towards the center of the belly. It has a black eye-ring and black lores, which connect to form a small dark mask, edged by a yellow border.[8] It has a bright yellow-green supraloral and throat.[11] Its iris is brown, and its long, slender, pointed, decurved bill is brown on the upper mandible and bright yellow-orange on the lower. Its legs and feet are dark yellowish-brown to black, with yellow soles. The immature bird is like the adult, though with a duller-colored bill; this is typically dull orange to blackish.[8]

The subspecies trinitae, found on Mount Trus Madi, is similar to emiliae, but brighter and more yellowish overall. Its belly is almost completely yellow, and it shows more yellow on the face. The subspecies fusciceps, found in the southern part of the Crocker Range, is smaller and relatively shorter-tailed than emiliae, with a sepia tint to its crown and forehead.[8] Its underparts are yellow.[11] The subspecies moultoni, which is found in western Sarawak and West Kalimantan, is similar to fusciceps. It is the palest of the subspecies, showing more yellow in its plumage;[8] its underparts are dark green.[11]

Summit scrub on Mount Kinabalu

The mountain blackeye is endemic to the high mountains of Borneo, where it is the commonest bird on the summit slopes of the island’s highest mountains: Kinabalu, Tambuyukon and Trus Madi.[12] It is found in both Malaysian states (Sabah and Sarawak) and four of the five Indonesian provinces (North Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, and West Kalimantan) on the island, but has never been recorded in Brunei.[1][12] Its habitats include primary upper montane forest, summit scrub, and gully vegetation.[13] While it generally occurs at elevations above 1,800 m (5,900 ft), it may move to lower elevations during periods of drought.[12]

Much of the life history and ecology of the mountain blackeye is not well-known.[15] The species is resident, with no migratory movements.[1] Its generation length is estimated at 4.4 years.[1]

The International Union for Conservation of Nature rates the mountain blackeye as a species of least concern. Although it is range-restricted, it is very common across much of its range, though western populations are much more localized. Its overall population size has not been quantified, but it is thought to be declining, primarily due to habitat destruction and fragmentation.[1] Much of its range is protected by parks or forest reserves, including Kinabalu Park (which protects Mounts Kinabalu and Tambuyukon),[21] and Crocker Range Park (which protects much of the area around Mount Kinabalu).[22] However, protection does not necessarily forestall habitat destruction, as for example, permission has been granted for extensive logging in the forest reserve on Mount Trus Madi.[23]