Reunion Grey White-eye (Zosterops borbonicus)

About the Reunion Grey White-eye

The Réunion grey white-eye (Zosterops borbonicus) is a small passerine from the family Zosteropidae, which is native to the islands of Réunion. The taxon mauritianus, by most authorities previously considered a subspecies, is now usually considered a separate monotypic species, the Mauritius grey white-eye, (Zosterops mauritianus). Together, both species were called Mascarene white-eye. There is some uncertainty about the number of subspecies on Réunion, with most authorities only accepting a single, the nominate (Z. b. borbonicus), while some also accept Z. b. alopekion, and Z. b. xerophilus. When only a single Réunion subspecies is accepted, alopekion and xerophilus are considered to represent morphs of the nominate.