Birds / Wax Eye
Information for Juniors
Wax-Eye
(Silver-Eye or White-Eye)
- Although several Wax-Eyes arrived in New Zealand in the early 1830’s.
- They have several different names: waxeye, silvereye or whiteeye.
- The birds did well in New Zealand with their varied diet which is mainly comprised of insects, fruit and nectar.
- In the winter when most of these foods are not available many Wax-Eyes do die
- Like sparrows they love people and will also eat fat, cooked meat, bread and sugar water from bird tables.
- They are found in most gardens and like bees they pollinate many trees and shrubs while feeding on nectar.
- Wax-Eyes associate in large flocks generally.
- They usually raise 2 or 3 broods during the breeding season.
- Both parents share the incubation and the feeding, once the chicks are hatched.
- The young birds are totally independent after 3 weeks, and are capable of breeding in their first year.
- The Wax-Eye is olive-green with a ring of white feathers around the eye. They have a fine tapered bill and a brush tipped tongue like the tui and bellbird.
- Males have slightly brighter plumage than females.
What does it sound like?
Information for Junior Secondary
Wax-Eye
(Silver-Eye or White-Eye)
- Although several Wax-Eyes arrived in New Zealand in the early 1830’s.
- They have several different names: waxeye, silvereye or whiteeye.
- The birds did well in New Zealand with their varied diet which is mainly comprised of insects, fruit and nectar.
- In the winter when most of these foods are not available many Wax-Eyes do die
- Like sparrows they love people and will also eat fat, cooked meat, bread and sugar water from bird tables.
- They are found in most gardens and like bees they pollinate many trees and shrubs while feeding on nectar.
- Wax-Eyes associate in large flocks generally.
- They usually raise 2 or 3 broods during the breeding season.
- Wax-Eyes make their nest close to the ground with grass, moss and spider webs.
- Both parents share the incubation and the feeding, once the chicks are hatched.
- The young birds are totally independent after 3 weeks, and are capable of breeding in their first year.
- The Wax-Eye is olive-green with a ring of white feathers around the eye. They have a fine tapered bill and a brush tipped tongue like the tui and bellbird.
- Males have slightly brighter plumage than females.
- While Wax-Eyes serve gardens well orchardists regard them as pests because they peck away at the young fruit.
What does it sound like?
Information for Senior Secondary
Wax-Eye
(Silver-Eye or White-Eye)
- Although several Wax-Eyes were recorded in New Zealand in the early 1830’s, it was not until 1856 that they arrived in very large numbers.
- It is probable that a storm, in Australia, blew a migrating flock across the Tasman.
- They have become well established throughout New Zealand and are now one of the most common birds found in urban areas.
- The NZ climate is such that the Wax-Eyes don’t have the need to migrate as they do in most other countries.
- One of the main reasons that they established themselves so successfully in New Zealand is their varied diet which is mainly comprised of insects, fruit and nectar.
- In the winter when most of these foods are not available many Wax-Eyes do die.
- Wax-Eyes enjoy eating fat, cooked meat, bread and sugar water from bird tables.
- They are welcome in most New Zealand gardens because they pollinate many trees and shrubs while feeding on nectar.
- Outside of the breeding season the Wax-Eyes are normally found in large flocks, but the pairs will break away from these by late winter and set up their territories.
- They usually raise 2 or 3 broods during the breeding season. Both parents share the incubation and the feeding, once the chicks are hatched.
- The young birds are totally independent after 3 weeks, and are capable of breeding in their first year.
- The Wax-Eye is a small bird measuring 11 to 13 cm in length and around 10g in weight.
- They are olive-green with a ring of white feathers around the eye.
- They have a fine tapered bill and a brush tipped tongue like the tui and bellbird.
- Males have slightly brighter plumage than females, but it is hard to determine the sex of individual birds.
- While Wax-Eyes serve gardens well orchardists regard them as pests because they peck away at the young fruit.
What does it sound like?
Wax-Eye Activities
- Where would you look to find a Wax-Eye?
- What is the Wax-Eyes favourite food and from which trees?
- Listen carefully to the song and describe it in detail.
- What is the purpose of their call generally
- Take a photo of a Wax-Eye and its nest that clearly indicates that you have studied it in detail.
- How do you know that the Wax-Eye is adapting to its environment? Give 5 reasons