Lively, attractive, and invasive, the Japanese white-eye (Zosterops japonicus) is a small passerine bird that is native to Asia. Known as mejiro or “white-eye” in Japanese, the arboreal bird was introduced to many regions around the world as a means to control pestering agricultural insects. In 1929, the species was brought to Hawai­‘i for that very reason and their population has since grown exponentially, inhabiting all of the Hawaiian Islands and becoming one of the most common bird species in Hawai‘i.

Japanese white-eyes can be easily spotted by their olive green color with wisps of gray on their head, back, and upper tail, yellowish crown and throat, pale green torso and black to brown colored feet, legs, and bill. Most notable is the white-colored ring around their eyes, hence the moniker.

A very agile and gregarious species, the Japanese white-eye form flocks with other bird species; however, it is believed that their dominating population has become detrimental to native Hawaiian bird groups, those like the honeycreepers. Their population creates competition for food, which may be a major cause for the native species’ demise as well as being a vector for avian parasites.

On the contrary, the birds are also believed to help facilitate the preservation of native plants by acting as a major pollinator for foliage like the ‘ie‘ievine (Freycinetia arborea), which once depended on Hawaiian bird species that have since gone extinct. Studies are still being conducted to determine the exact impact of the Japanese white-eyes with native bird and plant species. Whether invasive or valuable to our native ecology, the Japanese white-eye is a charming creature that is sure to catch your eye.