Australia
SpeciesField NotesLog inDownload

Field notes

Stay in the loop

Get updates, new features, and Australian birding news.

By subscribing, I agree to receive BirdUp Australia updates, new features, and Australian birding news.

Australia
Download for iOSDownload for AndroidSpeciesField NotesRSSNewsletterBrandPrivacyTerms

BirdUp Australia Pty Ltd © 2026. Made in Australia for Australian birders.

  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Zosteropidae
  4. ›
  5. Zosterops
  6. ›
  7. Christmas White-eye
Christmas White-eye
Photo · Joseph Smit

BirdUp · Species

Christmas White-eye

Zosterops natalisLister, 1889

Updated 21 March 2026

Origin: Native
Order
PASSERIFORMES
Family
Zosteropidae
Genus
Zosterops

At a glance

The Christmas White-eye is a tiny bird, about 11–13 cm long, native to Australia. It is best seen in summer.

Size
11–13 cm
Origin
Native
Best seen
Summer
Commonness
Restricted
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Christmas White-eye look like?

The Christmas White-eye is a tiny bird, about 11–13 cm long and weighing 7–14 g.

The Christmas white-eye is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is endemic to Christmas Island. Its natural habitats are tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland. It is threatened by habitat destruction.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
11–13 cm
Weight
7–14 g

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Christmas White-eye?

The Christmas White-eye is recorded across its Australian range mainly in January, February, March, April, August, October, November and December.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Christmas White-eye eat?

The Christmas White-eye feeds on fruit and terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in flocks.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

3 photos

The BirdUp app

Log your next Christmas White-eye in the field

A pocket field journal for 850+ Australian birds. Offline-first, smart ID, and a lifelist that travels with you.

Get the appRead field notes
Spotted something wrong on this page? Report incorrect info

02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Christmas White-eye live in Australia?

The Christmas White-eye is native to Australia, recorded across 1 of Australia’s bioregions.

Breeding range
Christmas I. (south of west Java)