Silvereye
Zosterops lateralis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyZosteropidae (White-eyes, Yuhinas, and Allies)
- GenusZosterops (Typical White-eyes)
- SpeciesZosterops lateralis (Silvereye)
The silvereye or wax-eye (Zosterops lateralis), also known by its Māori name tauhou, is a very small omnivorous passerine bird of the south-west Pacific. In Australia and New Zealand its common name is sometimes white-eye, but this name is more commonly used to refer to all members of the genus Zosterops, or the entire family Zosteropidae. In New Zealand, the silvereye was first recorded in 1832. It arrived in greater numbers in 1856, and it is assumed that a migrating flock was swept eastwards by a storm. As an apparently self-introduced bird it is protected as a native New Zealand species. Its Māori name, tauhou, means "stranger" or more literally, "new arrival". Wikipedia →
60–70% of wildlife watchers report a Silvereye sighting in Arthur's Pass National Park, based on 326 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Arthur's Pass National Park
New Zealand Bellbird
Anthornis melanura
Miromiro
Petroica macrocephala
Chaffinch
Fringilla coelebs
Grey Warbler
Gerygone igata
Eurasian Blackbird
Turdus merula
South Island Robin
Petroica australis
New Zealand Fantail
Rhipidura fuliginosa
Rifleman
Acanthisitta chloris
Song Thrush
Turdus philomelos
Common Redpoll
Acanthis flammea
Welcome Swallow
Hirundo neoxena
Dunnock
Prunella modularis
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tongariro National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Aoraki Mount Cook National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Arthur's Pass National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 4 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 5 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Maria Island National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Freycinet National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 11 | Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 12 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 13 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 14 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 15 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 16 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 17 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 18 | Flinders Ranges National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 19 | Noosa National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 20 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 21 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 22 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Silvereye in Arthur's Pass National Park?
About 69% of wildlife watchers report a Silvereye sighting in Arthur's Pass National Park, based on 326 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Silvereye in Arthur's Pass National Park?
February has the highest sighting rate for Silvereye in Arthur's Pass National Park in our monthly data.