# Eye-ring

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{{Short description|Anatomical feature in birds}}
{{Other uses|Eye ring (disambiguation){{!}}Eye ring}}
[[File:Zosterops poliogastrus kikuyuensis.jpg|thumb|right|207px|[White-eyes](/source/Zosterops) are named for the conspicuous white eye-rings found in the majority of species.<ref name="dut">{{cite book|last1=Dutson|first1=Guy|last2=Allen|first2=Richard|title=Birds of Melanesia the Bismarcks, Solomons, Vanuatu and New Caledonia|url=https://archive.org/details/birdsmelanesia00guyc|url-access=limited|date=2011|publisher=Christopher Helm |location=London |isbn=9781408152461 |page=[https://archive.org/details/birdsmelanesia00guyc/page/n403 402]}}</ref><ref name="ark">{{cite web|title=Australian yellow white-eye (Zosterops luteus)|url=http://www.arkive.org/australian-yellow-white-eye/zosterops-luteus/|website=arkive.org|accessdate=2 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170420022538/http://www.arkive.org/australian-yellow-white-eye/zosterops-luteus/|archive-date=2017-04-20|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="camp">{{cite book|last1=Campbell|first1=Bruce |last2=Lack|first2=Elizabeth |title=A Dictionary of Birds |date=2010 |publisher=A & C Black |location=London |isbn=9781408138380|page=307}}</ref> Their genus name ''Zosterops'' likewise means "eye-girdle".<ref name="carn">{{cite book |last1=Carnaby |first1=Trevor |title=Beat about the bush: Birds |date=2008 |publisher=Jacana |location=Johannesburg |isbn=9781770092419 |pages=9–10, 31 |edition=1st}}</ref>]]
The '''eye-ring''' of a bird is a ring of tiny feathers that surrounds the orbital ring,<ref name="bor">{{cite book |last1=Borrow |first1=Nik |last2=Demey |first2=Ron |title=Field Guide to the Birds of Ghana|date=2013|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |isbn=9781408189023| page=24}}</ref> a ring of bare skin immediately surrounding a bird's eye.<ref name="bor"/><ref name="vini">{{cite book|last1=Vinicombe|first1=Keith|last2=Harris|first2=Alan|last3=Tucker|first3=Laurel|title=The Helm guide to bird identification: an in-depth look at confusion species|date=2014|publisher=Christopher Helm |location=London |isbn=9781408130353 |page=14 }}</ref> The eye-ring is often decorative, and its colour may contrast with adjoining plumage.<ref name="carn"/> The ring of feathers is sometimes incomplete, forming an eye arc. In the absence of a conspicuous eye-ring, the orbital ring of a bird is often referred to as the eye-ring.<ref name="carn"/><ref name="may">{{cite web |last1=Mayntz |first1=Melissa |title=Lores |url=https://www.thespruce.com/identifying-bird-lores-385299 |website=The Spruce |date=2017-02-22 |accessdate=1 March 2017 |archive-date=2022-08-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819102901/https://www.thespruce.com/identifying-bird-lores-385299 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=zim/><ref name="kamm">{{cite web |last1=Kamm |first1=Matthew |last2=Kuss |first2=Benjamin |title=Glossary |date=<!--c.2007 --> |url=http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Birds_Kamm_Kuss/Pages/PAGE_GLOSSARY.html |website=Common Birds of New England, an electronic field guide |publisher=Brandeis University |accessdate=13 March 2017 |archive-date=12 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312000430/http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Birds_Kamm_Kuss/Pages/PAGE_GLOSSARY.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> 
The bare orbital ring may be hardened or fleshy, or may form an eye-[wattle](/source/wattle_(anatomy)). These are useful field marks in many bird species,<ref name=zim>{{cite book |last=Zimmerman |first=Dale A. |title=Birds of Kenya and Northern Tanzania |year=1999 |publisher=Princeton University Press |isbn=0691010226 |pages=43–45|display-authors=etal}}</ref><ref name="bird">{{cite web |last1=Birdsley |first1=Jeff |title=IB 461: Ornithology, External Anatomy |url=http://www.life.illinois.edu/ib/461/External_Anatomy.pdf |publisher=School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |accessdate=13 March 2017 |archive-date=29 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329013140/http://www.life.illinois.edu/ib/461/External_Anatomy.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the [eye-ringed flatbill](/source/eye-ringed_flatbill), [eye-ringed tody-tyrant](/source/eye-ringed_tody-tyrant) and [eye-ringed thistletail](/source/eye-ringed_thistletail) are examples of species named for either of these. __NOTOC__

==Function==
Eye-rings are believed to convey various types of signals between individual birds. Some eye-rings appear only at [sexual maturity](/source/sexual_maturity), while others suggest the individual's age or health status. Individual birds may be included or excluded from reproductive capability due to signals conveyed by the eye-ring. Red [carotenoid](/source/carotenoid)-based colors of the orbital rings of pheasants are known to be related to health.<ref name="fil">{{cite web|first1=Chris |last1=Filardi |title=Answering Questions About Island Species |url=https://scientistatwork.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/25/answering-questions-about-island-species/ |website=Scientist at Work |date= 25 February 2011|accessdate=2 March 2017}}</ref>

The function of the white eye-rings in [white-eyes](/source/White-eye) is unknown. It is suspected that they may serve to highlight infestations of small [ectoparasite](/source/ectoparasite)s around the eyes. Untainted white eye-rings may consequently express vigorous health. In addition they may signal membership of a particular group or population, as different species and populations may have rings of differing colour, size, shape or completeness. These recognition signals could then play a role in [reproductive isolation](/source/reproductive_isolation) and [speciation](/source/speciation).<ref name="fil"/>

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="120" style="font-size:100%; line-height:150%">

File:Cossypha caffra, juveniel, Pretoria, h.jpg|[Robin-chat](/source/Cossypha) species, with a double ring of small feathers about the eye
File:Geothlypis tolmiei Hungry Horse MT 1, crop.jpg|Eye arcs above and below the eye of a male [MacGillivray's warbler](/source/MacGillivray's_warbler)
File:Glareola maldivarum - Beung Borapet, crop.jpg|[Pratincole](/source/Glareola_maldivarum) with a complete dark orbital ring but partially contrasting white eye-ring
File:Killdeer and child, crop.JPG|The [killdeer](/source/killdeer), one of many [wader](/source/wader)s with a conspicuous red orbital ring
File:Anser erythropus -WWT Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, England -head-8a, crop.jpg|Bright yellow orbital ring in a [lesser white-fronted goose](/source/lesser_white-fronted_goose)
File:Blackbird (Turdus merula) ♂ (51015122728).jpg|A male [blackbird](/source/common_blackbird) with distinct yellow orbital ring
</gallery>

==See also==
* [Glossary of bird terms](/source/Glossary_of_bird_terms)
* [Iris](/source/Iris_(anatomy))
* [List of terms used in bird topography](/source/List_of_terms_used_in_bird_topography)
* [Scleral ring](/source/Scleral_ring) - a ring of overlapping bony plates within the eye

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Feather-tracts}}

Category:Bird anatomy
Category:Feathers

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Eye-ring](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye-ring) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye-ring?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.