{{Short description|Anatomical feature in birds}} {{Other uses|Eye ring (disambiguation){{!}}Eye ring}} [[File:Zosterops poliogastrus kikuyuensis.jpg|thumb|right|207px|White-eyes 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. 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, eye-ringed tody-tyrant and 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, 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-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 is unknown. It is suspected that they may serve to highlight infestations of small ectoparasites 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 and 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 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 File:Glareola maldivarum - Beung Borapet, crop.jpg|Pratincole with a complete dark orbital ring but partially contrasting white eye-ring File:Killdeer and child, crop.JPG|The killdeer, one of many waders 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 File:Blackbird (Turdus merula) ♂ (51015122728).jpg|A male blackbird with distinct yellow orbital ring </gallery>
==See also== * Glossary of bird terms * Iris * List of terms used in bird topography * Scleral ring - a ring of overlapping bony plates within the eye
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Feather-tracts}}
Category:Bird anatomy Category:Feathers