White-eyes (Zosteropidae)

Black-crowned White-eye (Zosterops atrifrons) - HBW 13, p. 455

French: Zostérops à front noir German: Wallacebrillenvogel Spanish: Anteojitos Frentinegro
Other common names: Moluccan (Black-fronted) White-eye; Black-fronted White-eye(!) (within Z. atrifrons-minor species group)

Taxonomy: Zosterops atrifrons Wallace, 1864, Manado, north Sulawesi.
Forms a superspecies with Z. atriceps, Z. somadikartai, Z. nehrkorni, Z. stalkeri, Z. minor, Z. meeki and Z. hypoxanthus. Was formerly sometimes treated as conspecific with all except first two of those. Is ecologically and behaviourally close to Z. anomalus, with vocal resemblance also, and has in the past been considered its sibling species in N Sulawesi. Races may constitute two separate species, nominate race and surdus representing one species and sulaensis and subatrifrons the other; latter would then include birds of this species found near L Matano (N end of SE peninsula of Sulawesi, more than 100 km from nearest known population), having relatively long tail and distinctive plumage (distinct yellow rump, golden-yellow throat, yellow undertail-coverts, white rest of underparts, legs dark grey), which presumed to represent an undescribed race. Four subspecies currently recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution:

atrifrons Wallace, 1864 - N Sulawesi.
surdus Riley, 1919 - NC Sulawesi.
subatrifrons A. B. Meyer & Wiglesworth, 1896 - Banggai Archipelago (Peleng, Banggai), off E Sulawesi).
sulaensis Neumann, 1939 - Sula Is (Taliabu, Seho, Mangole, Sanana).