An Australian and New Zealand name for the silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), a small greenish bird with a distinctive white ring around each eye that gives it its appearance of having a wax or glass eye.
An Australian and New Zealand name for the silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), a small greenish bird with a distinctive white ring around each eye that gives it its appearance of having a wax or glass eye. Wax-eyes are common garden birds in both countries, often visiting in flocks and feeding on fruit, nectar, and insects. The name is more common in New Zealand; Australians may also call them 'white-eyes.'
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(New Zealand) A silvereye, a bird of species .
(dated, North America) The common goldeneye.
Tauhou is the Māori name for the silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), a small bird found throughout New Zealand. The name translates literally to 'stranger' or 'newcomer', reflecting the fact that silvereyes are believed to have self-introduced to New Zealand from Australia in the mid-19th century. The word is used in New Zealand English alongside 'silvereye', and is the preferred term in conservation and ecological contexts where Māori naming conventions are observed. The bird is recognisable by the distinctive white ring around its eye.
(archaic, UK, dialect) The goldeneye (duck).
A wax-eye was working through the apple tree, pecking at the soft spots in the fruit.
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(AU, NZ) A bird of the genus ; a silvereye.
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