A New White-Eye (Zosterops) from the Togian Islands, Sulawesi, Indonesia

We encountered white-eyes (Zosterops) that did not match any known species during ornithological field observations in the Togian Islands, Gulf of Tomini, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Subsequently, we collected a specimen and made tape recordings. We consider the Zosterops of the Togian Islands to be a new species that differs most strikingly from the Black-crowned White-eye (Z. atrifrons) in lacking a white eye ring and in soft-part colors. The new species has a somewhat higher-pitched, less modulated song than Z. atrifrons. It seems uncommon and has been encountered only near sea level on three small islands, and it may be best considered Endangered. This brings the number of endemic species in the Togian Islands to two and, under BirdLife International criteria, this island group (which has recently been declared a National Park) now qualifies as an Endemic Bird Area.