Data Zone
Justification of Red List category
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Despite the fact that the population trend is unknown, any decreases are not believed to be sufficiently rapid to approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern.
Population justification
There is no population size data available for this species, however based on the range size the population is thought to be very large.
Trend justification
Despite a lack of evidence, the species is precautionarily assessed as decreasing due to the trapping and trade of the species for the cage-bird market.
Indian White-eye occupies deciduous, broadleaf evergreen/semi-evergreen and swamp-forests. It can also be found in forest edge, secondary growth, woodland, farmland, thickets, scrub and wooded cultivation (orchards, parks, gardens, cardamon plantations), open strand woodland, coastal scrub of all kinds, as well as mature and regenerating mangroves. Along the Gulf of Thailand coast, it is confined to belt of mangroves and scrub. This species is apparently the only passeriform found in the mangroves of the Sind coast in Pakistan. The species occurs from coastal areas up to 2,500 m, and in the Himalayas, up to 4,000 m; however it is most commonly found between 200 and 1,600 m (van Balen 2019).
The species is threatened by trapping for the cage-bird trade.
Conservation Actions Underway
No targeted conservation actions are known for this species.
Conservation Actions Proposed
No conservation action is proposed at this time for the species beyond inclusion in common bird monitoring schemes.
Text account compilers
Elliott, N., Martin, R.
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Species factsheet: Indian White-eye Zosterops palpebrosus. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/indian-white-eye-zosterops-palpebrosus on 15/01/2025.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2025) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 15/01/2025.