The Golden White-eye is a species of bird in the white-eye family Zosteropidae. It is the only species within the genus Cleptornis. The Golden White-eye was once considered to be a honeyeater in the family Meliphagidae and although it is now known to be a white-eye, its position within that family is still uncertain. The species is restricted to the islands of Saipan and Aguijan in the Northern Mariana Islands, where it is sympatric (shares its range) and competes with the related Bridled White-eye. The Golden White-eye has golden plumage and a pale eye-ring. It feeds on insects, fruit, and nectar and forages in pairs or small family groups. The bird is monogamous and lays two eggs in a small cup nest. Fossil evidence shows the Golden White-eye once also occurred on Tinian and Rota but was extirpated in those locations through the impact of human activities. Despite its current abundance on Saipan and Aguijan, and the fact that it has among the highest recorded densities for any bird, it is nevertheless considered to be critically endangered. It is threatened by the invasive Brown Tree Snake, which has recently become established on Saipan; efforts are under way to control the snakes and breed the white-eye in zoos.
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_White-eye
_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1484:
Pope Innocent VIII issued the papal bull Summis desiderantes affectibus, giving Dominican Inquisitor Heinrich Kramer explicit authority to prosecute witchcraft in Germany. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summis_desiderantes_affectibus
1775:
American Revolutionary War: Continental Army Colonel Henry Knox arrived at Fort Ticonderoga in New York to arrange the transport of 60 tons of artillery that would be used to strengthen the Siege of Boston. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_train_of_artillery
1936:
The 1936 Soviet Constitution, also known as the "Stalin" constitution, was adopted. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1936_Soviet_Constitution
1972:
Gough Whitlam took office as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia and formed a duumvirate with his deputy Lance Barnard, ending 23 years of Liberal-Country Party government. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gough_Whitlam
2005:
The Civil Partnership Act came into force, granting civil partnerships in the United Kingdom with rights and responsibilities identical to civil marriage. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_Partnership_Act_2004
_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:
archeress: A female archer, a woman who shoots an arrow from a bow: Elizabeth deigned to show her skill as an archeress, to the detriment of the dappled deer in the wide park beyond (John Berwick Harwood). https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/archeress
___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:
The existing scientific concepts cover always only a very limited part of reality, and the other part that has not yet been understood is infinite. --Werner Heisenberg https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Werner_Heisenberg