| Hispaniolan spindalis | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Spindalidae |
| Genus: | Spindalis |
| Species: | S. dominicensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Spindalis dominicensis (Bryant, H, 1867) | |
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The Hispaniolan spindalis (Spindalis dominicensis) is one of four species of bird in family Spindalidae. It is endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola which is shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. [2]
Historically, the genus Spindalis consisted of a single polytypic species, Spindalis zena (with the common name of stripe-headed tanager), with eight recognized subspecies. The genus was in the "true" tanager family Thraupidae. Beginning in 1997, based primarily on morphological and vocalization differences, three of the subspecies were elevated to species status (including the Hispaniolan spindalis), and S. zena was renamed the western spindalis. [3] Beginning in 2017, taxonomic systems moved the four spindalis species to the newly created family Spindalidae, which is not closely related to the tanagers. [4]
The Hispaniolan spindalis is about 16 cm (6.3 in) long and weighs 25 to 33 g (0.88 to 1.2 oz). Adult males have a black head with a wide white supercilium and "moustache". It has a white chin and a bright yellow patch with black sides in the middle of the throat. Its nape is rich yellow, its back greenish to yellowish olive, its rump tawny yellow, and its uppertail coverts chestnut. Its tail is black, with narrow white edges to the feathers. Its flight feathers are black with white edges, and the wing coverts chestnut, olive, and black. Its chest is deep chestnut, lightening to yellower chestnut on the sides and rich yellow on the breast. Its belly is white and the undertail coverts black. Adult females are generally grayish olive, with a grayer head, yellowish olive rump, dusky brown tail, and whitish underparts with dusky streaks. Juveniles resemble adult females, but are duller. [5]
The Hispaniolan spindalis is found throughout the main island of Hispaniola and on Gonâve Island in Haiti's Gulf of Gonâve. It inhabits a variety of humid forest habitats containing thickets and other low vegetation. It also occurs in orchards and plantations. It is found at almost any elevation but is most numerous in the highlands. [5]
The Hispaniolan spindalis is a year-round resident throughout its range, but makes local movements depending on the availability of fruit. [5]
The Hispaniolan spindalis feeds primarily on fruit of many varieties that it pecks open. It also feeds on flower buds, seeds, tender leaves, and insects. It forages from near the ground in bushes to the tops of fruiting trees. Though it typically forages in pairs or small groups, larger numbers may gather in a heavily fruited tree. [5]
The Hispaniolan spindalis' breeding season is mostly May to June, though some pairs may raise a second brood after. It makes a small cup nest of dry grass in a tree or bush up to about 4.5 m (10 ft) above the ground. The clutch size is three eggs. Nothing else is known about the species' breeding biology. [5]
As of late 2022 xeno-canto had only two recordings of Hispaniolan spindalis vocalizations, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Macaulay Library a few more. The male's dawn song is "a thin, high-pitched whistle, or a prolonged weak, sibilant 'tsee see see see'", sung from an exposed perch or inside dense foliage. Females sing a softer version of the male's song. The species' calls include "a high 'thseep'" and a "more drawn-out 'seeee'". [5]
The IUCN has assessed the Hispaniolan spindalis as being of Least Concern. It has a large range, and though its population size is unknown it is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified. [1] It is considered common. "Utilization of a variety of habitats, including second growth and brushy areas, buffers this species against near-term threats, despite its small world range." [5]
The tanagers comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in the order Passeriformes. The family has a Neotropical distribution and is the second-largest family of birds. It represents about 4% of all avian species and 12% of the Neotropical birds.
The Puerto Rican spindalis is a bird endemic to the island of Puerto Rico, where it is commonly known as reina mora or cigua puertorriqueña. The species is widely distributed throughout the island and is an important part of the Puerto Rican ecosystem because of its help in seed dispersal and plant reproduction.
Spindalis is a genus consisting of four non-migratory species of bird. It is the only genus in the family Spindalidae. The species are mostly endemic to the West Indies; exceptions include populations of western spindalises on Cozumel Island, off the Yucatán Peninsula's east coast, and in extreme southeastern Florida. The species were traditionally considered aberrant members of the tanager family Thraupidae. Taxonomic studies recover them as a sister group to the Puerto Rican tanager, and some group Spindalidae and Nesospingidae within the Phaenicophilidae.
The golden swallow is a swallow endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola and was once native to Jamaica, but is now extirpated there. It is restricted to isolated montane forests that primarily consist of the Hispaniolan pine. This species is considered to be a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The exact cause of its extirpation from Jamaica is unknown, but likely factors include predation by introduced mammals and habitat loss, although the habitat loss theory is not supported by much evidence. The last sighting of the nominate subspecies was in Hardwar Gap, with three birds being seen on 8 June 1989.
The eastern chat-tanager is a Near Threatened species of passerine bird belonging to the family Calyptophilidae. It is endemic to the island of Hispaniola, in the Dominican Republic; it is possibly extirpated from Haiti.
The scarlet-and-white tanager is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in Colombia and northern Ecuador. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest. The male is highly distinctive and has bright scarlet upperparts, darker red wings and undertail coverts, and white underparts with a scarlet median stripe running down the throat and belly. Females are patterned like the males, but are olive-brown instead of scarlet.
The black-crowned palm-tanager or black-crowned tanager is a species of bird of the family Phaenicophilidae, the Hispaniolan palm-tanagers. It is endemic to the island of Hispaniola which is shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The grey-crowned palm-tanager or grey-crowned tanager is a Near Threatened species of bird in the family Phaenicophilidae, the Hispaniolan palm-tanagers. It is endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
Sclater's tyrannulet is a species of bird in subfamily Elaeniinae of family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru.
The Jamaican spindalis is one of four species of bird in family Spindalidae. It is endemic to Jamaica.
The western spindalis is a songbird species. It was formerly considered conspecific with the other three species of Spindalis, with the common name stripe-headed tanager.
The black-capped tanager is one of the many species of Neotropical bird in the family Thraupidae. It lives in mountains of Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela year-round. This bird can often be found in open landscapes, alone or in pairs, hiding under branches of trees and bushes. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest.
The white-winged warbler, also called the white-winged ground-warbler or Hispaniolan highland-tanager, is a Vulnerable species of bird of the family Phaenicophilidae, the Hispaniolan tanagers. It is endemic to the island of Hispaniola which is shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
The western chat-tanager is a Vulnerable species of passerine bird belonging to the family Calyptophilidae. It is endemic to the island of Hispaniola which is shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
The Hispaniolan oriole is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.
