Martinique oriole

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Martinique oriole
Pendulinus bananus - 1700-1880 - Print - Iconographia Zoologica - Special Collections University of Amsterdam - UBA01 IZ15800217.tif
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Icteridae
Genus: Icterus
Species:
I. bonana
Binomial name
Icterus bonana
(Linnaeus, 1766)
Icterus bonana map.svg
Synonyms

Oriolus bonanaLinnaeus, 1766

The Martinique oriole (Icterus bonana) is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is endemic to Martinique, French West Indies. Martinique is a part of the Lesser Antilles, and is located in the Eastern Caribbean.

Contents

The orioles' habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, and plantations.

Description

Compared to the other orioles of the Lesser Antilles, this oriole spots the most unusual plumage coloration. [2] The Martinique Oriole has mainly black plumage with a reddish-orange belly, and grows to 18–21 cm. [3] The males of this species are slightly brighter than the females. [2] It makes harsh scolding calls, and whistles. Whether females sing or not is currently being researched. It eats fruit from the canopy, berries and various insects, foraging alone, in pairs or with a group of family members. [4] Breeding is generally observed between February–July, however breeding has been recorded in December. [3] It is closely related to several other orioles found in the Caribbean. [5]

Distribution, behavior, and habitat

Martinique orioles are found in Martinique, French West Indies. They appear in a density of 2.4 birds/ha in central Martinique. Originally present in many habitat-types below 700 m, the Martinique Oriole is now mainly found in mangroves and dry forests. [3] The Martinique Oriole generally likes to distance itself from heavily urbanized communities. It places its nest on the underside of wide leaves such as that of a banana plant, palm or Heliconia. [2] Once the nests have been formed, they typically lay two, or sometimes three eggs. Its preferred habitat is in moist highland habitats; however, it could also be found in lowland dry forest habitats. Birds of this species do not form flocks, yet still communicate with each other via whistling, uttering harsh, scolding calls and singing a soft, warbling song. It is a territorial bird, however the territory they control is relatively small, as they have not been seen to feed more than 100 meters from their nest. [4] Much more research is needed on this species.

Status, threats and conservation

Deforestation has led to recent establishment of the shiny cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) within the Martinique Oriole habitat. The shiny cowbird parasites 75% of the oriole nests each year. Another possible threat is from the increase in native Carib Grackles (Quiscalus lugubris), the oriole's main predator, which engage in nest-predation of the Martinique Oriole. [3]

The Martinique oriole is protected by domestic legislation. [6] According to the IUCN, the Martinique Oriole is listed as vulnerable and more research is needed on the threats and population status of the bird for conservative purposes. [4]

Related Research Articles

Icterid Family of birds, often black with yellow, orange, or red markings

Icterids or New World blackbirds make up a family, the Icteridae, of small to medium-sized, often colorful, New World passerine birds. Most species have black as a predominant plumage color, often enlivened by yellow, orange, or red. The species in the family vary widely in size, shape, behavior, and coloration. The name, meaning "jaundiced ones" comes from the Ancient Greek ikteros via the Latin ictericus. This group includes the New World blackbirds, New World orioles, the bobolink, meadowlarks, grackles, cowbirds, oropendolas, and caciques.

Shiny cowbird Species of bird

The shiny cowbird is a passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. It breeds in most of South America except for dense forests and areas of high altitude such as mountains. Since 1900 the shiny cowbird's range has shifted northward, and it was recorded in the Caribbean islands as well as the United States, where it is found breeding in southern Florida. It is a bird associated with open habitats, including disturbed land from agriculture and deforestation.

Yellow-shouldered blackbird Species of bird

The yellow-shouldered blackbird, also known as in Puerto Rican Spanish as la mariquita de Puerto Rico or capitán, is a diurnal blackbird endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico and belongs to the genus Agelaius of the family Icteridae. It has black plumage with a prominent yellow shoulder on its wing. Adult males and females are of similar appearance. The species is predominantly insectivorous.

Audubons oriole Species of bird

Audubon's oriole, formerly known as the black-headed oriole, is a New World passerine inhabiting the forests and thickets of southeastern Texas and the Mexican coast. It is the only species to have a black hood and yellow body. It is divided into four subspecies and two allopatric breeding ranges. The westernmost range extends from Nayarit south to southern Oaxaca, whereas the eastern range stretches from the lower Rio Grande valley to northern Querétaro. The most common in the western range are the subspecies I. g. dickeyae and I. g. nayaritensis; I. g. graduacauda and I. g. audubonii can be found in the eastern range. Like most Central American birds, it is not a migratory species and does not display significant sexual dimorphism. DNA analysis of the ND2 and cyt-b genes strongly suggests that I. graduacauda is most closely related to I. chrysater, the yellow-backed oriole. It is a member of the genus Icterus and therefore should not be confused with the Old World orioles.

Forbess blackbird Species of bird

Forbes's blackbird is an endangered species of New World blackbird that is endemic to the Atlantic forest in South America. This species was named for the British zoologist William Alexander Forbes.

Oriole blackbird Species of bird

The oriole blackbird is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. Its genus, Gymnomystax, is monotypic. It is a medium-sized yellow and black bird found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela, where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland, and swamps.

Black-backed oriole Species of bird

The black-backed oriole is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is endemic to Mexico. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, but it is also found in cities. It is one of the few species that can consume monarch butterflies due to evolving a tolerance to their natural poison.

Orange-crowned oriole Species of bird

The orange-crowned oriole is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is found in eastern Panama, Colombia and Venezuela.

Epaulet oriole Species of bird

The epaulet oriole is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. The moriche oriole, formerly considered a distinct species is now placed herein as a subspecies. The variable oriole,, was formerly considered conspecific, but has recently been split by the SACC.

Yellow-backed oriole Species of bird

The yellow-backed oriole is a species of bird in the family Icteridae.

Saint Lucia oriole Species of bird

The Saint Lucia oriole is a species of bird, in the family Icteridae and genus Icterus. It is endemic to Saint Lucia.

Jamaican oriole Species of bird

The Jamaican oriole is a species of bird in the family Icteridae.

Spot-breasted oriole Species of bird

The spot-breasted oriole is a species of bird in the family Icteridae.

Black-cowled oriole Species of bird (Icterus prosthemelas) in Central America

The black-cowled oriole is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is common and widespread in the Caribbean lowlands and foothills from southern Mexico to western Panama. It lives primarily in humid or semihumid forest, as well as in clearings, along forest edges, in plantations, in semi-open areas with scattered trees and bushes, and in gardens. The adult male is black, with yellow on the belly, shoulder, rump, wing lining, and crissum. The female's plumage varies depending on location. In the south of its range, it is similar to that of the male. In the north, its crown and upperparts are olive-yellow, while its face, throat, upper breast, wings, and tail are black.

Black-vented oriole Species of bird

The black-vented oriole is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and the United States.

Hispaniolan oriole Species of oriole endemic to Hispanola

The Hispaniolan oriole is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It is endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

Cuban oriole Species of songbird

The Cuban oriole is a species of songbird in the family Icteridae. It is endemic to Cuba.

Bahama oriole Species of songbird

The Bahama oriole is a species of songbird in the New World blackbird family - Icteridae. It is endemic to the Bahamas. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN (CR). The taxon was originally classified as its own distinct species in 1890 by Joel Asaph Allen before it was lumped with the Cuban oriole, Hispaniolan oriole, and Puerto Rican oriole into a single species by the ornithologist James Bond in his book "Birds of the West Indies". It wasn't until 2010 that all four birds were again elevated to full species status based on a combination of evidence from DNA, plumage and song. Since it was not recognized as a distinct species for so long, the Bahama oriole's preferred non-breeding season habitat is unknown and current estimates of its exact numbers remain vague.

Puerto Rican oriole Species of bird

The Puerto Rican oriole is a species of bird in the family Icteridae, and genus Icterus or New World blackbirds. This species is a part of a subgroup of orioles that includes the North American orchard oriole, Icterus spurius, and the hooded oriole, Icterus cucullatus.

Variable oriole Species of bird

The variable oriole is a species of bird in the family Icteridae. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the epaulet oriole.

References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2020). "Icterus bonana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T22724150A179996137. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22724150A179996137.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 "Martinique Oriole - Introduction | Neotropical Birds Online". neotropical.birds.cornell.edu. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Martinique Oriole (Icterus bonana) - BirdLife species factsheet". www.birdlife.org. Retrieved 2016-09-01.
  4. 1 2 3 "Martinique oriole videos, photos and facts - Icterus bonana". Arkive. Archived from the original on 2017-09-10. Retrieved 2017-09-09.
  5. ↑ Lanyon, Scott M.; Omland, Kevin E. (1999). "A Molecular Phylogeny of the Blackbirds (Icteridae): Five Lineages Revealed by Cytochrome-B Sequence Data". The Auk. 116 (3): 629–639. doi:10.2307/4089324. hdl: 11603/11777 . JSTOR   4089324.
  6. ↑ Alavaro Jaramillo; Peter Burke (1999). New World Blackbirds: The Icterids. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN   0713643331.


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