Saint Lucia black finch

Saint Lucia black finch
Conservation status
Endangered  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Thraupidae
Genus:	Melanospiza
Species:	M. richardsoni
Binomial name
Melanospiza richardsoni (Cory, 1886)

The Saint Lucia black finch (Melanospiza richardsoni) is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. ^[1] It is endemic to Saint Lucia, ^[1] where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and plantations.

Description

The Saint Lucia black finch is a small (13–14 cm; 18–23 g) brown or black finch-like bird with a strong black bill. The male is all black with pink legs, the female is brown above with a contrasting grey crown and beige underparts. ^[1] Juveniles are similar to the females. ^[2]

The similar lesser Antillean bullfinch is larger but has a smaller bill and lacks the pink on the legs. The call is a somewhat bananaquit-like but rough "tick-zwee-swisiwis-you", with emphasis on the second and last notes. ^[1]

Status

This species has a very small population of only an estimated 250–1,000 adults. It is threatened by habitat destruction and predation by invasive species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorizes the species as critically endangered. ^[1]

References

1. BirdLife International (2020). "Melanospiza richardsoni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T22723725A180219096. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22723725A180219096.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
2. Rising, James D.; Jaramillo, Alvaro (2020). "St. Lucia Black Finch (Melanospiza richardsoni), version 1.0". Birds of the World. doi:10.2173/bow.slbfin1.01species_shared.bow.project_name. ISSN   2771-3105.