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Difference between revisions of "Lesser Antillean Bullfinch" - BirdForum Opus

m (behaviour and alternative names)
(Picture of subspecies. Imp sizes. References updated)
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'''Alternative names: West Indian Robin; Red-throated See-see (''grenadensis'')'''
 
[[Image:Lesser_Antillean_Bullfinch.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Male, subspecies ''sclateri''<br />Photo by {{user|Richard+Fray|Richard Fray}}<br />[[St. Lucia]], February 2004]]
 
[[Image:Lesser_Antillean_Bullfinch.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Male, subspecies ''sclateri''<br />Photo by {{user|Richard+Fray|Richard Fray}}<br />[[St. Lucia]], February 2004]]
'''Alternative names: West Indian Robin; Red-throated See-see (''grenadensis'')'''
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;[[: Category:Loxigilla|Loxigilla]] noctis
 
;[[: Category:Loxigilla|Loxigilla]] noctis
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
 +
14–15·5 cm (5½-6 in)<br />
 
[[Image:Female_Lesser_Antillean_Bullfinch_by_NJLarsen.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female, subspecies ''dominicana''<br />Photo by {{user|NJLarsen|NJLarsen}}<br />Savane Paille, [[Dominica]], September 2008]]
 
[[Image:Female_Lesser_Antillean_Bullfinch_by_NJLarsen.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Female, subspecies ''dominicana''<br />Photo by {{user|NJLarsen|NJLarsen}}<br />Savane Paille, [[Dominica]], September 2008]]
 
Overall black to slate-gray color, interrupted by rufous on the throat, just in front of eye, and in most races on undertail coverts (undertail black in [[Martinique]] and [[St. Lucia]]). The female is a sandy gray-brown with rufous coloring to the wings and tail and greyish underparts. The head of the female is the same color as the mantle. Legs in both sexes are greyish to black, not pink. <br />Male has black bill in most areas, while female has lower mandible yellowish to pale horn.
 
Overall black to slate-gray color, interrupted by rufous on the throat, just in front of eye, and in most races on undertail coverts (undertail black in [[Martinique]] and [[St. Lucia]]). The female is a sandy gray-brown with rufous coloring to the wings and tail and greyish underparts. The head of the female is the same color as the mantle. Legs in both sexes are greyish to black, not pink. <br />Male has black bill in most areas, while female has lower mandible yellowish to pale horn.
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*''L. n. dominicana'':
 
*''L. n. dominicana'':
 
:*[[Guadeloupe]], Marie Galante, [[Dominica]] and Iles des Saintes
 
:*[[Guadeloupe]], Marie Galante, [[Dominica]] and Iles des Saintes
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[[Image:MG 9816.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Subspecies ''ridgwayi''<br />Photo by {{user|Ronsphotos|Ronsphotos}}<br />Near Ffreyes Beach, [[Antigua]], March 2016]]
 
*''L. n. noctis'':
 
*''L. n. noctis'':
 
:*[[Martinique]] ([[Lesser Antilles]])
 
:*[[Martinique]] ([[Lesser Antilles]])
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Dense and semi-open vegetation, often around houses.<br />
 
Dense and semi-open vegetation, often around houses.<br />
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
Often incredibly tame, well known for stealing nuts and sugar in outdoor restaurants.<br />
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Often incredibly tame, well known for stealing nuts and sugar in outdoor restaurants.
Feeds on nectar, fruits, seeds as well as insects. Forages mainly in trees, sometimes closer to the ground.<br />
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====Diet====
Breeding season February to August, January to February in Virgin Islands. The nest is domed with a side entrance, usually placed below 3m above the ground. Lays 2 to 4 eggs.<br />
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Feeds on nectar, fruits, seeds as well as insects. Forages mainly in trees, sometimes closer to the ground.
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====Breeding====
 +
Breeding season February to August, January to February in Virgin Islands. The nest is domed with a side entrance, usually placed below 3m above the ground. Lays 2 to 4 eggs.
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====Movements====
 
A sedentary species, possibly with some dispersive movements.
 
A sedentary species, possibly with some dispersive movements.
 
==References==
 
==References==
#{{Ref-Clements6thOct12}}#{{Ref-HBWVol16}}#[http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1968633 Birdforum thread] discussing Barbados Bullfinch
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug15}}#{{Ref-HBWVol16}}#[http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?p=1968633 Birdforum thread] discussing Barbados Bullfinch
 
{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==

Revision as of 22:30, 5 April 2016

Alternative names: West Indian Robin; Red-throated See-see (grenadensis)

Male, subspecies sclateri
Photo by Richard Fray
St. Lucia, February 2004
Loxigilla noctis

Identification

14–15·5 cm (5½-6 in)

Female, subspecies dominicana
Photo by NJLarsen
Savane Paille, Dominica, September 2008

Overall black to slate-gray color, interrupted by rufous on the throat, just in front of eye, and in most races on undertail coverts (undertail black in Martinique and St. Lucia). The female is a sandy gray-brown with rufous coloring to the wings and tail and greyish underparts. The head of the female is the same color as the mantle. Legs in both sexes are greyish to black, not pink.
Male has black bill in most areas, while female has lower mandible yellowish to pale horn.

Similar species

In St. Lucia, the St. Lucia Black Finch is a species that could be mistaken for Lesser Antillean Bullfinch, however, the black finch has pink legs (more prominent in the male), a heavier beak, has a habit of bobbing its tail up and down, and are more often found low in dense vegetation. The male is entirely without rufous, while the female has gray on its head in contrast to brown back.

Distribution

Used to be endemic to the Lesser Antilles but has now spread to the US Virgin Islands (part of the Puerto Rico bank) and is a vagrant to Puerto Rico. It is absent from the Grenadines but present on Grenada.

Taxonomy

Juvenile Male, subspecies dominicana
Photo by njlarsen
Dominica, June 2004

A reassignment of this and similar species to the tanagers have been proposed, but it is currently placed in the Emberizidae.
Barbados Bullfinch has been split from this species.

Subspecies

There are 8 subspecies[1]:

  • L. n. coryi:
  • L. n. ridgwayi:
  • L. n. desiradensis:
  • L. n. dominicana:
Subspecies ridgwayi
Photo by Ronsphotos
Near Ffreyes Beach, Antigua, March 2016
  • L. n. noctis:
  • L. n. sclateri:
  • L. n. crissalis:
  • L. n. grenadensis:

Habitat

Dense and semi-open vegetation, often around houses.

Behaviour

Often incredibly tame, well known for stealing nuts and sugar in outdoor restaurants.

Diet

Feeds on nectar, fruits, seeds as well as insects. Forages mainly in trees, sometimes closer to the ground.

Breeding

Breeding season February to August, January to February in Virgin Islands. The nest is domed with a side entrance, usually placed below 3m above the ground. Lays 2 to 4 eggs.

Movements

A sedentary species, possibly with some dispersive movements.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2011. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 16: Tanagers to New World Blackbirds. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553781
  3. Birdforum thread discussing Barbados Bullfinch

Recommended Citation

External Links


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