- Euphonia musica
Identification
The female is more or less identical in the three subspecies, mostly greenish with lighter underside and bluish crown and hindneck and a small yellow spot above the bill.
The male in the Lesser Antillean race is more or less identical to the female (this observer have seen both sexes in the Lesser Antilles as more yellowish on the underside than described in the field guide, but do not have the photos to show that). Male of the Puerto Rico form is mostly dark above, with sky-blue crown and rear neck, and rich yellow on the rump, above the bill, and on the underside.
Male of the Hispaniolan form is similar to the Puerto Rican form, but the yellow is replaced with a more orange color, and the throat is dark. The combination of color and shape is rather unique within the range.
Distribution
This species is divided into three subspecies: nominate form is found in Hispaniola and Gonâve Island, sclateri in Puerto Rico, while flavifrons is known from Barbuda, Antigua, Guadeloupe, La Desirade, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Grenada in the Lesser Antilles. Antillean Euphonia is additionally known as a vagrant from other islands in the Lesser Antilles; it is believed to be extirpated from Saba.
Taxonomy
Antillean Euphonia, Elegant Euphonia Euphonia elegantissima, and Golden-rumped Euphonia Euphonia cyanocephala have previously been considered parts of the same species Euphonia musica.
Subspecies
Three subspecies are recognized[1]:
- E. m. musica:
- Hispaniola and Gonave Island
- E. m. sclateri:
- E. m. flavifrons:
Rumors among Caribbean birdwatchers claim that the data have been obtained but not published (yet) to split the Lesser Antillean form from the Greater Antillean form.
Habitat
Forested areas both drier and wet and in various elevations.
Behaviour
Feeds mainly on mistletoe berries.
References
- Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- Raffaele et al. 1998. Birds of the West Indies. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 0713649054
- BF member personal observations
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Hispaniolan Euphonia. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 5 February 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Hispaniolan_Euphonia
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
