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| | ;Icterus bonana | | ;Icterus bonana |
| | ==Identification== | | ==Identification== |
| − | The Martinique Oriole has suffered a severe decline in recent years, and this seems to have been greater in coastal mangrove and dry forest areas where in some cases the species has completely disappeared (Babbs et al. 1987). At the five census sites for which there was an estimate of the population size in the mid-1980s, Babbs et al. (1987) recorded a 75-100% decline (these sites were mainly on the boundary between mangrove and dry forest). Even local people (including hunters), many of whom knew the bird, commented on the recent decline of the bird (Babbs et al. 1987). The breeding density and total population have never been estimated, so the extent of the decline remains essentially unknown. The overall population is certainly now considered small (Benito-Espinal and Hautcastel 1988).
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| | ==Distribution== | | ==Distribution== |
| − | The Martinique Oriole is endemic to the island of Martinique (to France), West Indies. It was originally distributed throughout the forested areas of the island, below 700 m (Babbs et al. 1987), as indicated from the localities mentioned by Lawrence (1878c), on specimen labels (in CM, LSUMZ, ROM, USNM) and in Babbs et al. (1987). Bond (1956b) suggested that the bird is most numerous in the southern portion of Martinique (see Remarks).
| + | [[Martinique]], [[West Indies]]. |
| | ==Taxonomy== | | ==Taxonomy== |
| | ==Habitat== | | ==Habitat== |
| − | The Martinique Oriole apparently inhabits all of the island's forest types except cloud-forest, thus: mangrove, dry forest, moist forest, plantations, gardens with trees, and rainforest, with all records coming from below 700 m.
| + | Forest |
| | ==Behaviour== | | ==Behaviour== |
| − | The species is primarily a canopy forager, where it takes some fruit and berries, as well as a large diversity of insects. Breeding (which is not communal) has been recorded from December onwards, but generally starts in February, with most pairs having fledged young by mid-July; there is apparently no post-breeding movement of (adult) birds, and the species does not seemingly form flocks. In 1986, breeding was recorded in all habitats except rainforest and cloud-forest (no records from above 360 m), the nest being built 2-4 m above the ground and suspended from a large leaf or a bunch of leaves at the end of a branch. The commonest nesting trees are apparently: baliser Heliconia caribaea, bread-fruit Artocarpus altilis and banana Musa acuminata (in agricultural and moist forest areas); trumpet wood Cecropia peltata (in moist and rainforest areas); and raisinier grand-feuilles Coccoloba grandifolia (in dry forest). Clutch-size is generally three. Birds were not recorded feeding more than 100 m from the nest, and indeed, the species seemingly defends only a small territory in the immediate vicinity of the nest-site.
| + | Diet includes insects, fruit and berries. |
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| | ==External Links== | | ==External Links== |
| | {{GSearch|Icterus+bonana}} | | {{GSearch|Icterus+bonana}} |
| | [[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Missing Images]] | | [[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Missing Images]] |
