Jamaican Oriole
Icterus leucopteryx
A fruit-loving inhabitant of woodlands and gardens. Adult is yellow (often tinged green or orange), sports a black beard, and has very large white wing patches covering half of the otherwise black wing. Immatures look similar, but they have two broad white wingbars instead of a white patch. Immature male Orchard Oriole looks somewhat similar, but it is smaller and lacks the bold white wing markings seen on Jamaican Orioles. Songs include a rapid series of rich, whistled, and mostly down-slurred phrases and “cheat-you, cheat-you, cheat-you, cheat-you, cheat.”
Taxonomy
The species is more closely related to the orioles of the North American mainland, such as the Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula), and the orange oriole (Icterus auratus) than to the other Caribbean members of the genus.
- Scientific name
- Icterus leucopteryx
- Authority
- (Wagler, 1827)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Icteridae
- Genus
- Icterus
Range and habitat
It is found in Jamaica and on the Colombian island of San Andrés. The subspecies I. l. bairdi formerly occurred on Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands but is now extinct, making the species extirpated there. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical moist montane forests, and heavily degraded former forest.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Black-billed Amazon
Amazona agilis
A chunky green inhabitant of wet forests; typically found in pairs or small flocks in or near the canopy. Note this species’ nearly all green plumage, black bill, black eye, and black eyering. The somewhat similar Yellow-billed Parrot is distinguished from Black-billed Parrot by its rose-colored throat, yellow bill, and pale eyering. When the two species are together, the larger size of the Yellow-billed is evident. The characteristics noted above also separate this species from other parrots that might have escaped from captivity. Calls include a harsh “mwah,” a scratchy “uh-lee,” and “uh-luh,” with the latter often given rapidly and while flying.
Surucua Trogon
Trogon surrucura
Often draws attention to its presence by its song: an ascending sequence of “kwa” notes, similar to Green-backed Trogon, but faster. Two subspecies occur in Brazil, Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina with limited geographical overlap that vary in the color of the breast and eyering; the southern one has a red belly and eyering, while the northern one has a yellow belly and eyering. The males of both subspecies have a violet-blue head and breast, a green back, and a white undertail. Females have a dull gray breast and the undertail is gray with white tips. Found in the middle to upper levels of forests and woodlands.
Spotted Woodcreeper
Xiphorhynchus erythropygius
Medium to large woodcreeper of humid evergreen and pine-evergreen forest in highlands and foothills. Feeds at all levels on trunks and larger branches, often at bromeliads. Straightish and rather stout bill is dark above and pale below. Note the pale buff spectacles and distinct pale spotting and scalloping on head, breast, and back (populations south of western Honduras lack spotting on back.)
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