St. Lucia Black Finch
Melanospiza richardsoni
A small seed-eating species of forests with dense understory. Commonly found in pairs feeding on the ground. Males are entirely jet-black, whereas females have a largely buff-brown body and a gray head. Females of the similar-looking Lesser Antillean Bullfinch are grayish below with a browner head. The male Lesser Antillean Bullfinch is mostly black but has a small red throat patch that male St. Lucia Black Finches lack. Both sexes of bullfinch also have a smaller bill than that of the black finch. Vocalizations include a high “tseea-ts-ts-tsew” and a slightly squeaky “tsip.”
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Melanospiza richardsoni
- Authority
- (Cory, 1886)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Melanospiza
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Chiriqui Foliage-gleaner
Automolus exsertus
Skulking and generally inconspicuous brown bird of humid tropical forest. Found as singles or pairs, clambering in vine tangles or other dense understory, at times in leaf litter on the forest floor; usually difficult to see clearly. Note the rich buffy throat, broad eyebrow, and the dark rusty tail on an otherwise dark brownish bird. Loud song is a repeated, churring rattle, given from middle level perches inside the forest.
Fan-tailed Warbler
Basileuterus lachrymosus
Attractive, rather large warbler with long, expressive, white-tipped tail. Occurs in tropical forest of foothills and lowlands, mainly in winter, especially in areas with open understory and boulders. Forages mainly on or near the ground, flipping its tail loosely from side to side; regularly attends army ant swarms. Sexes look alike, with white face spots, blue-gray upperparts, and rich orange-yellow breast.
Papyrus Yellow-Warbler
Calamonastides gracilirostris
Mid-sized, long-billed warbler, with rich yellow underparts and an olive-green back. The underparts often show an orange tint. Found in papyrus swamp. Very localized and poorly known species. The song consists of simple repeated phrases and is easily missed. Other yellow-warblers are similar but have different songs, lack orange tones to the underparts, and are found in different habitats.
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