Inaccessible Island Finch
Nesospiza acunhae
A highly variable finch with three distinct forms in the process of diversifying. The massive large-billed form is known as “Dunn’s Finch”; the two smaller forms with petite bills are a drab olive lowland form (Lowland Finch) and a bright yellow highland form (Highland Finch). Females of all forms are smaller, duller, and more streaked than males. Endemic to Inaccessible Island, where it is the only finch. Lowland form prefers grassy coast and cliffs, highland form prefers the plateau, and Dunn’s form prefers taller fruit-bearing woodland. In all forms, male sings a 3-note “whit-it-teeu” and the female whistles; Dunn’s form sounds deeper and slower than the others.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Nesospiza acunhae
- Authority
- Cabanis, 1873
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Genus
- Nesospiza
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
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A large, long-tailed, thrushlike bird of dense forests. Note its black necklace, streaked white cheek patch, and pale band near the tip of the tail. Very similar to Lesser Necklaced Laughingthrush; note dark eye and ‘contained’ (completely encircled) cheek patch. Shy and difficult to see well. Usually found in small flocks in wet lowland and hill forest, often near streams. Song is a series of loud whistles, not as long or varied as that of Hwamei. Native to East and Southeast Asia; introduced to the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
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Nest parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of Jameson’s Firefinch. Breeding males are glossy purplish-black, with a pale brownish panel in the wings, while females and non-breeding males are streaky and brown on the back and pale below, with a bold facial pattern. The bill is whitish and the legs very pale pink. Found in forest edge, cultivation, thick woodland, and scrub. Mimics the vocalizations of its host firefinches: a fast trill. Extremely similar to Variable Indigobird. In South Africa, separated by its pale pinkish legs. Elsewhere, breeding males probably slightly more glossy but only separated with certainty by hearing mimicked vocalizations of host species.
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