Table Of ContentBIRDS OF THE WEST INDIES
This page intentionally left blank
BIRDS
OF THE
WEST INDIES
Herbert Raffaele, James Wiley,
Orlando Garrido,
Allan Keith, and Janis Raffaele
Principal Illustrators:
Tracy Pedersen and Kristin Williams
Supporting Illustrators:
Cynthie Fisher, Don Radovich, and Bart Rulon
Princeton University Press
Princeton and Oxford
DEDICATION
Tothe people of the Caribbean Islands and the conservation of the unique avifauna which is their
heritage.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors, artists, and publishers would like to express their gratitude to the following organizations
for providing sponsorship and support in the production of this book: World Wildlife Fund U.S.,
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service.
ARTISTCREDITS
Tracy Pedersen: 1–3, 6 (Franklin’s Gull), 8 (Black Noddy), 10–14, 15 (Wood Sandpiper), 16 (Curlew
Sandpiper), 19 (Common Greenshank), 22, 23 (except grebes), 24 (Orinoco Goose), 25–7, 35, 39–41,
44–58, 60 (thrushes), 61–2, 65–6, 69 (Townsend’s Warbler), 83–4, 86 (Tawny-shouldered Blackbird,
Yellow-shouldered Blackbird), 91–2, 94 (Swamp Sparrow, Northern Wheatear).
Kristin Williams: 4, 5, 6 (exc. Franklin’s Gull), 7, 8 (exc. Black Noddy), 9, 23 (only grebes), 24 (exc.
Orinoco Goose), 31–4, 36–8, 42–3, 59, 60 (solitaires), 63–4, 80–2, 85, 86 (exc. Tawny-shouldered
Blackbird, Yellow-shouldered Blackbird), 87–90, 93, 94 (exc. Swamp Sparrow, Northern Wheatear).
Don Radovich: 67–8, 69 (exc. Townsend’s Warbler), 70–9.
Cynthie Fisher: 15 (exc. Wood Sandpiper), 16 (exc. Curlew Sandpiper), 17–8, 19 (exc. Common Green-
shank), 20–1.
Bart Rulon: 28–30.
Copyright © 2003 by Princeton University Press
Published by Princeton University Press
41 William Street
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
Plates and illustrations copyright © 2003, 1998 by Herbert Raffaele, James Wiley, Orlando Garrido,
Allan Keith, Janis Raffaele, Tracy Pedersen, Kristin Williams, Roman Company, Christopher Cox,
Cynthie Fisher, Don Radovich, Bart Rulon
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Birds of the West Indies/Herbert Raffaele … [et al.] ; principal illustrators, Tracy Pedersen and
Kristin Williams.
p. cm.—(Princeton field guides)
Includes bibliographical references (p. ).
ISBN 0-691-11319-X (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Birds—West Indies—Identification. I. Raffaele, Herbert A. II. Series.
QL688.A1B47 2003
598'.09729—dc21 2003041865
This book has been composed in Galliard (main text) and MetaPlus (headings and labeling)
Printed on acid-free paper.
www.pupress.princeton.edu
Edited and designed by D & N Publishing, Hungerford, Wiltshire, UK
Printed in Italy by EuroGrafica
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
CONTENTS
Introduction 7
Species Accounts and Color Plates 16
SEABIRDS 16
HERONS AND OTHER LONG-LEGGED WADERS 34
MARSHBIRDS AND WATERFOWL 58
HAWKS, OWLS, AND NIGHTJARS 76, 100
GAMEBIRDS AND PIGEONS; PARROTS AND CUCKOOS;
SWIFTS, HUMMINGBIRDS, TROGONS, TODIES,
KINGFISHERS, AND WOODPECKERS 84, 106
FLYCATCHERS 118
CROWS, SWALLOWS, GNATCATCHERS, THRUSHES,
THRASHERS, AND MOCKINGBIRDS 126
VIREOS AND WARBLERS 144
EUPHONIAS, HONEYCREEPERS, TANAGERS,
ORIOLES, AND BLACKBIRDS 174
FINCH-LIKE BIRDS 188
Selected References 204
Index of English and Scientific Names 206
90° 80° 70° 60°
Grand
Bahama I.
Great Abaco I. THE WEST INDIES
G U L F O F
FLORIDA BAHAMA The area within the dotted line is
New
TCraonpcice rof M E X I C O PArnodvridoesnceN I.assauElIeCSuaLthtA eIN.raD SI. the0 fau1n0a0 l re2g00io n 3c0o0 ver4e00d in 5t0h0iMsil egsuide TrCoapnicc eorf
Islands Salvador I.
Habana Rum
G Exuma I. Long I. 0 200 400 600 800 1000Km
2G0°UATEMALAYUBCEALTIIAZslENasdeICslaolazBSuawmhaieanl Is. IPsilnee oGCsfarayCnmdLCaianttyleAmCaJnAUMRCBrAaayBIcmCaIARAnEAKiTngEsSdteao nnARCticuakbgIlnGaionar egIH.autaITSoPHorPrrAttiu-MPnIaecTuae IAIy.ayCDNRAuaOaEicMnIPNToauIUOsN rI BkTSD.IICssaLoL. AnmIIICstNoAi.LngoLPMUERoEInCRaSOTOSt.SaCnrJoiuStxa.Snt.ETuShsAtonaSGatMe.mtbuoigaaaunKatsidNstdsAteelaensvroigrSsuSutati.pl.tleMaBaaABrrttDniahMntroDoibgIlam.oéuurmsiídaeniare iaGcwadaelante 20°
HONDURAS B Martinique
B E A N S E A ALNETSILSLEERS St. Lucia
EL SALVADOR St. Vincent Barbados
NICARAGUA Providencia Grenadines Carriacou
San Andrés Aruba Curaçao Grenada
Bonaire Isla Margarita Tobago 10°
10°
Trinidad
PACIFIC COSTA
RICA A
OCEAN A N A M A M BI V E N E Z U E L A
P O
90° O L
80° C 70° 60°
INTRODUCTION
GOAL
The primary goal of this guide is to promote an interest in birds among the local people of
the Caribbean islands. It is only when people appreciate and respect their birdlife that they
ever come to protect it. The book also aims to facilitate the study of West Indian birds by
both novice and professional alike.
GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE
The West Indies are taken to include all islands of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, Virgin
Islands, Cayman Islands, Lesser Antilles, San Andrés and Providencia.
Omitted are Trinidad and Tobago and other islands off the north coast of South Amer-
ica. Though Trinidad and Tobago appear contiguous to the Lesser Antilles, their origins,
and consequently their birdlife, are entirely different.
SPECIES COVERAGE
The text presents accounts of 564 bird species known to occur in the West Indies. Species
included in the book are those for which there exist a minimum of either two specimens or
photographs from the region, or six separate sight records by reliable observers.
Several species considered by some to be extinct are included in the book. We have cho-
sen to do this firstly because there is always a chance that a bird thought to be extinct might
be rediscovered after many years of going undetected. The Puerto Rican Nightjar is one
example. Collected in 1888, the species went undetected for 73 years until being rediscov-
ered in 1961. One can only hope that this will also be the case for the Jamaican Petrel, which
occupies remote precipices and is entirely nocturnal during its brief stint on land. Second-
ly, it is important to remember what we have lost, or are about to lose. Our hope is that this
book will encourage a greater appreciation of what we still have, an awareness of its fragili-
ty, and a wider recognition that extinction is irreversible.
Numerous other bird species have become extinct in the West Indies during historic time.
At least 15 species of parrot alone fall into this category. These birds are not included in this
book.
TAXONOMY
Much more work remains to be carried out before the taxonomy of West Indian birds is ade-
quately understood. Recent studies have revised the tanager Spindalisfrom what was formerly
considered to be one very variable species into four distinct ones. Contemporaneous research
suggests that the two indigenous Contopusflycatchers should be split into six species, and that
the Palm Crow be divided into Hispaniolan and Cuban species. Additional work is under way
on several other bird groups. In general, for the purpose of this guide, the authors followed
the taxonomy and use of common names proposed in the American Ornithologists’ Union
(AOU) Checklist of North American Birds (1998). There are a few exceptions. We divided
the Lesser Antillean Pewee into three species: the Lesser Antillean, St Lucia, and Puerto Rican
Pewee. We based our decision upon revisions in progress which, we feel, justify the split and
have strong potential to be adopted by the AOU’s classification and nomenclature commit-
tee. A few English common names were also changed to better represent certain species. An
example is the substitution of the name Rose-throated Parrot for the long-standing, but inac-
curate, Cuban Parrot. This change was made to eliminate the implication that this parrot is
unique to Cuba when, in fact, it is a flagship species of the Bahamas and Cayman Islands.
Efforts to conserve these parrots are not enhanced by such a misnomer.
USING THE GUIDE
SPECIES ACCOUNTS
These have been kept brief in order to fit opposite the bird illustrations. To a large extent
they follow the sequence used by the AOU. However, in some cases, particularly among
marine and aquatic birds, species have been grouped according to similarity of appearance
to help facilitate comparison.
8 INTRODUCTION
DESCRIPTIVE PARTS OF A BIRD
cheek eyebrow
uppcoevrtearitls- scapulars nape patch stripe crown
rump wing bars back
eye-line
eye-ring
lores
outertail
feathers
chin
secondaries
mustache
primaries stripe
throat
undertail
coverts breast
abdomen side
flank belly
(cid:1)= male
(cid:2)= female
WING FROM ABOVE
bend of
wing
wing-
coverts
primaries
WING FROM BELOW
secondaries
speculum
scapulars
wing lining
primaries
underwing-
coverts
axillaries (wingpit)
secondaries
INTRODUCTION 9
IDENTIFICATION
Size is a basic tool in bird identification. Where length varies, because of the presence or absence
of tail plumes for example, several measurements are provided.
Only salient field marks are presented. These are key features to look for when identify-
ing the bird. No attempt is made to describe the species comprehensively since this is bet-
ter discerned in the plates. Most field marks pertain to plumage, but they do sometimes
include peculiar habits such as tail-bobbing.
Plumages which vary by age, sex, or season are differentiated. So are variations when a
species differs substantially among islands. For species that occur in the West Indies for only
a part of the year, the plumage most likely to be seen is presented first, with the least likely
plumage presented last. For example, of the various gull species that occur in the West Indies
but do not breed, immature birds occur much more regularly than adults. Consequently,
the sub-adult plumages are described before those of the adults. For species that do not
breed in the West Indies and which rarely occur, the breeding plumage may not be illus-
trated in every case.
Flight:Described when it is a specific asset to identification.
Voice:The calls, songs, and notes as known in the West Indies are described when impor-
tant for identification.
Status and range: The extent to which the bird depends upon the West Indies during its
life-cycle is presented. Some species reside on a single island during their entire lives. Oth-
ers may pass through the islands only during certain migratory periods.
The following terms are used to represent the overall status of each species:
Endemic: A species which is confined to a specific island or small group of islands and is
found nowhere else in the world.
Resident: A species which spends its entire life-cycle on a particular island or group of islands.
Breeding resident: A species which breeds on a particular island or group of islands and
then migrates elsewhere during the non-breeding season.
Non-breeding resident: A species which breeds elsewhere, but occurs on a particular island
or group of islands during the non-breeding season. Sometimes referred to as a ‘visitor’
or ‘visitant’. Other bird guides often refer to such birds as ‘winter visitor’. This term has
been deliberately avoided in this work since ‘winter’ is not a term used on all islands, so
it would represent a bird’s status from a North American perspective.
Migrant: A species which migrates between islands or to areas outside the West Indies
on a seasonal basis. Sometimes referred to as a ‘transient’.
Wanderer: A species which moves between islands at irregular intervals.
The terms used to describe the likelihood of observing a given species are defined below:
Common: 5 or more individuals likely to be seen daily.
Fairly common: 1–4 individuals likely to be seen daily.
Uncommon: Not likely to be seen on every trip, but can be expected at least twice per
year.
Rare: Fewer than 2 records per year; at least one occurrence every 5 years.
Very rare: Occurs once every 5 to 10 years.
Vagrant: Occurs less frequently than once every 10 years.
