Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Birds of the Central Plateau

Here are the 28 species of birds seen in Caiman (near Bohoc, near Pignon) in fall 2014.  See this post for information about spotting the rare plain pigeon.  * indicates endemics to Hispaniola.

(add grassquit to Nov.)
English nameCreole nameScientific nameOct. 2014Nov. 2014
·  Antillean Mango Wanga Nègès Anthracothorax dominicusxx
·  Vervain Hummingbird Wanga Nègès Mellisuga minimaxx
·  Hispaniolan Parakeet* Parich Aratinga chloroptera4
·  Cattle Egret Krabye Bulbulcus ibixx
·  Plain Pigeon Ramye Columa inornata22
·  Common Ground Dove Zotolon Columbina passerinaxx
·  White-necked Crow* Kaw Corvus leucognaphalusxx
·  Hispaniolan Palm Crow* Ti kaw Corvus palmarumxx
·  Smooth-billed Ani Boustabak Crotophaga anix
·  Greater Antillean Grackle Mèl Diab Quiscalus nigerx
·  Prairie Warbler Ti Tchit Zèl Jon Dendroica discolorx
·  Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrinxx
·  Black and White Warbler Ti Tchit Demidèy Mniotilta variaxx
·  Palm Warbler Ti Tchit Palmis Dendroica palmarumx
·  Ovenbird Ti Tchit DoreSeiurus aurocapillaxx
·  American Redstart Ti Tchit Dife Setophaga ruticillaxx
·  Palmchat* Esclave Dulus dominicusxx
·  American Kestrel Grigri Falco sparveriusxx
·  Hispaniolan Woodpecker* Sepantye Melanerpes striatusxx
·  Black-crowned Palm-tanager* Kat-je Tèt Nwa Phaenicophilus palarumxx
·  Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo* Tako Sauruthera longirostrisxx
·  Broad-billed Tody* Kolobri Todus subulatusxx
·  Gray Kingbird Pipirit gris Tyrannus dominicensisxx
·  Bananaquit Kit Coereba flaveolaxx
·  Nutmeg Mannikin Mannken Lonchura punctulata - introxx
·  Turkey Kodon Meleagris - intro? xx
·  Chickens! Poul Gallus gallusxx
·  Guineafowl Pentard Numida meleagrisxx

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Ramye (plain pigeon) in the central plateau

There is a confirmed pair of ramye, plain pigeon (Patagioenas inornata), near l'Université Chrétienne de la Communauté de Caïman east of Pignon.  Here is video so you can hear their low groan.  Turn the volume up and listen at seconds 3, 11, and 20.  The birds fly off at second 31.

Older Haitians say that when they were young they saw 100s of these birds at a time.  Now there is reported to be only 1,000-4,000 in the Caribbean.  The ramye have been seen in other places near Caiman and Bohoc since 2009.