Orangequit

Orangequit 

(Euneornis campestris) 

Photographed at Rockland’s Bird Sanctuary, 

Montego Bay, Jamaica       Aug 2013

The Orangequit is a Tanager that is endemic to Jamaica, where it occurs in a wide variety of habitats, from mountain evergreen forest to disturbed forest edge and secondary forest.

 The adult male Orangequit is very distinctive, with a cobalt blue body, a square orange patch on the throat, and a short, pointed, curved bill. The Female Orangequit have olive-gray upper parts, with dull yellow-olive under parts, and a gray head. Young males are like females, but often have small patches of colorful feathers, most commonly on the coverts, chest, or throat.

The Orangequit feeds on fruits and nectar, and is a common bird of forest canopy or edges, wherever there are fruits or flowers.  This species will travel in pairs or in mixed-species flocks of nectivores and insectivores, especially when feeding on flowering emergent trees.

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Blk Faced Grassquit

Black-faced Grassquit

 (Tiaris bicolor)

Photographed at Rockland’s bird sanctuary, Jamaica  Aug 2013

St Thomas, USVI     Mar 2015

Black-faced Grassquit is a small tanager, very dark olive-gray with black head, breast, bill, legs and feet. Very common in the West Indies and feeds mainly on seeds, especially of grasses and weeds. The flight is weak, bouncy and fluttering. Alternates rapid wing beats with pulling wings to body.

The Grassquit were long considered sparrows, but recent molecular studies have placed them in the tanagers, closely related to Darwin’s “finches”. Casual visitor to South Florida.

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Bananaquit

Bananaquit

Coereba flaveola

Photographed in the wild,

St. Lucia  Island    Apr 2012

         St Thomas USVI   Mar 2015

The brave tropical Bananaquit is aptly named, because it is easy to find these birds in banana trees as they forage for sweet foods. They can even become so brazen that they will fly into open homes to steal sugar, earning the nickname "sugar bird."

The Bananaquit is a tropical bird easily found in forests and gardens where nectar-producing flowers and fruit are abundant. Their year-round range includes most of the Caribbean islands though they are rare in Cuba, and they are also found in Central America. National bird of St. Thomas

With such a widespread range, these birds have developed many different calls and vocalizations depending on geography. Sharp buzzes, trills and very high, thin notes are common, and their calls may be mistaken for insects.

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White-Lined Tanager

White-lined Tanager

Tachyphonusrufus

Photographed at Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Canada  Sep 2011

Tanagers are found only in the New World. The white-lined tanagers inhabit the northern and eastern coastal regions of South America

The white-lined tanager moves about in pairs and contrary to other tanagers, seldom mix with different species. They appear to be quite shy and seldom spend time on perches out in the open. They are associated with the warbler species of the “Old World”; small, active songbirds noted for their song.

Before breeding time, they build a thick, deep cup nest from plant material and when available, animal hair. They breed from March to October producing two eggs ranging in colour from grayish-white to pale rufous with brown spots.

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Turquoise Tanager

Turquoise Tanager

 Tangara mexicana

Photographed at Discovery Cove, Orlando, Florida   Mar 2011

The Turquoise Tanager is a medium-sized passerine bird that occurs in northern and northeastern South America. It is a resident of the Amazon Basin as well as adjacent rivers. It is a social bird and is often found in small flocks.

The Turquoise Tanager feeds primarily on fruit but will also eat insects, flowers, leaves, and seeds.

The female Turquoise Tanager lays 2 to 3 brown-blotched, gray-green eggs per clutch. The female incubates the eggs for about 12 to 14 days. Pairs break off from the flock to reproduce. After hatching, pairs rejoin the flock but return to feed the young.

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Blue-Grey Tanager

Blue-grey Tanager

Thraupis episcopus

Photographed at Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Canada  Sep 2011

Blue-gray tanagers belong to a large family of small, colourful tropical birds. Powder blue in color, the males and females look alike.

Blue-gray tanagers, unlike most other tropical birds, prefer semi-open habitat and can often be found near human development, even nesting near or on buildings. They lay 1 to 3 mottled eggs, which the female incubates for 12 to 14 days. Both parents feed the chicks.

The tanager’s natural range is from southern Mexico through Central America and throughout northern South America. This species was introduced into southern Florida.

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Tanagers

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TANAGERS

     Blue-Grey                       Turquoise Tanger                      White-Lined

TANAGERS misc

      Bananquit            Blk-Faced Grassquit            Yellew-Faced  Grassquit           Orangequit