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Caribbean Elaenia Elaenia martinica Juí Blanco,
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Photo: G. Beaton
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Caribbean Elaenia Elaenia martinica Juí Blanco,
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Photo: G. Beaton
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IDENTIFICATION: A small flycatcher with a dull brown back, faint yellow belly, and two faint white wing bars. The wingbars and yellow underbelly fade in worn plumage. When excited, it raises its crest, revealing a white central crown stripe. Often sits in an upright posture on tree branches. Length: 16-17 cm.; weight: 22 g. VOICE: The call consists of three whistled notes, rising in the middle; also a longer dawn song, "Peweer-peweer-peweer. " Audio (M. Oberle). HABITAT: Forest understory trees, especially arid scrub forests. HABITS: Calls persistently in the breeding season early in the year from a perch in middle levels of the forest. It often changes perches as it looks for insects (caterpillars, earwigs, weevils, other beetles) and spiders. Although it is in the flycatcher family, much of its diet consists of fruit. In one study of 10 elaenias in March and April, 86% of the stomach contents consisted of fruits; and some birds had no insects at all in their stomachs. The elaenia aggressively chases others of its species from its territory. The nest is a cup in a forked tree branch, and typically contains 2-3 eggs. STATUS AND CONSERVATION: A common forest species. It was first reported in Puerto Rico in 1963, and has become more common since then. RANGE: Breeds in the Cayman Islands, the islands off the Yucatßn Peninsula, some of the Bahama Islands; and from Puerto Rico east through the islands of the eastern Caribbean. Regular locations to find this species include the arid forests at Boquer≤n Wildlife Refuge and the Gußnica State Forest. TAXONOMY: PASSERIFORMES; TYRANNIDAE; Elaeniinae. |
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Photo: A. Sßnchez Mu±oz
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Photo: J. Faaborg*
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Photo: G. Beaton
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Photo: G. Beaton
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References Bradley, P. and Y. Rey-Millet. 1985. Birds of the Cayman Islands. P.E. Bradley, George Town, Grand Cayman. Faaborg, J. and W. Arendt. 1992. Rainfall correlates of bird population fluctuations in a Puerto Rican dry forest: a 15 year study. Ornitología Caribeña 3:10-19. Norton, R. L. 1986. First record of Purple-throated Carib for the Greater Antilles and notes on vagrants in the Virgin Islands. Carib. J. Sci 22(3-4):462-463. Raffaele, H.A. 1989. A guide to the birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Princeton. Raffaele, H.A. 1989. Una guía a las aves de Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes. Publishing Resources, Inc., Santurce, PR. Raffaele, H.A., J.W. Wiley, O.H. Garrido, A.R. Keith, and J.I. Raffaele. 1998. Guide to the birds of the West Indies. Princeton. Saliva, J.E. 1994. Vieques y su fauna: Vieques wildlife manual. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Boquerón, PR. Caribbean Elaenia, Spanish text Next related species in taxonomic order Previous related species in taxonomic order |
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