The Puerto Rican spindalis (Spindalis portoricensis) is a bird endemic to the island of Puerto Rico, where it is commonly known as reina mora. The species is widely distributed throughout the island and is an important part of the Puerto Rican ecosystem because of its help in seed dispersal and plant reproduction. The Puerto Rican spindalis is the unofficial national bird[N 1] of Puerto Rico.[2]
The Puerto Rican spindalis was originally classified as Spindalis zena portoricensis, making it a subspecies of the western spindalis (Spindalis zena). In 1997, an article was published which presented an extensive analysis of the genusSpindalis. The report concluded, based on differences in weight, color, pattern, distribution, and voice, that a split of S. zena was necessary. Four distinct species were identified—Spindalis dominicensis, Spindalis nigricephala, Spindalis portoricensis and Spindalis zena. S. zena was also subdivided into five subspecies: S. z. pretrei, S. z. salvini, S. z. benedicti, S. z. townsendi and S. z. zena. Specifically, the difference in vocalization, and morphology, distinguish S. portoricensis from S. dominicensis.[3]
Descriptionedit
The Puerto Rican spindalis exhibits sexual dimorphism with males being brightly colored and females being dully colored. Males are green colored above with an orange neck and chest. They have a black head with two white stripes running across it, with one above and one below the eyes. The tail and wings are gray to black with small white stripes at the tips. In contrast, the female is a dull olive-green color with slightly noticeable white stripes.[4] Sexual dimorphism is also noticeable in weight and size. Females are slightly heavier but smaller in length than males. The male's weight ranges from 22.5 to 37.0 grams with an average of 30.8 grams while the female's ranges from 28.0 to 41.1 grams with an average of 33.5 grams. The length of the male's wings ranges from 82 to 88.5 mm with an average of 85.2 mm while the female's range from 80 to 85.5 mm with an average of 82.6 mm. The length of the male's tail ranges from 59 to 68 mm with an average of 63.3 mm while the female's range from 56 to 65.5 mm with an average of 60.6 mm.[3]
Distribution and habitatedit
Bird count of the Puerto Rican spindalis (2004)
The Puerto Rican spindalis is currently found more commonly in plantations than in their natural habitat, the forests of Maricao and the El Yunque National Forest.[5] It may also be found in gardens, scavenging for flower nectar, and other areas where fruits are grown. It can be attracted by a sugar solution. It is distributed throughout the entire main island of Puerto Rico and is rarely found above 1000 meters in elevation.
Ecology and behavioredit
The Puerto Rican spindalis are usually found in pairs but may travel in small flocks. These birds also engage in a behavior called mobbing. This is when a flock of birds, from one or more species, attack a known predator, usually to defend their eggs or hatchlings. Such behavior has been observed being directed against the Puerto Rican boa by immature Puerto Rican spindalis.[6]
The vocalization of the Puerto Rican spindalis is not as complex as that of other Spindalis species; only the songs of S. dominicensis are less elaborate. As with all Spindalis, the males emit high pitched sounds at 8 kHz or higher, usually from treetops high above the ground. Females, on the other hand, sing "whisper songs" usually from dense areas close to the ground. The most common vocalization is described as a "continuing series of high-pitched, thin, sibilant notes, given in a rhythmic pattern."[citation needed] Other vocalizations include a fast tweet and a short chi chi chi.[3]
Dietedit
The Puerto Rican spindalis commonly eats fruit from Didymopanax morototoni, Cecropia schreberiana, Cordia sulcata, Ficus species, Phoradendron species and Inga vera trees, with fruit from S. morototoni being the most important.[7] Because of the difficulty of digestion and the small amount of energy that fruit and leaves provide, these birds also include insects and small lizards as part of their diet.
Reproductionedit
The Puerto Rican spindalis builds cup-shaped nests from various plant matter. Two to four eggs are laid at a time. Eggs are usually light blue in color with brown patches around the large end, but regional variations are known to exist. They measure, on average, 23.7 by 17.3 mm.[3]
^National bird is the accepted/standard expression to refer to the representative bird denominated by a government. This expression does not reflect Puerto Rico's political status. To read about Puerto Rico's political status please refer here.[2]
^ abPérez Rivera, Raúl (2 December 2015). "Debate por el Ave Nacional (primera parte)" [Debate for the National Bird (first part)] (in Spanish). CienciaPR. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
^ abcdGarrido, O. H.; Parkes, K. C.; Reynard, G. B.; Kirkconnell, A. & Sutton, R. (1997). "Taxonomy of the Stripe-Headed Tanager, Genus Spindalis (Aves: Thraupidae) of the West Indies". Wilson Bulletin. 109 (4): 561–594.
^Collazo, J. A. & Bonilla-Martinez, G. I. (1988). "Comparacion de la riqueza de aves entre plantaciones de pino hondureno (Pinus caribaea) y areas de bosque nativo en el Bosque Estatal de Carite, Cayey, Puerto Rico" (PDF). Caribbean Journal of Science. 24: 1–10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-08-24. Retrieved 2006-02-12.
^Mercado, Javier E.; Terranova, Esteban & Wunderle, Joseph M. (2002). "Avian mobbing of the Puerto Rican boa (Epicrates inornatus)" (PDF). Caribbean Journal of Science. 38 (1–2): 125–126.
^Saracco, James F.; Collazo, Jaime A.; Groom, Martha J.; Carlo, Tomás A. (2005). "Crop Size and Fruit Neighborhood Effects on Bird Visitation". Biotropica. 37: 81–87. doi:10.1111/j.1744-7429.2005.04040.x.
Further readingedit
Oberle, Mark (2003). Las aves de Puerto Rico en fotografías (in Spanish). Editorial Humanitas. p. 26. ISBN978-0-9650104-2-9.
February 16, 2024
puerto, rican, spindalis, spindalis, portoricensis, bird, endemic, island, puerto, rico, where, commonly, known, reina, mora, species, widely, distributed, throughout, island, important, part, puerto, rican, ecosystem, because, help, seed, dispersal, plant, re. The Puerto Rican spindalis Spindalis portoricensis is a bird endemic to the island of Puerto Rico where it is commonly known as reina mora The species is widely distributed throughout the island and is an important part of the Puerto Rican ecosystem because of its help in seed dispersal and plant reproduction The Puerto Rican spindalis is the unofficial national bird N 1 of Puerto Rico 2 Puerto Rican spindalisMaleConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder PasseriformesFamily SpindalidaeGenus SpindalisSpecies S portoricensisBinomial nameSpindalis portoricensis Bryant H 1866 SynonymsSpindalis zena portoricensis Contents 1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Ecology and behavior 4 1 Diet 4 2 Reproduction 5 See also 6 Notes 7 References 8 Further readingTaxonomy editThe Puerto Rican spindalis was originally classified as Spindalis zena portoricensis making it a subspecies of the western spindalis Spindalis zena In 1997 an article was published which presented an extensive analysis of the genus Spindalis The report concluded based on differences in weight color pattern distribution and voice that a split of S zena was necessary Four distinct species were identified Spindalis dominicensis Spindalis nigricephala Spindalis portoricensis and Spindalis zena S zena was also subdivided into five subspecies S z pretrei S z salvini S z benedicti S z townsendi and S z zena Specifically the difference in vocalization and morphology distinguish S portoricensis from S dominicensis 3 Description editThe Puerto Rican spindalis exhibits sexual dimorphism with males being brightly colored and females being dully colored Males are green colored above with an orange neck and chest They have a black head with two white stripes running across it with one above and one below the eyes The tail and wings are gray to black with small white stripes at the tips In contrast the female is a dull olive green color with slightly noticeable white stripes 4 Sexual dimorphism is also noticeable in weight and size Females are slightly heavier but smaller in length than males The male s weight ranges from 22 5 to 37 0 grams with an average of 30 8 grams while the female s ranges from 28 0 to 41 1 grams with an average of 33 5 grams The length of the male s wings ranges from 82 to 88 5 mm with an average of 85 2 mm while the female s range from 80 to 85 5 mm with an average of 82 6 mm The length of the male s tail ranges from 59 to 68 mm with an average of 63 3 mm while the female s range from 56 to 65 5 mm with an average of 60 6 mm 3 Distribution and habitat edit nbsp Bird count of the Puerto Rican spindalis 2004 The Puerto Rican spindalis is currently found more commonly in plantations than in their natural habitat the forests of Maricao and the El Yunque National Forest 5 It may also be found in gardens scavenging for flower nectar and other areas where fruits are grown It can be attracted by a sugar solution It is distributed throughout the entire main island of Puerto Rico and is rarely found above 1000 meters in elevation Ecology and behavior editThe Puerto Rican spindalis are usually found in pairs but may travel in small flocks These birds also engage in a behavior called mobbing This is when a flock of birds from one or more species attack a known predator usually to defend their eggs or hatchlings Such behavior has been observed being directed against the Puerto Rican boa by immature Puerto Rican spindalis 6 External audioBird Call nbsp Puerto Rican spindalis vocals dead link The vocalization of the Puerto Rican spindalis is not as complex as that of other Spindalis species only the songs of S dominicensis are less elaborate As with all Spindalis the males emit high pitched sounds at 8 kHz or higher usually from treetops high above the ground Females on the other hand sing whisper songs usually from dense areas close to the ground The most common vocalization is described as a continuing series of high pitched thin sibilant notes given in a rhythmic pattern citation needed Other vocalizations include a fast tweet and a short chi chi chi 3 Diet edit The Puerto Rican spindalis commonly eats fruit from Didymopanax morototoni Cecropia schreberiana Cordia sulcata Ficus species Phoradendron species and Inga vera trees with fruit from S morototoni being the most important 7 Because of the difficulty of digestion and the small amount of energy that fruit and leaves provide these birds also include insects and small lizards as part of their diet Reproduction edit The Puerto Rican spindalis builds cup shaped nests from various plant matter Two to four eggs are laid at a time Eggs are usually light blue in color with brown patches around the large end but regional variations are known to exist They measure on average 23 7 by 17 3 mm 3 See also edit nbsp Puerto Rico portal nbsp Biology portal nbsp Birds portalFauna of Puerto Rico List of birds of Puerto Rico List of endemic fauna of Puerto Rico List of Puerto Rican birds List of Vieques birds El Toro WildernessNotes edit National bird is the accepted standard expression to refer to the representative bird denominated by a government This expression does not reflect Puerto Rico s political status To read about Puerto Rico s political status please refer here 2 References edit BirdLife International 2012 Spindalis portoricensis IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012 Retrieved 26 November 2013 old form url a b Perez Rivera Raul 2 December 2015 Debate por el Ave Nacional primera parte Debate for the National Bird first part in Spanish CienciaPR Retrieved 16 March 2021 a b c d Garrido O H Parkes K C Reynard G B Kirkconnell A amp Sutton R 1997 Taxonomy of the Stripe Headed Tanager Genus Spindalis Aves Thraupidae of the West Indies Wilson Bulletin 109 4 561 594 Puerto Rican Spindalis Puertoricobirds com Retrieved 2013 03 30 Collazo J A amp Bonilla Martinez G I 1988 Comparacion de la riqueza de aves entre plantaciones de pino hondureno Pinus caribaea y areas de bosque nativo en el Bosque Estatal de Carite Cayey Puerto Rico PDF Caribbean Journal of Science 24 1 10 Archived from the original PDF on 2006 08 24 Retrieved 2006 02 12 Mercado Javier E Terranova Esteban amp Wunderle Joseph M 2002 Avian mobbing of the Puerto Rican boa Epicrates inornatus PDF Caribbean Journal of Science 38 1 2 125 126 Saracco James F Collazo Jaime A Groom Martha J Carlo Tomas A 2005 Crop Size and Fruit Neighborhood Effects on Bird Visitation Biotropica 37 81 87 doi 10 1111 j 1744 7429 2005 04040 x Further reading editOberle Mark 2003 Las aves de Puerto Rico en fotografias in Spanish Editorial Humanitas p 26 ISBN 978 0 9650104 2 9 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Puerto Rican spindalis amp oldid 1181641378, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
