From Opus

Hispaniola subspecies
Photo by Conorbirda2
Location: Punta Cana, Dominican Republic .

Icterus dominicensis

[edit] Identification

Juvenile of Hispaniola subspecies
Photo by Mort
Location: Dominican Republic January 2008.

[edit] Adult

• Black
• Yellow on rump, vent and shoulders

[edit] Immatures

Non-descript buffy-brownish and can be confusing compared to both adults and other oriole species.

[edit] Distribution

Found on Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic)

Seems sensitive to nest predation by Shiny Cowbird.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species.
It was formerly a part of Greater Antillean Oriole. This species used to include a couple of Central American subspecies and at that time was called Black-cowled Oriole.

[edit] Habitat

Often found near palms from sea level up to mid elevation.

[edit] Behaviour

Palms are used both for nesting and for foraging. Food includes fruit, nectar, insects, and flowers.

Song activity just after dawn but is not common.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2010. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2010. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/Clements%206.5.xls/view
2. Thread in the Taxonomy forum discussing the possible splitting of this species
3. This page at Birdlife International relates a proposal to split all four Greater Antillean Orioles into separate species, and raise concern for the Bahamas form
4. 51st supplement to the AOU checklist of North American birds

• List of references

[edit] External Links