From Opus

Melanospiza richardsoni

[edit] Identification

13-14 cm, 5.5 inches. The male is entirely black with pink legs. The female has gray head in contrast to brown back and buffy underparts.

Found lower and more concealed than the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch. Both sexes have heavier beaks and more pink legs than the LAB, and additonally have the habit of bobbing tail up and down. Male LAB has rufous throat, while the female has gray-brown head in no contrast to the back and grayish underparts. Legs are grey to black.

[edit] Distribution

Endemic to St. Lucia.

[edit] Taxonomy

It is the only member of its genus; the closest relatives are the Galapagos Finches according to Raffaele et al. Birds of the West Indies.

[edit] Habitat

Found in dense understory vegetation often seeking food in the leaf litter.

[edit] Behaviour

The diet includes seeds, fruit and insects; it is a ground feeder.

It nests in a spherical nest of twigs built in a low shrub or palm about 2 m above ground.

[edit] External Links

The following link should search for images in the Gallery, however, none found at the time of editing