{"id":168,"date":"2017-05-26T03:45:29","date_gmt":"2017-05-26T03:45:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/birdsinfocus.com\/blog\/?p=168"},"modified":"2017-05-27T15:59:10","modified_gmt":"2017-05-27T15:59:10","slug":"island-paradise-endemics-of-st-lucia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/birdsinfocus.com\/blog\/2017\/05\/26\/island-paradise-endemics-of-st-lucia\/","title":{"rendered":"Endemic Birds of St. Lucia"},"content":{"rendered":"

St. Lucia just might be paradise. Situated in the eastern Caribbean, this small island \u2014 just 10% of the size of Miami-Dade County \u2014 enjoys a tropical climate that is moderated year-round by pleasant northeast trade winds.\u00a0Volcanic in origin, St. Lucian peaks rise more than 3,000 feet from the Caribbean Sea, and the island features diverse habitats including rainforest, dry forest, banana\/cacao plantations, and gorgeous beaches. This landscape is home to a wide variety of unique plants and animals, including 5 endemic bird species (meaning they are found no where else in the world). It was these unique birds that first drew my attention. After a burst of planning I had a 5 day itinerary and a pair of frequent flyer tickets for my girlfriend and I to enjoy.<\/p>\n

Upon landing\u00a0I adjusted my driving style to favor the left and began zigging and zagging along mountainous roads along the southern shore. It wasn’t long before the amazingly beautiful Pitons<\/a> came into view. These remnant lava domes are 2,500 feet of sheer rock (and beauty!) and are preserved as part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.<\/p>\n

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The first endemic bird that caught my eye was the lovely St. Lucia Warbler. They are relatively common on the island, and in late April\u00a0numerous males were signing from the treetops. Until recently the AOU lumped this species with the similar Adelaide’s Warbler (Puerto Rico) and Barbuda Warbler (Barbuda), but differences in song, plumage, mitochondrial DNA, and range mixed things up (in 2000) and will probably keep this one split.<\/p>\n

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St. Lucia Warbler<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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St. Lucia Warbler – singing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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We\u00a0were fortunate to spend a day birding with Adams Toussaint who works for the St. Lucia Forestry Department.\u00a0Adams is a top-notch guide with an knack for finding good birds, and a broad understanding of the issues facing St. Lucia. As we chatted about threats from causeway construction, hotel development,\u00a0and a dolphin park we walked through beautiful forest and continued to discover new birds.<\/p>\n

The next endemic is known as the St. Lucia Pewee by many authorities, while Clements\/eBird still calls it the Lesser Antillean Pewee. I really loved the rich rufous of this spirited little flycatcher. We noticed one individual had a bad eye, but remarkably that didn’t seem to stop it from grabbing in-flight insect snacks from a favorite perch.<\/p>\n

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St. Lucian Pewee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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As our adventure continued we saw the St. Lucia Oriole at a few locations across the island. Like many of the endemics, it is not abundant (estimated population of just 1000-2500) and it is is under threat from an increasing population of Shiny Cowbirds that lay their own eggs in oriole nests.<\/p>\n

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St Lucia Oriole<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Endemic #4 is the St. Lucia Black Finch. It’s frequently mentioned that this bird shares a family tie with the Galapagos finches. As members of\u00a0Thraupidae (Tanagers and Allies) this is technically correct. However, this same family also includes Bananquits, grassquits, and Antillean bullfinches, so the mystery is not as deep as it may seem at first blush. It’s a beautiful little bird that is endangered (estimates of 250-1000 remaining) and difficult\u00a0to photograph. With help from Adams we were able to get close to a cooperative male finch, and a cloud provided the perfect, soft light.<\/p>\n

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St. Lucia Black Finch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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I’ve saved my favorite for last. How couldn’t you love a big, beautiful parrot? The St. Lucia Parrot is one of 9 native Amazona<\/em> parrots in the Caribbean, and it sports a riot of color including blue on the head, red on the belly, and bits of yellow and green scattered throughout. Sadly by the late 1970’s deforestation and trapping for the pet trade had driven the population perilously close to extinction. In 1976 Jovicich concluded that:<\/p>\n

Saint Lucia\u2019s remaining Amazona versicolor<\/em> population of 150 \u00b125 is fast approaching extinction in the wild \u2026 and considering the overall trend of man’s simplification of Saint Lucia’s ecology, it is certain that Amazona versicolor<\/em>\u00a0will not escape oblivion.<\/p>