Birdfinding.info ⇒ Fairly common but local and erratic in montane forests and foothills of the Cordillera Central, Sierra de Bahoruco, and Massif de la Selle, and likely also in the Sierra de Neiba and the northern ranges of Haiti. The most consistent sites appear to be Zapotén and Alcoa Road—particularly near the park entrance, where groups often visit a water dish to drink and bathe.
Antillean Siskin
Spinus dominicensis
Endemic to Hispaniola.
Breeds in pine forests at middle and upper elevations of the Cordillera Central, Sierra de Bahoruco, and Massif de la Selle. At other times it also occurs in other wooded and grassy montane and foothill habitats.
Rare and sporadic elsewhere, including the Massif de la Hotte, Sierra de Neiba, northern mountain ranges, and lowlands.
Identification
Male is yellow to olive overall with a black hood, a bright yellow partial collar, a large pale bill, and black-and-yellow wings and tail.
Antillean Siskin, male. (Dominican Republic; July 17, 2010.) © Rafael Arvelo
Antillean Siskin, male. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; May 2, 2015.) © Dax M. Román E.
Antillean Siskin, male. (La Placa, Dominican Republic; April 11, 2014.) © Dax M. Román E.
Antillean Siskin, male. (Sierra de Bahoruco, Dominican Republic; January 31, 2014.) © Dubi Shapiro
Antillean Siskin, female and male. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; May 17, 2015.) © Tony Pe
Antillean Siskin, male. (Ébano Verde Scientific Reserve, Dominican Republic; June 16, 2012.) © Dax M. Román E.
Antillean Siskin, male. (Dominican Republic; April 11, 2015.) © Rafael Arvelo
Antillean Siskin, male. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; May 2, 2015.) © Dax M. Román E.
Antillean Siskin, male. (Valle Nuevo National Park, Dominican Republic; April 27, 2013.) © Justin Proctor
Antillean Siskin, male. (Boukan Chat, Haiti; February 11, 2017.) © Jim Tietz
Antillean Siskin, male. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; May 17, 2015.) © Tony Pe
Antillean Siskin, males. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; May 17, 2015.) © Guillermo Armenteros
Female is gray-and-olive above, with two yellow wingbars. and streaky gray below.
Antillean Siskin, female. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; May 2, 2015.) © Dax M. Román E.
Antillean Siskin, female. (Boukan Chat, Haiti; February 11, 2017.) © Jim Tietz
Antillean Siskin, female. (Zapotén, Dominican Republic; September 2, 2012.) © Dax M. Román E.
Antillean Siskin, female. (Haiti; May 20, 2013.) © Tauscher Gerhard
Immatures resemble adults, but less colorful.
Antillean Siskin, immature male. (Rabo de Gato Trail, Dominican Republic; December 26, 2013.) © Kyle Kittelberger
Antillean Siskin, immature male. (Furcy, Haiti; December 16, 2017.) © Richard Dunn
Antillean Siskin, immature female—note dark bill. (Los Arroyos, Dominican Republic; September 1, 2012.) © Dax M. Román E.
Antillean Siskin, immature male. (Alcoa Road, Dominican Republic; May 17, 2015.) © Tony Pe
Voice. Calls include a low chup-chup-chup (three to five chups in a burst): And a soft, buzzy trill ending with a sharp note: zzzzzzzz-CHIP!
Notes
Monotypic species.
References
Alas & Colores: Antillean Siskin (Spinus dominicensis), https://alasycolores.com.do/en/aves/canario.
BirdLife International 2016. Spinus dominicensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22720416A94669938. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22720416A94669938.en. (Accessed July 14, 2019.)
Clement, P. 2019. Antillean Siskin (Spinus dominicensis). In Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D.A. Christie, and E. de Juana, eds.). Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. https://www.hbw.com/node/61348. (Accessed July 14, 2019.)
eBird. 2019. eBird: An online database of bird distribution and abundance. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, N.Y. http://www.ebird.org. (Accessed July 14, 2019.)
Latta, S., C. Rimmer, A. Keith, J. Wiley, H. Raffaele, K. McFarland, and E. Fernandez. 2006. Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.
Raffaele, H., J. Wiley, O. Garrido, A. Keith, and J. Raffaele. 1998. A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.