Great-Tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus): a new species for Hispaniola
Main Article Content
Abstract: We report on the occurrence of a new vagrant bird species for Hispaniola, and only the third record of this species in the West Indies. The Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) was identified by sight and call near Salinas de Baní, Peravia Province, on a Christmas Bird Count in December 2007. We compare our observation with characteristics of the Carib Grackle (Q. lugubris), Common Grackle (Q. quiscula), Greater Antillean Grackle (Q. niger), and Boat-tailed Grackle (Q. major).
Keywords: distribution, Dominican Republic, Great-tailed Grackle, Greater Antillean Grackle, Hispaniola, Quiscalus mexicanus, Quiscalus niger
Resumen: El Zanate Grande (Quiscalus mexicanus): nueva especie para la Española- Se presenta la aparición de una nueva especie de ave errante para La Española, y el tercer registro de esta especie en las Indias Occidentales. El Zanate Grande (Quiscalus mexicanus), fue identificado a vista y canto cerca de Salinas de Baní, provincia Peravia, en un Conteo Navideño de Aves en diciembre de 2007. Comparamos nuestras observaciones con las características de Q. lugubris, Q. quiscula, Q. niger, y Q. major.
Palabras clave: distribución, Española, Quiscalus mexicanus, Quiscalus niger, República Dominicana
Résumé: Le Quiscale à longue queue (Quiscalus mexicanus): une nouvelle espèce pour Hispaniola- Nous rendons compte de l’apparition d’une nouvelle espèce d’oiseau erratique pour Hispaniola, ce qui constitue seulement le troisième donnée pour cette espèce dans les Antilles. Le Quiscale à longue queue (Quiscalus mexicanus) a été observé et entendu à proximité des Salines de Baní, Peravia, lors d’un dénombrement d’oiseaux en décembre 2007. Nous comparons notre observation avec des caractéristiques du Quiscale merle (Q. lugubris), du Quiscale bronzé (Q. quiscalus), du Quiscale noir (Q. niger) et du Quiscale des marais (Q. major).
Mots clés: distribution, Hispaniola, Quiscale à longue queue, Quiscale noir, Quiscalus mexicanus, Quiscalus niger, République dominicaine
References
of North American birds. 7th edn. American
Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D. C.
DAVIS, H. 2005. Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus
mexicanus. New record for Jamaica. Broadsheet:
Bird Journal for Jamaica 82.
DHONDT, A., AND K. V. DHONDT. 2008. Two bird
species new for Hispaniola. Journal of Caribbean
Ornithology 21:46-47.
HOWELL, S. N. G., AND S. WEBB. 1995. A guide to
the birds of Mexico and northern Central America.
Oxford University Press, New York.
JOHNSON, K., AND B. D. PEER. 2001. Great-tailed
Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus). In The birds of
North America, no. 576 (A. Poole and F. Gill,
eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia,
PA.
KEITH, A., J. WILEY, S. LATTA, AND J. OTTENWALDER.
2003. The birds of Hispaniola: Haiti and the
Dominican Republic. British Ornithologists’ Union,
Tring, UK.
LANDESTOY, M. A., P. G. RODRIGUEZ, AND S. C.
LATTA. 2007. Three new migratory bird species
reported from Hispaniola. Journal of Caribbean
Ornithology 19:113-115.
LATTA, S. C., C. C. RIMMER, A. R. KEITH, J. W.
WILEY, H. A. RAFFAELE, K. P. MCFARLAND,
AND E. M. FERNANDEZ. 2006a. Aves de la República
Dominicana y Haiti. Princeton University
Press, Princeton, NJ.
LATTA, S. C., C. C. RIMMER, A. R. KEITH, J. W.
WILEY, H. A. RAFFAELE, K. P. MCFARLAND,
AND E. M. FERNANDEZ. 2006b. Les oiseaux
d’Haïti et de la République Dominicaine. Princeton
University Press, Princeton, N.J.
LATTA, S. C., C. C. RIMMER, A. R. KEITH, J. W.
WILEY, H. A. RAFFAELE, K. P. MCFARLAND,
AND E. M. FERNANDEZ. 2006c. Birds of the Dominican
Republic and Haiti. Princeton University
Press, Princeton, NJ.
PEER, B. D., AND E. K. BOLLINGER. 1997. Common
Grackle Quiscalus quiscula. In The birds of North
America, no. 271 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The
Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA,
and the American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington,
DC.
PYLE, P. 1997. Identification guide to North American
birds. Part I. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, CA.
SELANDER, R. K., AND D. R. GILLER. 1961.
Analysis of sympatry of Great-tailed and Boattailed
Grackles. Condor 63:29-86.
SERGILE, F. E. 2005. A la decouverte des oiseaux
d’Haiti. Société Audubon Haiti, Haiti.
VAUGHAN, H., L. VAUGHAN, J. FLETCHER, AND C.
FLETCHER. 2007. Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus
mexicanus 24th June 2007. Broadsheet: Bird
Journal for Jamaica 86:21.
WEHTJE, W. 2003. The range expansion of the
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus
Gmelin) in North America since 1880. Journal of
Biogeography 30:1593-1607.
