Western Spindalis

Overview

Western Spindalis: Small tanager, black-gray back, dark rufous nape, rump. Throat patch is yellow, bib is red-black, breast and collar are yellow-orange, belly is white. Head is black-and-white striped. Dark gray bill. Wings are dark with white patches. Tail is black with white edges.

Range and Habitat

Western Spindalis: Native of West Indies, occasionally wandering into southeastern Florida and Florida Keys during summer. Preferred habitats include open forests, forest edges, and shrub areas.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Western Spindalis is also known as the Stripe-headed Tanager. It is our smallest tanager and was first described by Linnaeus in 1766.
A group of tanagers are collectively known as a "season" of tanagers.

The Western Spindalis is a member of the Thraupidae family, and may be called the Stripe-headed Tanager. This species lives in the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the United States and Jamaica. The natural habitat of the Western Spindalis includes subtropical and tropical climates of moist, low forests, moist montanes and heavily degraded former forest. This bird typically feed on insects, invertebrates, seeds, fruit and berries, and is a permanent resident. The conservation rating for the Western Spindalis is Least Concern.