West Indian woodpecker
| West Indian woodpecker | |
|---|---|
| |
| Male | |
| |
| Female Both M. s. superciliaris on Cuba | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Piciformes |
| Family: | Picidae |
| Genus: | Melanerpes |
| Species: | M. superciliaris
|
| Binomial name | |
| Melanerpes superciliaris (Temminck, 1827)
| |
| |
The West Indian woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) is a species of bird in the family Picidae. It is found in the Bahamas, Cayman Islands and Cuba. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, and heavily degraded former forests.
The species has been observed to have a polyandrous breeding system, with one female raising two broods with different males concurrently.
Sub species[]
There are four recognized endemic sub-species in Cuba:[2]
- M. s. superciliaris, Main island and Cayo Cantiles
- M. s. murceus, Isla de Pinos
- M. s. florentinoi, Cayo Largo
- M. s. sanfelipensis, Cayo Real
There are two other sub-species:
- M. s. nyeanus, Grand Bahama and San Salvador I.
- M. s. blakei, Great Abaco I. (n Bahamas)
References[]
- ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Melanerpes superciliaris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22680859A92882813. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22680859A92882813.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
- ^ Orlando H. Garrido and Arturo H. Kirkconnell, Birds of Cuba, Christopher Helm, Cornell 2000 ISBN 0-7136-5784-7
- Raffaele, Herbert; James Wiley, Orlando Garrido, Allan Keith & Janis Raffaele (2003) Birds of the West Indies, Christopher Helm, London.
- Willimont, L.A., Jackson, J.A. and Jackson, B.J.S. (1991). "Classical polyandry in the West Indian woodpecker on Abaco, Bahamas". Wilson Bull. 103: 124–125. [1]
External links[]
- Stamps (for Cayman Islands, and Cuba)
- Stamp photo; Article
- West Indian woodpecker photo gallery VIREO; Photo-linked at natureserve.org
- West Indian woodpecker videos on the Internet Bird Collection
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Categories:
- IUCN Red List least concern species
- Melanerpes
- Birds of Cuba
- Birds of the Bahamas
- Birds of the Cayman Islands
- Endemic birds of the Caribbean
- Birds described in 1827
- Woodpecker stubs