Spindalises | Spindalidae

Spindalissen | Spindalis

This is a small family of the wooded islands of the Caribbean; in this region it reaches only the far southeastern tip of the mainland, where a bird now and then crosses over from the Bahamas. The males are sharply marked, with a black-and-white striped head, an orange to chestnut breast and rump and an olive-green back; the females are almost plain olive-grey. The bill is short and sturdy, with a slightly curved upper edge. The food consists mainly of small fruits and berries, swallowed whole, supplemented with flower buds, young leaves and insects. Foraging takes place high in the canopy, where the birds are easily overlooked despite their pattern because they move slowly and silently through dense foliage. Outside the breeding season small parties wander from one fruiting tree to the next, and when the crop fails they cross open water. The nest is a small cup of grass and plant fibre in a shrub or tree. The voice consists of very high, thin and weak notes that are easily missed.