Phaenicophilus palmarum
The Black-crowned Palm-tanager (Phaenicophilus palmarum) is a striking passerine endemic to the island of Hispaniola, comprising the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Measuring approximately 17-18 cm (7 inches) in length and typically weighing between 26-30 grams, this species is easily identified by its sleek appearance. Key field marks include a glossy black crown, nape, and sides of the head, sharply contrasted by bold white streaks above and below the eye and on the lores. Its upperparts are ...
The Black-crowned Palm-tanager inhabits a wide array of forest types across Hispaniola, including moist broadleaf, dry deciduous, and pine forests, often favoring shade-grown coffee and cacao plantations, from sea level up to 2,000 meters.
Its diet consists predominantly of insects, such as caterpillars, beetles, and ants, supplemented significantly by a variety of small fruits and berries. It primarily forages by gleaning from vegetation.
Diurnal and generally active, the Black-crowned Palm-tanager spends much of its time foraging in the mid-story and sub-canopy of trees and shrubs. Its primary foraging strategy involves meticulously gleaning insects and small fruits from foliage, twigs, and bark. While often observed singly or in...
The Black-crowned Palm-tanager is strictly endemic to the island of Hispaniola, which is politically divided between the Dominican Republic and Haiti. It is widely distributed across both countries, found in all major mountain ranges including the Cordillera Central and Sierra de Bahoruco in the ...
Least Concern
- Its family, Phaenicophilidae, is one of only two bird families truly endemic to the Caribbean, highlighting the region's unique evolutionary isolation. - Despite its common name, the Black-crowned Palm-tanager is not a true tanager (Thraupidae) but belongs to a distinct, ancient lineage unique ...