BANANAQUIT

BANANAQUIT (Coereba flaveola) (See images below)
DESCRIPTION: The Bananaquit has a black head, a grey back and a white eye stripe. Chin and throat are white, underparts are bright yellow but vent area is white. Wings are black with some white markings. Tail is black on top, white under. Eyes are black. Black bill is sharp and slightly curved. Legs and feet are grey. Female and juvenile have duller colors. Bird is around 4.5 inches (11 cm) long. There are some 41 subspecies.
VOICE: https://www.xeno-canto.org/species/Coereba-flaveola
NAME: English name part ‘Banana’ not related to the fruit, and ‘quit’ part is a West Indies term for a small bird. Also called ‘Sugar Bird’ because it is easily attracted to feeders with granulated sugar.
HABITAT: Shrubby areas, open forests and edges, parks, gardens.
DIET: Flower nectar, also insects and fruit. This bird will pierce the flower at the side to get the nectar without pollinating it.
NESTING: Uses plant material and fibres to build its nest, a domed structure with a side entrance. May build several nests, used to sleep. An average of two or three creamy eggs are laid, incubated by female. Chicks fed by both parents.
DISTRIBUTION: Year-round resident from Mexico down to Argentina, including the Caribbean. Some individuals have been observed in South Florida.
Distribution Map: https://neotropical.birds.cornell.edu/Species-Account/nb/species/banana/overview
CONSERVATION: Widespread and common, not at risk.
NOTES: There is still uncertainty as to which family this species belongs to.
SIMILAR SPECIES: Western Spindalis
REFERENCES: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bananaquit
https://www.anywhere.com/flora-fauna/bird/bananaquit
http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/1014/_/Bananaquit.aspx
http://espacepourlavie.ca/en/biodome-fauna/bananaquit
http://www.oiseaux-birds.com/card-bananaquit.html

Bananaquit – Bahamas – Jan. 2012- photo by Matt MacGillivray
Bananaquit, by Matt MacGillivray
Bananaquit, juvenile – St. John, Virgin Islands – May 2011 – photo by Dick Daniels
Bananaquit juvenile, by Dick Daniels
Bananaquit juvenile with Green-crowned Brilliants – Monteverde, Costa Rica – June 22, 2011 – photo by Roberta Palmer
Bananaquit juvenile with Green-crowned
brilliants, by Roberta Palmer
Bananaquit nest – Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica – July 2008 – photo by Steven G. Johnson
Bananaquit nest, by Steven G. Johnson
Bananaquits – Sao Paulo, Brazil – June 2007 – photo by Leon-bojarczuk
Bananaquits, by Leon-bojarczuk