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Bananaquit

Coereba flaveolaOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Bananaquits (Coerebidae)
Codes: Common Name: BANA Scientific Name: COEFLA ITIS Taxonomic No.: 179900
Least Concern
 
Bananaquit
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Western Spindalis





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Birdman Mel's Backyard Tips
Jelly Jar Jelly Feeder
The orange "blossum" replaces the lid of a jelly jar.
Attract Orioles with Fruit
Sliced orange secures easily to the center of the ring. Low cost.
Attract with Nectar
Hex shaped nectar feeds several Orioles. Nectar kept in fridge.
Charm and Attraction
Lovely copper umbrella keeps fruit cool and looks great.

Overview

Bananaquit: Small and short-tailed with short, decurved black bill. Black above with white underparts. Belly washed with yellow with bold white stripe over eyes. Rump is yellow. Legs and feet are black. Weak fluttering flight, alternates rapid wing beats with brief periods of wings pulled to sides.

Range and Habitat

Bananaquit: Common in wooded areas and gardens of the Carribean, Mexico, Central and South America. A rare visitor to southern Florida, most often recorded in gardens containing exotic flowers.

Topo Map: Perching-like Body


Listen to Call

Voice Text

"tsip", "ezeereezee, eyteer, eyteer, sizit, zet"

Interesting Facts

 Bananaquits build nests with side entrance holes. Several nests may be built, with some used only as sleeping quarters.

 Its nickname, the sugar bird, comes from its affinity for bowls or bird feeders stocked with granular sugar, a common method of attracting these birds in the USVI.

 It uses its sharp beak to pierce a flower from the side, taking the nectar without actually pollinating the plant. They cannot hover like a hummingbird, and must always perch while feeding.

 A group of bananaquits are collectively known as a "bunch" of bananaquits.


Bird Term Glossary



Author

Ashli Maruster

Artist

Irina Rud-Volga

Splitbar
Range Map for Bananaquit

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Family Bananaquits (Coerebidae)_blue
Species Coereba flaveola
Length4.5 Inches
Wingspan7.75 Inches

Bananaquit

Bananaquit: Small and short-tailed with short, decurved black bill. Black above with white underparts. Belly washed with yellow with bold white stripe over eyes. Rump is yellow. Legs and feet are black. Weak fluttering flight, alternates rapid wing beats with brief periods of wings pulled to sides.

● Song: "tsip", "ezeereezee, eyteer, eyteer, sizit, zet"

● Foraging & Feeding: Bananaquit: Feeds on a varitey of nectar producing flowers, small insects, fruit, and occasionally tree sap. Will both pollinate flowers and rob nectar by piercing a hole in the base of the flower and sipping without pollinating. Visits syrup and sugar water feeders regularly.

● Breeding & nesting: Bananaquit: Territorial and presumably monogamous. Female builds a messy nest of grasses and plant fibers on edge of a branch. Globe nest is typically 5 - 30 feet above ground in a tree or shrub. Female lays three cream or buff eggs with brown spots. Female incubates for 12 - 13 days, both adults tend to altricial young until fledging at 15 - 18 days.

● Similar species: Bananaquit: No other bird in North America shows this combintation of field marks, particularly the decurved bill with red gape.

Flight Pattern

Bananaquit Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Bananaquit: Common in wooded areas and gardens of the Carribean, Mexico, Central and South America. A rare visitor to southern Florida, most often recorded in gardens containing exotic flowers.
BreedingMonogamous
PopulationAbundant on breeding grounds, Casual to FL coast
MigrationNonmigratory
Weight0.3 Ounces
Perching-like BodyX
UnderpartsX
Belly, undertail coverts, chest, flanks, and foreneck.
BellyX
The ventral part of the bird, or the area between the flanks on each side and the crissum and breast. Flight muscles are located between the belly and the breast.
RumpX
The area between the uppertail coverts and the back of the bird.
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX