Western Spindalis

Spindalis zenaOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Tanagers (Thraupidae)

Codes: Common Name: WESP Scientific Name: SPIZEN ITIS Taxonomic No.: 179897

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Stripe-headed Tanager Breeding Male Portrait

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Bird Call Credits: The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Martyn Stewart, http://www.naturesound.org, Redmond, Washington USA. The reuse or copying of bird calls in this database is strictly forbidden.

Western Spindalis

Western Spindalis: Small tanager, black-gray back, dark rufous nape, rump. Throat patch is yellow, bib is red-black, breast and collar are yellow-orange, belly is white. Head is black-and-white striped. Dark gray bill. Wings are dark with white patches. Tail is black with white edges.

● Song: "zee-tit-zee", "tittit-zee", "seeip", "tsee"

● Foraging & Feeding: Western Spindalis: Eats insects and fruits; forages for food in foliage of trees and shrubs.

● Breeding & nesting: Western Spindalis: Two to three brown-flecked, pale blue eggs are laid in a cup nest made of twigs and plants, lined with finer materials, and built on a branch of a tree. Incubation ranges from 12 to 14 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Western Spindalis: None in range.

Flight Pattern

Swift direct flight on rapidly beating wings.

Western Spindalis Breeding Male Body Illustration

● Range & Habitat: Western Spindalis: Native of West Indies, occasionally wandering into southeastern Florida and Florida Keys during summer. Preferred habitats include open forests, forest edges, and shrub areas.

^BreedingMonogamous, Solitary nester

^PopulationRare

^MigrationNonmigratory

^Weight0.7 Ounces

4 and 6 letter alpha codes

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.

Field Guide to Birds of North America