Bird of the Month - October 2006
Cigua Palmera (Dulus dominicus)
Name in English: Palmchat
Name in French: Oiseaux Palmiste, Zouazo Palmis
The Palmchat is endemic to the island of Hispaniola and nearby Île de la Gonâve and Isla Saona. Is a noisy and conspicuous bird, easily seen in flocks in treetops throughout the island.
- A chunky bird, approximately 8 inches in size, dark brown above with an olive green wash on the wings. Its belly is cream-colored with heavy brown streaking. Adult birds have a red iris and a strong light colored bill.
- Voice: Noisy, producing an array of different call notes
- Breeding occurs between March and June.
Where to find more information?
Keith, A., J. Wiley, S. Latta, and J. Ottenwalder. 2003. The birds of Hispaniola: Haiti and the Dominican Republic. British Ornithologists' Union, Tring, UK. 293 pp.
Latta, S. C., C. C. Rimmer, A. R. Keith, J. W. Wiley, H. A. Raffaele, K. P. McFarland, and E. M. Fernandez. 2006. Birds of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.
Dod, A. S. de. 1978. Aves de la Republica Dominicana. Museo Nacional de Historia Natural, Santo Domingo. 332 pp.
Raffaele, H., Wiley, J., Garrido, O., Keith, A. and J. Raffaele. A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies. 1998. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.
Two juvenile Palmchats begging for food from a parent. Note brighter bills and darker colored irises of juveniles compared to adult.
Palmchat Bird of the Month contributed by Kate Wallace, Eladio Fernandez, and Steve Latta
The Palmchat is a very special bird because it is the only member of its family (Dulidae) and genus. Its taxonomy is disputed, but the family appears to be more closely related to the waxwings (Bombycillidae) than to other passerines. Owing to its unique taxonomic status, the Palmchat is the National Bird of the Dominican Republic.
- Pairs build a communal nest of twigs (up to 2 meters wide) divided into multiple nesting chambers. The nests are usually constructed around the base of palm fronds. Each pair has its own nesting chamber which is lined with shredded bark. Although they prefer Royal Palms (Roistonea hispaniolensis), they have been recorded as using broad-leafed trees and even telephone poles in habitats where palms are not normally present (xeric regions).
- Lay 2-4 eggs, white with many dark purplish-grey spots
Range and Habitat Needs
- Endemic to Hispaniola, Île de la Gonâve, and Isla Saona, where it is generally common, conspicuous, and widespread at elevations up to 1,500 m. It is far from being considered a threatened species, but one study has noted a significant decline in the number of nest colonies in appropriate habitat in the last thirty years.
- Prefers semi-open areas, such as palm savannas.
- Forages in flocks for fruits and berries.
- Local humor attributes the status of National Bird to the fact that there are undeniable similarities between Palmchats and Dominicans––when a few get together they can become quite noisy, they all live bunched up in one place, and they are not necessarily well known for their good looks.
- Palmchat and the todies (Todidae) are the only endemic bird families in the West Indies.
- Like any species (especially endemic ones), the Palmchat is potentially vulnerable to widespread disease and habitat alteration and destruction. This species should be more systematically monitored to detect trends in population.
- Nest parasitism by the Shiny Cowbird has been confirmed but it is unknown what effects this has had on this species.