Dominica Botanic Gardens
Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies
National Flower
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Birds of the Botanic Gardens

Lesser Antillian Saltator: Saltator albicollis; Local name: Gwo-bek;
Family: Emberizidae, (Sub-family: Cardinals, Grosbeaks and allies)


Source: Dominica’s Birds


Photo: kingsnake.com


Description: Mid size, 22 cm long (8.5 in); only West Indian Saltator species; has dark, yellowish-green upperparts becoming grey posteriorly, ending in long, dark grey tail; whitish eyebrow stripe, striped black bill with orange tip, and black mustache stripe; throat white bordered dark grey, rest of lowerparts are light grey streaked with olive-green; legs and feet grey; emits a loud, rich song consisting of piercing whistles, among most melodic in Lesser Antillean forests; in the Gardens, seen in economic crops section, especially in forests at base of Morne Bruce; click here to listen to its calls (compliments of 3-Rivers Eco-Lodge).

References:
Arlington James, et al. Dominica’s Birds. Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division, Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, Dominica, 2005
James Bond. Birds of the West Indies. Collins, St James Place, London, 4th Edition, 1979
Herbert Raffaele, et al. Birds of the West Indies. Princeton Field Guides, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 2003.