Dominica Botanic Gardens
Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies
National Flower
© Dominica Academy of Arts and Sciences, Dec. 2004 | Home Page | Comments & Suggestions |Site Coordinator | Gardens Curator
Birds of the Botanic Gardens

Bananaquit: Coereba flaveola; Local name: Sikiyé
Family: Emberizidae (Sub-family: Honycreepers)

Bananaquit
Source: Dominica’s Birds

Bananaquit
Photo: Kent Nickel

Bananaquit
Photo: Ian Esland

Description: Small, active bird, common in most of the Caribbean; 10-12.5 cm (4-5 in) long; plumage of upper parts and wings black, with long, white, prominent, eyebrow stripes, and white mid-wing spot; rump, belly and breast bright yellow; throat grey; bill of medium length, black, slender and downward curving, with red coloration at base of bill; tail black and of medium length; legs dark grey; feeds on nectar and fruit, especially mangoes, oranges, bananas and sugar apples; seen throughout Gardens, particularly in economic crops section where more fruits and flowers available; Click here to listen to its chirping (compliments of 3-Rivers Eco-Lodge)

References:
Arlington James, Stephen Durand and Bertrand Jno.Baptiste. Dominica’s Birds. Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division, Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, Dominica, 2005
E. Hayden. Coereba flaveola (Bananaquit). Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, Ann Arbor, Michigan . 2002. (animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu)
Bananaquit: Coereba flaveola. (eNature.com), National Wildlife Federation, San Francisco, CA, n.d