Cuban Bullfinch Melopyrrha nigra
Version: 1.0 — Published April 19, 2013
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Appearance
Distinguishing Characteristics
Cuban Bullfinch (Melopyrrha n. nigra) of the Island of Cuba, Island of Youth (formerly Pines) and surrounding coastal keys, is a small resident black bird with a thick curved bill and a conspicuous white patch on the edge of the wing (Gundlach 1876; Bond 1950, 1960; Raffaele 1998, 2003; Garrido and Kirkconnell 2011). The male is shiny black; the female is duller, with a smaller, less conspicuous white wing patch. The immature male resembles the female, but has a glossy black head and flight feathers. The juvenile is similar to the female, with greenish tipped feathers. The subspecies of Grand Cayman Island, M. n. taylori, the female and immature are grayish olive with a darker head.
Similar Species
None.
Detailed Description
Cuban Bullfinch (Melopyrrha nigra) is a small bird of 14-15 cm (5.5-5.75’’) average length, with a strikingly thick and curved bill. The species is sexually dimorphic, but the juvenile and immature males are similar to female. Some individuals of both sexes have small white feathers in the eyebrow and/or scattered in the body. The following description refers to nominate Melopyrrha nigra nigra; see also Geographic Variation:
Adult male: Entirely shiny black, with a conspicuous wide bright white patch on the wings (composed of white edgings to the greater primary coverts and to the outer webs of the outer primaries, and white inner webs of the secondaries and primaries). Underwing all white.
Adult female: Dull grayish black to glossy black, with a smaller white wing patch.
Immature: Resembles the adult female in overall appearance, but with greenish tipped feathers. Immature male can be distinguished by having on average more glossy black head and flight feathers.
Molts
No information available.
Bare Parts
In Melopyrrha n. nigra
Iris: dark brown
Bill: black
Tarsi and toes: black
Measurements
Total length: 12.3 cm (Orbigny 1839), 13.8-15.0 cm (Gundlach 1876), 14 cm (Garrido and Kirckonnell 2011), 14.6 cm (Cory 1886) 14-15 cm (Raffaelle 1998)
Linear measurements (Ayón, unpublished data from museum specimens):
male (n = 79)
wing length: mean 63.95 mm (range 54.00 - 74.00 mm)
tail length: mean 55.56 mm (range 43.00 - 67.00 mm)
bill length (exposed culmen): mean 10.53 mm (range 8.90 - 12.90 mm)
female (n = 42)
wing length: mean 62.66 mm (range 51.00 - 67.00 mm)
tail length: mean 53.71 mm (range 40.00 – 65.00 mm)
bill length (exposed culmen): mean 9.75 mm (range 8.50 - 11.40 mm)
Linear measurements (Yasit Segovia unpublished data from live specimens measured, banded and release at the Johann Christoph Gundlach Cuban Bird Banding Centre (CBBC) located at the Siboney-Jutici Ecological Reserve and managed by the Eastern Centre of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (BIOECO):
male
wing length: mean 63.66 mm (range 59.0 - 67.0 mm, n =46)
tail length: mean 55.98 mm (range 49.0 - 61.0 mm, n = 43)
bill length (exposed culmen): mean 11.13 mm (range 10.18 - 13.07 mm, n = 44)
tarsus length: mean 17.32 mm (range 11.44 - 19.20 mm, n = 25)
female
wing length: mean 61.24 mm (range 57.00 - 64.50 mm, n = 41)
tail length: mean 52.92 mm (range 48.50 - 60.0 mm, n = 41)
bill length (exposed culmen): mean 10.81 mm (range 9.69 - 12.56 mm, n = 38)
tarsus length: mean 17.16 mm (range 15.10 - 18.74 mm, n = 31)
Mass:
male, mean 14.42 ± 0.73 g (range 13.0-16.13 g, n = 43);
female, mean 13.90 ± 1.25 g (range 12.0-19.79 g, n = 41)