Eastern Chat-Tanager Calyptophilus frugivorus Scientific name definitions

Long considered an assemblage of four subspecies-level taxa, the genus Calyptophilus, which is endemic to the island of Hispaniola, is nowadays commonly treated as incorporating two species, which apparently occupy mutually exclusive ranges (although these are still subject to elucidation). Three subspecies are usually recognized within the present species. Eastern and Western Chat-Tanagers are separated by only comparatively minor but consistent differences in morphology and vocalizations. Compared to its presumed sister-species, the larger-bodied Western Chat-Tanager (Calyptophilus tertius), the present species has more extensive yellow-orange patches at the wing-bend, a yellow eye-ring, and brighter yellow eye-spot. Like its closest relative, this is a shy, secretive species most easily detected by its song, which is given year-round, and spends much of its time foraging on the ground, mainly in search of invertebrates. In terms of its elevational range, the Eastern Chat-Tanager occurs from sea level (on the Haitian island of Île de la Gonâve) to at least 2000 m (in parts of the Cordillera Central in the Dominican Republic). At present, BirdLife International continues to treat Calyptophilus as a single species, which it categorizes as Vulnerable. If their conservation prospects were to be evaluated separately, both species would probably qualify as being even more threatened, especially as some populations of Eastern Chat-Tanager, e.g., that on the Samaná Peninsula, have apparently already become extinct.

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Also, race unknown, in E Sierra de Bahoruco and Sierra de Martín García (1 Townsend, A.K., Rimmer, C.C., Latta, S.C. and Lovette, I.J. (2007). Ancient differentiation in the single-island avian radiation of endemic Hispaniolan chat-tanagers (Aves: Calyptophilus). Mol. Ecol. 16(7): 3634–3642. Close ).

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SUBSPECIES

Calyptophilus frugivorus frugivorus Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Dominican Republic, in Cordillera Central E to Reserva Científica de Ebano Verde and S to Sierra de Ocoa; also Samaná Peninsula, on NE coast (where no recent records).

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SUBSPECIES

Calyptophilus frugivorus neibae Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Sierra de Neiba, in W Dominican Republic and possibly adjacent Haiti.

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SUBSPECIES

Calyptophilus frugivorus abbotti Scientific name definitions

Distribution

Gonâve I (off WC Hispaniola); no recent records.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Hispaniola EBA. Rare to locally common. Nominate race has not been reported in recent years, and may be extinct. Race neibae has reportedly declined dramatically, with recent records mainly from Sierra de Neiba, where it is still locally common, and at Ebano Verde Scientific Reserve, where it may be relatively numerous, at least in upper zone (800–1565 m). It appears that relatively little of the species’ habitat lies within protected areas, and priority should be given to sites where it is known to occur. Primary threats appear to be logging and the clearing of forest or wooded areas for agricultural purposes.