Jamaican Pewee Contopus pallidus Scientific name definitions

Formerly treated as conspecific with the Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus) and the Hispaniolan Pewee (Contopus hispaniolensis), the Jamaican Pewee is endemic to the island of the same name. Like many other Contopus species, the Jamaican Pewee is generally common and widespread across the country, and is usually an obvious bird, on account of its typical pewee behavior of perching upright on an obvious perch. Principally dark olive-brown above, becoming duskier over the wings and tail, with paler underparts, the species possesses few distinguishing marks, beyond two indistinct wing bars, but the Jamaican Pewee can scarcely be confused with any of the other tyrant flycatchers resident on Jamaica. It is typically found at the edges of forested areas.

15 cm; 9·3 g (1 Steadman, D.W., Olson, S.L., Barber, J.C., Meister, C.A. and Melvill, M.E. (1980). Weights of some West Indian birds. Bull. Brit. Orn. Club. 100(2): 155–158. Close ). Has dark olive-brown head and upperparts, darkest on crown; wings dark brown, indistinct narrow buff wingbars (sometimes absent); long tail dusky brown, slightly notched; buff mixed with grey below, throat greyer, breast and sides washed with olive, undertail-coverts buffier; iris dark brown; bill broad, maxilla black, mandible orange-yellow; legs blackish-brown. Sexes similar. Juvenile is greyer on underparts, paler chest, paler mandible, cinnamon wingbars.

Jamaica.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Restricted-range species: present in Jamaica EBA. Common and widespread. In Jamaica, 75% of original forest cover already cleared, and remaining forest largely second growth. Undisturbed forest survives only on high steep mountain slopes, some of which protected in the Blue Mountain and John Crow National Park, but hunting and habitat destruction continue because of lack of funds for protection and management. Resurgence in coffee cultivation during last 20 years led to clearance of much second growth; other problems include hurricane damage, widespread pesticide use, planting with pines (Pinus), timber removal, deliberate fires, and continuing conversion for small-scale farming and urbanization.