MALE HISPANIOLAN EMERALD, LOS HAITISES NATIONAL PARK, SABANA DE LA MAR, HATO MAYOR, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, 6/16/2023 - NEW LIFE SPECIES

   We can ID this hummingbird as a male Hispaniolan Emerald as follows:

• Slightly down curved bill with black upper mandible.  Can't make out lower mandible.
• Small white spot behind eye.  You can just make this out in both photos, but is clearer in the first photo.
• Forehead, cheeks and crown are dull and dark.
• The rest of the upperparts  and flanks are green.
• Greenish throat.
• Forked tail.

      The Hispaniolan Emerald, which is endemic to the island of Hispaniola, is a new species to our Photographic Life.  Our ebird Life List now stands at 1,076.

 

HISPANIOLAN LIZARD-CUCKOO, LOS HAITISES NATIONAL PARK, SABANA DE LA MAR, HATO MAYOR, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, 6/16/2023 - NEW LIFE SPECIES

   Not a great photo, but we can still ID this bird as a Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo as follows:

• Large bird with with a long, broad tail, which is about half the size of the birds length.
• Tail has whitish tip.
• Gray upperparts and wings with rufous wing patch.
• Can just make out red eyering.

   The Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo is endemic to islands of Hispaniola, Tortue (off N Haiti) and Sasona (off SE Dominican Republic).

   The Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo is a new species to our Photographic Life List.  Our ebird Life List now stands at 1,075.

 

IGUANAS & BIRDS AT FEEDERS, CARIBE DELUXE PRINCESS, PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, 6/15/2023

   In the first photo, the Iguanas are hogging the feeder and a group of Common Gallinules are waiting for them to leave.  The other photos are at a different feeder.

 

INDIAN PEAFOWL, CARIBE DELUXE PRINCESS, PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, 6/15/2023

 

WHITE-CHEEKED PINTAILS, CARIBE DELUXE PRINCESS, PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, 6/15/2023

 

MUSCOVY DUCKS, CARIBE DELUXE PRINCESS, PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, 6/15/2023

 

LEUCISTIC HELMETED GUINEAFOWLS, CARIBE DELUXE PRINCESS, PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, 6/15/2023

   Both Helmeted Guineafowls in these photos are leucastic.  Leucism is a genetic condition that results in the partial loss of all types of pigmentation.  This causes white coloration, white patches, spots or splotches on the skin, fur or feathers of the animal.  

   In the first photo, the Helmeted Guineafowl on the right's body is almost all of the normal color of gray-black with white spots, but with some large white patches.  The guineafowl on the left is almost all white, but still has some black in the neck area.