The Plight of the Picoplat

No longer is the song of the Picoplat heard in the wild anywhere in Tobago or Trinidad. Fetching high prices for their singing, they have been trapped to ‘local extinction in the wild.’ Birder photographer Faraaz Abdool asks us to appreciate and protect all the birds of Tobago. This week he looks at the wide-ranging family of tanagers; and asks us to take personal responsibility for their well-being.  

The family of tanagers consists of some species that are extremely familiar to most of us. It is quite a large family, comprising approximately 240 species of mostly brightly coloured birds that are emblematic of the jungles of the New World. Some of the most widespread species of birds belong to this family – although many species do not carry the common name of “tanager.” Confusingly, there are other “tanagers” that do not belong to this family. That however, is the subject of another conversation altogether.

Red-legged Honeycreepers on a blooming immortelle. Photo courtesy Faraaz Abdool

This family Thraupidae consists of the true tanagers, honeycreepers, conebills, seedeaters, saltators as well as some cardinals and finches. Collectively, T&T has 34  members of this family on record – most of them are resident although a few species are migratory. They are distributed generously in almost every habitat although their greatest concentration and diversity occurs within forested areas.

Some may argue that the greatest concentration of Bananaquits is outside the forests and on Tobago breakfast tables. This tiny bird resembles some flycatchers more than other tanagers and is the most widespread passerine (bird which perches) throughout T&T. Colloquially known as sucrier or “sugar bird,” Bananaquits indeed deserve the nickname. Most of their diet is nectar, obtained from flowers in a similar manner to how hummingbirds access the sweet liquid. But Bananaquits do not hover and must perch on the flower itself. Lacking the extra-long bill of hummingbirds, a hungry Bananaquit often must shove its entire head into the flower to access the nectar. For larger and more inaccessible flowers they cheat by piercing the base of the flower and therefore play no role in pollination via this method.

Bananaquit  Photo courtesy Faraaz Abdool

As male Black-faced Grassquits age, the extent of black on their face increases. Photo courtesy Faraaz Abdool

A Blue-black Grassquit vocalizes to mark his territory early one morning. Photo courtesy Faraaz Abdool

When the word “tanager” is mentioned there are two species which immediately come to mind. Palm Tanagers and Blue-Grey Tanagers are bold, vocal and well-known throughout their extensive range. These are the usual suspects involved in the case of who broke into the kitchen and poked holes in the ripe plantain. The olive-green Palm Tanagers prefer to nest in palm trees, although they are adaptable birds and will make use of any available real estate – whether in a potted plant or under the eaves of a house.

Blue-grey Tanagers closely associate with Palm Tanagers and have even been known to interbreed with them, creating bluish looking Palm Tanagers or greenish looking Blue-grey Tanagers – depending on the perspective of the observer. Many keen-eyed observers have remarked that the Blue-grey Tanagers on Tobago seem to be more vivid than those on Trinidad. This is no trick of the eye or light, as Tobago is home to a different subspecies of Blue-grey Tanager that is bluer and brighter than their Trinidadian counterparts. This subspecies berlepschi is endemic to Tobago.

The slightly less common White-lined Tanagers are sometimes perceived to be two separate species as males and females look drastically different. Females are a warm cinnamon overall while males are matte black with white under-wings. This white plumage is generally only visible when the bird is in flight. Like many other tanagers, White-lined Tanagers are quite social and are often found in male-female pairs. During the breeding season, young birds accompany their parents on their foraging route.

 

Blue-grey Tanager Photo courtesy Faraaz Abdool

Palm Tanager  Photo courtesy Faraaz Abdool

Female White-lined Tanagers are rusty cinnamon and are often found with males of the species. Photo courtesy Faraaz Abdool

As exciting as their name sounds, Red-legged Honeycreepers are a  blend of bold primary colours. Most easily seen within the Main Ridge Forest Reserve, these birds are also sexually dimorphic; males are blue overall with black markings and yellow under-wings and females are olive-green above and tastefully streaked below. Female honeycreepers lack the resplendent colours of the males as they are designed to blend in with their surroundings. A predator is much more likely to single out the neon-capped male than the more discreetly plumaged female. Both sexes sport red legs though. Their long, decurved bills are perfect for accessing nectar from flowers – although they also feed on fruit and small insects. The subspecies tobagensis of Red-legged Honeycreeper found on Tobago is yet another endemic for the island.

Oddly enough, several seed-eating birds also belong to the family of tanagers. Among these are some species that have unfortunately been targeted for the cagebird trade. Seedeaters with the sweetest songs have been trapped out of existence on both Trinidad and Tobago, even in the face of warnings voiced by several notable resident and visiting ornithologists for at least forty years. Larger species such as the Grey Seedeater or picoplat were the first to disappear, after which trappers turned their attention to the then ubiquitous Ruddy-breasted Seedeater. Today, none of the melodious songs of these seedeaters can be reliably heard anywhere on either island.

This dearth of the natural denizens of grasslands paved the way for the expansion of other species which formerly shared the habitat with the more musical seedeaters. Two species of grassquits can be found all over Tobago currently – the Blue-black Grassquit or “Johnny jump-up” and the Black-faced Grassquit. On Trinidad the situation is slightly different and much grimmer. The lack of native seedeaters coupled with the introduction of a couple of non-native species is essentially sealing the fate of our former residents. Even with reintroduction, the minority population of native seedeaters is unlikely to fare well in the face of habitat destruction, continued trapping and competition for limited resources with the aggressive invasive species now present.

The disastrous effect of exponential human expansion is all too common. Collectively, we need to make the extra effort to ensure that our co-inhabitants of this planet have the basics: a place to live and nest, and food to eat. It is not much to ask, we each need to take it as our personal responsibility and not assume that someone else will help. Without tanagers, many species of trees will not be pollinated, their seeds will not be spread and our world will be slowly suffocated.

 

Singing in the rain:

A male White-lined Tanager perches in a shower. Photo courtesy Faraaz Abdool