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FURTHER RECORDS OF THE NORTHERN POTOO (NYCTIBIUS JAMAICENSIS) IN CUBA, AND ACORRECTION TO MARTÍNEZ ET AL. (2000)GUY M. KIRWAN74 Waddington Street, Norwich NR2 4JS, UKMARTÍNEZ ET AL. (2000) report the first officialobservations of the Northern Potoo (Nyctibius jamaicensis)in Cuba, detailing observations from theSanta Clara, Santo Tomás (Ciénaga de Zapata), andSierra de Anafe (La Habana) regions, principally inthe late 1990s. The authors also mention that “Mostrecently, Guy Kirwan heard and saw a potoo nearBaconao, in eastern Cuba.” As this latter statement isonly partially correct, clarification of my observationsof this species in the Cuban Oriente is worthwhile.In January 2001, G. M. Flieg and I conducted nocturnalsurveys in eastern Cuba. Just before sunset on5 January, a potoo was observed, briefly, atop a telegraphpole beside the road east of Siboney, Santiagode Cuba province. The bird then flew across the roadinto an area of xerophytic vegetation on a hillside,characterized by tall columnar cacti, emergent palms,and 1-3 m–tall scrub. It was lost from sight and nofurther observations were made at this site. Further,on 10 January 2001, Kirwan heard the distinctivesong of the potoo in a similar area of xerophyticscrub on the coast, south of Baitiquirí, Guantánamoprovince. This individual was not seen. The habitatin which these two records were collected is similarto that in which the species is most frequently encounteredin Hispaniola (Kirwan, pers. obs.).LITERATURE CITEDMARTÍNEZ, O., O. H. GARRIDO, G. B. REYNARD, W.SUÁREZ, A. KIRKCONNELL, AND J. W. WILEY.2000. A new family and genus of bird (Aves: Caprimulgiformes:Nyctibiidae) for Cuba. Pitirre 13(3): 65–67.A LEUCISTIC YELLOW-FACED GRASQUIT (TIARIS OLIVACEA) IN CUBAGUY M. KIRWAN74 Waddington Street, Norwich NR2 4JS, UKON 20 JANUARY 2001, a group of birdwatchersand I observed a wholly leucistic Yellow-facedGrassquit (Tiaris olivacea) on Cayo Guillermo, Archipiélagode Sabana-Camagüey, Cuba. Robin Restall(in litt. January and February 2001) reports thatleucism is unknown within the genus Tiaris, havingexamined specimens of this genus within all of theworld’s major collections, with the exception ofsome possible records among captive individuals ofCuban Grassquit T. canora. Arturo Kirkconnell (inlitt. February 2001), however, reported a leucisticspecimen, collected by J. H. Bauza in Trinidad, Cubain 1952, within the Museo Nacional de HistoriaNatural de Cuba, La Habana, collection. That specimenretained normal coloration only in the primaries.The observed individual consorted with a groupof approximately 10 normal-plumaged individuals ofthe same species by the roadside at the northwesternend of the cay. The individual was creamy white,although the throat patch was still evident as a paleyellow spot, and the belly and undertail-coverts werefaded to grayish-white. The eyes were dark and thelegs normally colored. Peter Edwards took severalphotographs of the aberrant individual.I am grateful to two excellent colleagues, RobinRestall and Arturo Kirkconnell, for their assistancein the preparation of this note.Page 10 El Pitirre 14(1)
A BIRDING TRIP TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND PUERTO RICOSTEFAN LITHNERVinkelgatan 26 B, 374 38 Karlshamn, Sweden; e-mail: s.lithner@delta.telenordia.seAbstract. – During a birding trip to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, 20 September to 4 October1999, 25 of the 26 endemics of Hispaniola and all of the 16 endemic species of Puerto Rico were observed. In all,we identified 134 species of birds on Hispaniola and 99 species in Puerto Rico.Resumen. – UN VIAJE PARA OBSERVAR AVES EN LA REPÚBLICA DOMINICANA Y PUERTO RICO. Durante unviaje a la República Dominicana y Puerto Rico para observar aves, efectuado entre el 20 de septiembre y el 4 deoctubre de 1999, 25 de los 26 endemismos de La Española y todos los 16 endemismos de Puerto Rico fueron observados.En total, identificamos 134 especies en La Española y 99 en Puerto Rico.Key words: bird list, Dominican Republic, Hispaniola, Puerto RicoFROM 20 SEPTEMBER through 4 October 1999,three travelling companions, Karl-Erik GustafssonTvååker, Stefan Andersson Forsheda, and TommyThorén Varnamo, and I traveled extensively throughsouthwestern Dominican Republic and Puerto Ricoin an attempt to observe all endemic species of birds.We were equipped with binoculars, spotting scopes,and a mini-disc (MD) tape player. Gustafsson hadcompiled recordings of all species we consideredcould be difficult to observe, as well as the birds weexpected to hear a great deal more than see.Our efforts in the Dominican Republic were centeredaround Barahona, including the BaorucoMountains, the coast south of this range, and the vicinityof Lago Enriquillo. During our six days in theDominican Republic, we traveled the road past Duvergé,Puerto Escondido, El Aguacate, and the siteknown as “The Bulldozer.” We birded at someplaces along the road to Pedernales and the secondaryroad from Pedernales, over the Baoruco Mountains,to El Aguacate. We also spent some time atsites along the western side of Lago de Enriquillo.In Puerto Rico we visited El Yunque, HumacaoRefuge, Guánica State Forest, Playa la Parguera,Maricao Camp area, Hacienda Juanita, Barceloneta,Río Grande, and Luquillo. The forested areas on bothislands were visited at different hours of the day, i.e.before and during dawn, after daybreak and mid-day.The lake areas were visited during daylight, at dusk,and after dusk.All observations of birds, as well as time of dayand how to get to the sites of the rarer birds werecarefully described. For a more detailed report seeLithner (1999), and for a full report on all birds observed,see Gustafsson (1999), where all species arelisted in English and in Latin. Here, I present highlightsof our searches, with a table of all species seenin both counties (Table 1). We were ably assisted bySr. Julio Felíz in the Dominican Republic, and by Sr.Jafet Valdéz in Puerto Rico. I have included severalof their comments here since they contributed todeepen our knowledge of the birds and understandingof their problems. Here I provide a narrative ofour searches, listing endemics found and locations,as well as other interesting observations.RESULTSHispaniola21 September. – Road to Cabral, 9.7 km (6 mi) eastof Barahona: Broad-billed Tody (Todus subulatus),Greater Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla violacea),Stolid Flycatcher (Myiarcus stolidus), among otherspecies observed.“Bulldozer area” beyond the military checkpoint atEl Aguacate, Sierra de Baruco: Hispaniolan StripeheadedTanager (Spindalis dominicensis), NarrowbilledTody (Todus angustirostris), Black-headedPalm-Tanager (Phaenicophilus palmarum), HispaniolanParrot (Amazona ventralis), AntilleanMango (Anthracothorax dominicus), HispaniolanEmerald (Chlorostilbon swainsonii), and numerousHispaniolan Trogon (Priotelus roseigaster). Some200 m above the military checkpoint, we located asmall flock of White-winged Crossbills (Loxia leucoptera),Antillean Siskins (Carduelis dominicensis),a flock of Hispaniolan Parakeets (Aratinga chloroptera),and a White-winged Warbler (Xenoligea montana).A Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo (Saurothealongirostris) was recorded near El Aguacate.El Pitirre 14(1) Page 11
Page 2 and 3: EL PITIRRETHE BULLETIN OF THE SOCIE
Page 4: GREEN HERON FORAGING UNDER ARTIFICI
Page 7: ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE WINTERING S
Page 10 and 11: CHORDEILES GUNDLACHII EN GUADELOUPE
Page 14 and 15: BIRDING IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC A
Page 16 and 17: BIRDING IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC A
Page 18 and 19: Page 16 El Pitirre 14(1)Table 1. Bi
Page 20 and 21: Page 18 El Pitirre 14(1)Table 1. (c
Page 22 and 23: ABSTRACTS OF PRESENTED PAPERS AND P
Page 24 and 25: RESUMENES — V SIMPOSIO DE ZOOLOGI
Page 36 and 37: A SURVEY AND INVENTORY OF THE AVIFA
Page 38 and 39: NATURE TOURISM INITIATIVE ON CAYMAN
Page 40 and 41: NEW PUBLICATIONS ON WEST INDIAN BIR
Page 42 and 43: NEW PUBLICATIONS ON WEST INDIAN BIR
Page 44 and 45: NEW AUDIO CD RELEASES ON WEST INDIA
Page 46: S OCIEDAD CARIBEÑADE ORNITOLOGÍAE

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