Photo: Henggang Cui / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Jamaican Spindalis
Spindalis nigricephala
Jamaican Spindalis (Spindalis nigricephala) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of North America.
The Jamaican Spindalis (Spindalis nigricephala) is a member of the Phaenicophilidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 45 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Phaenicophilidae Greater Antillean Tanagers
- Genus Spindalis
- Species nigricephala
Quick facts
- Weight
- 45 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Phaenicophilidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Jamaican Spindalis is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Jamaican Spindalis is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Jamaican Spindalis (Spindalis nigricephala) is a species of bird in the Phaenicophilidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA Jamaica.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 45 g, with a wing length of about 9.5 cm and a tail of around 7.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 11,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Jamaican Spindalis?
The Jamaican Spindalis is a small bird that weighs around 45 g.
Where does the Jamaican Spindalis live?
The Jamaican Spindalis is found across North America with a range covering NA Jamaica, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Jamaican Spindalis belong to?
The Jamaican Spindalis (Spindalis nigricephala) belongs to the Phaenicophilidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Jamaican Spindalis eat?
The Jamaican Spindalis is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Jamaican Spindalis migrate?
The Jamaican Spindalis is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Jamaican Spindalis endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Jamaican Spindalis make?
1 real field recording of the Jamaican Spindalis — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Jamaican Spindalis's range?
The Jamaican Spindalis has a mapped global range of about 11,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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