Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis (Linnaeus, 1766))
Scientific name: Loxigilla noctis (Linnaeus, 1766)
Common name: Lesser Antillean Bullfinch
French name: Sporophile rougegorge, Père noir.
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Emberizidae
Size: 13 to 14,5 cm.
Habitat: Various dry or damp habitats, forests, bushes, open areas, gardens. The Lesser Antillean Bullfinch is also found near human buildings and in urban areas.
Food: Fruits, seeds and insects that it sometimes catches in flight.
Nesting: The nest, located at a low height in a tree or in a shrub, is ball-shaped and has an entrance hole on one side. There is one brood of 2 or 3 eggs. The female sits on the eggs while the male keeps guard in the neighbourhood.
Migration: Sedentary.
Geographic area: Lesser Antilles.
The Lesser Antillean Bullfinch is very sexually dimorphic.
Males are shiny black with reddish patches on the chin and the throat, on the eyebrows and under the tail.
The short and strong bill is blackish. The legs are greyish.
Females are greyish brown, slightly paler on the under side. The upper side shows greenish-olive colours and the wings are a little reddish-brown.
Juveniles are similar to females.

Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis) - Guadeloupe, France - February 24th 2010
[To know more about the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch]    [Next picture]    [Top]
Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis)
Impossible not to observe the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch when you are visiting Guadeloupe.
They are waiting near parking at tourist sites or next to picnic areas in the hope of picking some bread crumps.


Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis) - Guadeloupe, France - February 24th 2010
[To know more about the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch]    [Next picture]    [Previous picture]    [Top]
Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis)
I had no difficulties to take pictures of males. Females seemed to be a little more shy.


Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis) - Guadeloupe, France - March 2nd 2010
[To know more about the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch]    [Next picture]    [Previous picture]    [Top]
Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis)
Lesser Antillean Bullfinches came also to the parking near the "Chutes du Carbet" to beg for some crumps.
This one has landed on the top of the car. The sun going down, I had to use the flash to take the picture.


Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis) - Guadeloupe, France - March 3rd 2010
[To know more about the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch]    [Next picture]    [Previous picture]    [Top]
Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis)
We have also got the visit of lesser Antillean Bullfinches during breakfast. Here is a female. They are very different from males.


Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis) - Martinique, France - April 14th 2018
[To know more about the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch]    [Next picture]    [Previous picture]    [Top]
Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis)
The Lesser Antillean Bullfinches of Martinique are no more shy than those of Guadeloupe.


Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis) - Martinique, France - April 16th 2018
[To know more about the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch]    [Previous picture]    [Top]
Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis)
This male came to perch on a chair during our meal. The lighting conditions were ideal with a nice little light glint in the eye.

[Top]    Site map    André Bon July 2023