Grand Cayman bullfinch
The Grand Cayman bullfinch is a threatened bird endemic to the island of Grand Cayman. It is the only bird species endemic to the Cayman Islands since the extinction of the Grand Cayman thrush, though several bird subspecies are also endemic.
Taxonomy
The Grand Cayman bullfinch was first formally described in 1896 by the German ornithologist Ernst Hartert with Gran Cayman given as the type locality. This species is one of 5 species in the genus Melopyrrha, a genus proposed in 1853 by Charles Lucien Bonaparte. This genus is not closely related to the Eurasian bullfinches of the genus Pyrrhula, which are true finches, but is classified in the tanager family Thraupidae. This species was once considered a subspecies of the Cuban bullfinch as M. nigra taylori. It can be distinguished from the Cuban bullfinch by its slightly larger bill size and the much paler coloration of the female bird.
Etymology
The Grand Cayman bullfinch belongs to the genus Melopyrrha, this name combines the Ancient Greek melas meaning "black" with the genus Pyrrhula, the bullfinches. The specific name honours Mr Charles B. Taylor of Jamaica who collected the type specimens.
Description
The Grand Cayman bullfinch has very robust bill with a markedly curved culmen. The male is overall glossy black, the female being a lighter olive grey, in both sexes there is a white stripe along the front edge of the folded wing. It has a length of.
Distribution and habitat
The Grand Cayman bullfinch is restricted to Grand Cayman where it is found in scrub, forest and mangroves.
Conservation
The Grand Cayman bullfinch has a population that is declining due to invasive mammals. Habitat fragmentation may also be a potential major risk, though currently this is very low.