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St. Lucia thrasher
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Mimidae
Genus:	Ramphocinclus
Species:	R. sanctaeluciae
Binomial name
Ramphocinclus sanctaeluciae Cory, 1887
Range of R. sanctaeluciae  Resident   Extirpated

The St. Lucia thrasher (Ramphocinclus sanctaeluciae), locally known as the gorge blanc, is a species of mimid in the genus Ramphocinclus. It is endemic to the island nation of St. Lucia in the Caribbean. It was formerly considered to be a conspecific with the Martinique thrasher under the name white-breasted thrasher.

Taxonomy

The St. Lucia thrasher was first described in 1887 by ornithologist Charles B. Cory. It was later lumped into the white-breasted thrasher based on a work by Hellmayr in 1934. Following studies from 2016, 2019, and 2024, the St. Lucia thrasher was classified as a distinct species by the IOC, AOS, and Clements checklist. The St. Lucia thrasher is monotypic.

Description

On the island of St. Lucia, its plumage makes it unmistakable, with dark brown upperparts and pale white underparts. It can be distinguished by its relative the Martinique thrasher by its brown back, compared to the Martinique thrasher's slaty back and is larger overall.

Behaviour

The St. Lucia thrasher is usually silent, but makes a raspy call when defending its territory. It can be quite noisy when defending its territory, both against other species and other St. Lucia thrashers, and performs a display similar to a Trembler where it cocks its tail and droops its wings then flutters them. Like others in its family, it is primarily an insectivore, foraging in leaf litter on the ground. Pairs nest in riparian habitat near streams, with nests being recorded being 2–6 metres (6.6–19.7 ft) up in trees.

Habitat

The species inhabits dense coastal scrub forests, preferring forests with leaf litter and little to no ground vegetation.

Conservation

Prior to its formal description in 1887, it was described as being common on St. Lucia by Semper in 1872. But by 1927, it was considered rare when ornithologist James Bond succeeded in finding a small colony and obtained one specimen. During the early 1930s the species was even believed to be extinct due to failed efforts to locate the colony discovered by Bond. However the species was rediscovered in 1932 near Desbarras. In 1987 a census by the University of East Anglia found only 58 pairs. Its greatest threat has historically been habitat destruction, with land clearing for plantations and destructions caused by livestock being the driving factors. While part of the range of the Martinique thrasher is protected, little to none of the St. Lucia thrasher's range is, making habitat destruction an even greater threat. The Saint Lucia lancehead is thought to be a natural predator of eggs and fledglings. A 2016 study estimated that there were 1,130 mature individuals.

References

1. ^ John, Lyndon (November 1995). "THE WHITE BREASTED THRASHER (Ramphocinclus brachyurus sanctaeluciae) PROJECT REPORT". St. Lucia Department of Forests and Lands. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
2. ^ Cory, Charles B. (1887). "Desciption of a New Species of Rhamphocinclus From St. Lucia, West Indies" (PDF). The Auk. 4 (2): 94–95. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
3. "Proposed Splits/Lumps". IOC World Bird List v14.2. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
4. ^ "St. Lucia Thrasher". Avibase. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
5. Mortensen, Jennifer L.; Morton, Matthew N.; Haynes, Pius; Tschirky, John; Felix, Marie-Louise; Reed, J. Michael (December 2017). "Current status of the Endangered White-breasted Thrasher (Ramphocinclus brachyurus), a dry forest songbird endemic to Saint Lucia and Martinique". Journal of Caribbean Ornithology. 30 (1). Retrieved 22 October 2024.
6. "White-breasted Thrasher Ramphocinclus brachyurus". BirdLife International. Retrieved 22 October 2024.

External links

• Media related to Ramphocinclus sanctaeluciae at Wikimedia Commons
• Data related to Ramphocinclus sanctaeluciae at Wikispecies

v t e Genera of passerines and their extinct allies
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• Thrashers
• Mimidae
• Birds of Saint Lucia
• Endemic birds of the Caribbean
• Endemic fauna of Saint Lucia
• Taxa named by Charles B. Cory
• Birds described in 1887