BIRDWATCHING AT

Ebano Verde Reserve, Dominican Republic

A medium elevation site easliy accessible from Santo Domingo(1 hour 45 minutes), for a day trip. Please arrange visits ahead of time so as to get permission to enter the reserve and be able to enter the top gate which is usually locked. Reservations must be made in advance at Fundación Progresio, 809-565-1422 in Santo Domingo. Also arrange for a guide from our contacts on the "Why Birdwatch..." page. To get to Ebano Verde, travel north from Santo Domingo on the Autopista Duarte which goes to Santiago and all points north. Around the area of Bonao, look for the turn-off to the right for Constanza, go over the overpass and head up the mountain. At the highest point, there is a turn-off to the right, and a gate, go in and hopefully the gate will be open (if you called ahead). Right in that area are

Antillean Siskins

and Rufous-collared Sparrows.

(Photos by Eladio) p> The road goes up to a communications tower but is very steep at points - may require 4 wheel drive. It is better to park at the entrance and walk up. Lots of birds along there: Hisp. Stripe-headed Tanagers, Hisp. Pewees and Greater Antillean Elaenias, migratory warblers, White-collared Swifts, Green-tailed Warblers, Narrow-billed Todies, etc. Then when you get to the towers, go past and down the trail. It is a 2 or 3 hr walk, down hill most of the way. Along the way there are Hispaniolan Trogons, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks,

Rufous- throated Solitaires,

Black-faced Grassquits, Antillean Euphonias, Stolid Flycatchers,

and Hisp. Emeralds.

(Photos by Eladio)

Hispaniola hosts an endemic subspecies of the Pine Warbler,

(thanks to Cursorius for this photo)

Hispaniolan Quail-Doves, recently split into a full species, are found along the river.

At the bottom you arrive at the Ebano Verde station, where there is a nice swimming hole. From there you can get a motorcycle ride to the road, then back up the mountain to get your vehicle, either by motorcycle or by bus.

Nombres/Names.......................Lugar/Location ......M= migratory Nombres/Names.......................Lugar/Location ......M= migratory

Garza Ganadera.........Cattle Egret ( .......Fields around station very common

Garza de Rizos……Snowy Egret ( …….. lower Arrollazo occasional

Guaraguaito de Sierra.......Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)........High trail occasional

Guaraguao......Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) ........High trail, highway common

Perdiz Coquito Blanco....Hispaniolan (Gray-headed) Quail-Dove (Geotrygon leucometopius)....mid-trail, along river in dense vegetation - rare

Paloma Ceniza........Plain Pigeon (Columba inorata)......road near top Common

Paloma Turca......Scaly-napped Pigeon (Columba squamosa)......road near top common

Aliblanca ….. White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) Mid & lower trail common

Rolita ….. Common Ground-dove (Columbina passerina) Mid & lower trail very common

Tórtola… Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) lower trail very common

Cotorra…..Hispaniolan Parrot (Amazona ventralis) upper trail fairly common

Pájaro Bobo.........Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo (Saurothera longirostris)...very common

Judío .. Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani) …… Lower very common

Vencejito / Antillean Palm Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia) mid, lower very common

Zumbadorcito......Vervain Hummingbird (Mellisuga minima) ...Various places Common

Zumbador......Hispaniolan Emerald (Chorostilbon swainsonii) ...Upper & Mid-Trail very common

Zumbador Grande....Antillian Mango (Anthracothorax dominicus)....Around buildings, mid & lower trail …common

Papagayo...Hispaniolan Trogon (Priotelus roseigaster)..portón, subidas, sendero common

Chi-cuí.......Narrow-billed Tody (Todus angustirostris)....Towers, Trails common

Carpintero Bolo .. Antillean Piculet(Nesoctites micromegas) Upper & mid trail occasional

Carpintero.....Hispaniolan Woodpecker (Melanerpes striatus).....Everywhere adundant

Petigre.....Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis).....Lower trail common

Manuelito.....Stolid Flycatcher (Myiarchus stodidus)......Upper trail occasional

Maroíta.......Hispaniolan Pewee (Contopus hispaniolensis).....Towers, trails occasional

Maroíta Canosa.....Gr. Antillean Elaenia(Elaenia fallax)...upper & Mid-Trails, pinos occasional

Golondrina Grande.. Carib. Martin (Progne dominicensis) .. Lower trails occasional

Golondrina Verde… Golden Swallow. ……rare

Chuá-Chuá......Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbea)...Trails occasional

Jilguero....Rufous-throated Solitaire (Myadestes genibarbis).... trails common

Ruiseñor… Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglotus)…. , lower very common

Cigüita Tigrina....Cape May Warbler (Dendroica tigrina) -M..Mid trail – common in season

Cigüita Pechinegro...Black-throated Green Warbler (Dendroica virens) M Lower trail rare, in season

Cigüita Azul Garganta Negra.....Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens) M.... very common in season

Cigüita del Pinar....Pine Warbler(Dendroica pinus chysoleuca)...pinos common

Bijirita.....American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)M......Mid trail common in season

Pega Palo.....Black & White Warbler (Mniotilta varia) M By towers, and mid-trail common in season

Cigüita Casco Prieto...Blackpoll Warbler (Dendroica striata) M.Swimming hole occasional in season

Cigüita del Rio...Louisiana Waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla)M.. Mid trail, along river common in season

Cigüita Colaverde......Green-tailed Warbler (Microligea palustris)..upper & mid trail..common

Cigüita.....Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)Everywhere adundant

Canario.....Antillean Siskin (Carduelis dominicensis)...Entrance, upper& mid trail fairly common

Gallito Prieto...Gr. Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla violacea)..Upper trail occasional

Jilguerillo......Antillean Euphonia (Euphonia musica).....Middle trail(pinos) occasional

Cigua Amarilla....Hisp. Spindalis (Spindalis dominicensis)..Upper & mid trail common

Cuatro Ojos......Black-crowned Palm Tanager (Phaenicophilus palmarum)...All along trail common

Chirrí.....Eastern Chat Tanager (Calyptophilus frugivous)....Rare - Dense vegetation upper and mid-trail

(one would need to camp and explore near river early dawn)

Cigüita de Hierba.....Yellow-faced Grassquit (Tiaris olivacea)...Mid & lower trails common

Juana Maruca....Black-faced Grassquit (Tiaris bicolor)....Upper & mid trail occasional

Cigüita de Constanza..Rufous- collared Sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis)..Upper trail common

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Last Updated April 6, 2005 by Steve & Sandra Brauning