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