The Lesser Antillean saltator is a species of songbird in the tanager family Thraupidae that is found in Dominica, Martinique, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and heavily degraded former forest.
Region
Lesser Antilles
Typical Environment
Occurs on Dominica, Martinique, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia. It favors subtropical and tropical dry forests, forest edges, and scrubby thickets. The species readily uses secondary habitats, plantations, and gardens, especially where fruiting trees and dense hedges are present. It tolerates heavily degraded former forest and coastal scrub, often remaining close to cover.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
This island saltator is a robust-billed tanager specialized for cracking hard seeds yet also takes fruits and insects. It is a resident of the Lesser Antilles and shows subtle variation in song and plumage among islands. Saltators were traditionally placed with cardinals but are now classified within the tanager family Thraupidae based on genetics.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between cover
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly, in pairs, or small family groups. Pairs maintain territories in the breeding season and nest in dense shrubs or low trees, building a neat cup. Both parents typically attend the young and may raise multiple broods if conditions allow.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a rich, whistled series of clear, melodious phrases delivered from concealed perches. Calls include sharp metallic chips and softer contact notes, often given while foraging in thickets.
Plumage
Mostly slate-gray to gray-olive above with paler gray underparts and a sharply contrasting whitish throat. The throat is bordered by darker malar lines, and a pale supercilium highlights the face. Wings and tail often show subtle olive or rufous edging. Feathers are smooth and unspotted, giving a clean, uniform look.
Diet
Consumes a mix of hard seeds, berries, and small fruits, using its stout bill to husk and crush. It also takes flower buds and occasionally supplements with insects and other arthropods, especially when feeding young. Foraging is typically methodical, gleaning from foliage and picking from the ground or low branches.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along forest edges, dense scrub, hedgerows, and in secondary growth and plantations with fruiting trees. Often remains close to protective cover, moving between bushes and low canopy layers.
