# Puerto Rican Spindalis

Scientific name: Spindalis portoricensis

Bird group: [tanager](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/tanager)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/270/Puerto-Rican-Spindalis

## Identification

The Puerto Rican spindalis (Spindalis portoricensis) is a bird endemic to the island of Puerto Rico, where it is commonly known as reina mora. The species is widely distributed throughout the island and is an important part of the Puerto Rican ecosystem because of its help in seed dispersal and plant reproduction. The Puerto Rican spindalis is the unofficial national bird[N 1] of Puerto Rico.
The Puerto Rican spindalis exhibits sexual dimorphism with males being brightly colored and females being dully colored. Males are green colored above with an orange neck and chest. They have a black head with two white stripes running across it, with one above and one below the eyes. The tail and wings are gray to black with small white stripes at the tips. In contrast, the female is a dull olive-green color with slightly noticeable white stripes. Sexual dimorphism is also noticeable in weight and size. Females are slightly heavier but smaller in length than males. The male's weight ranges from 22.5 to 37.0 grams with an average of 30.8 grams while the female's ranges from 28.0 to 41.1 grams with an average of 33.5 grams. The length of the male's wings ranges from 82 to 88.5 mm with an average of 85.2 mm while the female's range from 80 to 85.5 mm with an average of 82.6 mm. The length of the male's tail ranges from 59 to 68 mm with an average of 63.3 mm while the female's range from 56 to 65.5 mm with an average of 60.6 mm.


## Distribution and habitat

The Puerto Rican Spindalis is an endemic species restricted to 
the main island of Puerto Rico 
where it is widespread (Oberle 
2018, Raffaele 1989a). This 
species inhabits varied habitats, 
from forests to gardens and 
plantations (Biaggi 1997, Oberle 
2018, Raffaele 1989a). The atlas 
fieldwork yielded a total of 627 
records within 330 hexagons 
or 69 percent of the 479 total 
hexagons (see map). Of the 330 
hexagons where this species 
was found, breeding met the 
atlas definition of confirmed in 
8 percent (25) of the hexagons, 
probable in 42 percent (138), 
and possible in 50 percent (166), while the species was 
observed in an additional 
hexagon (<1 percent) but 
without evidence of breeding. In 
addition, there were no records 
of the Puerto Rican Spindalis 
in Puerto Ricos outer islands 
(see map). Puerto Rican Spindalis distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones 
in Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding.

## Breeding

The Puerto Rican Spindalis is an abundant bird that breeds 
from January to June, according 
to previously published reports 
(Biaggi 1997). The nest consists 
of a loose cup of vegetation 
and is usually built low in a 
bush, tree, or palm (Raffaele 
and others 1998). Atlas results 
indicate an increase in breeding       261Puerto Rican Spindalis/Reinamoraactivity from March to June, and most breeding occurs in 
the subtropical moist forest life 
zone (see chart). Results show 
that this species breeds in all 
subtropical forest life zones 
(see table and map). It was 
recorded in the subtropical moist 
forest life zone (61 percent of 
the hexagons), subtropical wet 
and lower montane wet forest 
life zones (22 percent of the 
hexagons), and subtropical 
dry forest life zone (16 percent 
of the hexagons). There was one observation (classified as 
probable breeding) located in 
the subtropical rain and lower 
montane rain forest life zones.

## Conservation

The Puerto Rican Spindalis population is believed to be 
stable, and it is listed as a species 
of least concern by the IUCN 
(BirdLife International 2016). In 
2005, this species was locally 
listed as Data Deficient, but a 
2015 assessment classified it as Low Risk (PRDNER 2015). 
Locally, this species is not 
listed in any of the threatened 
categories of PRDNER and 
USFWS. In Puerto Rico, the 
Puerto Rican Spindalis has 
a protected habitat in land 
of 11 percent or 898 km2 of the total area covered by the 
hexagons where evidence of 
breeding was found for this 
species (7869 km2). 

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_270_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_270_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.