Hispaniolan euphonia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hispaniolan euphonia |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chlorophonia
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| Species: |
musica
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| Synonyms | |
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Euphonia musica |
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The Hispaniolan euphonia (Chlorophonia musica) is a small, colorful bird. It belongs to the finch family, called Fringillidae. This bird lives only on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. When a plant or animal lives only in one place, it is called endemic.
About Its Name
The Hispaniolan euphonia was first officially described in 1789. A German scientist named Johann Friedrich Gmelin gave it its scientific name. He called it Pipra musica.
The word musica comes from Latin. It means "musical" or "musician." This name might have been chosen because of the bird's song.
Scientists often group similar animals together. This bird was first put into a genus called Pipra. Later, it was moved to the genus Euphonia.
Its Family Tree
Scientists use special studies to understand how birds are related. A study in 2020 looked at the DNA of euphonias. They found that some euphonias, like the Hispaniolan euphonia, were closely related. These birds are sometimes called "blue-hooded" euphonias.
This group of birds was found to be very close to the genus Chlorophonia. To show this close relationship, the Hispaniolan euphonia was moved. It is now officially part of the Chlorophonia genus.
The Hispaniolan euphonia was once thought to be the same species as two other birds. These were the Puerto Rican euphonia and the Lesser Antillean euphonia. But scientists noticed big differences in their feathers. Because of these differences, they are now considered separate species.
Where It Lives
The Hispaniolan euphonia is found only on the island of Hispaniola. This island is home to two countries: the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
This bird likes to live in certain places, called habitats. It can be found in forests that are warm and dry. It also lives in moist lowland forests. Sometimes, it can even be seen in areas where forests have been cut down.
