grey tr

Appearance

The grey trembler is 23 to 26 cm long and weighs 65 to 76.2 g . The species has a long, slightly downcurved bill, the female's longer than the male's. Adults of the nominate subspecies have warm gray-brown upperparts with a somewhat darker face and wings. The throat and the middle of the breast and abdomen are buffy white. The sides of the breast are a lighter gray brown and the flanks browner with an olive tinge. Juveniles are browner and have a mottled chest. ''C. g. macrorhyncha'' has a grayer buffy breast and pale cinnamon flanks.

Distribution

''C. g. gutturalis'' is found only on Martinique and ''C. g. macrorhyncha'' on Saint Lucia. Both mostly inhabit wet mature forests but are also found in dryer scrub and open woodland.

Status

The IUCN has assessed the grey trembler as being of Least Concern. Though it is found only on two islands, it is fairly common on both. No threats are known "other than those implicit in its very restricted geographical range."

Behavior

Tremblers derive their name from a typical behavior "in which the wings both are drooped and angled slightly away from the body...making very rapid vertical and lateral motions.

Habitat

''C. g. gutturalis'' is found only on Martinique and ''C. g. macrorhyncha'' on Saint Lucia. Both mostly inhabit wet mature forests but are also found in dryer scrub and open woodland.

Reproduction

The grey trembler breeds in March and April. Two types of nest have been described, an open cup made from thin twigs and dead leaves, and a dome made of dried grass. The clutch size is two or three.

Food

The grey trembler forages from the ground to the forest canopy, tearing open tangles and probing epiphyte clusters. Its diet has not been studied in detail but includes insects and other invertebrates, fruits, and occasionally small lizards.