List of birds of Trinidad and Tobago
Encyclopedia
A total of 469 species of bird
s have been recorded on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago
. There are few places in the world where so many bird species can be seen in such a small area, many of them unique, very rare, or of particular interest. They range from the many species of hummingbird
to the cave-dwelling Oilbird
(which uses echo-location to fly in the dark) and the spectacular Scarlet Ibis
.
The islands are within a few miles of Venezuela
, and the species are therefore typical of tropical South America
. However, the number of species is relatively impoverished compared to the mainland, as would be expected with small islands.
The resident breeding birds are augmented in the northern winter by migrants
from North America
, although the range of migrant passerine
s is very limited compared to Central America
.
Species in the list occur on both islands except where indicated. Tobago has only about half the number of bird species of Trinidad, but 22 birds have occurred only on the smaller island, including 12 breeding species. Some of the smaller islands off Tobago, such as Little Tobago
, have important seabird
breeding colonies.
Order: Tinamiformes. Family: Tinamidae
The tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird. Although they look similar to other ground-dwelling birds like quail and grouse, they have no close relatives and are classified as a single family Tinamidae within their own order, the Tinamiformes. They are distantly related to the ratites (order Struthioniformes), that includes the rhea
s, emu
, and kiwi
. There are 47 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Procellariidae
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized 'true petrels', characterised by united nostrils with a medium septum, and a long outer functional primary. There are 75 species worldwide, five of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago
. Family: Hydrobatidae
The storm-petrel
s are relatives of the petrel
s, and are the smallest of sea-birds. They feed on plankton
ic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat
-like. There are 21 species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Pelecaniformes
. Family: Phaethontidae
Tropicbird
s are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings. There are three species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Pelecanidae
Pelican
s are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under the beak. As with other members of the order Pelecaniformes, they have webbed feet with four toes. There are eight species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannet
s and boobies
. Both groups comprise medium-to-large coastal sea-birds that plunge-dive for fish. There are nine species worldwide, four of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Phalacrocoracidae
The Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium-to-large coastal, fish-eating sea-birds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies; the majority of species have mainly dark plumage, but some are pied black and white, and a few are more colourful. There are 38 members of this family worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago
Order: Pelecaniformes
. Family: Anhingidae
Darters are frequently referred to as "snake-birds" because they have long thin necks, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged.
The males have black and dark brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape, and a larger bill than the female. The females have a much paler plumage, especially on the neck and underparts. The darters have completely webbed feet, and their legs are short and set far back on the body. Their plumage is somewhat permeable, like that of cormorants, and they spread their wings to dry after diving. There are four species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago
Order: Pelecaniformes
. Family: Fregatidae
Frigatebird
s are large sea-birds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black and white or completely black, with long wings and deeply-forked tails. The males have inflatable coloured throat pouches. They do not swim or walk, and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week. There are five species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the bittern
s, heron
s and egret
s. Herons and egrets are medium to large sized wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Unlike other long-necked birds suck as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted. There are 61 species worldwide, 21 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Ciconiidae
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute; bill-clattering is an important mode of stork communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory. There are 19 species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Ciconiiformes
. Family: Threskiornithidae
The Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibis
es and spoonbill
s. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers. There are 36 species worldwide, four of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Flamingo
s are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 feet high, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. They are more numerous in the latter. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly-shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume, and are uniquely used upside-down. There are six species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Anhimidae
The screamers are a small family of birds related to the ducks. They are large, bulky birds, with a small downy head, long legs and large feet which are only partially webbed. They have large spurs on their wings which are used in fights over mates and territorial disputes. There are three species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Anseriformes
. Family: Anatidae
The family Anatidae includes the duck
s and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese
and swan
s. These are birds that are modified for an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating. There are 131 species worldwide, 17 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Falconiformes
. Family: Cathartidae
The New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution
. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers. However, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell with which they locate carrion
. There are seven species worldwide, all of which are found only in the Americas, four of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Pandionidae
The Pandionidae family contains only one species, the Osprey. The Osprey is a medium large raptor
which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution.
. Family: Accipitridae
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey and include hawk
s, eagle
s, kites
, harriers
and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. There are 233 species worldwide, 23 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Falconidae
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their feet. There are 62 species worldwide, eight of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Galliformes
. Family: Cracidae
The Cracidae are large birds, similar in general appearance to turkeys. The guans and curassows live in trees, but the smaller chachalacas are found in more open scrubby habitats. They are generally dull-plumaged, but the curassows and some guans have colourful facial ornaments. There are 50 species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Aramidae
The Limpkin resembles a large rail. It has drab brown plumage and a greyer head and neck.
. Family: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coot
s, and gallinule
s. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers. There are 143 species worldwide, 13 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Heliornithidae
The Heliornithidae are small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet similar to those of grebes and coots. There are three species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Charadriiformes
. Family: Jacanidae
The jacana
s are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found worldwide in the Tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. There eight species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Haematopodidae
The oystercatcher
s are large and noisy plover
-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs. There are 11 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocet
s and the stilt
s. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. There are nine species worldwide, two of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Burhinidae
The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats. There are nine species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Charadriiformes
. Family: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plover
s, dotterels, and lapwing
s. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water, although there are some exceptions. There are 66 species worldwide, nine of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Scolopacidae
The Scolopacidae are a large diverse family of small to medium sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlew
s, godwit
s, shanks
, tattlers
, woodcock
s, snipe
s, dowitcher
s and phalarope
s. The majority of species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enable different species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. There are 89 species worldwide, 28 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Stercorariidae
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants. There are seven species worldwide, three of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large birds seabirds and includes gull
s and kittiwake
s. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. There are 55 species worldwide, six of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Sternidae
Tern
s are a group of generally general medium to large sea-birds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species now known to live in excess of 25 to 30 years. There are 44 species worldwide, 15 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Charadriiformes
. Family: Rynchopidae
Skimmer
s are a small family of tropical tern-like birds. They have an elongated lower mandible which they use to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small fish. There are three species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Columbiformes
. Family: Columbidae
Pigeons and dove
s are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere
. There are 308 species worldwide, 14 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Parrot
s are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak shape. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and the have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two back. There are 335 species worldwide, 11 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoo
s, roadrunner
s and anis
. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. Unlike the cuckoo species of the Old World, North American cuckoos are not brood parasites. There are 138 species worldwide, 10 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Barn owl
s are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. There are 16 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
Typical owl
s are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. There are 195 species worldwide, seven of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Steatornithidae
The Oilbird is a slim, long-winged bird related to the nightjars. It is nocturnal and a specialist feeder on the fruit of the Oil palm
.
Order: Caprimulgiformes
. Family: Nyctibiidae
The potoos (sometimes called Poor-Me-Ones) are large near passerine
birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths. They are nocturnal insectivores which lack the bristles around the mouth found in the true nightjars. There are five species, all of which are from the South American tropical region. One species occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Caprimulgidae
Nightjar
s are medium-sized nocturnal birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills that usually nest on the ground. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves. There are 86 species worldwide, seven of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Apodidae
Swift
s are small aerial birds, spending the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. There are 98 species worldwide, 10 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Trochiliformes. Family: Trochilidae
Hummingbird
s are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards. There are 337 species worldwide, 21 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
The family Trogonidae includes trogons and quetzals. Found in tropical woodlands worldwide, they feed on insects and fruit, and their broad bills and weak legs reflect their diet and arboreal habits. Although their flight is fast, they are reluctant to fly any distance. Trogons have soft, often colourful, feathers with distinctive male and female plumage. There are 33 species worldwide, three of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. There are 93 species worldwide, five of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Coraciiformes
. Family: Momotidae
The motmots have colorful plumage and long, graduated tails, which they display by waggling back and forth. In most of the species, the barbs near the ends of the two longest (central) tail feathers are weak and fall off, leaving a length of bare shaft, and creating a racket-shaped tail. There are 10 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Galbulidae
The jacamars are near passerine birds from tropical South America, with a range that extends up to Mexico. They are glossy elegant birds with long bills and tails, which feed on insects caught on the wing. In appearance and behaviour they show resemblances to the Old World bee-eater
s, although they are more closely related to woodpeckers. There are 18 species, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Ramphastidae
Toucans are near passerine birds from the neotropics. They are brightly marked and have enormous, colourful bills which in some species may amount to half their body length. There are 40 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
. Family: Picidae
Woodpeckers are small to medium sized birds with chisel like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward, and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. There are 218 species worldwide, six of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Ovenbirds comprise a large family of small sub-oscine passerine bird species found in Central and South America. They are a diverse group of insectivores which gets its name from the elaborate "oven-like" clay nests built by some species, although others build stick nests or nest in tunnels or clefts in rock. There are 243 species worldwide, five of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Dendrocolaptidae are brownish birds and maintain an upright vertical posture, supported by their stiff tail vanes. They feed mainly on insects taken from tree trunks. There are 57 species worldwide, six of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
The antbirds are a large family of small passerine birds of subtropical and tropical Central and South America. They are forest birds, and tend to feed on insects at or near the ground. A sizable minority of them specialize in following columns of army ants to eat the small invertebrates that leave hiding to flee the ants.Many species lack bright colour; brown, black and white being the dominant tones. There are about 212 species worldwide, eight of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
The ground antbirds are a family comprising the antthrushes and antpittas. Antthrushes resemble small rails while antpittas resemble the true pittas
with longish strong legs, very short tails and stout bills. There are about 63 species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
The cotingas are birds of forests or forest edges of tropical South America. Comparatively little is known about this diverse group, although all have broad bills with hooked tips, rounded wings, and strong legs. The males of many of the species are brightly coloured, or decorated with plumes or wattles. There are 71 species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Pipridae
The manakins are a family bird species of subtropical and tropical mainland Central and South America, and Trinidad and Tobago. They are compact forest birds, the males typically being brightly coloured, although the females of most species are duller and usually green-plumaged. Manakins feed on small fruits, berries and insects. There are 57 species worldwide, three of occur present in Trinidad and Tobago.
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Order: Passeriformes. Family: Tyrannidae
Tyrant flycatcher
s are passerine
birds which occur throughout North and South America. They superficially resemble the Old World flycatchers, but are more robust with stronger bills. They do not have the sophisticated vocal capabilities of the songbirds. Most, but not all, have plain colouring. As the name implies, most are insectivorous. There are 429 species worldwide, all found only in the Americas, 42 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Hirundinidae family is a group of passerines characterized by their adaptation to aerial feeding. Their adaptations include a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and short bills with wide gape. The feet are designed for perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base. There are 75 species worldwide, nine of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Motacillidae are a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country. There are 54 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
The wren
s are mainly small and inconspicuous except for their loud songs. These birds have short wings and a thin down-turned bill. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous. There are 80 species worldwide (of which all but one are New World species), two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
The mimids are a family of passerine birds that includes thrasher
s, mockingbird
s, trembler
s, and the New World catbirds. These birds are notable for their vocalizations, especially their ability to mimic a wide variety of birds and other sounds heard outdoors. Their colouring tends towards dull greys and browns . There are 35 species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Turdidae
The thrushes
are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs. There are 335 species worldwide, seven of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
These dainty birds resemble Old World warblers in their build and habits, moving restlessly through the foliage seeking insects. The gnatcatchers and gnatwrens are mainly soft bluish grey in colour, and have the typical insectivore's long sharp bill. They are birds of fairly open woodland or scrub, and nest in bushes or trees. There are 15 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
The vireo
s are a group of small to medium sized passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are typically greenish in colour and resemble wood warbler
s apart from their heavier bills. There are 52 species worldwide, six of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
The New World warbler
s are a group of small, often colourful, passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal, but some are terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores. There are 119 species worldwide, 24 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Coerebidae
The Bananaquit is a small passerine bird. It has a slender, curved bill, adapted to taking nectar from flowers and is the only member of the genus Coereba (Vieillot, 1809) and is normally placed within the family Coerebidae, although there is uncertainty whether that placement is correct.
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Thraupidae
The tanager
s are a large group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World, mainly in the tropics. Many species are brightly coloured. They are seed eaters, but their preference tends towards fruit and nectar. Most have short, rounded wings. There are 256 species worldwide, 24 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
The emberizids are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with a distinctively shaped bill. In Europe, most species are named as buntings. In North America, most of the species in this family are known as Sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the Old World sparrows which are in the family Passeridae. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns. There are species 275 worldwide, seventeen of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
The cardinals are a family of passerine birds that are robust, seed-eating birds, with strong bills. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinct plumages. There are 43 species worldwide, six of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Order: Passeriformes. Family: Icteridae
The icterids are a group of small to medium, often colourful, passerine birds restricted to the New World and include the grackle
s, New World blackbird
s, and New World oriole
s. Most species have black as the predominant plumage colour, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. There are 98 species worldwide, 13 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
Finch
es are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have 12 tail feathers and 9 primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. There are 137 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s have been recorded on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
. There are few places in the world where so many bird species can be seen in such a small area, many of them unique, very rare, or of particular interest. They range from the many species of hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
to the cave-dwelling Oilbird
Oilbird
The Oilbird , also known as Guácharo, is a bird found in the northern areas of South America . They are nocturnal feeders on the fruits of the Oil Palm and tropical laurels, and are the only nocturnal fruit eating birds in the world...
(which uses echo-location to fly in the dark) and the spectacular Scarlet Ibis
Scarlet Ibis
The Scarlet Ibis is a species of ibis that inhabits tropical South America and also Trinidad and Tobago. It is the national bird of Trinidad and is featured on the Trinidad and Tobago coat of arms along with Tobago's national bird, the Rufous-vented Chachalaca.-Taxonomy:This species is very...
.
The islands are within a few miles of Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, and the species are therefore typical of tropical South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. However, the number of species is relatively impoverished compared to the mainland, as would be expected with small islands.
The resident breeding birds are augmented in the northern winter by migrants
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
from North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, although the range of migrant passerine
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
s is very limited compared to Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
.
Species in the list occur on both islands except where indicated. Tobago has only about half the number of bird species of Trinidad, but 22 birds have occurred only on the smaller island, including 12 breeding species. Some of the smaller islands off Tobago, such as Little Tobago
Little Tobago
250px|thumb|right|Looking across to [[Saint Giles Island|St. Giles Island]] from Little TobagoLittle Tobago is a small island off the northeastern coast of Tobago, and part of the republic of Trinidad and Tobago...
, have important seabird
Seabird
Seabirds are birds that have adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same environmental problems and feeding niches have resulted in similar adaptations...
breeding colonies.
| Table of contents |
|---|
Non-passerines: Tinamous . Grebes . Shearwaters and petrels . Storm-petrels . Tropicbirds . Pelicans . Boobies and gannets . Cormorants . Darters . Frigatebirds . Bitterns, herons and egrets . Storks . Ibises and spoonbills . Screamers . Ducks and geese . New World vultures . Ospreys . Hawks, kites and eagles . Caracaras and falcons . Chachalacas, guans and curassows . Limpkins . Rails, crakes, gallinules, and coots . Sungrebes . Jacanas . Oystercatchers . Avocets and stilts . Thick-knees . Plovers and lapwings . Sandpipers and allies . Skuas . Gulls . Terns . Skimmers . Pigeons and doves . Parrots, macaws and allies . Cuckoos and anis . Barn owls . Typical owls . Oilbirds . Potoos . Nightjars . Swifts . Hummingbirds . Trogons . Kingfishers . Motmots . Jacamars . Toucans . Woodpeckers and allies . |
Passerines: Ovenbirds . Woodcreepers . Typical antbirds . Antthrushes and antpittas . Cotingas . Manakins . Tyrant flycatchers . Swallows and martins . Wagtails and pipits . Wrens . Mockingbirds and thrashers . Thrushes and allies . Gnatcatchers . Vireos . New World warblers . Bananaquits . Tanagers . Buntings, sparrows, seedeaters and allies . Saltators, cardinals and allies . Troupials and allies . Siskins, crossbills and allies . |
See also References Footnotes |
Tinamous
The tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird. Although they look similar to other ground-dwelling birds like quail and grouse, they have no close relatives and are classified as a single family Tinamidae within their own order, the Tinamiformes. They are distantly related to the ratites (order Struthioniformes), that includes the rhea
Rhea (bird)
The rheas are ratites in the genus Rhea, native to South America. There are two existing species: the Greater or American Rhea and the Lesser or Darwin's Rhea. The genus name was given in 1752 by Paul Möhring and adopted as the English common name. Möhring's reason for choosing this name, from the...
s, emu
Emu
The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...
, and kiwi
Kiwi
Kiwi are flightless birds endemic to New Zealand, in the genus Apteryx and family Apterygidae.At around the size of a domestic chicken, kiwi are by far the smallest living ratites and lay the largest egg in relation to their body size of any species of bird in the world...
. There are 47 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Little Tinamou Little Tinamou The Little Tinamou, Crypturellus soui, is found in Central America and South America.-Etymology:Crypturellus is formed from three Latin or Greek words. kruptos meaning covered or hidden, oura meaning tail, and ellus meaning diminutive... |
Crypturellus soui | Trinidad only |
Grebes
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Least Grebe Least Grebe The Least Grebe , an aquatic bird, is the smallest member of the grebe family. It occurs in the New World from the southwestern United States and Mexico to Chile and Argentina, and also on Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas and the Greater Antilles.-Description:The Least Grebe ranges in length from... |
Tachybaptus dominicus | |
| Pied-billed Grebe Pied-billed Grebe The Pied-billed Grebe is a species of the grebe family of water birds. Since the Atitlán Grebe, Podilymbus gigas, has become extinct, it is the sole extant member of the genus Podilymbus.-Description:... |
Podilymbus podiceps | |
Shearwaters and petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesProcellariiformes
Procellariiformes is an order of seabirds that comprises four families: the albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters, storm petrels, and diving petrels...
. Family: Procellariidae
Procellariidae
The family Procellariidae is a group of seabirds that comprises the fulmarine petrels, the gadfly petrels, the prions, and the shearwaters. This family is part of the bird order Procellariiformes , which also includes the albatrosses, the storm-petrels, and the diving petrels.The procellariids are...
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized 'true petrels', characterised by united nostrils with a medium septum, and a long outer functional primary. There are 75 species worldwide, five of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Bulwer's Petrel Bulwer's Petrel The Bulwer's Petrel is a small petrel in the family Procellariidae, and is one of two species in the genus Bulweria . This bird is named after the Scottish naturalist James Bulwer.- Description :... |
Bulweria bulwerii | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Cory's Shearwater Cory's Shearwater The Cory's Shearwater is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae.This species breeds on islands and cliffs in the Mediterranean, with the odd outpost on the Atlantic coast of Iberia. The nest is on open ground or among rocks or less often in a burrow where one white egg is laid,... |
Calonectris diomedea | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Great Shearwater Great Shearwater The Great Shearwater is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. Its relationships are unclear. It belongs in the group of large species that could be separated as genus Ardenna ; within these, it might be allied with the other black-billed, blunt-tailed species Short-tailed... |
Puffinus gravis | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Manx Shearwater Manx Shearwater The Manx Shearwater is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The scientific name of this species records a name shift: Manx Shearwaters were called Manks Puffins in the 17th century. Puffin is an Anglo-Norman word for the cured carcasses of nestling shearwaters... |
Puffinus puffinus | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Audubon's Shearwater Audubon's Shearwater Audubon's Shearwater, Puffinus lherminieri, is a common tropical seabird from the family Procellariidae. Sometimes called Dusky-backed Shearwater, the scientific name of this species commemorates the French naturalist Félix Louis L'Herminier.... |
Puffinus lherminieri | |
Storm-petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesProcellariiformes
Procellariiformes is an order of seabirds that comprises four families: the albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters, storm petrels, and diving petrels...
. Family: Hydrobatidae
The storm-petrel
Storm-petrel
Storm petrels are seabirds in the family Hydrobatidae, part of the order Procellariiformes. These smallest of seabirds feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.Storm petrels have a cosmopolitan...
s are relatives of the petrel
Petrel
Petrels are tube-nosed seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. The common name does not indicate relationship beyond that point, as "petrels" occur in three of the four families within that group...
s, and are the smallest of sea-birds. They feed on plankton
Plankton
Plankton are any drifting organisms that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, seas, or bodies of fresh water. That is, plankton are defined by their ecological niche rather than phylogenetic or taxonomic classification...
ic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
-like. There are 21 species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Wilson's Storm-Petrel Wilson's Storm-petrel Wilson's Storm Petrel , also known as Wilson's Petrel, is a small seabird of the storm-petrel family. It is one of the most abundant bird species in the world and has a circumpolar distribution mainly in the seas of the southern hemisphere but extending northwards during the summer of the northern... |
Oceanites oceanicus | Tobago only; Rare/Accidental |
| Leach's Storm-Petrel Leach's Storm-petrel The Leach's Storm Petrel or Leach's Petrel is a small seabird of the tubenose family. It is named after the British zoologist William Elford Leach.... |
Oceanodroma leucorhoa | |
Tropicbirds
Pelecaniformes
The Pelecaniformes is a order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide. As traditionally—but erroneously—defined, they encompass all birds that have feet with all four toes webbed. Hence, they were formerly also known by such names as totipalmates or steganopodes...
. Family: Phaethontidae
Tropicbird
Tropicbirds are a family, Phaethontidae, of tropical pelagic seabirds now classified in their own order Phaethontiformes. Their relationship to other living birds is unclear, and they appear to have no close relatives. There are three species in one genus, Phaethon...
Tropicbird
Tropicbird
Tropicbirds are a family, Phaethontidae, of tropical pelagic seabirds now classified in their own order Phaethontiformes. Their relationship to other living birds is unclear, and they appear to have no close relatives. There are three species in one genus, Phaethon...
s are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings. There are three species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Red-billed Tropicbird Red-billed Tropicbird The Red-billed Tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus, also known as the Boatswain Bird is a tropicbird, one of three closely related seabirds of tropical oceans.-Distribution and habitat:... |
Phaethon aethereus | |
| White-tailed Tropicbird White-tailed Tropicbird The White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus, is a tropicbird, smallest of three closely related seabirds of the tropical oceans and smallest member of the order Phaethontiformes. It occurs in the tropical Atlantic, western Pacific and Indian Oceans... |
Phaethon lepturus | Tobago only; Rare/Accidental |
Pelicans
Order: PelecaniformesPelecaniformes
The Pelecaniformes is a order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide. As traditionally—but erroneously—defined, they encompass all birds that have feet with all four toes webbed. Hence, they were formerly also known by such names as totipalmates or steganopodes...
. Family: Pelecanidae
Pelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
Pelican
Pelican
A pelican, derived from the Greek word πελεκυς pelekys is a large water bird with a large throat pouch, belonging to the bird family Pelecanidae....
s are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under the beak. As with other members of the order Pelecaniformes, they have webbed feet with four toes. There are eight species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Brown Pelican Brown Pelican The Brown Pelican is the smallest of the eight species of pelican, although it is a large bird in nearly every other regard. It is in length, weighs from and has a wingspan from .-Range and habits:... |
Pelecanus occidentalis | |
Boobies and gannets
Order: PelecaniformesPelecaniformes
The Pelecaniformes is a order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide. As traditionally—but erroneously—defined, they encompass all birds that have feet with all four toes webbed. Hence, they were formerly also known by such names as totipalmates or steganopodes...
. Family: Sulidae
Sulidae
The bird family Sulidae comprises the gannets and boobies. Collectively called sulidas, they are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish and similar prey. The ten species in this family are often considered congeneric in older sources, placing all in the genus Sula...
The sulids comprise the gannet
Gannet
Gannets are seabirds comprising the genus Morus, in the family Sulidae, closely related to the boobies.The gannets are large black and white birds with yellow heads. They have long pointed wings and long bills. Northern gannets are the largest seabirds in the North Atlantic, with a wingspan of up...
s and boobies
Booby
A booby is a seabird in the genus Sula, part of the Sulidae family. Boobies are closely related to the gannets , which were formerly included in Sula.-Description:...
. Both groups comprise medium-to-large coastal sea-birds that plunge-dive for fish. There are nine species worldwide, four of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Gannet Northern Gannet The Northern Gannet is a seabird and is the largest member of the gannet family, Sulidae.- Description :Young birds are dark brown in their first year, and gradually acquire more white in subsequent seasons until they reach maturity after five years.Adults are long, weigh and have a wingspan... |
Morus bassanus | Trinidad only |
| Masked Booby Masked Booby The Masked Booby, Sula dactylatra, is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. This species breeds on islands in tropical oceans, except in the eastern Atlantic; in the eastern Pacific it is replaced by the Nazca Booby, Sula granti, which was formerly regarded as a subspecies of Masked Booby... |
Sula dactylatra | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Red-footed Booby Red-footed Booby The Red-footed Booby, Sula sula, is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. As suggested by the name, adults always have red feet, but the colour of the plumage varies. They are powerful and agile fliers, but they are clumsy in takeoffs and landings... |
Sula sula | |
| Brown Booby Brown Booby The Brown Booby is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. The adult brown booby reaches about in length. Its head and upper body are covered in dark brown, with the remainder being a contrasting white. The juvenile form is gray-brown with darkening on the head, wings and tail... |
Sula leucogaster | |
Cormorants
Order: PelecaniformesPelecaniformes
The Pelecaniformes is a order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide. As traditionally—but erroneously—defined, they encompass all birds that have feet with all four toes webbed. Hence, they were formerly also known by such names as totipalmates or steganopodes...
. Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Cormorant
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...
The Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium-to-large coastal, fish-eating sea-birds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies; the majority of species have mainly dark plumage, but some are pied black and white, and a few are more colourful. There are 38 members of this family worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Neotropic Cormorant Neotropic Cormorant The Neotropic Cormorant or Olivaceous Cormorant is a medium-sized cormorant found throughout the American tropics and subtropics, from the middle Rio Grande and the Gulf and Californian coasts of the USA south through Mexico and Central America to southern South America. It also breeds on the... |
Phalacrocorax brasilianus | Trinidad only |
Darters
Pelecaniformes
The Pelecaniformes is a order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide. As traditionally—but erroneously—defined, they encompass all birds that have feet with all four toes webbed. Hence, they were formerly also known by such names as totipalmates or steganopodes...
. Family: Anhingidae
Darter
The darters or snakebirds are mainly tropical waterbirds in the family Anhingidae. There are four living species, three of which are very common and widespread while the fourth is rarer and classified as near-threatened by the IUCN. The term "snakebird" is usually used without any additions to...
Darters are frequently referred to as "snake-birds" because they have long thin necks, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged.
The males have black and dark brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape, and a larger bill than the female. The females have a much paler plumage, especially on the neck and underparts. The darters have completely webbed feet, and their legs are short and set far back on the body. Their plumage is somewhat permeable, like that of cormorants, and they spread their wings to dry after diving. There are four species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Anhinga Anhinga The Anhinga , sometimes called Snakebird, Darter, American Darter, or Water Turkey, is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas. The word "anhinga" comes from the Brazilian Tupi language and means devil bird or snake bird.It is a cormorant-like bird with an average body length of , a... |
Anhinga anhinga | |
Frigatebirds
Pelecaniformes
The Pelecaniformes is a order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide. As traditionally—but erroneously—defined, they encompass all birds that have feet with all four toes webbed. Hence, they were formerly also known by such names as totipalmates or steganopodes...
. Family: Fregatidae
Frigatebird
Frigatebird
The frigatebirds are a family, Fregatidae, of seabirds. There are five species in the single genus Fregata. They are also sometimes called Man of War birds or Pirate birds. Since they are related to the pelicans, the term "frigate pelican" is also a name applied to them...
s are large sea-birds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black and white or completely black, with long wings and deeply-forked tails. The males have inflatable coloured throat pouches. They do not swim or walk, and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week. There are five species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Magnificent Frigatebird Magnificent Frigatebird The Magnificent Frigatebird was sometimes previously known as Man O'War, reflecting its rakish lines, speed, and aerial piracy of other birds.... |
Fregata magnificens | |
Bitterns, herons and egrets
Order: CiconiiformesCiconiiformes
Traditionally, the order Ciconiiformes has included a variety of large, long-legged wading birds with large bills: storks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, and several others. Ciconiiformes are known from the Late Eocene...
. Family: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the bittern
Bittern
Bitterns are a classification of birds in the heron family, Ardeidae, a family of wading birds. Species named bitterns tend to be the shorter-necked, often more secretive members of this family...
s, heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
s and egret
Egret
An egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets...
s. Herons and egrets are medium to large sized wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Unlike other long-necked birds suck as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted. There are 61 species worldwide, 21 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Grey Heron Grey Heron The Grey Heron , is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, native throughout temperate Europe and Asia and also parts of Africa. It is resident in the milder south and west, but many birds retreat in winter from the ice in colder regions... |
Ardea cinerea | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Great Blue Heron Great Blue Heron The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England... |
Ardea herodias | |
| Cocoi Heron Cocoi Heron The Cocoi Heron is a species of heron in the Ardeidae family. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela. It is a non-breeding visitor to Trinidad and Tobago and a vagrant to the Falkland... |
Ardea cocoi | Trinidad only |
| Great Egret Great Egret The Great Egret , also known as the Great White Egret or Common Egret, White Heron, or Great White Heron, is a large, widely-distributed egret. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, in southern Europe it is rather localized... |
Ardea alba | |
| Reddish Egret Reddish Egret The Reddish Egret is a small heron. It is a resident breeder in Central America, The Bahamas, the Caribbean, the Gulf Coast of the United States, and Mexico. There is post-breeding dispersal to well north of the nesting range... |
Egretta rufescens | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Tricolored Heron Tricolored Heron The Tricolored Heron formerly known in North America as the Louisiana Heron, is a small heron. It is a resident breeder from the Gulf states of the USA and northern Mexico south through Central America and the Caribbean to central Brazil and Peru... |
Egretta tricolor | |
| Little Blue Heron Little Blue Heron The Little Blue Heron, Egretta caerulea, is a small heron. It breeds from the Gulf states of the USA through Central America and the Caribbean south to Peru and Uruguay. It is a resident breeder in most of its range, but some northern breeders migrate to the southeastern USA or beyond in winter... |
Egretta caerulea | |
| Western Reef Heron Western Reef Heron The Western Reef Heron, Egretta gularis, also known as the Western Reef Egret, is a medium-sized heron. It occurs mainly on the coasts in tropical west Africa, the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and east to India... |
Egretta gularis | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Snowy Egret Snowy Egret The Snowy Egret is a small white heron. It is the American counterpart to the very similar Old World Little Egret, which has established a foothold in the Bahamas.... |
Egretta thula | |
| Little Egret Little Egret The Little Egret is a small white heron. It is the Old World counterpart to the very similar New World Snowy Egret.-Subspecies:Depending on authority, two or three subspecies of Little Egret are currently accepted.... |
Egretta garzetta | Rare/Accidental |
| Cattle Egret Cattle Egret The Cattle Egret is a cosmopolitan species of heron found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species, the Western Cattle Egret and the Eastern Cattle Egret... |
Bubulcus ibis | |
| Striated Heron Striated Heron The Striated Heron, Butorides striata, also known as Mangrove Heron, Little Heron or Green-backed Heron, is a small heron. Striated Herons are mostly non-migratory and noted for some interesting behavioral traits. Their breeding habitat is small wetlands in the Old World tropics from west Africa to... |
Butorides striata | Trinidad only |
| Green Heron Green Heron The Green Heron is a small heron of North and Central America. It was long considered conspecific with its sister species the Striated Heron , and together they were called "Green-backed Heron"... |
Butorides virescens | |
| Agami Heron Agami Heron The Agami Heron is a medium-sized heron. It is a resident breeding bird from Central America south to Peru and Brazil.It is sometimes known as the Chestnut-bellied Heron, and is the only member of the genus Agamia .The Agami Heron's habitat is forest swamps and similar wooded wetlands... |
Agamia agami | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | |
| Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | Nyctanassa violacea | |
| Boat-billed Heron Boat-billed Heron The Boat-billed Heron - colloquially known as the Boatbill - is an atypical member of the heron family, and was formerly thought to be in a monotypic family, Cochlearidae.... |
Cochlearius cochlearius | Trinidad only |
| Rufescent Tiger-Heron Rufescent Tiger-heron The Rufescent Tiger Heron , also known as the Soco-Boi, is a species of heron in the Ardeidae family.-Distribution and habitat:... |
Tigrisoma lineatum | Trinidad only |
| Stripe-backed Bittern Stripe-backed Bittern The Stripe-backed Bittern is a species of heron in the Ardeidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, and possibly Ecuador.Its natural habitat is swamps.- References : Database... |
Ixobrychus involucris | Trinidad only |
| Least Bittern Least Bittern The Least Bittern is a small wading bird, the smallest heron found in the Americas.This bird's underparts and throat are white with light brown streaks. Their face and the sides of the neck are light brown; they have yellow eyes and a yellow bill. The adult male is glossy greenish black on the... |
Ixobrychus exilis | Trinidad only |
| Pinnated Bittern | Botaurus pinnatus | Trinidad only |
Storks
Order: CiconiiformesCiconiiformes
Traditionally, the order Ciconiiformes has included a variety of large, long-legged wading birds with large bills: storks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, and several others. Ciconiiformes are known from the Late Eocene...
. Family: Ciconiidae
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute; bill-clattering is an important mode of stork communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory. There are 19 species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Wood Stork Wood Stork The Wood Stork is a large American wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It was formerly called the "Wood Ibis", though it is not really an ibis.-Appearance:... |
Mycteria americana | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Jabiru Jabiru The Jabiru is a large stork found in the Americas from Mexico to Argentina, except west of the Andes. It is most common in the Pantanal region of Brazil and the Eastern Chaco region of Paraguay. It is the only member of the genus Jabiru... |
Jabiru mycteria | Tobago only; Rare/Accidental |
Ibises and spoonbills
Ciconiiformes
Traditionally, the order Ciconiiformes has included a variety of large, long-legged wading birds with large bills: storks, herons, egrets, ibises, spoonbills, and several others. Ciconiiformes are known from the Late Eocene...
. Family: Threskiornithidae
Threskiornithidae
The family Threskiornithidae includes 34 species of large terrestrial and wading birds, falling into two subfamilies, the ibises and the spoonbills. It was formerly known as Plataleidae. The spoonbills and ibises were once thought to be related to other groups of long-legged wading birds in the...
The Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibis
Ibis
The ibises are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae....
es and spoonbill
Spoonbill
Spoonbills are a group of large, long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, which also includes the Ibises.All have large, flat, spatulate bills and feed by wading through shallow water, sweeping the partly opened bill from side to side...
s. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers. There are 36 species worldwide, four of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| American White Ibis American White Ibis The American White Ibis is a species of wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae. It occurs from the mid-Atlantic and Gulf coast of the United States south through most of the New World tropics... |
Eudocimus albus | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Scarlet Ibis Scarlet Ibis The Scarlet Ibis is a species of ibis that inhabits tropical South America and also Trinidad and Tobago. It is the national bird of Trinidad and is featured on the Trinidad and Tobago coat of arms along with Tobago's national bird, the Rufous-vented Chachalaca.-Taxonomy:This species is very... |
Eudocimus ruber | |
| Glossy Ibis Glossy Ibis The Glossy Ibis is a wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae.This is the most widespread ibis species, breeding in scattered sites in warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Atlantic and Caribbean region of the Americas... |
Plegadis falcinellus | |
| Roseate Spoonbill Roseate Spoonbill The Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea ajaja, is a gregarious wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae... |
Platalea ajaja | |
Flamingos
Order: Phoenicopteriformes. Family: PhoenicopteridaeFlamingo
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus , the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae...
s are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 feet high, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. They are more numerous in the latter. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly-shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume, and are uniquely used upside-down. There are six species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Caribbean Flamingo Caribbean Flamingo The American Flamingo is a large species of flamingo closely related to the Greater Flamingo and Chilean Flamingo. It was formerly considered conspecific with the Greater Flamingo, but that treatment is now widely viewed as incorrect due to a lack of evidence... |
Phoenicopterus ruber | Trinidad only |
Screamers
Order: AnseriformesAnseriformes
The order Anseriformes contains about 150 living species of birds in three extant families: the Anhimidae , Anseranatidae , and the Anatidae, which includes over 140 species of waterfowl, among them the ducks, geese, and swans.All species in the order are highly adapted for an aquatic existence at...
. Family: Anhimidae
The screamers are a small family of birds related to the ducks. They are large, bulky birds, with a small downy head, long legs and large feet which are only partially webbed. They have large spurs on their wings which are used in fights over mates and territorial disputes. There are three species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Horned Screamer Horned Screamer The Horned Screamer is a member of a small family of birds, the Anhimidae, which occurs in wetlands of tropical South America... |
Anhima cornuta | Rare/Accidental |
Ducks and geese
Anseriformes
The order Anseriformes contains about 150 living species of birds in three extant families: the Anhimidae , Anseranatidae , and the Anatidae, which includes over 140 species of waterfowl, among them the ducks, geese, and swans.All species in the order are highly adapted for an aquatic existence at...
. Family: Anatidae
Anatidae
Anatidae is the biological family of birds that includes ducks, geese and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica and on most of the world's islands and island groups...
The family Anatidae includes the duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
and swan
Swan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
s. These are birds that are modified for an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating. There are 131 species worldwide, 17 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Fulvous Whistling-Duck | Dendrocygna bicolor | |
| White-faced Whistling-Duck | Dendrocygna viduata | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Black-bellied Whistling-Duck | Dendrocygna autumnalis | |
| Snow Goose Snow Goose The Snow Goose , also known as the Blue Goose, is a North American species of goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The genus of this bird is disputed... |
Chen caerulescens | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Muscovy Duck Muscovy Duck The Muscovy Duck is a large duck which is native to Mexico and Central and South America. A small wild population reaches into the United States in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas... |
Cairina moschata | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Comb Duck Comb Duck The Knob-billed Duck , or Comb Duck, is an unusual, pan-tropical duck, found in tropical wetlands in sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and south Asia from Pakistan to Laos and extreme southern China... |
Sarkidiornis melanotos | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| American Wigeon American Wigeon The American Wigeon, also American Widgeon or Baldpate, is a species of wigeon in the dabbling duck genus Anas. If this is split up, all wigeons will go into their old genus Mareca again... |
Anas americana | |
| Green-winged Teal Green-winged Teal The Green-winged Teal is a common and widespread duck that breeds in the northern areas of North America except on the Aleutian Islands. It was considered conspecific with the Common Teal The Green-winged Teal (Anas carolinensis) is a common and widespread duck that breeds in the northern areas of... |
Anas carolinensis | Rare/Accidental |
| Mallard Mallard The Mallard , or Wild Duck , is a dabbling duck which breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand and Australia.... |
Anas platyrhynchos | Trinidad only |
| Northern Pintail Northern Pintail The Pintail or Northern Pintail is a widely occurring duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe, Asia and North America. It is strongly migratory and winters south of its breeding range to the equator... |
Anas acuta | |
| White-cheeked Pintail White-cheeked Pintail The White cheeked Pintail or Bahama Pintail is a dabbling duck of the Caribbean, South America, and the Galápagos Islands.... |
Anas bahamensis | |
| Blue-winged Teal Blue-winged Teal The Blue-winged Teal is a small dabbling duck from North America.-Description:The Blue-winged Teal is long, with a wingspan of , and a weight of . The adult male has a greyish blue head with a white facial crescent, a light brown body with a white patch near the rear and a black tail. The adult... |
Anas discors | |
| Northern Shoveller | Anas clypeata | |
| Southern Pochard Southern Pochard The Southern Pochard is a duck.There are two subspecies, the South American Pochard N. e. erythrophthalma and the African Pochard N. e... |
Netta erythrophthalma | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Ring-necked Duck Ring-necked Duck The Ring-necked Duck is a smaller diving duck from North America.The adult male is similar in color pattern to the Eurasian Tufted Duck, its relative. It has a grey bill with a white band, a shiny purple head, a white breast, yellow eyes and a dark grey back... |
Aythya collaris | Rare/Accidental |
| Lesser Scaup Lesser Scaup The Lesser Scaup is a small North American diving duck that migrates south as far as Central America in winter. It is colloquially known as the Little Bluebill or Broadbill because of its distinctive blue bill... |
Aythya affinis | |
| Masked Duck Masked Duck The Masked Duck is a tiny stiff-tailed duck ranging through the tropical Americas. They are found from Mexico to South America and also in the Caribbean... |
Oxyura dominica | |
New World vultures
Falconiformes
The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that comprises the diurnal birds of prey. Raptor classification is difficult and the order is treated in several ways.- Classification problems :...
. Family: Cathartidae
The New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution
Convergent evolution
Convergent evolution describes the acquisition of the same biological trait in unrelated lineages.The wing is a classic example of convergent evolution in action. Although their last common ancestor did not have wings, both birds and bats do, and are capable of powered flight. The wings are...
. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers. However, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell with which they locate carrion
Carrion
Carrion refers to the carcass of a dead animal. Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters include vultures, hawks, eagles, hyenas, Virginia Opossum, Tasmanian Devils, coyotes, Komodo dragons, and burying beetles...
. There are seven species worldwide, all of which are found only in the Americas, four of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| American Black Vulture American Black Vulture The Black Vulture also known as the American Black Vulture, is a bird in the New World vulture family whose range extends from the southeastern United States to Central Chile and Uruguay in South America... |
Coragyps atratus | Trinidad only |
| Turkey Vulture Turkey Vulture The Turkey Vulture is a bird found throughout most of the Americas. It is also known in some North American regions as the Turkey Buzzard , and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John Crow or Carrion Crow... |
Cathartes aura | Trinidad only |
| Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture The Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Cathartes burrovianus, also known as the Savannah Vulture, is a species of bird in the New World Vulture family Cathartidae. It was considered to be the same species as the Greater Yellow-headed Vulture until they were split in 1964... |
Cathartes burrovianus | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| King Vulture King Vulture The King Vulture is a large bird found in Central and South America. It is a member of the New World vulture family Cathartidae. This vulture lives predominantly in tropical lowland forests stretching from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, though some believe that William Bartram's Painted... |
Sarcoramphus papa | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
Ospreys
Order: FalconiformesFalconiformes
The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that comprises the diurnal birds of prey. Raptor classification is difficult and the order is treated in several ways.- Classification problems :...
. Family: Pandionidae
The Pandionidae family contains only one species, the Osprey. The Osprey is a medium large raptor
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Osprey Osprey The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings... |
Pandion haliaetus | |
Hawks, kites and eagles
Order: FalconiformesFalconiformes
The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that comprises the diurnal birds of prey. Raptor classification is difficult and the order is treated in several ways.- Classification problems :...
. Family: Accipitridae
Accipitridae
The Accipitridae, one of the two major families within the order Accipitriformes , are a family of small to large birds with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-sized mammals, with a number feeding on carrion and a...
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey and include hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
s, eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
s, kites
Kite (bird)
Kites are raptors with long wings and weak legs which spend a great deal of time soaring. Most feed mainly on carrion but some take various amounts of live prey.They are birds of prey which, along with hawks and eagles, are from the family Accipitridae....
, harriers
Harrier (bird)
A harrier is any of the several species of diurnal hawks forming the Circinae sub-family of the Accipitridae family of birds of prey. Harriers characteristically hunt by flying low over open ground, feeding on small mammals, reptiles, or birds....
and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. There are 233 species worldwide, 23 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Gray-headed Kite Gray-headed Kite The Gray-headed Kite, Leptodon cayanensis, is a raptor found in open woodland and swamp forests. It shares the genus Leptodon with the extremely rare White-collared Kite. It breeds from eastern Mexico and Trinidad south to Peru, Bolivia,Brazil and northern Argentina.The nest is made of sticks lined... |
Leptodon cayanensis | Trinidad only |
| Hook-billed Kite Hook-billed Kite The Hook-billed Kite, Chondrohierax uncinatus, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles, and harriers... |
Chondrohierax uncinatus | Trinidad only |
| Swallow-tailed Kite Swallow-tailed Kite The Swallow-tailed Kite is an elanid kite which breeds from the southeastern United States to eastern Peru and northern Argentina. Most North and Central American breeders winter in South America where the species is resident year round... |
Elanoides forficatus | |
| Pearl Kite Pearl Kite The Pearl Kite is a very small raptor found in open savanna habitat adjacent to deciduous woodland. It is the only member of the genus Gampsonyx... |
Gampsonyx swainsonii | Trinidad only |
| White-tailed Kite White-tailed Kite The White-tailed Kite is an elanid kite of genus Elanus found in western North America and parts of South America.Their coloration is gull-like, but their shape and flight falcon-like, with a rounded tail... |
Elanus leucurus | Trinidad only |
| Snail Kite Snail Kite The Snail Kite is a bird of prey within the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and Old World vultures. Its relative, the Slender-billed Kite, is now again placed in Helicolestes, making the genus Rostrhamus monotypic... |
Rostrhamus sociabilis | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Double-toothed Kite Double-toothed Kite The Double-toothed Kite is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is found in Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.This fairly... |
Harpagus bidentatus | Trinidad only |
| Plumbeous Kite Plumbeous Kite The Plumbeous Kite is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks and Old World vultures.... |
Ictinia plumbea | Trinidad only |
| Long-winged Harrier Long-winged Harrier The Long-winged Harrier is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, native to South America.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.Its natural habitats are dry... |
Circus buffoni | Trinidad only |
| White Hawk White Hawk The White Hawk , a bird of prey breeding in the tropical New World, belongs to the family Accipitridae of the Falconiformes; it is sometimes separated in the Accipitriformes with the other hawks and their relatives... |
Leucopternis albicollis | Trinidad only |
| Rufous Crab-Hawk Rufous Crab-hawk The Rufous Crab Hawk or Rufous Crab-hawk, is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family.It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.... |
Buteogallus aequinoctialis | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Common Black Hawk Common Black Hawk The Common Black Hawk is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks and Old World vultures. It formerly included the Cuban Black Hawk as a subspecies... |
Buteogallus anthracinus | |
| Great Black Hawk Great Black Hawk The Great Black Hawk, Buteogallus urubitinga, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks and Old World vultures.... |
Buteogallus urubitinga | |
| Savanna Hawk Savanna Hawk The Savanna Hawk is a large raptor found in open savanna and swamp edges. It was formerly placed in the genus Heterospizias. It breeds from Panama and Trinidad south to Bolivia, Uruguay and central Argentina.... |
Buteogallus meridionalis | Trinidad only |
| Black-collared Hawk Black-collared Hawk The Black-collared Hawk is a species of bird of prey in the Accipitridae family. It is monotypic within the genus Busarellus.... |
Busarellus nigricollis | Trinidad only |
| Gray Hawk Gray Hawk The Grey Hawk or Grey-lined Hawk is a smallish raptor found in open country and forest edges. It is sometimes placed in the genus Asturina as Asturina nitida.... |
Buteo nitidus | |
| Broad-winged Hawk Broad-winged Hawk The Broad-winged Hawk is a small hawk of the genus Buteo. During the summer some subspecies are distributed over eastern North America, as far west as British Columbia and Texas; they then migrate south to winter in the neotropics from Mexico down to southern Brazil. Other subspecies are all-year... |
Buteo platypterus | |
| Short-tailed Hawk Short-tailed Hawk The Short-tailed Hawk is an American bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles and Old World vultures. As a member of the genus Buteo, it is not a true hawk and thus also referred to as a "buteo" or "buzzard". The White-throated Hawk The Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo... |
Buteo brachyurus | |
| Swainson's Hawk Swainson's Hawk The Swainson's Hawk , is a large buteo hawk of the Falconiformes, sometimes separated in the Accipitriformes like its relatives. This species was named after William Swainson, a British naturalist... |
Buteo swainsoni | Tobago only; Rare/Accidental |
| White-tailed Hawk White-tailed Hawk The White-tailed Hawk is a large bird of prey species found in tropical or subtropical environments across the Americas.-Description:... |
Buteo albicaudatus | Trinidad only |
| Zone-tailed Hawk Zone-tailed Hawk The Zone-tailed Hawk is a medium-sized hawk of warm, dry parts of the Americas. It feeds on small vertebrates of all kinds , including birds up to the size of quail.... |
Buteo albonotatus | Trinidad only |
| Black Hawk Eagle | Spizaetus tyrannus | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Ornate Hawk Eagle Ornate Hawk Eagle The Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Spizaetus ornatus, is a bird of prey from the tropical Americas. Like all eagles, it is in the family Accipitridae. This species is notable for its vivid colors, which differ markedly between adult and immature birds.... |
Spizaetus ornatus | |
Caracaras and falcons
Order: FalconiformesFalconiformes
The order Falconiformes is a group of about 290 species of birds that comprises the diurnal birds of prey. Raptor classification is difficult and the order is treated in several ways.- Classification problems :...
. Family: Falconidae
Falconidae
The falcons and caracaras are around 60 species of diurnal birds of prey that make up the family Falconidae. The family is divided into two subfamiles, Polyborinae, which includes the caracaras and forest falcons, and Falconinae, the falcons, kestrels and falconets.-Description:Falcons and...
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their feet. There are 62 species worldwide, eight of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Caracara | Caracara cheriway | Trinidad only |
| Yellow-headed Caracara Yellow-headed Caracara The Yellow-headed Caracara is a bird of prey in the family Falconidae. It is found in tropical and subtropical South America and the southern portion of Central America... |
Milvago chimachima | |
| American Kestrel American Kestrel The American Kestrel , sometimes colloquially known as the Sparrow Hawk, is a small falcon, and the only kestrel found in the Americas. It is the most common falcon in North America, and is found in a wide variety of habitats. At long, it is also the smallest falcon in North America... |
Falco sparverius | Trinidad only |
| Aplomado Falcon Aplomado Falcon The Aplomado Falcon, Falco femoralis, is a medium-sized falcon of the Americas. The species' largest contiguous range is in South America, but not in the deep interior Amazon Basin. It was long known as Falco fusco-coerulescens or Falco fuscocaerulescens, but these names are now believed to refer... |
Falco femoralis | Trinidad only |
| Merlin Merlin (bird) The Merlin is a small species of falcon from the Northern Hemisphere. A bird of prey once known colloquially as a pigeon hawk in North America, the Merlin breeds in the northern Holarctic; some migrate to subtropical and northern tropical regions in winter.-European and North American... |
Falco columbarius | |
| Bat Falcon Bat Falcon The Bat Falcon is a falcon that is a resident breeder in tropical Mexico, Central and South America and Trinidad. It was long known as Falco albigularis; the name Falco fusco-coerulescens or Falco fuscocaerulescens, long used for the Aplomado Falcon, are now believed to refer to the present... |
Falco rufigularis | Trinidad only |
| Orange-breasted Falcon Orange-breasted Falcon The Orange-breasted Falcon is a bird of the falcon family. It is probably closely related to and looks like a larger version of the Bat Falcon. These two, in turn, are probably closest to the Aplomado Falcon and constitute a rather old American lineage of Falcos.It is found from southern Mexico to... |
Falco deiroleucus | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Peregrine Falcon Peregrine Falcon The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"... |
Falco peregrinus | |
Chachalacas, guans and curassows
Galliformes
Galliformes are an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding domestic or game bird, containing turkey, grouse, chicken, New and Old World Quail, ptarmigan, partridge, pheasant, and the Cracidae. Common names are gamefowl or gamebirds, landfowl, gallinaceous birds or galliforms...
. Family: Cracidae
Cracidae
The chachalacas, guans and curassows are birds in the family Cracidae.These are species of tropical and subtropical Central and South America. One species, the Plain Chachalaca, just reaches southernmost Texas in the USA...
The Cracidae are large birds, similar in general appearance to turkeys. The guans and curassows live in trees, but the smaller chachalacas are found in more open scrubby habitats. They are generally dull-plumaged, but the curassows and some guans have colourful facial ornaments. There are 50 species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Rufous-vented Chachalaca Rufous-vented Chachalaca The Rufous-vented Chachalaca, Ortalis ruficauda, is a member of an ancient group of birds of the Cracidae family, which are related to the Australasian mound builders. It inhabits northeast Colombia and northern Venezuela where it is called Guacharaca, and in Tobago where it is known as the Cocrico... |
Ortalis ruficauda | Tobago only |
| Trinidad Piping-guan Trinidad Piping-guan The Trinidad Piping Guan, Pipile pipile, is a bird in the chachalaca, guan and curassow family Cracidae.This species is found only in Trinidad; it is close to extinction. They are large birds, 60 cm in length, and similar in general appearance to turkeys, with thin necks and small heads. They... |
Aburria pipile | Endemic to Trinidad |
Limpkins
Order: GruiformesGruiformes
The Gruiformes are an order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like"....
. Family: Aramidae
The Limpkin resembles a large rail. It has drab brown plumage and a greyer head and neck.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Limpkin Limpkin The Limpkin , Aramus guarauna, is a bird that looks like a large rail but is skeletally closer to cranes. It is the only extant species in the genus Aramus and the family Aramidae. It is found mostly in wetlands in warm parts of the Americas, from Florida to northern Argentina... |
Aramus guarauna | Trinidad only |
Rails, crakes, gallinules, and coots
Order: GruiformesGruiformes
The Gruiformes are an order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like"....
. Family: Rallidae
Rallidae
The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small to medium-sized birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and the family also includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules...
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coot
Coot
Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family Rallidae. They constitute the genus Fulica. Coots have predominantly black plumage, and, unlike many of the rails, they are usually easy to see, often swimming in open water...
s, and gallinule
Rallidae
The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small to medium-sized birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and the family also includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules...
s. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers. There are 143 species worldwide, 13 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Gray-breasted Crake | Laterallus exilis | Trinidad only |
| Clapper Rail Clapper Rail The Clapper Rail is a member of the rail family, Rallidae. Some researchers believe that this bird and the similar King Rail are a single species; the two birds are known to interbreed.-Distribution and habitat:... |
Rallus longirostris | Trinidad only |
| Rufous-necked Wood-Rail Rufous-necked Wood-rail The Rufous-necked Wood Rail is a species of bird in the Rallidae family.It is found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical... |
Aramides axillaris | Trinidad only |
| Gray-necked Wood-Rail | Aramides cajanea | Trinidad only |
| Sora Sora (crake) The Sora is a small waterbird of the family Rallidae, sometimes also referred to as the Sora Rail or Sora Crake.Adults Soras are long, with dark-marked brown upperparts, a blue-grey face and underparts, and black and white barring on the flanks. They have a short thick yellow bill, with black... |
Porzana carolina | |
| Ash-throated Crake Ash-throated Crake The Ash-throated Crake is a species of bird in the Rallidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.... |
Porzana albicollis | Trinidad only |
| Yellow-breasted Crake Yellow-breasted Crake The Yellow-breasted Crake is a species of bird in the Rallidae family.It is found in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto... |
Porzana flaviventer | Trinidad only |
| Paint-billed Crake Paint-billed Crake The Paint-billed Crake, Neocrex erythrops is a species of bird in the Rallidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Helena, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, and Venezuela.Its natural... |
Neocrex erythrops | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Spotted Rail Spotted Rail The Spotted Rail is a species of bird in the Rallidae family.It is found in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad... |
Pardirallus maculatus | |
| American Purple Gallinule American Purple Gallinule The American Purple Gallinule is a "swamp hen" in the rail family Rallidae.A medium-sized rail with big yellow feet, purple-blue plumage with a green back, and red and yellow bill. It has a pale blue forehead shield and white undertail.Juveniles are brown overall with a brownish olive back... |
Porphyrio martinica | |
| Azure Gallinule Azure Gallinule The Azure Gallinule is a species of bird in the Rallidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, and Venezuela.The bill and frontal shield is a pale greenish-yellow.The wing... |
Porphyrio flavirostris | Trinidad only |
| Common Moorhen Common Moorhen The Common Moorhen is a bird in the Rallidae family with an almost worldwide distribution. The North and South American Committees of the AOU and the IOC have voted on or before July 2011 to split the American forms into a new species Common Gallinule, however, no other committee has voted to... |
Gallinula chloropus | |
| American Coot American Coot The American Coot is a bird of the family Rallidae, inhabiting wetlands and open water bodies. Measuring in length and across the wings, adults have a short thick white bill and white frontal shield, which usually has a reddish-brown spot near the top of the bill between the eyes... |
Fulica americana | Tobago only; Rare/Accidental |
| Caribbean Coot Caribbean Coot The Caribbean Coot is a large waterbird of the family Rallidae, which is a resident breeder in the Caribbean and parts of Venezuela. Several alleged sightings have occurred in North America, but these cannot be authenticated since some American Coots lack red knobs on the frontal shield of the bill... |
Fulica caribaea | Rare/Accidental, Near-threatened |
Sungrebes
Order: GruiformesGruiformes
The Gruiformes are an order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like"....
. Family: Heliornithidae
Heliornithidae
The Heliornithidae are a small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet like those of grebes and coots. The family overall are known as finfoots, although one species is known as a Sungrebe. The family is composed of three species in three genera.-Description:Finfoots resemble...
The Heliornithidae are small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet similar to those of grebes and coots. There are three species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Sungrebe Sungrebe The Sungrebe or American Finfoot is a bird which breeds in tropical Central and South America from southern Mexico to northeast Argentina and southern Brazil.... |
Heliornis fulica | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
Jacanas
Charadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Jacanidae
The jacana
Jacana
The jaçanas are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone. See Etymology below for pronunciation....
s are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found worldwide in the Tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. There eight species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Wattled Jacana Wattled Jacana The Wattled Jacana Jacana jacana is a wader which is a resident breeder from western Panama and Trinidad south through most of South America east of the Andes.... |
Jacana jacana | |
Oystercatchers
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Haematopodidae
The oystercatcher
Oystercatcher
The oystercatchers are a group of waders; they form the family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, Haematopus. They are found on coasts worldwide apart from the polar regions and some tropical regions of Africa and South East Asia...
s are large and noisy plover
Plover
Plovers are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. There are about 40 species in the subfamily, most of them called "plover" or "dotterel". The closely related lapwing subfamily, Vanellinae, comprises another 20-odd species.Plovers are found throughout...
-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs. There are 11 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| American Oystercatcher American Oystercatcher The American Oystercatcher , occasionally called the American Pied Oystercatcher, is a member of family Haematopodidae. The bird is marked by its black and white body and a long, thick orange beak... |
Haematopus palliatus | Rare/Accidental |
Avocets and stilts
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of birds in the wader suborder Charadrii. It contains two distinct groups of birds, the avocets and the stilts .-Description and diet:...
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocet
Avocet
The four species of Avocets are a genus, Recurvirostra, of waders in the same avian family as the stilts.Avocets have long legs and long, thin, upcurved bills which they sweep from side to side when feeding in the brackish or saline wetlands they prefer...
s and the stilt
Stilt
Stilt is a common name for several species of birds in the family Recurvirostridae, which also includes those known as avocets. They are found in brackish or saline wetlands in warm or hot climates....
s. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. There are nine species worldwide, two of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Black-necked Stilt Black-necked Stilt The Black-necked Stilt is a locally abundant shorebird of American wetlands and coastlines. It is found from the coastal areas of California through much of the interior western United States and along the Gulf of Mexico as far east as Florida, then south through Central America and the Caribbean... |
Himantopus mexicanus | Trinidad only |
| American Avocet American Avocet The American Avocet is a large wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae.This avocet has long, thin, gray legs, giving it its colloquial name, "blue shanks". The plumage is black and white on the back with white on the underbelly. The neck and head are cinnamon colored in the summer... |
Recurvirostra americana | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
Thick-knees
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Burhinidae
The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats. There are nine species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Double-striped Thick-knee Double-striped Thick-knee The Double-striped Thick-knee, Burhinus bistriatus, is a Stone-curlew, a group of waders in the family Burhinidae.It is a resident breeder in Central and South America from southern Mexico south to Colombia, Venezuela and northern Brazil... |
Burhinus bistriatus | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
Plovers and lapwings
Charadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Charadriidae
Charadriidae
The bird family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings, about 64 to 66 species in all.- Morphology :They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings, but most species of lapwing may have more rounded wings...
The family Charadriidae includes the plover
Plover
Plovers are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. There are about 40 species in the subfamily, most of them called "plover" or "dotterel". The closely related lapwing subfamily, Vanellinae, comprises another 20-odd species.Plovers are found throughout...
s, dotterels, and lapwing
Lapwing
Vanellinae are any of various crested plovers, family Charadriidae, noted for its slow, irregular wingbeat in flight and a shrill, wailing cry. Its length is 10-16 inches. They are a subfamily of medium-sized wading birds which also includes the plovers and dotterels. The Vanellinae are...
s. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water, although there are some exceptions. There are 66 species worldwide, nine of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Lapwing Southern Lapwing The Southern Lapwing is a wader in the family Charadriiformes. It is a common and widespread resident throughout South America, except in densely forested regions , the higher parts of the Andes and the arid coast of a large part of western South America. This bird is particularly common in the... |
Vanellus chilensis | |
| American Golden Plover American Golden Plover The American Golden Plover is a medium-sized plover.Adults are spotted gold and black on the crown, back and wings. Their face and neck are black with a white border; they have a black breast and a dark rump. The legs are black.... |
Pluvialis dominica | |
| Black-bellied Plover | Pluvialis squatarola | |
| Ringed Plover Ringed Plover The Common Ringed Plover or Ringed Plover is a small plover.Adults are 17-19.5 cm in length with a 35–41 cm wingspan. They have a grey-brown back and wings, a white belly, and a white breast with one black neckband. They have a brown cap, a white forehead, a black mask around the eyes... |
Charadrius hiaticula | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Semipalmated Plover Semipalmated Plover The Semipalmated Plover is a small plover.This species weighs and measures in length and across the wings. Adults have a grey-brown back and wings, a white belly, and a white breast with one black neckband... |
Charadrius semipalmatus | |
| Wilson's Plover Wilson's Plover The Wilson's Plover is a small plover.Wilson's Plover is a coastal wader which breeds on both coasts of the Americas from the equator northwards. Its range extends north to include much of the U.S. eastern seaboard, and the Pacific coast of Mexico on the west.It is a partial migrant. Birds leave... |
Charadrius wilsonia | Trinidad only |
| Killdeer Killdeer The Killdeer is a medium-sized plover.Adults have a brown back and wings, a white belly, and a white breast with two black bands. The rump is tawny orange. The face and cap are brown with a white forehead. They have an orange-red eyering... |
Charadrius vociferus | |
| Snowy Plover Snowy Plover The Snowy Plover is a small wader in the plover bird family. It breeds in Ecuador, Peru, Chile, the southern and western USA and the Caribbean... |
Charadrius alexandrinus | Tobago only; Rare/Accidental |
| Collared Plover Collared Plover The Collared Plover, Charadrius collaris, is a small shorebird in the plover family, Charadriidae. It lives along coasts and riverbanks of the tropical to temperate Americas, from central Mexico south to Chile and Argentina.... |
Charadrius collaris | |
Sandpipers and allies
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae
The sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders or shorebirds. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil...
The Scolopacidae are a large diverse family of small to medium sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlew
Curlew
The curlews , genus Numenius, are a group of eight species of birds, characterised by long, slender, downcurved bills and mottled brown plumage. They are one of the most ancient lineages of scolopacid waders, together with the godwits which look similar but have straight bills...
s, godwit
Godwit
The godwits are a group of large, long-billed, long-legged and strongly migratory wading birds of the genus Limosa. They form large flocks on coasts and estuaries in winter....
s, shanks
Tringa
Tringa is a genus of waders, containing the shanks and tattlers. They are mainly freshwater birds, often with brightly coloured legs as reflected in the English names of six species, as well as the specific names of two of these and the Green Sandpiper. They are typically associated with northern...
, tattlers
Tattler (bird)
The tattlers are the two very similar bird species in the shorebird genus Tringa. They formerly had their own genus, Heteroscelus. The old genus name means "different leg" in Greek, referring to the leg scales that differentiate the tattlers from their close relatives, the shanks.The species are:*...
, woodcock
Woodcock
The woodcocks are a group of seven or eight very similar living species of wading birds in the genus Scolopax. Only two woodcocks are widespread, the others being localized island endemics. Most are found in the Northern Hemisphere but a few range into Wallacea...
s, snipe
Snipe
A snipe is any of about 25 wading bird species in three genera in the family Scolopacidae. They are characterized by a very long, slender bill and crypsis plumage. The Gallinago snipes have a nearly worldwide distribution, the Lymnocryptes Jack Snipe is restricted to Asia and Europe and the...
s, dowitcher
Dowitcher
The three dowitchers are medium-sized long-billed wading birds. They resemble godwits in body and bill shape, and the reddish underparts in summer, but are much shorter legged, more like snipe to which they are also somewhat closer related...
s and phalarope
Phalarope
A phalarope or wadepiper is any of three living species of slender-necked shorebirds in the genus Phalaropus of the bird family Scolopacidae. They are close relatives of the shanks and tattlers, the Actitis and Terek Sandpipers, and also of the turnstones and calidrids...
s. The majority of species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enable different species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. There are 89 species worldwide, 28 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Wilson's Snipe Wilson's Snipe Wilson's Snipe is a small, stocky shorebird. This species was formerly considered to be a subspecies of the Common Snipe, G. gallinago. Wilson's Snipe differs from the latter species in having a narrower white edge to the wings, and eight pairs of tail feathers instead of seven.Adults are... |
Gallinago delicata | |
| South American Snipe South American Snipe The South American Snipe or Magellan Snipe, Gallinago paraguaiae, is a small, stocky wader. Its taxonomic position is complicated, sometimes treated as a race of Common Snipe... |
Gallinago paraguaiae | Trinidad only |
| Short-billed Dowitcher Short-billed Dowitcher The Short-billed Dowitcher like its congener the Long-billed Dowitcher, is a medium-sized, stocky, long-billed shorebird in the family Scolopacidae. It is an inhabitant of North America, Middle America, and northern South America. It is strongly migratory; it completely vacates in breeding areas... |
Limnodromus griseus | |
| Hudsonian Godwit Hudsonian Godwit The Hudsonian Godwit, Limosa haemastica, is a large shorebird.-Identification:Adults have long dark legs and a long pink bill with a slight upward curve and dark at the tip. The upper parts are mottled brown and the underparts are chestnut. The tail is black and the rump is white... |
Limosa haemastica | Trinidad only |
| Marbled Godwit Marbled Godwit The Marbled Godwit, Limosa fedoa, is a large shorebird. On average, it is the largest of the 4 species of godwit. The total length is , including a large bill of , and wingspan is . Body mass can vary from .... |
Limosa fedoa | Rare/Accidental |
| Eskimo Curlew Eskimo Curlew The Eskimo or the "Northern Curlew" is a critically endangered shorebird, now considered by many to be extinct.-Taxonomy:The Eskimo Curlew is one of eight species of curlew, and is classed with them in the genus Numenius. It was formerly placed in the separate genus Mesoscolopax. Numenius is... |
Numenius borealis | Rare/Accidental, Critically endangered (possibly extinct) |
| Whimbrel Whimbrel The Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus, is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae. It is one of the mostwidespread of the curlews, breeding across much of subarctic North America, Europe and Asia as far south as Scotland.... |
Numenius phaeopus | |
| Long-billed Curlew Long-billed Curlew The Long-billed Curlew, Numenius americanus, is a large North American shorebird of the family Scolopacidae. This species was also called "sicklebird" and the "candlestick bird". The species is native to central and western North America... |
Numenius americanus | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental, Near-threatened |
| Upland Sandpiper Upland Sandpiper The Upland Sandpiper is a large shorebird, closely related to the curlews . Older names are the Upland Plover and Bartram's Sandpiper. It is the only member of the genus Bartramia. The genus name and the old common name Bartram's Sandpiper commemorate the American naturalist William Bartram... |
Bartramia longicauda | |
| Spotted Redshank Spotted Redshank The Spotted Redshank, Tringa erythropus, is a wader in the large bird family Scolopacidae. It breeds across northern Scandinavia and northern Asia and migrates south to the Mediterranean, the southern British Isles, France, tropical Africa, and tropical Asia for the winter... |
Tringa erythropus | Tobago only; Rare/Accidental |
| Common Greenshank | Tringa nebularia | Rare/Accidental |
| Greater Yellowlegs Greater Yellowlegs The Greater Yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca, is a large North American shorebird, similar in appearance to the smaller Lesser Yellowlegs. Its closest relative, however, is the Greenshank, which together with the Spotted Redshank form a close-knit group... |
Tringa melanoleuca | |
| Lesser Yellowlegs Lesser Yellowlegs The Lesser Yellowlegs is a medium-sized shorebird similar in appearance to the larger Greater Yellowlegs. It is not closely related to this bird, however, but instead to the much larger and quite dissimilar Willet; merely the fine, clear and dense pattern of the neck shown in breeding plumage... |
Tringa flavipes | |
| Solitary Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper The Solitary Sandpiper is a small wader .-Description:This species measures long, with a wingspan up to and a body mass of . It is a dumpy wader with a dark green back, greyish head and breast and otherwise white underparts. It is obvious in flight, with wings dark above and below, and a dark... |
Tringa solitaria | |
| Spotted Sandpiper Spotted Sandpiper The Spotted Sandpiper is a small shorebird, 18–20 cm long. Together with its sister species, the Common Sandpiper they make up the genus Actitis... |
Actitis macularia | |
| Willet Willet The Willet, Tringa semipalmata , is a large shorebird in the sandpiper family. It is a good-sized and stout scolopacid, the largest of the shanks... |
Catoptrophorus semipalmatus | |
| Ruddy Turnstone Ruddy Turnstone The Ruddy Turnstone is a small wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus Arenaria. It is now classified in the sandpiper family Scolopacidae but was formerly sometimes placed in the plover family Charadriidae... |
Arenaria interpres | |
| Red Knot Red Knot The Red Knot, Calidris canutus , is a medium sized shorebird which breeds in tundra and the Arctic Cordillera in the far north of Canada, Europe, and Russia. It is a large member of the Calidris sandpipers, second only to the Great Knot... |
Calidris canutus | Trinidad only |
| Sanderling Sanderling The Sanderling is a small wader. It is a circumpolar Arctic breeder, and is a long-distance migrant, wintering south to South America, South Europe, Africa, and Australia... |
Calidris alba | Trinidad only |
| Semipalmated Sandpiper Semipalmated Sandpiper The Semipalmated Sandpiper, Calidris pusilla, is a very small shorebird. It is sometimes separated with other "stints" in Erolia but although these apparently form a monophyletic group, the present species' old genus Ereunetes had been proposed before Erolia.Adults have black legs and a short stout... |
Calidris pusilla | |
| Western Sandpiper Western Sandpiper The Western Sandpiper, Calidris or Erolia mauri, is a small shorebird.Adults have dark legs and a short thin dark bill, thinner at the tip. The body is brown on top and white underneath. They are reddish-brown on the crown. This bird can be difficult to distinguish from other similar tiny... |
Calidris mauri | |
| Least Sandpiper Least Sandpiper The Least Sandpiper is the smallest shorebird.This species has greenish legs and a short thin dark bill. Breeding adults are brown with dark brown streaks on top and white underneath. They have a light line above the eye and a dark crown. In winter, Least Sandpipers are grey above... |
Calidris minutilla | |
| White-rumped Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper The White-rumped Sandpiper is a small shorebird.Adults have black legs and a small thin dark bill. The body is dark brown on top and mainly white underneath, with brown streaks on the breast and a white rump. They have a white stripe over their eyes. This bird shows long wings in flight. In winter... |
Calidris fuscicollis | |
| Baird's Sandpiper Baird's Sandpiper The Baird's Sandpiper is a small shorebird. It is among those calidrids sometimes separated in Erolia.Adults have black legs and a short thin dark bill. They are dark brown on top and mainly white underneath with a black patch on the rump. The head and breast are light brown with dark streaks. In... |
Calidris bairdii | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Pectoral Sandpiper Pectoral Sandpiper The Pectoral Sandpiper, Calidris melanotos, is a small wader. It is sometimes separated with the "stint" sandpipers in Erolia. This may or may not represent a good monophyletic group, depending on the placement of the phylogenetically enigmatic Curlew Sandpiper , the type species of Erolia... |
Calidris melanotos | |
| Stilt Sandpiper Stilt Sandpiper The Stilt Sandpiper, Calidris himantopus or Micropalama himantopus, is a small shorebird; it bears some resemblance to the smaller calidrid sandpipers or "stints". DNA sequence information is incapable of determining whether it should be placed in Calidris or in the monotypic genus Micropalama... |
Calidris himantopus | |
| Buff-breasted Sandpiper Buff-breasted Sandpiper The Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Tryngites subruficollis, is a small shorebird. It is a calidrid sandpipers and currently considered to be the only member of the genus Tryngites. Indeed, it probably belongs in the genus Calidris itself, or more precisely with the small species thereof which should be... |
Tryngites subruficollis | Near-threatened |
| Ruff | Philomachus pugnax | Rare/Accidental |
Skuas
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Stercorariidae
The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants. There are seven species worldwide, three of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| South Polar Skua South Polar Skua The South Polar Skua, Stercorarius maccormicki, is a large seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. An older name for the bird is MacCormick’s Skua, after explorer and naval surgeon Robert McCormick, who first collected the type specimen... |
Stercorarius maccormicki | Trinidad only |
| Pomarine Skua Pomarine Skua The Pomarine Skua, Stercorarius pomarinus, known as Pomarine Jaeger in North America, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is a migrant, wintering at sea in the tropical oceans.- Taxonomy :... |
Stercorarius pomarinus | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Arctic Skua Arctic Skua The Parasitic Jaeger, also known as the Arctic Skua or Parasitic Skua, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae.... |
Stercorarius parasiticus | Rare/Accidental |
Gulls
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large birds seabirds and includes gull
Gull
Gulls are birds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders...
s and kittiwake
Kittiwake
The kittiwakes are two closely related seabird species in the gull family Laridae, the Black-legged Kittiwake and the Red-legged Kittiwake . The epithets "Black-legged" and "Red-legged" are used to distinguish the two species in North America, but in Europe, where R...
s. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. There are 55 species worldwide, six of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Ring-billed Gull Ring-billed Gull The Ring-billed Gull is a medium-sized gull.Adults are length and with a wingspan. The head, neck and underparts are white; the relatively short bill is yellow with a dark ring; the back and wings are silver gray; and the legs are yellow. The eyes are yellow with red rims... |
Larus delawarensis | |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull The Lesser Black-backed Gull is a large gull that breeds on the Atlantic coasts of Europe. It is migratory, wintering from the British Isles south to West Africa... |
Larus fuscus | Rare/Accidental |
| American Herring Gull American Herring Gull The American Herring Gull or Smithsonian Gull is a large gull which breeds in North America. It is often treated as a subspecies of the European Herring Gull but is now regarded as a separate species by some authorities.Adults are white with gray back and wings, black wingtips with white spots,... |
Larus smithsonianus | Trinidad only |
| Black-headed Gull Black-headed Gull The Black-headed Gull is a small gull which breeds in much of Europe and Asia, and also in coastal eastern Canada. Most of the population is migratory, wintering further south, but some birds in the milder westernmost areas of Europe are resident... |
Larus ridibundus | |
| Laughing Gull Laughing Gull The Laughing Gull, Leucophaeus atricilla, is a medium-sized gull of North and South America. It breeds on the Atlantic coast of North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. Northernmost populations migrate further south in winter, and this species occurs as a rare vagrant to western... |
Larus atricilla | |
| Sabine's Gull Sabine's Gull The Sabine's Gull is a small gull. Its generic placement is disputed; some authors treat it as the sole species in the genus Xema as Xema sabini, while others retain it in the genus Larus as Larus sabini. It breeds in the arctic and has a circumpolar distribution through northernmost North America... |
Xema sabini | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
Terns
Order: CharadriiformesCharadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Sternidae
Tern
Tern
Terns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily of the gull family Laridae . They form a lineage with the gulls and skimmers which in turn is related to skuas and auks...
s are a group of generally general medium to large sea-birds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species now known to live in excess of 25 to 30 years. There are 44 species worldwide, 15 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Gull-billed Tern Gull-billed Tern The Gull-billed Tern formerly Sterna nilotica , is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae... |
Gelochelidon nilotica | Trinidad only |
| Caspian Tern Caspian Tern The Caspian Tern is a species of tern, with a subcosmopolitan but scattered distribution. Despite its extensive range, it is monotypic of its genus, and has no subspecies accepted either... |
Hydroprogne caspia | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Elegant Tern Elegant Tern The Elegant Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. It breeds on the Pacific coasts of the southern USA and Mexico and winters south to Peru, Ecuador and Chile.... |
Sterna elegans | Trinidad only; Near-threatened |
| Sandwich Tern | Sterna sandvicensis | |
| Royal Tern Royal Tern The Royal Tern is a seabird in the tern family Sternidae. This bird has two distinctive subspecies. T. m. maximus breeds on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the southern USA and Mexico into the Caribbean. The slightly smaller T. m. albididorsalis breeds in coastal west Africa... |
Sterna maxima | |
| Roseate Tern Roseate Tern The Roseate Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a number of geographical races, differing mainly in bill colour and minor plumage details.... |
Sterna dougallii | |
| Common Tern Common Tern The Common Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, breeding in temperate and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and east and central North America. It is strongly migratory, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. It is sometimes... |
Sterna hirundo | |
| Least Tern | Sternula antillarum | |
| Yellow-billed Tern Yellow-billed Tern The Yellow-billed Tern is a species of tern in the Sternidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.Its natural habitats are rivers, swamps, and freshwater... |
Sternula superciliaris | Trinidad only |
| Bridled Tern Bridled Tern The Bridled Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. It is a bird of the tropical oceans.-Description:... |
Onychoprion anaethetus | |
| Sooty Tern Sooty Tern The Sooty Tern, Onychoprion fuscatus , is a seabird of the tern family . It is a bird of the tropical oceans, breeding on islands throughout the equatorial zone. Colloquially, it is known as the Wideawake Tern or just wideawake... |
Onychoprion fuscata | |
| Black Tern Black Tern The Black Tern, Chlidonias niger, is a small tern generally found in or near inland water in Europe and North America. As its name suggests, it has predominantly dark plumage.- Description :... |
Chlidonias niger | Trinidad only |
| Large-billed Tern Large-billed Tern The Large-billed Tern is a species of tern in the Sternidae family. It belongs to the monotypic genus Phaetusa.... |
Phaetusa simplex | Trinidad only |
| Brown Noddy Brown Noddy The Brown Noddy or Common Noddy is a seabird from the tern family. The largest of the noddies, it can be told from the closely related Black Noddy by its larger size and plumage, which is dark brown rather than black... |
Anous stolidus | |
| White Tern White Tern The White Tern is a small seabird found across the tropical oceans of the world. It is sometimes known as the Fairy Tern although this name is potentially confusing as it is the common name of the Fairy Tern Sternula nereis... |
Gygis alba | Tobago only; Rare/Accidental |
Skimmers
Charadriiformes
Charadriiformes is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 350 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most Charadriiformes live near water and eat invertebrates or other small animals; however, some are pelagic , some occupy deserts and a few are found in thick...
. Family: Rynchopidae
Skimmer
Skimmer
The Skimmers, Rynchopidae, are a small family of tern-like birds in the order Charadriiformes, which also includes the waders, gulls and auks. The family comprises three species found in South Asia, Africa, and the Americas....
s are a small family of tropical tern-like birds. They have an elongated lower mandible which they use to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small fish. There are three species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Black Skimmer Black Skimmer The Black Skimmer, Rynchops niger, is a tern-like seabird, one of three very similar birds species in the skimmer family. It breeds in North and South America... |
Rynchops niger | Trinidad only |
Pigeons and doves
Columbiformes
Columbiformes are an avian order that includes the very widespread and successful doves and pigeons, classified in the family Columbidae, and the extinct Dodo and the Rodrigues Solitaire, long classified as a second family Raphidae. 313 species, found worldwide, comprise the Columbiformes order....
. Family: Columbidae
Pigeons and dove
Dove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
s are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere
Cère
The Cère is a long river in south-western France, left tributary of the Dordogne River. Its source is in the south-western Massif Central, near the mountain Plomb du Cantal...
. There are 308 species worldwide, 14 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Rock Pigeon Rock Pigeon The Rock Dove or Rock Pigeon, is a member of the bird family Columbidae . In common usage, this bird is often simply referred to as the "pigeon".... |
Columba livia | Trinidad only; Introduced species |
| Scaled Pigeon Scaled Pigeon The Scaled Pigeon, Patagioenas speciosa , is a large New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder from southern Mexico south to western Ecuador, southern Brazil, northern Argentina, and Trinidad.... |
Columba speciosa | Trinidad only |
| Band-tailed Pigeon Band-tailed Pigeon The Band-tailed Pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata, is a medium-sized bird of the Americas. Its closest relatives are the Chilean Pigeon and the Ring-tailed Pigeon, which form a clade of Patagioenas with a terminal tail band and iridescent plumage on their necks.It ranges from British Columbia, Utah, and... |
Patagioenas fasciata | Trinidad only |
| Pale-vented Pigeon Pale-vented Pigeon The Pale-vented Pigeon, Patagioenas cayennensis, is a large pigeon found in the tropical American. Formerly often placed in Columba, it actually belongs to a clade of the older New World genus Patagioenas. With its relatives it represents an evolutionary radiation extending through most of the... |
Patagioenas cayennensis | |
| Eared Dove Eared Dove The Eared Dove, Zenaida auriculata, is a New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder throughout South America from Colombia to southern Argentina and Chile, and on the offshore islands from the Grenadines southwards. It may be a relatively recent colonist of Tobago and Trinidad... |
Zenaida auriculata | |
| Common Ground Dove Common Ground Dove The Common Ground Dove is a small bird that inhabits the southern United States, parts of Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. The Common Ground Dove is considered to be the smallest dove that inhabits the United States... |
Columbina passerina | Trinidad only |
| Plain-breasted Ground Dove | Columbina minuta | |
| Ruddy Ground Dove Ruddy Ground Dove The Ruddy Ground Dove is a small New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder from Mexico south to Peru, Brazil and Paraguay, and northern Argentina, and on Trinidad and Tobago... |
Columbina talpacoti | |
| Scaled Dove Scaled Dove The Scaled Dove is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.... |
Columbina squammata | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Blue Ground Dove Blue Ground Dove The Blue Ground Dove is a small New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder from southeastern Mexico to northwestern Peru and northern Argentina, and on Trinidad.... |
Claravis pretiosa | Trinidad only |
| White-tipped Dove White-tipped Dove The White-tipped Dove is a large New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder from the southernmost Texas in the USA through Mexico and Central America south to western Peru and central Argentina. It also breeds on the offshore islands of northern South America, including Trinidad and Tobago... |
Leptotila verreauxi | |
| Grey-fronted Dove Grey-fronted Dove The Grey-fronted Dove, is a large New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder in South America from Colombia, Venezuela and the Guyanas south to northeast Argentina and Uruguay. Several subspecies exist, among them L. r... |
Leptotila rufaxilla | Trinidad only |
| Lined Quail-Dove Lined Quail-dove The Lined Quail-Dove is a species of bird in the Columbidae family.It is found in Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . ... |
Geotrygon linearis | |
| Ruddy Quail-Dove Ruddy Quail-Dove The Ruddy Quail-Dove is a member of the bird family Columbidae, which includes doves and pigeons.It breeds throughout the West Indies, Central America, and tropical South America. It has appeared as a vagrant in Florida and southern Texas. It lays two buff colored eggs on a flimsy platform... |
Geotrygon montana | Trinidad only |
Parrots, macaws and allies
Order: Psittaciformes. Family: PsittacidaeParrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
s are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak shape. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and the have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two back. There are 335 species worldwide, 11 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Blue-and-yellow Macaw Blue-and-yellow Macaw The Blue-and-Yellow Macaw , also known as the Blue-and-Gold Macaw, is a member of the group of large Neotropical parrots known as macaws. It breeds in forest and woodland of tropical South America from Trinidad and Venezuela south to Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay... |
Ara ararauna | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Scarlet Macaw Scarlet Macaw The Scarlet Macaw is a large, colorful macaw. It is native to humid evergreen forests in the American tropics. Range extends from extreme south-eastern Mexico to Amazonian Peru, Bolivia and Brazil in lowlands up to up to... |
Ara macao | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Red-bellied Macaw Red-bellied Macaw The Red-bellied Macaw, Orthopsittaca manilata, is a medium-sized, mainly green parrot. It is the only species of the genus Orthopsittaca, and it does not have any subspecies.... |
Orthopsittaca manilata | Trinidad only |
| Red-shouldered Macaw Red-shouldered Macaw The Red-shouldered Macaw is the smallest macaw being 30–35 centimetres in length. It is a parrot native to the tropical lowlands, savannah, and swamplands of Venezuela, the Guianas, Bolivia, Brazil, and far south-eastern Peru... |
Diopsittaca nobilis | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| White-eyed Parakeet | Aratinga leucophthalmus | Trinidad only |
| Green-rumped Parrotlet Green-rumped Parrotlet The Green-rumped Parrotlet, Forpus passerinus, is a small parrot. It is a resident breeding bird in tropical South America, from Caribbean regions of Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad south and east to the Guianas and Brazil, on the downstream Amazon River... |
Forpus passerinus | |
| Lilac-tailed Parrotlet Lilac-tailed Parrotlet The Lilac-tailed Parrotlet is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family.It is found in Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.... |
Touit batavica | Trinidad only |
| Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet The Scarlet-shouldered Parrotlet is a species of parrot in the Psittacidae family.It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . ... |
Touit huetii | Extirpated |
| Blue-headed Parrot Blue-headed Parrot The Blue-headed Parrot, also known as the Blue-headed Pionus, Pionus menstruus, is a medium large parrot. It is about 27 cm long and they are mainly green with a blue head and neck, and red under tail feathers. It is a resident bird in tropical and subtropical South America and southern... |
Pionus menstruus | Trinidad only |
| Yellow-crowned Parrot | Amazona ochrocephala | Trinidad only; Introduced species |
| Orange-winged Parrot Orange-winged Parrot The Orange-winged Amazon , also known locally as Orange-winged Parrot and Loro Guaro, is a large Amazon parrot. It is a resident breeding bird in tropical South America, from Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago south to Peru and central Brazil. Its habitat is forest and semi-open country... |
Amazona amazonica | |
Cuckoos and anis
Order: CuculiformesCuculiformes
The near passerine bird order Cuculiformes traditionally included three families as below:* Musophagidae - turacos and allies* Cuculidae - cuckoos, coucals, roadrunners and anis* Opisthocomidae - Hoatzin...
. Family: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoo
Cuckoo
The cuckoos are a family, Cuculidae, of near passerine birds. The order Cuculiformes, in addition to the cuckoos, also includes the turacos . Some zoologists and taxonomists have also included the unique Hoatzin in the Cuculiformes, but its taxonomy remains in dispute...
s, roadrunner
Geococcyx
The roadrunners are two species of bird in the genus Geococcyx of the cuckoo family, Cuculidae, native to North and Central America...
s and anis
Ani (bird)
The anis are the three species of near-passerine birds in the genus Crotophaga of the cuckoo family. They are essentially tropical New world birds, although the range of two species just reaches the United States...
. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. Unlike the cuckoo species of the Old World, North American cuckoos are not brood parasites. There are 138 species worldwide, 10 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Black-billed Cuckoo Black-billed Cuckoo The Black-billed Cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus, is a cuckoo.Adults have a long brown tail and a black bill. The head and upper parts are brown and the underparts are white. There is a red ring around the eye. Juveniles are drabber, and the eye ring is greenish.Their breeding habitat is edges of... |
Coccyzus erythropthalmus | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo Yellow-billed Cuckoo The Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus, is a cuckoo. Common folk-names for this bird in the southern United States are Rain Crow and Storm Crow... |
Coccyzus americanus | |
| Mangrove Cuckoo Mangrove Cuckoo The Mangrove Cuckoo, Coccyzus minor, is a species of cuckoo that is native to the Neotropics.Adults have a long tail, brown above and black-and-white below, and a black curved bill with yellow on the lower mandible. The head and upper parts are brown. There is a yellow ring around the eye... |
Coccyzus minor | |
| Dark-billed Cuckoo Dark-billed Cuckoo The Dark-billed Cuckoo is a species of bird in the Cuculidae family, the cuckoos.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela... |
Coccyzus melacoryphus | Trinidad only |
| Squirrel Cuckoo Squirrel Cuckoo The Squirrel Cuckoo, Piaya cayana, is a large and active species of cuckoo found in wooded habitats from northwestern Mexico to northern Argentina and Uruguay, and on Trinidad.-Description:... |
Piaya cayana | Trinidad only |
| Little Cuckoo Little Cuckoo The Little Cuckoo is a species of bird in the cuckoo family from South America and Panama. It was formerly placed in the genus Piaya but a monotypic genus Coccycua was once erected for it... |
Piaya minuta | Trinidad only |
| Greater Ani Greater Ani The Greater Ani, Crotophaga major, is a large bird in the cuckoo family. It is a breeding species from Panama and Trinidad through tropical South America to northern Argentina. It is sometimes referred to as the Black cuckoo.... |
Crotophaga major | Trinidad only |
| Smooth-billed Ani Smooth-billed Ani The Smooth-billed Ani is a large near passerine bird in the cuckoo family. It is a resident breeding species from southern Florida, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, parts of Central America, south to western Ecuador, Brazil, and northern Argentina.This ani is found in open and semi-open country and... |
Crotophaga ani | |
| Groove-billed Ani Groove-billed Ani The Groove-billed Ani, Crotophaga sulcirostris, is an odd-looking tropical bird in the cuckoo family with a long tail and a large, curved beak. It is a resident species throughout most of its range, from southern Texas and central Mexico through Central America, to northern Colombia and Venezuela,... |
Crotophaga sulcirostris | Trinidad only |
| Striped Cuckoo Striped Cuckoo The Striped Cuckoo is a near-passerine bird, the only member of the genus Tapera. This resident cuckoo is found from Mexico and Trinidad south to Bolivia and Argentina.... |
Tapera naevia | Trinidad only |
Barn owls
Order: Strigiformes. Family: TytonidaeTytonidae
Barn-owls are one of the two families of owls, the other being the true owls, Strigidae. They are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with powerful talons...
Barn owl
Barn Owl
The Barn Owl is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is also referred to as Common Barn Owl, to distinguish it from other species in the barn-owl family Tytonidae. These form one of two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical...
s are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. There are 16 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Barn Owl Barn Owl The Barn Owl is the most widely distributed species of owl, and one of the most widespread of all birds. It is also referred to as Common Barn Owl, to distinguish it from other species in the barn-owl family Tytonidae. These form one of two main lineages of living owls, the other being the typical... |
Tyto alba | |
Typical owls
Order: Strigiformes. Family: StrigidaeTypical owl
Typical owl
True owl or Typical owl are one of the two generally accepted families of Owls, the other being the barn owls . The Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy unites the Caprimulgiformes with the owl order; here, the typical owls are a subfamily Strigidae...
s are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. There are 195 species worldwide, seven of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Screech-Owl Tropical Screech-owl The Tropical Screech Owl is a small species of owl in the Strigidae family.-Range and habitat:It is found throughout South America , except in the Andes, the arid Pacific lowlands, and the far south. Its distribution also extends into southern Central America in Costa Rica and Panama... |
Megascops choliba | Trinidad only |
| Great Horned Owl Great Horned Owl The Great Horned Owl, , also known as the Tiger Owl, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an adaptable bird with a vast range and is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas.-Description:... |
Bubo virginianus | Trinidad only |
| Mottled Owl Mottled Owl The Mottled Owl is a medium-sized owl found from Mexico to Brazil and Argentina. The body has vertical bars on the chest and throat and white markings in the back. The eyes are dark and the head is round and they do not have ear tufts.It is thirteen to fifteen inches in length... |
Ciccaba virgata | Trinidad only |
| Spectacled Owl Spectacled Owl The Spectacled Owl, Pulsatrix perspicillata, is a large tropical owl. It is a resident breeder from southern Mexico and Trinidad, through Central America, south to southern Brazil, Paraguay and northwestern Argentina... |
Pulsatrix perspicillata | Trinidad only |
| Ferruginous Pygmy Owl Ferruginous Pygmy Owl The Ferruginous Pygmy Owl is a small owl that breeds in south-central Arizona in the USA, south through to Mexico, Central America and South America to Bolivia and Argentina. Trinidad, as well as other localities, have endemic subspecies of this owl... |
Gaucidium brasilianum | Trinidad only |
| Striped Owl Striped Owl The Striped Owl is a medium-sized owl with large ear tufts and a brownish-white facial disk rimmed with black. Its beak is black, and it has cinnamon-colored eyes. It has shorter, rounder wings than most of its close relatives. The upperparts are cinnamon with fine black vermiculation and heavy... |
Pseudoscops clamator | Tobago only |
| Short-eared Owl Short-eared Owl The Short-eared Owl is a species of typical owl . In Scotland this species of owl is often referred to as a cataface, grass owl or short-horned hootlet. Owls belonging to genus Asio are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or may... |
Asio flammeus | Trinidad only |
Oilbirds
Order: CaprimulgiformesCaprimulgiformes
The Caprimulgiformes is an order of birds that includes a number of birds with global distribution . They are generally insectivorous and nocturnal...
. Family: Steatornithidae
The Oilbird is a slim, long-winged bird related to the nightjars. It is nocturnal and a specialist feeder on the fruit of the Oil palm
Oil palm
The oil palms comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African Oil Palm Elaeis guineensis is native to West Africa, occurring between Angola and Gambia, while the American Oil Palm Elaeis oleifera is native to...
.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Oilbird Oilbird The Oilbird , also known as Guácharo, is a bird found in the northern areas of South America . They are nocturnal feeders on the fruits of the Oil Palm and tropical laurels, and are the only nocturnal fruit eating birds in the world... |
Steatornis caripensis | Trinidad only |
Potoos
Caprimulgiformes
The Caprimulgiformes is an order of birds that includes a number of birds with global distribution . They are generally insectivorous and nocturnal...
. Family: Nyctibiidae
The potoos (sometimes called Poor-Me-Ones) are large near passerine
Near passerine
Near passerine or higher land-bird assemblage are terms often given to arboreal birds or those most often believed to be related to the true passerines due to ecological similarities; the group corresponds to some extent with the Anomalogonatae of Garrod All near passerines are land birds...
birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths. They are nocturnal insectivores which lack the bristles around the mouth found in the true nightjars. There are five species, all of which are from the South American tropical region. One species occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Common Potoo Lesser Potoo The Common Potoo, Grey Potoo or Lesser Potoo , is a nocturnal bird which breeds in tropical Central and South America from Costa Rica to northern Argentina and northern Uruguay. The Northern Potoo The Common Potoo, Grey Potoo or Lesser Potoo (Nyctibius griseus), is a nocturnal bird which breeds in... |
Nyctibius griseus | |
Nightjars
Order: CaprimulgiformesCaprimulgiformes
The Caprimulgiformes is an order of birds that includes a number of birds with global distribution . They are generally insectivorous and nocturnal...
. Family: Caprimulgidae
Nightjar
Nightjar
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills. They are sometimes referred to as goatsuckers from the mistaken belief that they suck milk from goats . Some New World species are named as nighthawks...
s are medium-sized nocturnal birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills that usually nest on the ground. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves. There are 86 species worldwide, seven of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Short-tailed Nighthawk Short-tailed Nighthawk The Short-tailed Nighthawk is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family.-Distribution and habitat:... |
Lurocalis semitorquatus | Trinidad only |
| Lesser Nighthawk Lesser Nighthawk The Lesser Nighthawk, Chordeiles acutipennis, is a nightjar found throughout a large part of the Americas.The adults are dark with brown, grey and white patterning on the upperparts and breast; the long upperwings are black and show a white bar in flight. The tail is dark with white barring; the... |
Chordeiles acutipennis | |
| Common Nighthawk Common Nighthawk The Common Nighthawk is a medium-sized crepuscular or nocturnal bird, whose presence and identity are best revealed by its vocalization. Typically dark , displaying cryptic colouration and intricate patterns, this bird becomes invisible by day. Once aerial, with its buoyant but erratic flight,... |
Chordeiles minor | Rare/Accidental |
| Nacunda Nighthawk Nacunda Nighthawk The Nacunda Nighthawk is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family. It is placed in the monotypic genus Podager.... |
Podager nacunda | |
| Pauraque Pauraque The Pauraque – also called the Common Pauraque to distinguish it from similar species – is a nightjar species, the only bird in the genus Nyctidromus... |
Nyctidromus albicollis | Trinidad only |
| Rufous Nightjar Rufous Nightjar The Rufous Nightjar is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.Its natural habitats are subtropical or... |
Caprimulgus rufus | Trinidad only |
| White-tailed Nightjar White-tailed Nightjar The White-tailed Nightjar is a species of nightjar in the Caprimulgidae family.It is found in Aruba, Barbados, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Martinique, Netherlands Antilles, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.Its natural habitats are subtropical or... |
Caprimulgus cayennensis | |
Swifts
Order: ApodiformesApodiformes
Traditionally, the bird order Apodiformes contained three living families: the swifts , the tree swifts , and the hummingbirds . In the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, this order is raised to a superorder Apodimorphae in which hummingbirds are separated as a new order, Trochiliformes...
. Family: Apodidae
Swift
Swift
The swifts are a family, Apodidae, of highly aerial birds. They are superficially similar to swallows, but are actually not closely related to passerine species at all; swifts are in the separate order Apodiformes, which they share with hummingbirds...
s are small aerial birds, spending the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. There are 98 species worldwide, 10 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Black Swift Black Swift The American Black Swift or more simply Black Swift is found from northern British Columbia in Canada through the United States and Mexico to Costa Rica. It is also found on islands in the West Indies.... |
Cypseloides niger | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Chestnut-collared Swift Chestnut-collared Swift The Chestnut-collared Swift, Streptoprocne rutila, is a resident breeding bird from Mexico and Trinidad south to Peru and Bolivia. It was one of the species of Cypseloides controversially moved to Streptoprocne by the AOU .... |
Cypseloides rutilus | Trinidad only |
| White-collared Swift White-collared Swift The White-collared Swift, Streptoprocne zonaris, is a resident breeding bird from central Mexico, the Greater Antilles and Trinidad south to Peru, northern Argentina and southeastern Brazil.... |
Streptoprocne zonaris | |
| Band-rumped Swift Band-rumped Swift The Band-rumped Swift, Chaetura spinicaudus, is a small swift.This species breeds in forested areas from Costa Rica south and east to Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, the Guianas, Trinidad and northeast Brazil... |
Chaetura spinicaudus | Trinidad only |
| Lesser Antillean Swift Lesser Antillean Swift The Lesser Antillean Swift is a species of swift in the Apodidae family.It breeds on Dominica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent. There is a possible record from Nevis.... |
Chaetura martinica | Trinidad only |
| Gray-rumped Swift Gray-rumped Swift The Grey-rumped Swift, Chaetura cinereiventris, is a small swift.This species breeds in hill forests from Nicaragua south to Peru, Brazil and northern Argentina, and Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago. The nest is a half saucer of twigs glued to the inside of a tree hole, chimney or similar shaded... |
Chaetura cinereiventris | |
| Chimney Swift Chimney Swift The Chimney Swift is a small bird .-Physical description:In flight, this bird looks like a flying cigar with long slender curved wings. The plumage is a sooty grey-brown; the throat, breast, underwings and rump are paler. They have short tails.-Reproduction:The breeding season of Chimney Swifts is... |
Chaetura pelagica | Trinidad only |
| Chapman's Swift Chapman's Swift The Chapman's Swift is a species of swift in the Apodidae family.It is found in Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.... |
Chaetura chapmani | Trinidad only |
| Short-tailed Swift Short-tailed Swift The Short-tailed Swift is a bird in the Apodidae, or swift family.-Taxonomy:The subspecies C. b. ocypetes is sometimes considered a full species, the Tumbes Swift Chaetura ocypetes Zimmer, 1953.... |
Chaetura brachyura | |
| Fork-tailed Palm Swift Fork-tailed Palm Swift The Neotropical Palm Swift or Fork-tailed Palm Swift, Tachornis squamata, is a resident breeding bird from Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas and Trinidad south to northeastern Peru and Brazil.... |
Tachornis squamata | Trinidad only |
| Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift The Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift or Cayenne Swift, Panyptila cayennensis, is a resident breeding bird from southern Mexico and Tobago south to Ecuador, eastern Peru and Brazil.... |
Panyptila cayennensis | Trinidad only |
Hummingbirds
Hummingbird
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
s are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards. There are 337 species worldwide, 21 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Rufous-breasted Hermit Rufous-breasted Hermit The Rufous-breasted Hermit or Hairy Hermit is a hummingbird that breeds from Panama south to Bolivia, and on Trinidad, Tobago and Grenada. It is a widespread and generally common species, though local populations may change in numbers and disappear altogether in marginal habitat-Description:It... |
Glaucis hirsuta | |
| Green Hermit Green Hermit The Green Hermit is a large hummingbird that is a resident breeder from southern Central America south to northwestern South America It is 5.3 in long and weighs 0.22 oz . The male Green Hermit is mainly dark green with a blue-green rump... |
Phaethornis guy | Trinidad only |
| Little Hermit Little Hermit The Little Hermit is a hummingbird that is a resident breeder in north-eastern Venezuela, northern Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Trinidad. This lowland species occurs in various semi-open wooded habitats, e.g. mangrove, secondary forest, plantations and scrub. In Trinidad it also occurs in... |
Phaethornis longuemareus | Trinidad only |
| White-tailed Sabrewing White-tailed Sabrewing The White-tailed Sabrewing is a large hummingbird that breeds in northeastern Venezuela and Tobago. It was thought to have become extinct in Tobago after hurricane Flora in 1963, but the population has now largely recovered. This species is now featured on Tobago’s environmental posters under the... |
Campylopterus ensipennis | Tobago only; Near-threatened |
| White-necked Jacobin White-necked Jacobin The White-necked Jacobin is a large and attractive hummingbird that ranges from Mexico south to Peru, Bolivia and south Brazil... |
Florisuga mellivora | |
| Brown Violet-ear Brown Violet-ear The Brown Violetear is a large hummingbird that breeds at middle elevations in the mountains in Central America, and western and northern South America with isolated populations on Trinidad and in the Brazilian state Bahia.The breeding habitat is forest at altitudes between 400-1600 m, but the... |
Colibri delphinae | Trinidad only |
| Green-throated Mango Green-throated Mango The Green-throated Mango is a hummingbird that breeds from northeastern Venezuela, Trinidad and the Guianas south to northeasterm Brazil. In Brazil, the bird is only found on the narrow Atlantic coastal strip north and south of the Amazon River outlet, and a strip along the river proper, about... |
Anthracothorax viridigula | Trinidad only |
| Black-throated Mango Black-throated Mango The Black-throated Mango is a mainly South American hummingbird species.-Description:It is 10.2 cm long and weighs 7.2g. The longish black bill is slightly decurved. The tail in both sexes has dark central feathers, the outer tail being wine-red tipped with black.The male has glossy bright... |
Anthracothorax nigricollis | |
| Green-throated Carib Green-throated Carib The Green-throated Carib is a species of hummingbird found throughout the Caribbean region.It is found in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, north-east Puerto Rico, Saba, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint... |
Eulampis holosericeus | Trinidad only |
| Ruby-topaz Hummingbird Ruby-topaz Hummingbird The Ruby-topaz Hummingbird , commonly referred to simply as the Ruby Topaz, is a small bird that breeds in the Lesser Antilles and tropical northern South America from Colombia, Venezuela and the Guyanas, south to central Brazil and northern Bolivia; also from Colombia into southern Panama. It is... |
Chrysolampis mosquitus | |
| Tufted Coquette Tufted Coquette The Tufted Coquette is a tiny hummingbird that breeds in eastern Venezuela, Trinidad, Guiana and northern Brazil. It is an uncommon but widespread species, which appears to be a local or seasonal migrant, although its movements are not well understood.This small bird inhabits open country,... |
Lophornis ornatus | Trinidad only |
| Blue-chinned Sapphire Blue-chinned Sapphire The Blue-chinned Sapphire is a hummingbird that breeds from Colombia south and east to the Guianas, Trinidad, Peru, and Brazil. There have been occasional records from Tobago... |
Chlorostilbon notatus | |
| Blue-tailed Emerald Blue-tailed Emerald The Blue-tailed Emerald, Chlorostilbon mellisugus, is a hummingbird found in tropical and subtropical South America east of the Andes from Colombia east to the Guianas and Trinidad, and south to northern Bolivia and central Brazil.... |
Chlorostilbon mellisugus | Trinidad only |
| Fork-tailed Woodnymph Fork-tailed Woodnymph The Fork-tailed Woodnymph is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.... |
Thalurania furcata | Trinidad only |
| Golden-tailed Sapphire Golden-tailed Sapphire The Golden-tailed Sapphire is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.... |
Chrysuronia oenone | Trinidad only |
| White-tailed Goldenthroat White-tailed Goldenthroat The White-tailed Goldenthroat is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.... |
Polytmus guainumbi | Trinidad only |
| White-chested Emerald White-chested Emerald The White-chested Emerald, Amazilia brevirostris, is a hummingbird found in eastern Venezuela, the Guianas, Trinidad and far northern Brazil . It has sometimes been placed in the genus Agyrtria, and the name A. chionopectus was formerly used for this species, as the name A. brevirostris was... |
Agyrtria brevirostris | Trinidad only |
| Glittering-throated Emerald Glittering-throated Emerald The Glittering-throated Emerald , sometimes placed in the genus Polyerata, is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family.... |
Polyerata fimbriata | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Copper-rumped Hummingbird Copper-rumped Hummingbird The Copper-rumped Hummingbird, Amazilia tobaci, sometimes placed in the genus Saucerottia, is a small bird that breeds in Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, and has occurred as a vagrant on Grenada. It is a seasonal migrant in parts of Venezuela.... |
Amazilia tobaci | |
| Long-billed Starthroat Long-billed Starthroat The Long-billed Starthroat, Heliomaster longirostris, is a hummingbird that breeds from southern Mexico to Panama, from Colombia south and east to Bolivia and Brazil, and on Trinidad... |
Heliomaster longirostris | Trinidad only |
| Rufous-shafted Woodstar Rufous-shafted Woodstar The Rufous-Shafted Woodstar is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family.It is found in Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.... |
Chaetocercus jourdanii | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
Trogons
Order: Trogoniformes. Family: TrogonidaeThe family Trogonidae includes trogons and quetzals. Found in tropical woodlands worldwide, they feed on insects and fruit, and their broad bills and weak legs reflect their diet and arboreal habits. Although their flight is fast, they are reluctant to fly any distance. Trogons have soft, often colourful, feathers with distinctive male and female plumage. There are 33 species worldwide, three of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| White-tailed Trogon White-tailed Trogon The White-tailed Trogon , also known as the Western White-tailed Trogon, is a near passerine bird in the trogon family. It is found in tropical humid forests of the Chocó, ranging from Panama, through western Colombia, to western Ecuador. It was formerly considered a subspecies of T... |
Trogon viridis | Trinidad only |
| Violaceous Trogon Violaceous Trogon The Violaceous Trogon , also known as the Guianan Trogon, is a near passerine bird in the trogon family, Trogonidae. It is found in humid forests in the Amazon Basin of South America and on the island of Trinidad, although some authorities have argued for treating the west Amazonian population as... |
Trogon violaceus | Trinidad only |
| Collared Trogon Collared Trogon The Collared Trogon, Trogon collaris, is a near passerine bird in the trogon family, Trogonidae. It is found in the warmer parts of the Neotropics, and includes numerous subspecies, including T. c... |
Trogon collaris | |
Kingfishers
Order: CoraciiformesCoraciiformes
The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colorful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills...
. Family: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. There are 93 species worldwide, five of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Belted Kingfisher Belted Kingfisher The Belted Kingfisher is a large, conspicuous water kingfisher, the only member of that group commonly found in the northern United States and Canada. It is depicted on the 1986 series Canadian $5 note. All kingfishers were formerly placed in one family, Alcedinidae, but recent research suggests... |
Ceryle alcyon | |
| Ringed Kingfisher Ringed Kingfisher The Ringed Kingfisher is a large, conspicuous and noisy kingfisher, commonly found along the lower Rio Grande River valley in southeasternmost Texas in the United States through Central America to Tierra del Fuego in South America.... |
Ceryle torquata | Trinidad only |
| Amazon Kingfisher Amazon Kingfisher The Amazon Kingfisher, Chloroceryle amazona, is a resident breeding bird in the lowlands of the American tropics from southern Mexico south through Central America to northern Argentina, with at least one bird having strayed north to Texas. Records from Trinidad are thought to be erroneous.This... |
Chloroceryle amazona | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Green Kingfisher Green Kingfisher The Green Kingfisher, Chloroceryle americana, is a resident breeding bird which occurs from southern Texas in the USA south through Central and South Americal to central Argentina.... |
Chloroceryle americana | |
| American Pygmy Kingfisher American Pygmy Kingfisher The American Pygmy Kingfisher, Chloroceryle aenea, is a resident breeding bird which occurs in the American tropics from southern Mexico south through Central America to western Ecuador, and then around the northern Andes cordillera in the east to central Bolivia and central Brazil... |
Chloroceryle aenea | Trinidad only |
Motmots
Coraciiformes
The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colorful near passerine birds including the kingfishers, the Hoopoe, the bee-eaters, the rollers, and the hornbills...
. Family: Momotidae
The motmots have colorful plumage and long, graduated tails, which they display by waggling back and forth. In most of the species, the barbs near the ends of the two longest (central) tail feathers are weak and fall off, leaving a length of bare shaft, and creating a racket-shaped tail. There are 10 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Blue-crowned Motmot Blue-crowned Motmot The Blue-crowned Motmot, Momotus momota, is a colourful near-passerine bird found in forests and woodlands of eastern Mexico, Central America, northern and central South America, and Trinidad and Tobago... |
Momotus momota | |
Jacamars
Order: PiciformesPiciformes
Nine families of largely arboreal birds make up the order Piciformes, the best-known of them being the Picidae, which includes the woodpeckers and close relatives...
. Family: Galbulidae
The jacamars are near passerine birds from tropical South America, with a range that extends up to Mexico. They are glossy elegant birds with long bills and tails, which feed on insects caught on the wing. In appearance and behaviour they show resemblances to the Old World bee-eater
Bee-eater
The bee-eaters are a group of near-passerine birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa and Asia but others occur in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies, and usually elongated central tail feathers...
s, although they are more closely related to woodpeckers. There are 18 species, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Rufous-tailed Jacamar Rufous-tailed Jacamar The Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Galbula ruficauda, is a near-passerine bird which breeds in the tropical New World in southern Mexico, Central America and South America as far south as southern Brazil and Ecuador.... |
Galbula ruficauda | |
Toucans
Order: PiciformesPiciformes
Nine families of largely arboreal birds make up the order Piciformes, the best-known of them being the Picidae, which includes the woodpeckers and close relatives...
. Family: Ramphastidae
Toucans are near passerine birds from the neotropics. They are brightly marked and have enormous, colourful bills which in some species may amount to half their body length. There are 40 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Channel-billed Toucan Channel-billed Toucan The Channel-billed Toucan is a near-passerine bird which breeds in Trinidad and in tropical South America as far south as southern Brazil and central Bolivia.-Taxonomy:... |
Ramphastos vitellinus | Trinidad only |
Woodpeckers and allies
Order: PiciformesPiciformes
Nine families of largely arboreal birds make up the order Piciformes, the best-known of them being the Picidae, which includes the woodpeckers and close relatives...
. Family: Picidae
Picidae
The woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks are a family, Picidae, of near-passerine birds. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia and New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions...
Woodpeckers are small to medium sized birds with chisel like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward, and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. There are 218 species worldwide, six of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Red-crowned Woodpecker Red-crowned Woodpecker The Red-crowned Woodpecker, Melanerpes rubricapillus, is a resident breeding bird from southwestern Costa Rica south to Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas and Tobago.... |
Melanerpes rubricapillus | Tobago only |
| Red-rumped Woodpecker Red-rumped Woodpecker The Red-rumped Woodpecker, Veniliornis kirkii, is a resident breeding bird from Costa Rica south and east to Ecuador, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago.... |
Veniliornis kirkii | |
| Golden-olive Woodpecker Golden-olive Woodpecker The Golden-olive Woodpecker, Colaptes rubiginosus, is a resident breeding bird from Mexico south and east to Guyana, northwest Argentina, Trinidad and Tobago. It was formerly placed in the genus Piculus... |
Piculus rubiginosus | |
| Chestnut Woodpecker Chestnut Woodpecker The Chestnut Woodpecker, Celeus elegans, is a resident breeding bird in South America from Colombia, Venezuela and the Guianas south to Ecuador, Bolivia and northern Brazil, and on Trinidad.... |
Celeus elegans | Trinidad only |
| Lineated Woodpecker Lineated Woodpecker The Lineated Woodpecker is a very large woodpecker which is a resident breeding bird from Mexico south to northern Argentina and on Trinidad.-Description:The Lineated Woodpecker is long... |
Dryocopus lineatus | Trinidad only |
| Crimson-crested Woodpecker Crimson-crested Woodpecker The Crimson-crested Woodpecker is a very large woodpecker which is a resident breeding bird from Panama south to northern border regions of Argentina, and on Trinidad.... |
Campephilus melanoleucos | Trinidad only |
Ovenbirds
Order: Passeriformes. Family: FurnariidaeOvenbirds comprise a large family of small sub-oscine passerine bird species found in Central and South America. They are a diverse group of insectivores which gets its name from the elaborate "oven-like" clay nests built by some species, although others build stick nests or nest in tunnels or clefts in rock. There are 243 species worldwide, five of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Pale-breasted Spinetail Pale-breasted Spinetail The Pale-breasted Spinetail , is a passerine bird which breeds in the tropical New World from Costa Rica to central Argentina, and in Trinidad.... |
Synallaxis albescens | Trinidad only |
| Stripe-breasted Spinetail Stripe-breasted Spinetail The Stripe-breasted Spinetail Synallaxis cinnamomea is a passerine bird found in the tropical New World in Trinidad, Tobago, Colombia and Venezuela... |
Synallaxis cinnamomea | |
| Yellow-chinned Spinetail Yellow-chinned Spinetail The Yellow-chinned Spinetail is a passerine bird found in the tropical New World from Trinidad and Colombia south to Argentina and Uruguay. In Spanish it is called curutié rojizo; its Portuguese name is joão-do-brejo or curutié... |
Certhiaxis cinnamomea | Trinidad only |
| Streaked Xenops Streaked Xenops The Streaked Xenops, Xenops rutilans, is a passerine bird which breeds in the tropical New World from Costa Rica and Trinidad south to Bolivia and northern Argentina... |
Xenops rutilans | Trinidad only |
| Gray-throated Leaftosser | Sclerurus albigularis | |
Woodcreepers
Order: Passeriformes. Family: DendrocolaptidaeThe Dendrocolaptidae are brownish birds and maintain an upright vertical posture, supported by their stiff tail vanes. They feed mainly on insects taken from tree trunks. There are 57 species worldwide, six of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Plain-brown Woodcreeper Plain-brown Woodcreeper The Plain-brown Woodcreeper , is a sub-oscine passerine bird which breeds in the tropical New World from Honduras through South America to northern Argentina, and in Trinidad and Tobago. Sometimes it is considered to include the Plain-winged Woodcreeper The Plain-brown Woodcreeper (Dendrocincla... |
Dendrocincla fuliginosa | |
| Olivaceous Woodcreeper Olivaceous Woodcreeper The Olivaceous Woodcreeper is a passerine bird of the tropical Americas. It belongs to the true woodcreepers of the ovenbird family .... |
Sittasomus griseicapillus | Tobago only |
| Buff-throated Woodcreeper Buff-throated Woodcreeper The Buff-throated Woodcreeper is a resident passerine bird found in tropical South America in the Guiana Shield and disjunctly in the northern Atlantic Forest. It formerly included the Cocoa Woodcreeper and the Lafresnaye's Woodcreeper as subspecies... |
Xiphorhynchus guttatus | Trinidad only |
| Cocoa Woodcreeper Cocoa Woodcreeper The Cocoa Woodcreeper is a passerine bird which breeds in tropical Central and South America in Trinidad, Tobago, northern Colombia and northern Venezuela. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Buff-throated Woodcreeper .It is typically 23 cm long, and weighs 37 g... |
Xiphorhynchus susurrans | |
| Straight-billed Woodcreeper Straight-billed Woodcreeper The Straight-billed Woodcreeper is a species of bird in the woodcreeper subfamily . Its genus, Dendroplex, was recently confirmed to be distinct from Xiphorhynchus.... |
Dendroplex picus | Trinidad only |
| Streak-headed Woodcreeper Streak-headed Woodcreeper The Streak-headed Woodcreeper , is a passerine bird which breeds in the tropical New World from southern Mexico to northwestern Peru, northern Brazil and Guyana, and on Trinidad.... |
Lepidocolaptes souleyetii | Trinidad only |
Typical antbirds
Order: Passeriformes. Family: ThamnophilidaeThe antbirds are a large family of small passerine birds of subtropical and tropical Central and South America. They are forest birds, and tend to feed on insects at or near the ground. A sizable minority of them specialize in following columns of army ants to eat the small invertebrates that leave hiding to flee the ants.Many species lack bright colour; brown, black and white being the dominant tones. There are about 212 species worldwide, eight of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Great Antshrike Great Antshrike The Great Antshrike, Taraba major, is a passerine bird in the antbird family. It is the only member of the genus Taraba-.... |
Taraba major | Trinidad only |
| Black-crested Antshrike Black-crested Antshrike The Black-crested Antshrike, Sakesphorus canadensis, is a passerine bird in the antbird family. It is a resident breeder in tropical South America in Trinidad, Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, northern Brazil and northeastern Peru.... |
Sakesphorus canadensis | Trinidad only |
| Barred Antshrike Barred Antshrike The Barred Antshrike, Thamnophilus doliatus, is a passerine bird in the antbird family. It is found in the Neotropics from Tamaulipas, Mexico, through Central America, Trinidad and Tobago, and a large part of South America east of the Andes as far south as northern Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.... |
Thamnophilus doliatus | |
| Plain Antvireo Plain Antvireo The Plain Antvireo, Dysithamnus mentalis, is a passerine bird species in the antbird family , wherein it belongs to the antshrike subfamily . It is a resident breeder in tropical Central and South America.... |
Dysithamnus mentalis | |
| White-flanked Antwren White-flanked Antwren The White-flanked Antwren is a passerine bird in the antbird family.-Taxonomy:The subspecies M. a. luctuosa, the Silvery-flanked Antwren, is sometimes split as a full species.-Distribution and habitat:... |
Myrmotherula axillaris | Trinidad only |
| White-fringed Antwren White-fringed Antwren The White-fringed Antwren, Formicivora grisea, is a passerine bird in the antbird family. It is a resident breeder in tropical South America from Colombia southeast to the Guianas and Brazil, and on Tobago.... |
Formicivora grisea | Tobago only |
| Silvered Antbird Silvered Antbird The Silvered Antbird is a passerine bird in the antbird family, the only member of the genus Sclateria. It is a resident breeder in tropical South America from Colombia and Trinidad south to Peru, Bolivia and central Brazil.... |
Sclateria naevia | Trinidad only |
| White-bellied Antbird White-bellied Antbird The White-bellied Antbird , is a passerine bird which breeds in the tropical New World from Panama to northern Brazil and in Trinidad. It is also called Swainson's Antcatcher after William John Swainson, who first described it scientifically... |
Myrmeciza longipes | Trinidad only |
Antthrushes and antpittas
Order: Passeriformes. Family: FormicariidaeFormicariidae
The Formicariidae, formicariids, or ground antbirds are a family of smallish passerine birds of subtropical and tropical Central and South America. They are between 10 and 20 cm in length, and are related to the antbirds, Thamnophilidae, and gnateaters, Conopophagidae...
The ground antbirds are a family comprising the antthrushes and antpittas. Antthrushes resemble small rails while antpittas resemble the true pittas
Pitta (bird)
Pittas are a family, Pittidae, of passerine birds mainly found in tropical Asia and Australasia, although a couple of species live in Africa. Pittas are all similar in general structure and habits, and have often been placed in a single genus, although as of 2009 they are now split into three...
with longish strong legs, very short tails and stout bills. There are about 63 species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Black-faced Antthrush Black-faced Antthrush The Black-faced Antthrush , is a passerine bird.-Distribution and habitat:It is a common and widespread forest bird in the tropical New World, from southern Mexico through Central America to the northern regions of South America... |
Formicarius analis | Trinidad only |
| Scaled Antpitta Scaled Antpitta The Scaled Antpitta is a species of bird tentatively placed in the family Formicariidae; it might belong to a more distinct lineage though.... |
Grallaria guatimalensis | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
Cotingas
Order: Passeriformes. Family: CotingidaeThe cotingas are birds of forests or forest edges of tropical South America. Comparatively little is known about this diverse group, although all have broad bills with hooked tips, rounded wings, and strong legs. The males of many of the species are brightly coloured, or decorated with plumes or wattles. There are 71 species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| White Bellbird White Bellbird The White Bellbird is a species of bird in the Cotingidae family. The specific epithet is often spelled alba, but albus is correct due to the gender of genus. It is found in forests in north-eastern South America in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela... |
Procnias alba | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Bearded Bellbird Bearded Bellbird The Bearded Bellbird, Procnias averano, also known as the Campanero or Anvil-bird, is a passerine bird which occurs in tropical northern South America.... |
Procnias averano | Trinidad only |
Manakins
The manakins are a family bird species of subtropical and tropical mainland Central and South America, and Trinidad and Tobago. They are compact forest birds, the males typically being brightly coloured, although the females of most species are duller and usually green-plumaged. Manakins feed on small fruits, berries and insects. There are 57 species worldwide, three of occur present in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| White-bearded Manakin White-bearded Manakin The White-bearded Manakin, Manacus manacus, is a small passerine bird which breeds in tropical South America. It is found from Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad south to Bolivia and northern Argentina.... |
Manacus manacus | Trinidad only |
| Blue-backed Manakin Blue-backed Manakin The Blue-backed Manakin, Chiroxiphia pareola, is a small passerine bird which breeds in tropical South America. It is found in southern Colombia, eastern Venezuela, the Guyanas, northeast Brazil, the Amazon Basin in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru; and in Tobago. A disjunct population... |
Chiroxiphia pareola | Tobago only |
| Golden-headed Manakin Golden-headed Manakin The Golden-headed Manakin, Pipra erythrocephala, is a small passerine bird which breeds in tropical South America. It is found from Panama, Colombia and Trinidad south and east to the Guianas and Brazil and northern Peru... |
Pipra erythrocephala | Trinidad only |
Tyrant flycatchers
Tyrant flycatcher
Tyrant flycatcher
The tyrant flycatchers are a family of passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America. They are considered the largest family of birds on Earth, with more than 400 species. They are the most diverse avian family in every country in the Americas, except for the United States and...
s are passerine
Passerine
A passerine is a bird of the order Passeriformes, which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds or, less accurately, as songbirds, the passerines form one of the most diverse terrestrial vertebrate orders: with over 5,000 identified species, it has roughly...
birds which occur throughout North and South America. They superficially resemble the Old World flycatchers, but are more robust with stronger bills. They do not have the sophisticated vocal capabilities of the songbirds. Most, but not all, have plain colouring. As the name implies, most are insectivorous. There are 429 species worldwide, all found only in the Americas, 42 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Beardless Tyrannulet Southern Beardless Tyrannulet The Southern Beardless Tyrannulet, Camptostoma obsoletum, is a small passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds from Costa Rica through South America south to Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina.-Description:... |
Camptostoma obsoletum | Trinidad only |
| Mouse-colored Tyrannulet | Phaeomyias murina | Trinidad only |
| Forest Elaenia Forest Elaenia The Forest Elaenia, Myiopagis gaimardii, is a small passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds from Panama through Colombia, Venezuela and the Guianas to Bolivia and Brazil. It also occurs on Trinidad.... |
Myiopagis gaimardii | Trinidad only |
| Yellow-bellied Elaenia Yellow-bellied Elaenia The Yellow-bellied Elaenia, Elaenia flavogaster, is a small bird of the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds from southern Mexico and the Yucatán Peninsula through Central and South America as far as northern Argentina, and on Trinidad and Tobago.... |
Elaenia flavogaster | |
| Small-billed Elaenia Small-billed Elaenia The Small-billed Elaenia is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family.It is found in Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Netherlands Antilles, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela... |
Elaenia parvirostris | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Lesser Elaenia Lesser Elaenia The Lesser Elaenia is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family, the tyrant flycatchers.It is found in Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Netherlands Antilles, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela... |
Elaenia chiriquensis | Trinidad only |
| Ochre-bellied Flycatcher Ochre-bellied Flycatcher The Ochre-bellied Flycatcher, Mionectes oleagineus, is a small bird of the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds from southern Mexico through Central America, and South America east of the Andes as far as southern Brazil, and on Trinidad and Tobago.... |
Mionectes oleagineus | |
| Olive-striped Flycatcher Olive-striped Flycatcher The Olive-striped Flycatcher is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family.It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.... |
Mionectes olivaceus | Trinidad only |
| Slaty-capped Flycatcher Slaty-capped Flycatcher The Slaty-capped Flycatcher, Leptopogon superciliaris, is a small passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds from Costa Rica through Colombia and northern Venezuela to northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru. It also occurs on Trinidad.... |
Leptopogon superciliaris | Trinidad only |
| Northern Scrub-Flycatcher Northern Scrub-flycatcher The Northern Scrub Flycatcher is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family.It is found in Aruba, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, French Guiana, Guyana, Netherlands Antilles, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.... |
Sublegatus arenarum | Trinidad only |
| Crested Doradito Crested Doradito The Crested Doradito is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Guyana, Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.Its natural habitat is swamps.-References:... |
Pseudocolopteryx sclateri | Trinidad only |
| Short-tailed Pygmy-Tyrant | Myiornis ecaudatus | Trinidad only |
| Spotted Tody-Flycatcher Spotted Tody-flycatcher The Spotted Tody-Flycatcher is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family, the tyrant flycatchers.It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela, and is mostly a species of the Amazon Basin countries and Guianan... |
Todirostrum maculatum | Trinidad only |
| Yellow-olive Flycatcher Yellow-olive Flycatcher The Yellow-olive Flatbill or Yellow-olive Flycatcher is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family. It is found in tropical and subtopical forest and woodland in Central and South America, but over its range there are significant variations in plumage, iris-colour and voice, leading to... |
Tolmomyias sulphurescens | Trinidad only |
| Yellow-breasted Flycatcher Yellow-breasted Flycatcher The Yellow-breasted Flatbill or Yellow-breasted Flycatcher, Tolmomyias flaviventris, is a passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It is found in South America, ranging from Colombia and Venezuela south to Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil, and on both Trinidad and Tobago... |
Tolmomyias flaviventris | |
| White-throated Spadebill White-throated Spadebill The White-throated Spadebill, Platyrinchus mystaceus, is a tiny passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It lives in the tropical Americas.-Description:... |
Platyrinchus mystaceus | |
| Bran-colored Flycatcher Bran-colored Flycatcher The Bran-colored Flycatcher, Myiophobus fasciatus, is a small passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds from Costa Rica through South America to Bolivia, Uruguay, and Argentina. It also occurs on Trinidad.... |
Myiophobus fasciatus | Trinidad only |
| Fuscous Flycatcher Fuscous Flycatcher The Fuscous Flycatcher, Cnemotriccus fuscatus is a small passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family, and the only member of the genus Cnemotriccus. It breeds from Colombia and Venezuela south to Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina, and on both Trinidad and Tobago... |
Cnemotriccus fuscatus | |
| Euler's Flycatcher Euler's Flycatcher Euler's Flycatcher, Lathrotriccus euleri, is a small passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds in South America east of the Andes from Colombia and Venezuela south to Bolivia and Argentina, and on the islands of Trinidad and formerly also Grenada... |
Lathrotriccus euleri | Trinidad only |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher Olive-sided Flycatcher The Olive-sided Flycatcher, Contopus cooperi, is a passerine bird. It is a medium-sized tyrant flycatcher.- Description :Adults are dark olive on the face, upperparts and flanks. They have light underparts, a large dark bill and a short tail.... |
Contopus cooperi | Trinidad only |
| Tropical Pewee Tropical Pewee The Tropical Pewee, Contopus cinereus, is a small passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds from southern Mexico and Trinidad south to Bolivia and Argentina... |
Contopus cinereus | Trinidad only |
| Pied Water-Tyrant Pied Water Tyrant The Pied Water Tyrant, Fluvicola pica, is a small passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds in tropical South America from Panama and Trinidad south to Bolivia and Argentina.... |
Fluvicola pica | Trinidad only |
| White-headed Marsh-Tyrant White-headed Marsh Tyrant The White-headed Marsh Tyrant is a small passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family, the only species of the genus Arundinicola. It breeds in tropical South America from Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad south to Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay.The adult White-headed Marsh Tyrant is... |
Arundinicola leucocephala | Trinidad only |
| Bright-rumped Attila Bright-rumped Attila The Bright-rumped Attila or Polymorphic Attila, Attila spadiceus, is a small passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family... |
Attila spadiceus | Trinidad only |
| Dusky-capped Flycatcher Dusky-capped Flycatcher The Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Myiarchus tuberculifer, is a passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds in forest and other woodland from southern Arizona, as well as the Chisos Mountains, Texas, south to northern Argentina and on Trinidad... |
Myiarchus tuberculifer | Trinidad only |
| Swainson's Flycatcher Swainson's Flycatcher Swainson's Flycatcher is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.... |
Myiarchus swainsoni | Trinidad only |
| Venezuelan Flycatcher Venezuelan Flycatcher The Venezuelan Flycatcher, Myiarchus venezuelensis, is a passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It was formerly considered to be a race of the Short-crested Flycatcher, Myiarchus ferox, but the two species overlap without interbreeding in Venezuela, and the calls are different.It breeds in... |
Myiarchus venezuelensis | Tobago only |
| Brown-crested Flycatcher Brown-crested Flycatcher The Brown-crested Flycatcher is a passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds in open woodland from southern California, southern Nevada, central Arizona, and southern Texas southward to Argentina and Bolivia, and on Trinidad and Tobago... |
Myiarchus tyrannulus | |
| Great Kiskadee Great Kiskadee The Great Kiskadee, Pitangus sulphuratus, is a passerine bird. It is a large tyrant flycatcher; sometimes its genus Pitangus is considered monotypic, with the Lesser Kiskadee The Great Kiskadee, Pitangus sulphuratus, is a passerine bird. It is a large tyrant flycatcher; sometimes its genus Pitangus... |
Pitangus sulphuratus | Trinidad only |
| Boat-billed Flycatcher Boat-billed Flycatcher The Boat-billed Flycatcher is a passerine bird. It is a large tyrant flycatcher, the only member, monotypic, of the genus Megarynchus.... |
Megarynchus pitangua | Trinidad only |
| Streaked Flycatcher Streaked Flycatcher The Streaked Flycatcher, Myiodynastes maculatus, is a passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. It breeds from eastern Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago south to Bolivia and Argentina. The southern subspecies M. m... |
Myiodynastes maculatus | |
| Piratic Flycatcher Piratic Flycatcher The Piratic Flycatcher, Legatus leucophaius, is a passerine bird, the only member of the genus Legatus. It is a resident breeder from southern Mexico and Trinidad south to Bolivia and Argentina... |
Legatus leucophaius | |
| Variegated Flycatcher Variegated Flycatcher The Variegated Flycatcher is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family. With the Crowned Slaty Flycatcher being moved to its own genus, this is now the only species remaining in Empidonomus.... |
Empidonomus varius | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Sulphury Flycatcher Sulphury Flycatcher The Sulphury Flycatcher is a passerine bird which is a localised resident breeder from Trinidad, the Guianas and Venezuela south to Amazonian Peru, northern Bolivia and Brazil.... |
Tyrannopsis sulphurea | Trinidad only |
| Tropical Kingbird Tropical Kingbird The Tropical Kingbird is a large tyrant flycatcher. This bird breeds from southern Arizona and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the USA through Central America, South America as far as south as central Argentina and western Peru, and on Trinidad and Tobago... |
Tyrannus melancholicus | |
| Gray Kingbird Gray Kingbird The Gray Kingbird, also known as Pitirre, Tyrannus dominicensis, is a passerine bird. It breeds from the extreme southeast of the USA through Central America, from Cuba to Puerto Rico as well as eastward towards all across the Lesser West Indies, south to Venezuela, Trinidad, Tobago the Guiana and... |
Tyrannus dominicensis | |
| Fork-tailed Flycatcher Fork-tailed Flycatcher The Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Tyrannus savana, is a passerine bird of the tyrant flycatcher family, and is the member of a genus typically referred to as kingbirds.-Description and ecology:... |
Tyrannus savana | |
| White-winged Becard White-winged Becard The White-winged Becard is a species of bird in the Tityridae family. It has traditionally been placed in Cotingidae or Tyrannidae, but evidence strongly suggest it is better placed in Tityridae. where now placed by SACC... |
Pachyramphus polychopterus | |
| Black-tailed Tityra Black-tailed Tityra The Black-tailed Tityra is a medium-sized passerine bird of tropical South America. The tityras have been placed in the cotinga or the tyrant flycatcher families by various authors... |
Tityra cayana | Trinidad only |
| Masked Tityra Masked Tityra The Masked Tityra is a medium-sized passerine bird. It has traditionally been placed in the cotinga or the tyrant flycatcher family, but evidence strongly suggest it is better placed in Tityridae, where now placed by SACC... |
Tityra semifasciata | Trinidad only |
| Black-crowned Tityra Black-crowned Tityra The Black-crowned Tityra is a medium-sized passerine bird. It has traditionally been placed in the cotinga or the tyrant flycatcher family, but evidence strongly suggest it is better placed in Tityridae, where now placed by SACC.... |
Tityra inquisitor | Trinidad only |
| House Sparrow House Sparrow The House Sparrow is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the House Sparrow occurs naturally in most of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and much of Asia... |
Passer domesticus | Trinidad only |
Swallows and martins
Order: Passeriformes. Family: HirundinidaeThe Hirundinidae family is a group of passerines characterized by their adaptation to aerial feeding. Their adaptations include a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and short bills with wide gape. The feet are designed for perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base. There are 75 species worldwide, nine of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Caribbean Martin Caribbean Martin The Caribbean Martin or White-bellied Martin, Progne dominicensis, is a large swallow.It breeds on Caribbean islands from Jamaica east to Tobago. It is closely related to 2 species to which it formerly was considered conspecific-P. sinaloae and P. cryptoleuca... |
Progne dominicensis | Tobago only |
| Gray-breasted Martin Gray-breasted Martin The Gray-breasted Martin, Progne chalybea, is a large swallow.The nominate race P. c. chalybea breeds from Mexico through Central America south to central Brazil, and on Trinidad. P. c. macrorhamphus breeds further south in South America to central Argentina... |
Progne chalybea | |
| Tree Swallow Tree Swallow The Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor, is a migratory passerine bird that breeds in North America and winters in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. It is a very rare vagrant to western Europe.... |
Tachycineta bicolor | Trinidad only |
| White-winged Swallow White-winged Swallow The White-winged Swallow, Tachycineta albiventer, is a resident breeding bird in tropical South America from Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad south to northern Argentina... |
Tachycineta albiventer | Trinidad only |
| Blue-and-white Swallow Blue-and-white Swallow The Blue-and-white Swallow is a passerine bird that breeds from Nicaragua south throughout South America, except in the deserts and the Amazon Basin. The southern race is migratory, wintering as far north as Trinidad, where it is a regular visitor... |
Pygochelidon cyanoleuca | Trinidad only |
| Southern Rough-winged Swallow Southern Rough-winged Swallow The Southern Rough-winged Swallow , Stelgidopteryx ruficollis, is a small swallow. It was first formally described as Hirundo ruficollis by French ornithologist Louis Vieillot in 1817 in his Nouveau Dictionnaire d'Histoire Naturelle.... |
Stelgidopteryx ruficollis | |
| Bank Swallow Sand Martin The Sand Martin is a migratory passerine bird in the swallow family. It has a wide range in summer, embracing practically the whole of Europe and the Mediterranean countries, part of northern Asia and also North America. It winters in eastern and southern Africa, South America and South Asia... |
Riparia riparia | |
| Cliff Swallow Cliff Swallow The Cliff Swallow is a member of the passerine bird family Hirundinidae — the swallows and martins.It breeds in North America, and is migratory, wintering in western South America from Venezuela southwards to northeast Argentina... |
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Barn Swallow Barn Swallow The Barn Swallow is the most widespread species of swallow in the world. It is a distinctive passerine bird with blue upperparts, a long, deeply forked tail and curved, pointed wings. It is found in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas... |
Hirundo rustica | |
Wagtails and pipits
Order: Passeriformes. Family: MotacillidaeMotacillidae
The Motacillidae are a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. There are around 65 species in 6 genera and they include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. The longclaws are entirely restricted to the Afrotropics, and the wagtails are predominately found in Europe, Africa and...
The Motacillidae are a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country. There are 54 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| White Wagtail White Wagtail "Pied Wagtail" redirects here. For the related African bird, see African Pied Wagtail.The White Wagtail is a small passerine bird in the wagtail family Motacillidae, which also includes the pipits and longclaws. This species breeds in much of Europe and Asia and parts of north Africa... |
Motacilla alba | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
Wrens
Order: Passeriformes. Family: TroglodytidaeThe wren
Wren
The wrens are passerine birds in the mainly New World family Troglodytidae. There are approximately 80 species of true wrens in approximately 20 genera....
s are mainly small and inconspicuous except for their loud songs. These birds have short wings and a thin down-turned bill. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous. There are 80 species worldwide (of which all but one are New World species), two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Rufous-breasted Wren Rufous-breasted Wren The Rufous-breasted Wren, Pheugopedius rutilus, is a small songbird of the wren family . It was formerly placed in the genus Thryothorus which in the old, broad sense was a motley assemblage of similar-looking wrens.... |
Thryothorus rutilus | |
| House Wren House Wren The House Wren, Troglodytes aedon, is a very small songbird of the wren family, Troglodytidae. It occurs from Canada to southernmost South America, and is thus the most widely distributed bird in the Americas. It occurs in most suburban areas in its range and it is the single most common wren... |
Troglodytes aedon | |
Mockingbirds and thrashers
Order: Passeriformes. Family: MimidaeThe mimids are a family of passerine birds that includes thrasher
Thrasher
Thrashers are a New World group of passerine birds related to mockingbirds and New World catbirds. Like these, they are in the Mimidae family. There are 15 species in one large and 4 monotypic genera.These do not form a clade but are a phenetic assemblage...
s, mockingbird
Mockingbird
Mockingbirds are a group of New World passerine birds from the Mimidae family. They are best known for the habit of some species mimicking the songs of other birds and the sounds of insects and amphibians, often loudly and in rapid succession. There are about 17 species in three genera...
s, trembler
Trembler
Tremblers are a New World group of passerine birds related to mockingbirds and New World catbirds. Like these, they are in the Mimidae family. There are 2-4 species in one genus, Cinclocerthia:...
s, and the New World catbirds. These birds are notable for their vocalizations, especially their ability to mimic a wide variety of birds and other sounds heard outdoors. Their colouring tends towards dull greys and browns . There are 35 species worldwide, two of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Mockingbird Northern Mockingbird The Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos, is the only mockingbird commonly found in North America. This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Turdus polyglottos.... |
Mimus polyglottos | Trinidad only |
| Tropical Mockingbird Tropical Mockingbird The Tropical Mockingbird, Mimus gilvus, is a resident breeding bird from southern Mexico south to northern Brazil, and in the Lesser Antilles and other Caribbean islands. The birds in Panama and Trinidad may have been introduced. The Northern Mockingbird is its closest living relative, but the... |
Mimus gilvus | |
Thrushes and allies
The thrushes
Thrush (bird)
The thrushes, family Turdidae, are a group of passerine birds that occur worldwide.-Characteristics:Thrushes are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized birds, inhabiting wooded areas, and often feed on the ground or eat small fruit. The smallest thrush may be the Forest Rock-thrush, at and...
are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs. There are 335 species worldwide, seven of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush Orange-billed Nightingale-thrush The Orange-billed Nightingale-thrush is a species of bird in the Turdidae family.It is found in Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.... |
Catharus aurantiirostris | Trinidad only |
| Veery Veery The Veery, Catharus fuscescens, is a small thrush species. It is occasionally called Willow Thrush or Wilson's Thrush. It is a member of a close-knit group of migrant Catharus species, which also includes the cryptotaxa Grey-cheeked Thrush and Bicknell's Thrush The Veery, Catharus fuscescens, is a... |
Catharus fuscescens | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Gray-cheeked Thrush Gray-cheeked Thrush The Grey-cheeked Thrush, Catharus minimus, is a medium-sized thrush. This species is 15–17 cm in length, and has the white-dark-white underwing pattern characteristic of Catharus thrushes. It is a member of a close-knit group of migrant species together with the Veery and Bicknell's Thrush ;... |
Catharus minimus | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Yellow-legged Thrush Yellow-legged Thrush The Yellow-legged Thrush is a songbird of northern and eastern South America. In recent times, it is increasingly often placed in the genus Turdus again.-Description:... |
Platycichla flavipes | |
| Cocoa Thrush Cocoa Thrush The Cocoa Thrush, Turdus fumigatus, is a resident breeding bird in South America from eastern Colombia south and east to central and eastern Brazil, and on Trinidad and some of the Lesser Antilles.... |
Turdus fumigatus | Trinidad only |
| Bare-eyed Thrush Bare-eyed Thrush The Bare-eyed Thrush, Spectacled Thrush, or Yellow-eyed Thrush , is a resident breeding bird in the Lesser Antilles and in South America from Colombia and Venezuela south and east to northern Brazil... |
Turdus nudigenis | |
| White-necked Thrush White-necked Thrush The White-necked Thrush is a songbird found in forest and woodland in South America. The taxonomy is potentially confusing, and it sometimes includes the members of the T. assimilis group as subspecies, in which case the "combined species" is referred to as the White-throated Thrush... |
Turdus albicollis | |
Gnatcatchers
Order: Passeriformes. Family: PolioptilidaeThese dainty birds resemble Old World warblers in their build and habits, moving restlessly through the foliage seeking insects. The gnatcatchers and gnatwrens are mainly soft bluish grey in colour, and have the typical insectivore's long sharp bill. They are birds of fairly open woodland or scrub, and nest in bushes or trees. There are 15 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Long-billed Gnatwren Long-billed Gnatwren The Long-billed Gnatwren is a very small bird in the gnatcatcher family. It is the only member of the genus Ramphocaenus .... |
Ramphocaenus melanurus | Trinidad only |
Vireos
Order: Passeriformes. Family: VireonidaeThe vireo
Vireo
The vireos are a group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are typically dull-plumaged and greenish in color, the smaller species resembling wood warblers apart from their heavier bills...
s are a group of small to medium sized passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are typically greenish in colour and resemble wood warbler
Wood Warbler
The Wood Warbler is a common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe, and just into the extreme west of Asia in the southern Ural Mountains...
s apart from their heavier bills. There are 52 species worldwide, six of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow-throated Vireo Yellow-throated Vireo The Yellow-throated Vireo, Vireo flavifrons, is a small American songbird.Adults are mainly olive on the head and upperparts with a yellow throat and white belly; they have dark eyes with yellow "spectacles". The tail and wings are dark with white wing bars... |
Vireo flavifrons | Rare/Accidental |
| Red-eyed Vireo Red-eyed Vireo The Red-eyed Vireo, Vireo olivaceus, is a small American songbird, 13–14 cm in length. It is somewhat warbler-like but not closely related to the New World warblers... |
Vireo olivaceus | |
| Black-whiskered Vireo Black-whiskered Vireo The Black-whiskered Vireo, Vireo altiloquus, is a small passerine bird, which breeds in southern Florida, USA, and the West Indies as far south as the offshore islands of Venezuela. It is a partial migrant, with northern birds wintering from the Greater Antilles to northern South America... |
Vireo altiloquus | Trinidad only |
| Scrub Greenlet Scrub Greenlet The Scrub Greenlet or Scrub Vireo, Hylophilus flavipes, is a small passerine bird in the vireo family. It breeds in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela and Tobago.... |
Hylophilus flavipes | Tobago only |
| Golden-fronted Greenlet Golden-fronted Greenlet The Golden-fronted Greenlet, Hylophilus aurantiifrons, is a small passerine bird in the vireo family. It breeds in Panama, Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad.... |
Hylophilus aurantiifrons | Trinidad only |
| Rufous-browed Peppershrike Rufous-browed Peppershrike The Rufous-browed Peppershrike, Cyclarhis gujanensis, is a passerine bird in the vireo family. It is widespread and often common in woodland, forest edge, and cultivation with some tall trees from Mexico and Trinidad south to Argentina and Uruguay.... |
Cyclarhis gujanensis | Trinidad only |
New World warblers
Order: Passeriformes. Family: ParulidaeThe New World warbler
New World warbler
The New World warblers or wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful, passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are not related to the Old World warblers or the Australian warblers....
s are a group of small, often colourful, passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal, but some are terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores. There are 119 species worldwide, 24 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Golden-winged Warbler Golden-winged Warbler The Golden-winged Warbler, Vermivora chrysoptera, is a New World warbler, 11.6 cm long and weighing 8.5 g. It breeds in eastern North America, southeastern Canada and the eastern USA... |
Vermivora chrysoptera | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Northern Parula Northern Parula The Northern Parula, Parula americana, is a small New World warbler. It breeds in eastern North America from southern Canada to Florida.... |
Parula americana | Tobago only; Rare/Accidental |
| Tropical Parula Tropical Parula The Tropical Parula is a small New World warbler. It breeds from southernmost Texas and northwest Mexico south through Central America to northern Argentina, including Trinidad and Tobago. This widespread and common species is not considered threatened by the IUCN.This passerine is not migratory,... |
Parula pitiayumi | |
| Yellow Warbler Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia is a New World warbler species or superspecies; the subspecies group around D. aestiva is increasingly treated as good species Dendroica aestiva again. The name for the entire cryptic species complex is Mangrove Warbler, and another group of subspecies is known as Golden Warbler... |
Dendroica petechia | |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler Chestnut-sided Warbler The Chestnut-sided Warbler is a New World warbler. They breed in eastern North America and in southern Canada westwards to the Canadian Prairies... |
Dendroica pensylvanica | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Magnolia Warbler Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia, commonly known as the Magnolia warbler, is a member of the Parulidae family of wood warblers. [4] This warbler was first discovered in magnolia trees in the 19th century by famed ornithologist Alexander Wilson while in Mississippi. [7]-Description:The magnolia warbler can be... |
Dendroica magnolia | Rare/Accidental |
| Cape May Warbler Cape May Warbler The Cape May Warbler, Dendroica tigrina, is a small New World warbler. It breeds in northern North America. Its breeding habitat spans across all but the westernmost parts of southern Canada, and into the Great Lakes region and New England. It is migratory, wintering in the West Indies... |
Dendroica tigrina | Rare/Accidental |
| Black-throated Blue Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler The Black-throated Blue Warbler, Setophaga caerulescens, is a small songbird of the New World warbler family.Adult males have white underparts with black throat, face and flanks; the upperparts are deep blue; immature males are similar with upperparts more greenish... |
Dendroica caerulescens | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler Four closely related North American bird forms—the eastern Myrtle Warbler , its western counterpart, Audubon's Warbler , the northwest Mexican Black-fronted Warbler , and the Guatemalan Goldman's Warbler —are periodically lumped as the Yellow-rumped Warbler .-Classification:Since... |
Dendroica coronata | Tobago only; Rare/Accidental |
| Black-throated Green Warbler Black-throated Green Warbler The Black-throated Green Warbler, Setophaga virens, is a small songbird of the New World warbler family.It is 12 cm long and weighs 9 g, and has an olive-green crown, a yellow face with olive markings, a thin pointed bill, white wing bars, an olive-green back and pale underparts with... |
Dendroica virens | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Blackburnian Warbler Blackburnian Warbler The Blackburnian Warbler, Dendroica fusca , is a small New World warbler. They breed in eastern North America, from southern Canada, westwards to the southern Canadian Prairies, the Great Lakes region and New England, to North Carolina.... |
Dendroica fusca | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Prairie Warbler Prairie Warbler The Prairie Warbler, Dendroica discolor, is a small songbird of the New World warbler family.These birds have yellow underparts with dark streaks on the flanks, and olive upperparts with rusty streaks on the back; they have a yellow line above the eye, a dark line through it, and a yellow spot... |
Dendroica discolor | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Bay-breasted Warbler Bay-breasted Warbler The Bay-breasted Warbler, Dendroica castanea , is a New World warbler. They breed in northern North America, specifically in Canada, into the Great Lakes region, and into northern New England.... |
Dendroica castanea | Rare/Accidental |
| Blackpoll Warbler Blackpoll Warbler The Blackpoll Warbler, Dendroica striata , is a New World warbler. Breeding males are mostly black and white. They have a prominent black cap, white cheeks and white wing bars. The Blackpoll breeds in northern North America, from Alaska, through most of Canada, and into the Great Lakes region and... |
Dendroica striata | |
| Black-and-white Warbler Black-and-white Warbler The Black-and-white Warbler is a small New World warbler. It breeds in northern and eastern North America from southern Canada to Florida.... |
Mniotilta varia | |
| American Redstart American Redstart The American Redstart is a New World warbler. It is the only member of its genus and is unrelated to the Old World redstarts. It derives its name from the male's red tail, start being an old word for tail.-Description:... |
Setophaga ruticilla | |
| Prothonotary Warbler Prothonotary Warbler The Prothonotary Warbler is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. It is the only member of the genus Protonotaria.... |
Protonotaria citrea | |
| Worm-eating Warbler Worm-eating Warbler The Worm-eating Warbler is a small New World warbler. It is the only species classified in the genus Helmitheros.... |
Helmitheros vermivorus | Trinidad only |
| Ovenbird Ovenbird The Ovenbird is a small songbird of the New World warbler family . This migratory bird breeds in eastern North America and moves south in winter.-Taxonomy:... |
Seiurus aurocapilla | Rare/Accidental |
| Northern Waterthrush Northern Waterthrush The Northern Waterthrush is one of the larger New World warblers. It breeds in the northern part of North America in Canada, and in the northern United States, . This bird is migratory, wintering in Central America, the West Indies, and Florida; also Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador... |
Seiurus noveboracensis | |
| Common Yellowthroat Common Yellowthroat The Common Yellowthroat is a New World warbler. They are abundant breeders in North America, ranging from southern Canada to central Mexico.... |
Geothlypis trichas | Rare/Accidental |
| Masked Yellowthroat Masked Yellowthroat The Masked Yellowthroat, Geothlypis aequinoctialis, is a New World warbler. It has a number of separate resident breeding populations in Central and South America, some of which may be considered to form separate species.... |
Geothlypis aequinoctialis | Trinidad only |
| Hooded Warbler Hooded Warbler The Hooded Warbler, Wilsonia citrina, is a New World warbler. It breeds in eastern North America and across the eastern USA and into southernmost Canada, . It is migratory, wintering in Central America and the West Indies... |
Wilsonia citrina | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Golden-crowned Warbler Golden-crowned Warbler The Golden-crowned Warbler, Basileuterus culicivorus, is a small New World warbler.-Distribution and habitat:It breeds from Mexico and south through Central America to northeastern Argentina and Uruguay, and on Trinidad. It is a species mainly of lowland forests.-Description:The Golden-crowned... |
Basileuterus culicivorus | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
Bananaquits
The Bananaquit is a small passerine bird. It has a slender, curved bill, adapted to taking nectar from flowers and is the only member of the genus Coereba (Vieillot, 1809) and is normally placed within the family Coerebidae, although there is uncertainty whether that placement is correct.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Bananaquit Bananaquit The Bananaquit is a species of passerine bird of uncertain relation. It is tentatively placed in the tanager family, but classified as incertae sedis by other authorities such as the American Ornithologists' Union. Its classification is debated, and it is often placed in its own family: Coerebidae... |
Coereba flaveola | |
Tanagers
The tanager
Tanager
The tanagers comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in the order Passeriformes. The family has an American distribution.There were traditionally about 240 species of tanagers, but the taxonomic treatment of this family's members is currently in a state of flux...
s are a large group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World, mainly in the tropics. Many species are brightly coloured. They are seed eaters, but their preference tends towards fruit and nectar. Most have short, rounded wings. There are 256 species worldwide, 24 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Bicolored Conebill Bicolored Conebill The Bicolored Conebill, Conirostrum bicolor, is a small passerine bird. This member of the tanager family is a resident breeder in South America from Colombia, Venezuela and Trinidad south and east to the Guianas, northeast Peru and Brazil.... |
Conirostrum bicolor | Trinidad only |
| White-shouldered Tanager White-shouldered Tanager The White-shouldered Tanager, Tachyphonus luctuosus, is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident breeder from Honduras to Panama, South America south to Ecuador and southern Brazil, and on Trinidad.... |
Tachyphonus luctuosus | Trinidad only |
| White-lined Tanager White-lined Tanager The White-lined Tanager, Tachyphonus rufus, is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident breeder from Costa Rica south to northern Argentina, and on Trinidad and Tobago.It occurs in semi-open areas including gardens... |
Tachyphonus rufus | |
| Red-crowned Ant-Tanager Red-crowned Ant-Tanager The Red-crowned Ant-Tanager, Habia rubica, is a medium-sized passerine bird from tropical America. The genus Habia was long placed with the tanagers , but it is actually closer to the cardinals... |
Habia rubica | Trinidad only |
| Hepatic Tanager Hepatic Tanager The Hepatic Tanager, Piranga flava, is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family , it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family... |
Piranga flava | Trinidad only |
| Scarlet Tanager Scarlet Tanager The Scarlet Tanager is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family , it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family . The species's plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family.-Description:Adults have pale... |
Piranga olivacea | Rare/Accidental |
| Summer Tanager Summer Tanager The Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra, is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family , it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family... |
Piranga rubra | Trinidad only |
| Silver-beaked Tanager Silver-beaked Tanager The Silver-beaked Tanager, Ramphocelus carbo, is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident breeder in South America from eastern Colombia and Venezuela south to Paraguay and central Brazil, and on Trinidad. It is common and conspicuous in some areas—it may be the bird most... |
Ramphocelus carbo | Trinidad only |
| Blue-gray Tanager Blue-gray Tanager The Blue-grey Tanager, Thraupis episcopus, is a medium-sized South American songbird of the Tanager family, Thraupidae. Its range is from Mexico south to northeast Bolivia and northern Brazil, all of the Amazon Basin, except the very south. It has been introduced to Lima... |
Thraupis episcopus | |
| Blue-capped Tanager Blue-capped Tanager The Blue-capped Tanager is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family.It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist montane forests and heavily degraded former forest.-References:* BirdLife International... |
Thraupis cyanocephala | Trinidad only |
| Palm Tanager Palm Tanager The Palm Tanager, Thraupis palmarum, is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident breeder from Nicaragua south to Bolivia, Paraguay and southern Brazil. It also breeds on Trinidad and, since 1962, on Tobago... |
Thraupis palmarum | |
| Trinidad Euphonia Trinidad Euphonia The Trinidad Euphonia is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family.It is found in Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.... |
Euphonia trinitatis | Trinidad only |
| Violaceous Euphonia Violaceous Euphonia The Violaceous Euphonia, Euphonia violacea, is a small passerine bird in the true finch family. It is a resident breeder from Trinidad, Tobago and eastern Venezuela south to Paraguay and northeastern Argentina... |
Euphonia violacea | |
| Elegant Euphonia | Euphonia elegantissima | Trinidad only |
| Antillean Euphonia Antillean Euphonia The Antillean Euphonia is a bird species in the finch family, Fringillidae .It is found in all the main islands of the Lesser Antilles, and the Greater Antilles from Hispaniola eastwards.... |
Euphonia musica | Trinidad only |
| Golden-rumped Euphonia Golden-rumped Euphonia The Golden-rumped Euphonia is a species of bird in the family Fringillidae, formerly placed in the Thraupidae... |
Euphonia cyanocephala | Trinidad only |
| Turquoise Tanager Turquoise Tanager The Turquoise Tanager, Tangara mexicana, is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident bird from Trinidad, Colombia and Venezuela south to Bolivia and much of Brazil... |
Tangara mexicana | Trinidad only |
| Speckled Tanager Speckled Tanager The Speckled Tanager, Tangara guttata, is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident breeder in Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad, Venezuela, Colombia and the extreme north of Brazil.... |
Tangara guttata | Trinidad only |
| Bay-headed Tanager Bay-headed Tanager The Bay-headed Tanager, Tangara gyrola, is a medium-sized passerine bird. This tanager is a resident breeder in Costa Rica, Panama, South America south to Ecuador, Bolivia and southern Brazil, and on Trinidad.... |
Tangara gyrola | Trinidad only |
| Blue Dacnis Blue Dacnis The Blue Dacnis or Turquoise Honeycreeper, Dacnis cayana, is a small passerine bird. This member of the tanager family is found from Nicaragua to Panama, on Trinidad, and in South America south to Bolivia and northern Argentina... |
Dacnis cayana | Trinidad only |
| Green Honeycreeper Green Honeycreeper The Green Honeycreeper is a small bird in the tanager family. It is found in the tropical New World from southern Mexico south to Brazil, and on Trinidad. It the only member of the genus Chlorophanes... |
Chlorophanes spiza | Trinidad only |
| Purple Honeycreeper Purple Honeycreeper The Purple Honeycreeper, Cyanerpes caeruleus, is a small bird in the tanager family. It is found in the tropical New World from Colombia and Venezuela south to Brazil, and on Trinidad. A few, possibly introduced birds have been recorded on Tobago... |
Cyanerpes caeruleus | |
| Red-legged Honeycreeper Red-legged Honeycreeper The Red-legged Honeycreeper is a small songbird species in the tanager family . It is found in the tropical New World from southern Mexico south to Peru, Bolivia and central Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, and on Cuba, where possibly introduced.-Description:The Red-legged Honeycreeper is on average... |
Cyanerpes cyaneus | |
| Swallow-Tanager | Tersina viridis | Trinidad only |
Buntings, sparrows, seedeaters and allies
Order: Passeriformes. Family: EmberizidaeEmberizidae
The Emberizidae are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with a distinctively shaped bill.In Europe, most species are called buntings. In North America, most of the species in this family are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the sparrows, the...
The emberizids are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with a distinctively shaped bill. In Europe, most species are named as buntings. In North America, most of the species in this family are known as Sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the Old World sparrows which are in the family Passeridae. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns. There are species 275 worldwide, seventeen of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Blue-black Grassquit Blue-black Grassquit The Blue-black Grassquit is a small bird in the tanager family, Thraupidae. It was previously classified in the bunting and American sparrow family, Emberizidae. It breeds from southern Mexico through Central America, and South America as far as northern Chile, Argentina and Paraguay, and on... |
Volatinia jacarina | |
| Slate-colored Seedeater | Sporophila schistacea | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Gray Seedeater | Sporophila intermedia | Trinidad only |
| Wing-barred Seedeater Wing-barred Seedeater The Wing-barred Seedeater is a passerine bird from coastal regions of north-eastern South America in north-eastern Venezuela, the Guianas, Amapá and north-eastern Pará , Brazil, and along the Amazon River upstream to around Manaus... |
Sporophila americana | Tobago only |
| Lesson's Seedeater Lesson's Seedeater Lesson's Seedeater is a bird species in the family Thraupidae .It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela... |
Sporophila bouvronides | |
| Lined Seedeater Lined Seedeater The Lined Seedeater is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family.It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela... |
Sporophila lineola | Trinidad only |
| Yellow-bellied Seedeater Yellow-bellied Seedeater The Yellow-bellied Seedeater is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family, formerly placed with the American sparrows in the Emberizidae.... |
Sporophila nigricollis | |
| Ruddy-breasted Seedeater Ruddy-breasted Seedeater The Ruddy-breasted Seedeater is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family.It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.Its natural habitats are dry savanna,... |
Sporophila minuta | Trinidad only |
| Large-billed Seed-Finch Large-billed Seed-finch The Large-billed Seed-finch is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family.It is found in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, swamps, and heavily degraded former... |
Oryzoborus crassirostris | Trinidad only |
| Great-billed Seed-Finch Great-billed Seed-finch The Great-billed Seed-finch is a species of bird in the Thraupidae family.It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela.... |
Oryzoborus maximiliani | Trinidad only |
| Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch | Oryzoborus angolensis | Trinidad only |
| Black-faced Grassquit Black-faced Grassquit The Black-faced Grassquit, Tiaris bicolor, is a small bird formerly placed with the Emberizidae. It is now recognized as a tanager closely related to Darwins finches... |
Tiaris bicolor | Tobago only |
| Sooty Grassquit Sooty Grassquit The Sooty Grassquit is a small bird formerly placed with the Emberizidae. It is now recognized as a tanager closely related to Darwins finches.... |
Tiaris fuliginosa | Trinidad only |
| Saffron Finch Saffron Finch The Saffron Finch is a tanager from South America and is common in both open and semi-open areas in lowlands outside the Amazon Basin. They have a wide distribution in Colombia, Venezuela , Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and Argentina... |
Sicalis flaveola | Trinidad only |
| Orange-fronted Yellow Finch | Sicalis columbiana | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Grassland Yellow Finch Grassland Yellow Finch The Grassland Yellow Finch, Sicalis luteola, is a small passerine bird. Despite its name, it is not a finch, but is a seedeater. These were formerly united with the buntings and American sparrows in the Emberizidae, but are now known to be tanagers.... |
Sicalis luteola | Trinidad only |
| Red-capped Cardinal Red-capped Cardinal The Red-capped Cardinal, Paroaria gularis, is a small South American bird. It belongs to Paroaria, a genus of red-headed cardinal-tanagers in the family Thraupidae, unlike the cardinals proper which are in the Cardinalidae... |
Paroaria gularis | Trinidad only |
Saltators, cardinals and allies
Order: Passeriformes. Family: CardinalidaeThe cardinals are a family of passerine birds that are robust, seed-eating birds, with strong bills. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinct plumages. There are 43 species worldwide, six of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser Antillean Saltator Lesser Antillean Saltator The Lesser Antillean Saltator is a species of songbird traditionally placed in the family Cardinalidae, but as it seems it is closer to the tanagers .... |
Saltator albicollis | Trinidad only |
| Grayish Saltator Grayish Saltator The Greyish Saltator, Saltator coerulescens, is a seed-eating songbird that is widespread in the tropical Americas. Traditionally placed in the cardinal family , the saltators actually seem to be closer to the tanagers... |
Saltator coerulescens | Trinidad only |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak Rose-breasted Grosbeak The Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Pheucticus ludovicianus, is a large seed-eating songbird in the cardinal family . It breeds in cool-temperate North America, migrating to tropical America in winter.-Description:... |
Pheucticus ludovicianus | Rare/Accidental |
| Blue-black Grosbeak Blue-black Grosbeak The Blue-black Grosbeak is a species of songbird in the Cardinalidae family.It is found in Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela... |
Cyanocompsa cyanoides | Trinidad only |
| Indigo Bunting Indigo Bunting The Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea, is a small seed-eating bird in the family Cardinalidae. It is migratory, ranging from southern Canada to northern Florida during the breeding season, and from southern Florida to northern South America during the winter. It often migrates by night, using the... |
Passerina cyanea | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Dickcissel Dickcissel The Dickcissel is a small American seed-eating bird in the family Cardinalidae. It is the only member of the genus Spiza, though some sources list another supposedly extinct species... |
Spiza americana | Trinidad only |
Troupials and allies
The icterids are a group of small to medium, often colourful, passerine birds restricted to the New World and include the grackle
Grackle
Grackle can refer to any of eleven black passerine birds native to North and South America. All are members of the Icterid family but belong to multiple genera.* Genus Quiscalus** Boat-tailed Grackle, Quiscalus major...
s, New World blackbird
New World blackbird
The New World blackbirds consist of 26 species of icterid birds that share the name blackbird but do not correspond with a formal taxon...
s, and New World oriole
New World oriole
New World orioles, comprising the genus Icterus, are a group of birds in the blackbird family. They are not related to Old World orioles which are in the family Oriolidae, but are strikingly similar in size, diet, behaviour and in their strongly contrasting plumage, and are a good example of...
s. Most species have black as the predominant plumage colour, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. There are 98 species worldwide, 13 of which occur in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Bobolink Bobolink The Bobolink is a small New World blackbird and the only member of genus Dolichonyx.-Description:Adults are 16–18 cm long with short finch-like bills. They weigh about . Adult males are mostly black, although they do display creamy napes, and white scapulars, lower backs and rumps... |
Dolichonyx oryzivorus | Rare/Accidental |
| Red-winged Blackbird Red-winged Blackbird The Red-winged Blackbird is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found in most of North and much of Central America. It breeds from Alaska and Newfoundland south to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, and Guatemala, with isolated populations in western El Salvador, northwestern Honduras, and... |
Agelaius phoeniceus | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Yellow-hooded Blackbird Yellow-hooded Blackbird The Yellow-hooded Blackbird is a species of bird in the Icteridae family. It is found in grassy and brush areas near water in northern South America, and is generally fairly common... |
Agelaius icterocephalus | Trinidad only |
| Red-breasted Blackbird Red-breasted Blackbird The Red-breasted Blackbird, Sturnella militaris, is a passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. Despite its name and colouration, it is in the same genus as the meadowlarks, and is less closely related to the Red-winged Blackbird group... |
Sturnella militaris | |
| Carib Grackle Carib Grackle The Carib Grackle, Quiscalus lugubris, is a New World tropical blackbird, a resident breeder in the Lesser Antilles and northern South America east of the Andes, from Colombia east to Venezuela and northeastern Brazil.... |
Quiscalus lugubris | |
| Shiny Cowbird Shiny Cowbird The Shiny Cowbird, Molothrus bonariensis, is a passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. It breeds in most of South America apart from the most dense jungles, mountains and deserts , the coldest southernmost regions , and on Trinidad and Tobago... |
Molothrus bonariensis | |
| Giant Cowbird Giant Cowbird The Giant Cowbird, Molothrus oryzivorus, is a large passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. It breeds from southern Mexico south to northern Argentina, and on Trinidad and Tobago. It may have relatively recently colonised the latter island.... |
Molothrus oryzivorus | |
| Moriche Oriole Moriche Oriole The Moriche Oriole, Icterus cayanensis chrysocephalus, is a passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. It is unrelated to Old World orioles . It is a breeding resident in the tropics of eastern South America... |
Icterus chrysocephalus | Trinidad only |
| Yellow Oriole South American Yellow Oriole The Yellow Oriole, Icterus nigrogularis, is a passerine bird in the family Icteridae. It should not be confused with the Australasian Yellow Oriole, Oriolus flavocinctus, which is an Old World oriole... |
Icterus nigrogularis | Trinidad only |
| Troupial Troupial The Troupial , Icterus icterus is the national bird of Venezuela and one of about 25 or so species of "New World Orioles"... |
Icterus icterus | Trinidad only; Rare/Accidental |
| Baltimore Oriole Baltimore Oriole The Baltimore Oriole is a small icterid blackbird that averages 18 cm long and weighs 34 g. This bird received its name from the fact that the male's colors resemble those on the coat-of-arms of Lord Baltimore... |
Icterus galbula | Rare/Accidental |
| Yellow-rumped Cacique Yellow-rumped Cacique The Yellow-rumped Cacique, Cacicus cela, is a passerine bird in the New World family Icteridae. It breeds in much of northern South America from Panama and Trinidad south to Peru, Bolivia and central Brazil.-Description:... |
Cacicus cela | Trinidad only |
| Crested Oropendola Crested Oropendola The Crested Oropendola, Psarocolius decumanus, is a New World tropical icterid bird. It is a resident breeder in lowland South America east of the Andes, from Panama and Colombia south to northern Argentina, as well as on Trinidad and Tobago... |
Psarocolius decumanus | |
Siskins, crossbills and allies
Order: Passeriformes. Family: FringillidaeFinch
Finch
The true finches are passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. They are predominantly seed-eating songbirds. Most are native to the Northern Hemisphere, but one subfamily is endemic to the Neotropics, one to the Hawaiian Islands, and one subfamily – monotypic at genus level – is found...
es are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have 12 tail feathers and 9 primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. There are 137 species worldwide, one of which occurs in Trinidad and Tobago.
| Common name | Binomial | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Red Siskin Red Siskin The Red Siskin, Carduelis cucullata, is a small passerine bird. This finch is a resident breeding bird in tropical South America in northern Colombia and northern Venezuela... |
Carduelis cucullata | Trinidad only; Endangered |