Birds of Trinidad and Tobago

A selection of bird photos from our stay at the ASA Wright Nature Center on Trinidad Island and at Cuffie River Nature Retreat on Tobago Island in April 2018. Because of their location and facilities for birdwatching, Trinidad and Tobago provide a good introduction for neotropical birds. On Trinidad, we visited Aripo Savannah, Nariva Swamp and Caroni Swamp, in addition to walking the trails at the ASA Wright Nature Center where the white-bearded manakin, the golden-headed manakin and the bearded bellbird could be seen. A trail at the Centre also provides access a deep canyon (or cave) hosting a colony of the unusual oilbirds. On Tobago, our field trips included the Bon Accorde Sewage ponds, the Main Ridge Forest Reserve and Little Tobago Island. About 180 species of birds were seen over a period of 9 days.

Bananaquit (Sucrier à ventre jaune) at the ASA Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad.

Barred antshrike (Batara rayé) at ASA Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad.

Common potoo (Ibijau gris) at Cuffie River on the island of Tobago.

Crested oropendola - Cassique huppé - at the ASA Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad.

Eared dove (Tourterelle oreillarde) at the Bon Accorde Sewage ponds, Western Tobago, TT.

Carib Grackle (Quiscale merle) at the Bon Accorde Sewage ponds, Western Tobago, TT.

Great Antshrike (Grand Batara) at the ASA Whright Nature Centre, Trinidad.

Green heron - Héron vert - at the Bon Accorde Sewage ponds, Western Tobago, TT.

Green honeycreeper (Tangara émeraude) in ASA Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad.

Green honeycreeper (Tangara émeraude) at ASA Wright Nature Centre.

Brown-throated Parakeet (Conure cuivrée).

Blue-crowned Motmot (Motmot à tête bleue) at Cuffie River, Tobago.

Violaceous euphonia (Organiste teité) at the ASA Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad.

Wattled jacana (Jacana noir) in Nariva Swamp, Trinidad.

White-lined tanager - Tangara à galons blancs - at ASA Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad. (female)


White-bearded manakin (Manakin casse-noisette) at the ASA Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad.

White-headed Marsh-Tyrant (Moucherolle à tête blanche) at Nariva Swamp, Trinidad.

White-lined Tanager (Tangara à galons blancs) at the ASA Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad.

White-necked jacobin - Colibri jacobin - in ASA Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad.

White-necked jacobin - Colibri jacobin - in ASA Wright NAture Centre, Trinidad.

Immature white-necked jacobin - Colibri jacobin - in Cuffie River,Tobago.

Ruby-topaz Hummingbird (Colibri rubis-topaze) in Cuffie River Retreat, Trinidad.

Pied Water-Tyrant (Moucherolle pie) in Nariva Swamp, Trinidad.

Red-billed Tropicbird - Phaéton à bec rouge - seen from a promontory on Little Tobago Island.

Oilbird (Steanornis caripensis) - Guacharo des cavernes.

Oilbird

Hear the metallic hammering sound of the bearded bellbird (m4a files recorded along the trail):

bellbird along the trail

bellbirds along the trail 2

References

A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, 3rd Edition (2012), by Richard ffrench. Comstock Publishing Associates, Ithaca and London. 407 pp.

Complete list of species