Cuba 21/02/2008 - 11/03/2008

Species seen during our trip to Cuba.

Most birds were self-found apart from 2 guided trips round Soplillar and Palpite with Chino and 1 trip to Las Salinas with his brother Angel.

Z - around Playa Larga, L - Las Salinas Playa Larga, S - Sorora, V - Vinales

 

      Location Comment
1 Oxyura jamaicensis Ruddy Duck V Small flock of about 20 on lake off Autopista near Vinales
2 Mergus serrator Red-breasted Merganser Las Salinas 2's and 3's
3 Melanerpes superciliaris West Indian Woodpecker Z, S, V Common and vocal
4 Sphyrapicus varius Yellow-bellied Sapsucker V 1 or 2 birds
5 Xiphidiopicus percussus Cuban Green Woodpecker Z, S Small number in denser forest
6 Colaptes auratus Northern Flicker S 1 or 2 birds
7 Colaptes fernandinae Fernandina's Flicker Z 2 birds in dead Palms near Soplillar
8 Priotelus temnurus Cuban Trogon Z, S, V Common and vocal
9 Todus multicolor Cuban Tody Z, S, V Relatively common
10 Megaceryle alcyon Belted Kingfisher L,S 1 or 2 birds
11 Saurothera merlini Great Lizard-Cuckoo Z, S 1 or 2 birds
12 Crotophaga ani Smooth-billed Ani Z, V Edges of villages
13 Amazona leucocephala Cuban Parrot Z 1 only
14 Tachornis phoenicobia Antillean Palm-Swift Havana, S, V Over Havana City, lake at Las Terrazas and nesting in restaurant roof at Dos Hermanas
15 Chlorostilbon ricordii Cuban Emerald S,V Few birds every day
16 Mellisuga helenae Bee Hummingbird Z Pair west of Palpite
17 Glaucidium siju Cuban Pygmy-Owl S, Z Few birds every day
18 Asio stygius Stygian Owl Z, S Female in tree by the school in Carleton, male heard at Villa Sorora hotel
19 Caprimulgus cubanensis Greater Antillean Nightjar Z Track north of Boca
20 Columba livia Rock Pigeon Havana Feral pigeon everywhere
21 Patagioenas leucocephala White-crowned Pigeon Z, S Small numbers mainly flyovers
22 Patagioenas squamosa Scaly-naped Pigeon S Small numbers mainly flyovers
23 Streptopelia decaocto Eurasian Collared-Dove Havana Common in parks
24 Zenaida aurita Zenaida Dove Z Seen daily on roadsides
25 Zenaida asiatica White-winged Dove S, V Common at Villa Sorora
26 Columbina passerina Common Ground-Dove Z,S Few birds every day
27 Geotrygon caniceps Grey-fronted Quail-Dove Z Early morning on track near Soplillar
28 Geotrygon chrysia Key West Quail-Dove Z Heard around Soplillar, eventually tracked one down in the undergrowth
29 Geotrygon montana Ruddy Quail-Dove S Roadside near Las Terrazas
30 Rallus longirostris Clapper Rail Las Salinas Walked across the road in broad daylight !
31 Gallinula chloropus Common Moorhen S Lake at Las Terrazas
32 Fulica americana American Coot S Lake at Las Terrazas
33 Gallinago delicata Wilsons Snipe Las Salinas 1 bird
34 Tringa melanoleuca Greater Yellowlegs Las Salinas Reasonable numbers
35 Tringa flavipes Lesser Yellowlegs Las Salinas Reasonable numbers - good to compare alongside Greater
36 Actitis macularia Spotted Sandpiper Las Salinas 1 or 2 birds
37 Tringa semipalmata Willet Las Salinas 1 or 2 birds
38 Arenaria interpres Ruddy Turnstone Las Salinas 1 or 2 birds
39 Limnodromus griseus Short-billed Dowitcher Las Salinas Small group near new visitor centre
40 Calidris minutilla Least Sandpiper Las Salinas 1 or 2 birds
41 Himantopus mexicanus Black-necked Stilt Las Salinas 20+
42 Pluvialis squatarola Grey Plover Las Salinas Small numbers
43 Charadrius vociferus Killdeer Las Salinas 1 or 2 birds
44 Rynchops niger Black Skimmer Las Salinas Distant group of 10 or so
45 Larus smithsonianus American Herring Gull Havana harbour 1 juvenile
46 Larus atricilla Laughing Gull Havana harbour Small numbers
47 Sterna caspia Caspian Tern Las Salinas Distant group of 10 or so
48 Sterna maxima Royal Tern Havana harbour Small numbers following boats
49 Rostrhamus sociabilis Snail Kite Fish Ponds, Autopista At least 10 near Sorora turn-off
50 Buteogallus anthracinus Common Black-Hawk Las Salinas 3 or 4 including one by roadside
51 Buteo platypterus Broad-winged Hawk Z 1 flyover
52 Caracara cheriway Crested Caracara Autopista 1 near Australia
53 Falco sparverius American Kestrel Z,S,V Rufous and pale morph daily at Villa Sorora
54 Tachybaptus dominicus Least Grebe S Lake at Las Terrazas
55 Phalacrocorax brasilianus Neotropic Cormorant Playa Larga Small numbers flying over bay
56 Phalacrocorax auritus Double-crested Cormorant Cienfuegos Small numbers in harbour
57 Egretta rufescens Reddish Egret Las Salinas Small numbers mainly juv
58 Egretta tricolor Tricolored Heron Las Salinas 1 or 2 birds
59 Egretta caerulea Little Blue Heron Las Salinas Small numbers
60 Egretta thula Snowy Egret Playa Larga 1 on shoreline, also a few along Autopista
61 Ardea herodias Great Blue Heron Las Salinas 1 or 2 birds
62 Ardea alba Great Egret Las Salinas 1 or 2 birds
63 Bubulcus ibis Cattle Egret Common Almost everywhere in the countryside
64 Butorides virescens Green Heron Las Salinas 1 bird
65 Nycticorax nycticorax Black-crowned Night-Heron Z Juv near Boca
66 Phoenicopterus ruber Carribean Flamingo Las Salinas Distant flocks and 1 or 2 adult birds in pools
67 Eudocimus albus White Ibis Las Salinas Common
68 Platalea ajaja Roseate Spoonbill Las Salinas One 20+ flock
69 Pelecanus occidentalis Brown Pelican Havana harbour, L Small numbers
70 Cathartes aura Turkey Vulture Common Everywhere
71 Fregata magnificens Magnificent Frigatebird Havana 1 bird over sea
72 Contopus caribaeus Greater Antillean Pewee Z Small numbers
73 Myiarchus sagrae La Sagra's Flycatcher Z, S Seen daily
74 Tyrannus dominicensis Grey Kingbird Sorora 1 bird
75 Tyrannus caudifasciatus Loggerhead Kingbird Z, S, V Seen daily
76 Vireo gundlachii Cuban Vireo Z 1 or 2 birds
77 Myadestes elisabeth Cuban Solitaire S, V Heard at Mirador in Soraora, good views at Dos Hermanas
78 Turdus plumbeus Red-legged Thrush Z, S, V Common along tracks
79 Dumetella carolinensis Grey Catbird Z, V 1 or 2 in dense undergrowth
80 Mimus polyglottos Northern Mockingbird Z,S,V Common in gardens
81 Ferminia cerverai Zapata Wren Z Heard only near Boca, one responded to tape about 3 metres away but we never saw it.
82 Polioptila caerulea Blue-grey Gnatcatcher Z 1 or 2 birds
83 Progne cryptoleuca Cuban Martin Havana Seen daily over city
84 Passer domesticus House Sparrow Havana, V Common in Havana, few birds at La Terraza hotel
85 Parula americana Northern Parula Z, S 1 or 2 daily
86 Dendroica petechia Yellow Warbler Las Salinas Alongside road, - easily pished in.
87 Dendroica caerulescens Black-throated Blue Warbler Z,S 1 or 2 daily
88 Dendroica virens Black-throated Green Warbler Sorora 1 or 2 daily
89 Dendroica dominica Yellow-throated Warbler Sorora 1 or 2 daily
90 Dendroica discolor Prairie Warbler Las Salinas, Zapata 1 near viewing platform
91 Dendroica palmarum Palm Warbler Playa Larga Common around Carleton - hops about like Meadow Pipit
92 Mniotilta varia Black-and-white Warbler Z, S, V Common in most woodland
93 Setophaga ruticilla American Redstart Z, S, V Common in most woodland, quite vocal
94 Seiurus aurocapillus Ovenbird Z 1 or 2 in low vegetation
95 Seiurus noveboracensis Northern Waterthrush Las Salinas 1 or 2 birds
96 Seiurus motacilla Louisiana Waterthrush Sorora Orchid garden and near stream
97 Teretistris fernandinae Yellow-headed Warbler Z,S,V 1 or 2 daily
98 Spindalis zena Western Spindalis Z,S 1 or 2 daily - high up in trees
99 Cyanerpes cyaneus Red-legged Honeycreeper Vinales Pair along main road by Rancho San Vicente
100 Melopyrrha nigra Cuban Bullfinch Z, S, V Small numbers
101 Tiaris canora Cuban Grassquit Vinales Common at El Palenque slave village
102 Tiaris olivacea Yellow-faced Grassquit Z Small numbers near Bee Hummingbird site
103 Icterus dominicensis Greater Antillean Oriole Z Only 1 bird seen
104 Agelaius humeralis Tawny-shouldered Blackbird Playa Giron Common at Cueva de los Peces
105 Dives atroviolacea Cuban Blackbird Z, S, V Seen daily but easily overlooked in Grackle flocks. very vocal at Villa Sorora
106 Quiscalus niger Greater Antillean Grackle Common Large flocks in most hotel gardens

 

 

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