We mentioned, in our previous post, that Cuban March is the best time for bird watching - and it really is!
Here are some birds we saw during our trip, all of which are endemic for Cuba - Enjoy and don't forget about our radio programme on Tuesday at 4 p.m.! :)
Bee Hummingbird: With a mass of around 2g, is the smallest living bird, endemic for the whole Cuban archipelago. Its beautifully colored feathers make it look like a flying jewel and its long, pointed bill is shaped perfectly to allow probing deep into flowers - it feeds mainly on nectar, what plays an important role in the process of plant reproduction, since when flying from flower to flower it transfers pollen from even 1500 flowers a day :o
Using bits of cobwebs, bark, and lichen, the female bee hummingbird builds a cup-shaped nest that is only about 2.5 cm (0.98 in) in diameter, where she lays two egg at a time,which are no bigger than peas.
Tocororo (Cuban trogon)
Not only endemic for the Cuban island, but also Cuba’s national bird, since its blue crown, red belly and beak, and white throat and chest correspond to the colors of the Cuban flag. Its local name comes from its most common call: toco-toco-tocoro-tocoro.
From beak to tail, this beautiful bird is between ten and eleven inches long. It nests in already created crevices in trees, mainly abandoned wood pecker holes, and feeds on flowers, fruits, and insects, capable of hovering while eating.
Carta Cuba (Cuban tody)
This colorful bird is characterized by its small size and a head unproportionally big to the rest of its body, distinguished by its pink flanks, red throat, yellow lores, and blue ear patch.
This overall green ball of feathers is a year-round resident of Cuba and islands just off the Cuban coast, where it feeds mainly on insects, small lizards and sometimes even fruits
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