Top Ten Tour Highlights:
1. Cuban Tody
2. Blue-headed Quail-Dove
3. Gundlach’s Hawk
4. Stygian Owl
5. Cuban Trogon
6. Bare-legged Owl
7. Zapata Wren
8. Bee Hummingbird
9. Cuban Pygmy-Owl
10. Cuban Amazon
Tour Intro
Cuba offers some of the best birding in the Caribbean. With no fewer than 28 strict Endemics, and another 18 near-Endemics, birders have long been coming to this interesting country and enjoying dynamic, fun birds in a dynamic cultural landscape. Our goal with this tour was two-fold: see as many endemics and near-endemics as possible, and learn more about the culture and history of this unique nation.
We focused on the most diverse and productive birding areas in Cuba, allowing access to all endemics, save the Cuban Kite, which is localized in the far eas. Infused in the itinerary of birding sites, were opportunities to learn more about the history of Cuba. In fact, many of the birding sites on the itinerary were also places of historic significance, such as the caves where Ernesto “Che” Guevara hid and directed troops during the revolution. To be sure and get the full complement, we scheduled some particular times in La Havana, to visit the best sites of Old Town, the first fortress built in the Americas, and relish the sights, sounds, and tastes of this iconic city.
We logged a total of some 1400kms travel our ten day overland journey, and 163 species on this amazing tour! All of our targets presented themselves, allowing multiple, prolonged looks in most cases. The array of migrants was spectacular. We enjoyed endless flocks of migrating warblers and vireos. On our final evening on Cayo Guillermo we were delighted to an impressive display of migrating Shorebirds, as well. The food was great. The accommodations were decent to very good. The countryside, people, and camaraderie that developed within the group aided in making one of this author’s favorite tours all the more memorable!
Tour Summary
We started off in the capitol city, La Havana. The first part of our birding route led West, through the main part of the city from our Hotel. We had plenty of time to watch Antillean Palm-Swifts, Shiny Cowbirds, Greater Antillean Grackles, and our first Cuban Blackbirds of the tour, as we had the many government buildings, colonial bastions, and various diplomatic and embassy buildings explained to us as we passed to the outskirts. Our first true “stop” of the tour was at a series of lakes and reservoirs about 8kms West of town. Eastern Meadowlark, Snail Kite, Cuban Martins, Brown Pelicans, and a variety of Herons, Egrets, and waterfowl were noted.
Soroa, Le Reserva Mil Cumbres, the pines forests of La Guira, and La Cueva de las Portales were the sites that we visited during our first 48 hours on the island. They were an action-packed first few days! Aside from getting our first glimpses of old, vintage, taxis, horse-drawn carriages, and governmental propaganda billboards, we saw a ton of our target species!!! The first to fall was West Indian Woodpecker. This colorful, long-billed, Melanerpes was very reminiscent of Red-bellied Woodpecker, its cousin in the continental United States. The following birds came in quick succession, thereafter: La Sagra’s Flycatcher, Red-legged Thrush, Loggerhead Kingbird, Cuban Emerald, Cuban Pewee, and Yellow-headed Warbler. Red-legged Honeycreepers hopped about in branches low overhead. Black-whiskered Vireo was viewed singing through the scope. Northern Waterthrushes were watched foraging streamside. Cuban Green Woodpeckers came in to defend a territory against our playback. Scaly-naped Pigeons perched at eye-level. And we saw the national bird: Cuban Trogon. We had views of several individuals, from every angle. Incomparable!!! This truly is the most distinct member of the family Trogonidae, and one of the most unique birds on the planet. Unfortunately, it was outshined by #1-voted Tour Highlight Cuban Tody, which we located only a few minutes later. We had our first pair of this fabulous bird on the first day. We made it a point to see at least one every, single, day of the tour that we were in their range. We succeeded! A number of these delightful birds came within a few feet of us for photography opportunities and general enjoyment. This particular bird is the most colorful of an entirely colorful Family endemic to the Caribbean. We were all ecstatic to see as many of these special birds as possible during the course of the tour.
Two species, in particular, stood out during this first portion of the trip. The first of these was Cuban Grassquit. This bird has become very difficult to locate and view in recent years. We were fortunate to find a lovely pair of Cuban Grassquits foraging in a group with Yellow-faced Grassquits, at about 60m distance. Though the best views were through the scope, watching their antics, many in the group enjoyed seeing them bounce and pounce from limb to ground, among the leaf litter. That Yellow-headed Warbler was nearby for easy viewing between scope-looks at the Grassquit, and a Cuban Pewee was perched not 10m away from us, also gave the whole experience a wonderfully light, and easy, air.
The second bird that stood out among this huge array of wonderful species was the Cuban Solitaire. This relatively drab, uniform-colored, member of its genus, Myadestes, emanates the most amazing sounds on the island. Among our group, many contested that it elicited some of the most enchanting sounds ever heard. Though we saw multiples (one at no more than 4m distance!!!), listening to these amazing creatures belt forth their song that near to our ears was an astonishing experience.
In the same region we enjoyed the wonderful sounds of the Solitaire, we had our only chance to bird the higher pine forests of the island. Olive-capped Warblers put on a great show, singing above us and foraging near. Our first Cuban Orioles appeared, in a group with Tawny-shouldered and Cuban Blackbirds, to feast upon a fruiting Gumbo Limbo tree. Western Spindalis was soon to follow. We spotted a roosting Stygian Owl, the first of two seen on the tour! By standing in one place for 10 minutes, we added Northern Flicker, Broad-winged Hawk, Zenaida Dove, and one of the very best birds of the tour - Great Lizard Cuckoo - to the trip list, as well. We had an incredibly productive visit to the Northwest region!
Before describing the most bird-prolific part of the tour (if one can believe that what is described above was not) I must mention the impressive and bizarre Hacienda Cortina (“Curtain Ranch” in Spanish). This one-time ranch was near the town in which were staying at the time, San Diego de los Banos. While we did see some wonderful birds here, most of which were migrants, it was the eerily-hewn, demonic (not to mention somewhat erotic) statues and stone formations that were captivating. What a bizarre place to bird! The previous owner was a self-proclaimed paganist, of sorts, yet a nonetheless influential member of Cuba’s senate under Bautista. He had claimed this vast property of various cane-drying buildings, cattle-ranch homesteads, rushing streams, and ponds as his playground to entertain the daring elite of that regime. It was told to us that he purportedly held frequent, odd, orgiastic rituals here in the privacy of his vast compound. Though the uniquely outlandish statues still stand, his mansion was burned. It burned during the revolution, right down to the pillars and foundation, and the interesting, often bizarre, opulent, contents of the house were unfortunately looted.
Leaving with a fascinated impression of this region of the island, we drove to the famed Zapata Swamp, in the Central-South. This swamp is always the area most discussed in reference to Cuban wildlife, and is the highlight of any birding tour on the island. It certainly was one of the clear highlights for us! I knew it would be good when I got word that we had secured Mario as our local guide. He made the work of this author easy. Mario works part-time as a bird guide, and part-time doing field work, locally, for the government on birds, reptiles, and amphibians. He’s out all day, and knows every single nook and cranny on the area. Though I had heard all of this about him before, I was still thoroughly impressed by his site knowledge.
Our first birding stop in the region was around the Guama tourist complex just before entering the National Park Cienaga de Zapata proper. We picked up several new migrants for the tour. The best bird of the stop was a lone Cedar Waxwing, which is nomadic and cyclical in the area, and was the only one seen on the tour. We also found our first Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Louisiana Waterthrush, and Black-throated Blue Warblers of the tour. Our second stop, to finish out our first afternoon in Zapata, was along the trails of Sopillar. We had our first encounters with the confiding Cuban Pygmy-Owl within minutes! Mario took us to the nest site of Fernandina’s Flicker, which we thoroughly enjoyed seeing peer out of its eye-level nest-hole at us. Cuban Vireo was called out from a mixed-flock it had joined. A great bird that Mario had staked out for us was Bare-legged Owl. He tapped the trunk of dead palm twice, and up it popped!!! Amazing. We finished up by calling a Greater Antillean Nightjar out of the dense underbrush, and into the trail for all to see.
To start off at Bermejas, the visiting birder attends the Quail-Dove feeding station Orlando “Chino” Ramirez has set up. It was a spectacle beyond our collective imagination. Do Quail-Doves come to feeders in other areas? Yes, of course. Do 3 different species come to them? No, they do not. This was unrivalled! We had views of Key West, Blue-headed, and Ruddy Quail-Doves. The closest was as near as 5m distance! While we stood there and enjoyed the show, Gray Catbird, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Northern Parula, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher all swarmed above us in the most impressive mixed flock of the tour. All of this, and we had only just gotten the sleep out of eyes. No better way to start the day!
We then wandered further into the forest, quickly finding another mixed flock, this one more understory by nature, that included two wonderful species: Worm-eating Warbler and the very rarely seen Swainson’s Warbler. Cuban Amazon was the next amazing endemic to show well. We had a lovely pair, perched nearby, that was attending a nearby nest hole. This gorgeous pair let us watch them for ages. The final target bird this forest would yield to our efforts was the difficult Grey-headed Quail-Dove, which came out onto the trail before us.
We wandered through the small village adjacent to the forest we just birded. Two more mixed flocks entertained us by coming closer than any had done before (within 3m) and we were delighted to a small flock of Cuban Parakeets, preening and socializing with each other in a crop of mango trees. Then, we were viewing one of the most anticipated birds of the tour: Bee Hummingbird! We had 4 individuals singing from perches, defending flower patches, and generally buzzing around right in front of us. We marveled at the unique shade of greenish-blue on the back, the extended gorget, the short, stubby bill. We had scope-filled views, which is quite something for a big 2.2 inches long! This was another clear highlight of the tour.
Our next stop of the morning, before some wonderful downtime at the beach, was perhaps Mario’s crown jewel. He took us to this site with the caveat that none of us could speak to other birders in group at our Hotel of it. We mustn’t tell anyone what we were about to see, nor where we were about to see it. He took us to the nest sight of the rare and seldom-seen Gundlach’s Hawk!!! The female defended her nest fervently from anything that approached from above. Whether it was a Turkey Vulture or Crested Caracara, we stood watching her chase off any and every intruder. But she certainly didn’t mind us. She seemed to know that we posed no threat, and could not reach up to her nest, high above our heads. Though voted only #3 on the trip highlights, this experience was very, very special.
The remainder of our time in the Zapata area was spent searching its marshes and wetland areas. Wind was an unfortunate enemy in our efforts in the swamp. We failed in our first attempt to find the Zapata Wren. Our second attempt was so successful, that this failure was forgotten all together. We stopped at a very particular spot in a vast marsh, seemingly uniform to its surroundings, and played tape. An immediate response seemed distant, and unlikely to approach. We waited. The response repeated, slightly closer. We hit the playback one more time. 15 seconds later we spotted the Wren as it climbed to an exposed perch, a foot above the surrounding reeds, and began to sing a full chorus to us 8 meters away. This excitable individual continued its song for a full two minutes, as we delighted in our views of it. Shortly after finishing, the bird came flew across the road were we standing and took up a hidden position behind us. It did not resurface, but I noticed an odd sound coming from where this bird had appeared originally. It continued to grow in strength and persistence until we saw a bird fly low across the open water towards the road right where we stood. It was a juvenile!!! This recently fledged bird was completely unabashed in approaching us, and stayed relatively in the open, climbing over branches on the ground to within a few feet of our feet! Despite the flocks of Flamingoes, Ibis, and Spoonbills, the scores of Cuban Black-Hawks, singing Red-shouldered Blackbirds, wonderful dancing Reddish Egrets, Tricolored Herons, and all the rest we saw during the course of our time in the wetlands, this was undisputedly the premier bird! This juvenile Zapata Wren.
Before heading to the North Coast for birding the strand of Keys that line Cuba’s coastline, we headed to La Belen, and the Sierra Najasa region. Though a long drive, we found all of our target birds and had great views of each. The main species to search out around the Racho La Belen, in particular, are Cuban Crow, Plain Pigeon, and Giant Kingbird. Not only did we have wonderful encounters with a good number of each, but we also had repeat views of Cuban Parakeet, Cuban Amazon, Great Lizard Cuckoo, Cuban Green Woodpecker, and a ton of migrant warblers, as well. As a government game preserve, it offered basic accommodation only, but the food was delicious! It was certainly our only Antelope Stew of the tour. Before leaving the area we stopped at a nearby cemetery where the localized Cuban Palm Crow resides in good number. We were rewarded with views of it, right next to Cuban Crow, for comparison. Vocalization is certainly the best way to tell the two apart!
From La Belen, we headed to the final birding area of our journey – Cayo Coco. From our all-inclusive resort hotel on a beautiful white sand beach, we would seek out the final target birds of our tour, and hope to have more encounters with migrants of various makes and models. These keys are known to be migrant traps of the first order.
Our strategy here was to seek out the endemic target birds in the morning, enjoy a rest in afternoon (bathing and enjoying the sun), then return to the field for a bit of light birding in the afternoon. It worked. Cayo Coco itself yielded up stunning encounters with Cuban Gnatchatcher, Oriente Warbler, Cuban Vireo, Cuban Bullfinch, and Zapata Sparrow. We didn’t have to drive more than 15 minutes from the Hotel for these great species! A drive of almost an hour was required to reach the lighthouse key known as Cayo Paredon Grande. Here we found our main target – Thick-billed Vireo – in good numbers. Several were seen by the group, and all had at least one definitive view of this skulker before we left. Western Spindalis were in multitudes here, as were Yellow Warbler, Cuban Emerald, various migrant passerines, and the odd Frigatebird loafing overhead. A drive of an hour in the opposite direction took us to Cayo Guillermo. Here we sought out, and found with ease, Bahama Mockingbird, before heading to some salt flat so to boost our shorebird numbers. After calling out a Clapper Rail and getting more time with the flocks of American Flamingoes on the key, we waited at the bridge connecting Guillermo to Coco as shorebirds flocked in to roost. The remainder of the afternoon and evening was spent here, sifting through numbers of migrant shore birds that included one real rarity – American Golden Plover. It was a life bird for our local guide!
Thus our Cuban adventure came to a close. We returned to Havana for one last hurrah in the capital. Lobster, Champagne, and a tour of the old town were our fine send off to a fine tour.
One of the most difficult aspects of being of Cuban is perhaps one of the greatest benefits to being a visitor to Cuba. That is, tourism is one of the only professions that allows direct access to foreign currency and exchange. It is a valued, and highly-respected profession to be a tour guide, bird guide, or tour bus driver. This was entirely evident in the amazing service and quality that visitors to Cuba receive. The local bird guides were some of the best any of us had enjoyed in the past, providing for the first of our main goals! The general tour guide that accompanied us throughout the tour was equally impressive, providing all sorts of fascinating information, visual aids, and explanations of what we, as visitors, did and did not see while in his country. He more than satisfied the second goal for our time in his country. From the history of discovery and colonization by the Spaniards, through Castro’s revolution, right down to the fall of Russia and the effects this had on Cuba, we all left knowing much more than when we arrived. We got to see and know a bit of Cuba from both the perspective of a birding tourist, and the perspective that some of the locals share.
GUINEAFOWL Numididae
Helmeted Guineafowl (I) Numida meleagris
Several obvious feral groups were noted
DUCKS, GEESE & SWANS Anatidae
Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis
GREBES Podicipedidae
Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus
Only one seen, Hacienda Cortina
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
FLAMINGOS Phoenicopteridae
American Flamingo Phoenicopterus ruber
100s of this breathtaking bird seen
STORKS Ciconiidae
Wood Stork Mycteria americana
Two small groups seen around Zapata
IBISES & SPOONBILLS Threskiornithidae
[American] White Ibis Eudocimus albus
Numerous in saline habitats
Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja
Several of these beauties seen
BITTERNS & HERONS Ardeidae
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Only one seen flying over the lake at km 8
Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nyctanassa violacea
Several seen on Cayo Guillermo
Green Heron Butorides virescens
Seen almost daily in small numbers
[Western] Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Many seen daily
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
Seen most days
[Western] Great Egret Ardea alba
Numerous and ubiquitous
Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens
Numerous at Salinas and the keys
Tricoloured Heron Egretta tricolor
Similar habitats to Reddish Egret
Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea
Widespread in small numbers
Snowy Egret Egretta thula
Seen almost daily in decent numbers
FRIGATEBIRDS Fregatidae
Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens
Regular around the keys
PELICANS Pelecanidae
American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
One group at Salinas
Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis
Widespread near the coast
CORMORANTS Phalacrocoracidae
Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus
Numerous, more common in freshwater
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
Widespread
ANHINGAS, DARTERS Anhingidae
Anhinga Anhinga anhinga
A few seen at swampy, freshwater, sites
NEW WORLD VULTURES Cathartidae
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
100s seen, widespread
OSPREYS Pandionidae
[Western] Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Seen almost daily in small number
KITES, HAWKS & EAGLES Accipitridae
Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis
Seen well at a various freshwater sites
Northern (Hen) Harrier Circus cyaneus
Several seen over farmed areas
Gundlach's Hawk (E) Accipiter gundlachi
AMAZING! Seen at nest site near Zapata
Cuban Black Hawk (E) Buteogallus gundlachii
Fairly numerousat Zapata and the keys
Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus
Two seen over highland sites
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
Seen almost daily in small numbers
CARACARAS, FALCONS Falconidae
[Northern] Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway (plancus)
Mostly along North Coast
American Kestrel Falco sparverius
Numerous and widespread
Merlin Falco columbarius
One seen chasing pigeons at Camaguey
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
One moving fast over Cueva de Portales
RAILS, CRAKES & COOTS Rallidae
Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris
Responsive and seen well, Cayo Guillermo
Sora (Rail) Porzana carolina
Heard at Zapata
Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinica
A few of this pretty bird seen at Zapata
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
Widespread
American Coot Fulica americana
Widespread
LIMPKIN Aramidae
Limpkin Aramus guarauna
1 seen flying over farmland, heard elsewhere
STILTS, AVOCETS Recurvirostridae
Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus
Common on the keys
PLOVERS Charadriidae
American Golden Plover Pluvialis dominica
A vagrant to Cuba(!), one at Cayo Guillermo
Grey (Black-bellied) Plover Pluvialis squatarola
Several seen at coastal sites
Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus
100s at Cayo Guillermo
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
Fairly widespread
SANDPIPERS, SNIPES Scolopacidae
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
Small groups at Salinas and Cayo Guillermo
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
Fairly numerous at Salinas and other sites
Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
Less numerous than previous species
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
A few at various freshwater sites
Willet Tringa semipalmata
Numerous at Salinas and the keys
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Numerous on Cayo Paredon Grande
Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla
100s on Cay Guillermo
Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla
A few at various sites
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Numerous on Cayo Guillermo
Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus
One group on Cayo Coco
GULLS, TERNS & SKIMMERS Laridae
Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla
Widespread, the default gull
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
A few seen along causeway to keys
[American] Herring Gull Larus smithsonianus (argentatus)
One at Cayo Guillermo and along causeway
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
A small group at Cayo Paredon Grande
Black Tern Childonis niger
Very rare in Cuba (!), two over lake at km 8
Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica
A few on the keys
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Numerous at Salinas and on the keys
Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus
Numerous, the default tern
Cabot's (Sandwich) Tern Thalasseus acuflavidus (sandvicensis)
One at Old Havana Harbor and on Cayo Coco
PIGEONS, DOVES Columbidae
Common (Rock) Pigeon (I) Columba livia
White-crowned Pigeon Patagioenas leucocephala
A few seen along various drives
Scaly-naped Pigeon (NE) Patagioenas squamosa
A few seen at various places
Plain Pigeon (NE) Patagioenas inornata
A few seen at La Belen
Eurasian Collared Dove (I) Streptopelia decaocto
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
Seen daily in good numbers over farmland
Zenaida Dove Zenaida aurita
Seen in small numbers in forested areas
White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
Seen most days in forested areas
Common Ground Dove Columbina passerina
Seen daily in small numbers
Grey-fronted (-headed) Quail-Dove (E) Geotrygon caniceps
One seen well at Bermejas
Key West Quail-Dove (NE) Geotrygon chrysia
Beautiful!!! One seen at 3m, Bermejas
Ruddy Quail-Dove Geotrygon montana
A surprise showing at Bermejas feeding!
Blue-headed Quail-Dove (E) Starnoenas cyanocephala
One stunning pair at 3m, Bermejas
PARROTS Psittacidae
Cuban Parakeet (E) Aratinga euops
A few groups seen at various places
Cuban Amazon (Parrot) (E) Amazona leucocephala
Several pairs seen at La Belen, a few Bermejas
CUCKOOS Cuculidae
Smooth-billed Ani Crotophaga ani
Widespread
Great Lizard Cuckoo (E) Saurothera merlini
Several seen in places with suitable habitat
OWLS Strigidae
Bare-legged (Cuban Screech) Owl (E) Gymnoglaux lawrencii
Two of these marvels on roost
Cuban Pygmy Owl (E) Glaucidium siju
A few seen in the Zapata area
Stygian Owl Asio stygius
Two handsome individuals on roost!
NIGHTJARS Caprimulgidae
Greater Antillean Nightjar (NE) Caprimulgus cubanensis
One called in to sit on the trail at Sopillar
SWIFTS Apodidae
Antillean Palm Swift (NE) Tachornis phoenicobia
Seen daily in good numbers
HUMMINGBIRDS Trochilidae
Cuban Emerald (E) Chlorostilbon ricordii
Seen daily in good numbers
Bee Hummingbird (E) Mellisuga helenae
Four of these little gems at Bermejas
TROGONS Trogonidae
Cuban Trogon (E) Priotelus temnurus
A few seen every day!
KINGFISHERS Alcedinidae
Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
Almost daily, in small numbers
TODIES Todidae
Cuban Tody (E) Todus multicolor
Confiding, spectacular, seen almost daily!!!
WOODPECKERS Picidae
West Indian Woodpecker (NE) Melanerpes superciliaris
Seen daily in decentl numbers
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
A few seen in the Zapata area
Cuban [Green] Woodpecker (E) Xiphidiopicus percussus
Several pairs seen in various places
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
Only one seen at La Guira
Fernandina's Flicker (E) Colaptes fernandinae
Seen at nest holes in Zapata area
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS Tyrannidae
Cuban Pewee (E) Contopus caribaeus
Seen daily in small number
Giant Kingbird (E) Tyrannus cubensis
Few pairs seen at La Belen
Loggerhead Kingbird (NE) Tyrannus caudifasciatus
Daily, in good numbers
La Sagra's Flycatcher (NE) Myiarchus sagrae
Daily, in decent numbers
VIREOS, GREENLETS Vireonidae
White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
One in the Zapata Area
Thick-billed Vireo (NE) Vireo crassirostris
Great views of several at Cayo Paredon Grande
Cuban Vireo (E) Vireo gundlachii
Seen most days in small number
Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
One in the Zapata Area
Black-whiskered Vireo Vireo altiloquus
Several singing on territory in habitat
CROWS, JAYS Corvidae
Cuban Palm Crow (E) Corvus minutus
A few seen near La Belen
Cuban Crow (E) Corvus nasicus
Numerous, vociferous, around La Belen
WAXWINGS Bombycillidae
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
A Loner in the Zapata Area
SWALLOWS, MARTINS Hirundinidae
Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
Fairly numerous and widespread
Cuban Martin (NE) Progne cryptoleuca
A few around Havana and the keys
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Two in the Zapata Area
Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva
Numerous near suitable habitat
WRENS Troglodytidae
Zapata Wren (E) Ferminia cerverai
One adult, one juvenile, amazing views!!
GNATCATCHERS Polioptilidae
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
One at Bermejas
Cuban Gnatcatcher (E) Polioptila lembeyei
Seen within 5m on the keys!
MOCKINGBIRDS, THRASHERS Mimidae
Grey Catbird Dumetella carolinensis
Heard often, seen a few times
Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
Numerous and widespread
Bahama Mockingbird (NE) Mimus gundlachii
One seen, singing, on Cayo Guillermo
THRUSHES Turdidae
Cuban Solitaire (E) Myadestes elisabeth
A few seen very well at Cueva Portales
Red-legged Thrush (NE) Turdus plumbeus
Seen most days in decent numbers
OLD WORLD SPARROWS Passeridae
House Sparrow (I) Passer domesticus
NEW WORLD WARBLERS Parulidae
Northern Parula Parula americana
Fairly common and widespread
Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia
A few on the keys
Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia
A few in flocks, Zapata Area
Cape May Warbler Dendroica tigrina
A few in flocks, Zapata Area
Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens
Seen almost daily in small numbers
Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens
Individual at various places
Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica
Small numbers seen daily
Prairie Warbler Dendroica discolor
Several in the Zapata Area and on the keys
Olive-capped Warbler (NE) Dendroica pityophila
A few in the pines at La Guira
Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum
Numerous and Widespread
Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
Widespread in small numbers
American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
Numerous and widespread
Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum
One seen at Zapata
Swainson's Warbler Limnothlypis swainsonii
One seen well (!) at Zapata
Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla
Two seen well, one at Bermejas feeding
Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis
Two seen on the tour
Louisiana Waterthrush Seiurus motacilla
Several seen at various places
Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
Widespread in small numbers
Yellow-headed Warbler (E) Teretistris fernandinae
Widespread in decent numbers in the West
Oriente Warbler (E) Teretistris fornsi
Gregarious and beautiful, seen on the keys
OROPENDOLAS, ORIOLES & BLACKBIRDS Icteridae
Cuban (Greater Antillean) Oriole (E) Icterus melanopsis (dominicensis)
Now considered a separate species
Shiny Cowbird Molothrus bonariensis
In populous areas, and farms
Cuban Blackbird (E) Dives atroviolaceus
Numerous, seen almost daily
Red-shouldered Blackbird (E) Agelaius assimilis
Several seen in the Zapata Area
Tawny-shouldered Blackbird (NE) Agelaius humeralis
Seen in good numbers most days
Greater Antillean Grackle (NE) Quiscalus niger
Widespread and numerous
Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna
Several seen in farming areas
BUNTINGS, NEW WORLD SPARROWS & ALLIES Emberizidae
Zapata Sparrow (E) Torreornis inexpectata
Two very responsive pairs on Cayo Coco!!!
TANAGERS & ALLIES Thraupidae
Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus
Several seen in the West
Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
One in the Zapata area, another La Belen
Cuban Bullfinch (NE) Melopyrrha nigra
Most numerous on the keys
Cuban Grassquit (E) Tiaris canorus
One pair seen wonderfully near Soroa
Yellow-faced Grassquit Tiaris olivaceus
Fairly numerous throughout
Western Spindalis (NE) Spindalis zena
Seen most days in small numbers, gorgeous!
GROSBEAKS, SALTATORS & ALLIES Cardinalidae
Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
A small group at La Belen
REPTILES and AMPHIBIANS
Cuban Iguana Cycluta nubila
Knight Anole Anolis equestris
Cuban Brown Anole Anolis saguei
Cuban White-fanned Anole Anolis homolechis
Cuban Wood Snake Tropidophis melanurus
Cuban Slider Trachemys decussata