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List of Birds of Trinidad and Tobago
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Family: Anhingidae - Anhingas or Darters
Anhingas have very long, slender necks, small heads and long pointed bills. The tail is long and shaped like a narrow fan in flight. |
Scientific Name |
Local Name |
Trinidad |
Tobago |
Anhinga anhinga |
Anhinga, American darter, snake bird |
X |
X |
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Family: Fregatidae - Frigatebirds
Large seabirds with narrow, pointed wings. Frigatebirds are usually seen gliding high above the sea, their wings forming a conspicuous shallow W pattern in silhouette. The long tail is occasionally divided into a deep fork. The bill is long and powerfully hooked. |
Scientific Name |
Local Name |
Trinidad |
Tobago |
Fregata magnificens |
Magnificent Frigatebird, Man-o-War |
X |
X |
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Family: Pelecanidae- Pelicans
Large seabirds with long, hooked bills and enormous gular pouches. |
Scientific Name |
Local Name |
Trinidad |
Tobago |
Pelecanus occidentalis |
Brown Pelican |
X |
X |
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Family: Phaethontidae - Tropicbirds
Seabirds resembling enormous terns with heavy bills and very long central tail feathers. They usually fly high above the sea with strong, rapid wing beats and dive, tern-like for fish. |
Scientific Name |
Local Name |
Trinidad |
Tobago |
Phaethon aethereus |
Boatswain Bird, Booby |
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X |
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Family: Phalacrocoracidae- Cormorants
Large black water birds with long necks and hooked bills |
Scientific Name |
Local Name |
Trinidad |
Tobago |
Phalacrocorax brasiliensis |
Neotropic Cormorant, Olivaceous Cormorant, Brazilian Cormorant, Muscovy |
X |
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Family: Sulidae - Boobies
Large seabirds with cigar shaped bodies, long, pointed wings and stout, sharp bills. |
Scientific Name |
Local Name |
Trinidad |
Tobago |
| Sula leucogaster |
Brown Booby |
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X |
Sula sula |
Red footed Booby |
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X |
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Family: Galbulidae - Jacamars
These are slender, medium-sized birds with brilliant, iridescent plumage and long, thin bills. They resemble enormous hummingbirds. They are usually found in forest clearings or amidst second growth. |
Scientific Name |
Local Name |
Trinidad |
Tobago |
Galbula ruficauda |
Rufous-tailed Jacamar |
X |
X |
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Family: Picidae - Woodpeckers
Woodpeckers live, feed and breed typically in trees, where they climb on the trunks or larger branches, usually in a vertical attitude, supported by their stiff tail-feathers. Nests are made in tree-holes, and both sexes care for the eggs and young, the male alone incubating at night. |
Scientific Name |
Local Name |
Trinidad |
Tobago |
Celeus elegans |
Chestnut Woodpecker |
X |
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Dryocopus lineatus |
Lineated Woodpecker |
X |
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Melanerpes rubricapillus |
Red-crowned Woodpecker |
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X |
Phloeoceastes melanoleucos |
Crimson-crested Woodpecker |
X |
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Piculus rubiginosus |
Golden-olive Woodpecker |
X |
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Veniliornis kirkii |
Red-rumped Woodpecker |
X |
X |
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Family: Ramphastidae - Toucans
This family is unmistakable with their enormous, disproportionate bills. Usually feeds in the canopy on fruits and nests in tree-holes. It has a loud, high-pitched call. The toucan in flight swoops and glides swiftly from tree to tree. |
Scientific Name |
Local Name |
Trinidad |
Tobago |
Ramphastos vitellinus |
Channel-billed Toucan |
X |
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Family: Podicipedidae - Grebes
Small water-birds, inhabiting mainly freshwater areas. Superficially resembling ducks, they have lobed toes and more sharply pointed bills. Two species occur in Trinidad and Tobago.. |
Scientific Name |
Local Name |
Trinidad |
Tobago |
| Podilymbus podiceps |
Pied-billed Grebe, Diver |
X |
X |
Tachybaptus dominicus |
Least Grebe, Short-billed Grebe, Diver |
X |
X |
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