List of endemic birds of the West Indies
This article is one of a series providing information about endemism among birds in the world's various zoogeographic zones. For an overview of this subject see Endemism in birds.
Patterns of endemism
[edit]This region is notable not just for the high number of endemic species, but for endemism in higher-level taxonomic groupings too. This article is one of a series providing information about endemism among birds in the world's various zoogeographic zones. For an overview of this subject see Endemism in birds.
Family-level endemism
[edit]The following families are endemic to the region:
- Palmchat, a passerine family (Dulidae), containing a single species found only on Hispaniola.
- the todies, a family (Todidae) with five species, found only on the Greater Antilles.
- the Cuban warblers, a passerine family (Teretistridae), containing two species on Cuba
- the Hispaniolan tanagers, Phaenicophilidae, a passerine family, containing 4 species in 3 genera on Hispaniola
- the Puerto Rican tanager, a passerine family (Nesospingidae), containing a single species found only on Puerto Rico
- the chat-tanagers (Calyptophilidae) a passerine family, containing 2 species found only on Hispaniola
- the spindalises, a passerine family (Spindalidae), with 4 species found only on the Greater Antilles and nearby islands
Genus-level endemism
[edit]In addition to genera in the families above, the following genera are endemic to the region:
- Riccordia, with six species, the blue-headed hummingbird, Puerto Rican emerald, Cuban emerald, Hispaniolan emerald, and the extinct Brace's emerald & Gould's emerald
- Margarops, with one species, the pearly-eyed thrasher
- Priotelus, with two species, the Cuban trogon and Hispaniolan trogon
- Melopyrrha, with four species, the Puerto Rican bullfinch, Cuban bullfinch, Greater Antillean bullfinch, and the extinct St. Kitts bullfinch
Six genera found only on Hispaniola:
- Nesoctites, with one species, the Antillean piculet (also monotypic within the subfamily)
- Dulus, with only one species, the palmchat (also monotypic within the family)
- Phaenicophilus, with two species, the black-crowned tanager and grey-crowned tanager
- Xenoligea, with one species, the white-winged warbler
- Microligea, with one species, the green-tailed warbler
- Calyptophilus, with two species, the western chat-tanager and eastern chat-tanager
Five genera found only on Jamaica:
- Trochilus, with two species, red-billed and black-billed streamertails
- Loxipasser, with one species, the yellow-shouldered grassquit
- Euneornis, with one species, the orangequit
- Nesopsar, with one species, the Jamaican blackbird
Six genera found only on Cuba:
- Ferminia, a genus with only one species, the Zapata wren
- Cyanolimnas, with one species, the Zapata rail
- Margarobyas, with one species, the bare-legged owl
- Starnoenas, with one species, the blue-headed quail-dove (depending on classification, the genus may also be monotypic to the subfamily level)
- Torreornis, with one species, the Zapata sparrow
- Xiphidiopicus, with one species, the Cuban green woodpecker
One genus found only on Puerto Rico:
- Gymnasio, with one species, the Puerto Rican owl (formerly also found in the Virgin Islands, but now likely extirpated there)
One genus found only on the Bahamas:
- Nesophlox, with two species, the Bahama woodstar and Inagua woodstar
The following genera are confined to the Lesser Antilles:
- Ramphocinclus, with a single species, the white-breasted thrasher
- Cinclocerthia, with two species, the gray trembler and the brown trembler
- Allenia, with one species, the scaly-breasted thrasher
- Loxigilla, with two species, the Lesser Antillean bullfinch and the Barbados bullfinch
In addition in the following genera, a high proportions of the member species are endemic to the west Indies:
![]() |
Endemic Bird Areas
[edit]Birdlife International has defined a number of Endemic Bird Areas in the West Indies.
025 | Cuba |
026 | Bahamas |
027 | Jamaika |
028 | Hispaniola |
029 | Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands |
030 | Lesser Antilles |
They have also defined the following secondary areas:
![]() |
List of species
[edit]Species endemic to Cuba
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Bee_hummingbird_%28Mellisuga_helenae%29_immature_male.jpg/175px-Bee_hummingbird_%28Mellisuga_helenae%29_immature_male.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5d/Oriente_warbler_%28Teretistris_fornsi%29_-_cropped.jpg/175px-Oriente_warbler_%28Teretistris_fornsi%29_-_cropped.jpg)
Common name | Binomial | Family | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cuban kite | Chondrohierax wilsonii | Accipitridae | ![]() |
Sometimes considered a subspecies of hook-billed kite. |
Gundlach's hawk | Accipiter gundlachi | Accipitridae | ![]() |
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Cuban black hawk | Buteogallus gundlachii | Accipitridae | ![]() |
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Zapata rail | Cyanolimnas cerverai | Rallidae | ![]() |
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Grey-fronted quail-dove | Geotrygon caniceps | Columbidae | ![]() |
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Blue-headed quail-dove | Starnoenas cyanocephala | Columbidae | ![]() |
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Cuban parakeet | Psittacara euops | Psittacidae | ![]() |
Extirpated from Isla de la Juventud |
Bare-legged owl | Margarobyas lawrencii | Strigidae | ![]() |
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Cuban pygmy owl | Glaucidium siju | Strigidae | ![]() |
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Cuban nightjar | Antrostomus cubanensis | Caprimulgidae | ![]() |
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Bee hummingbird | Mellisuga helenae | Trochilidae | ![]() |
World's smallest bird. |
Cuban trogon | Priotelus temnurus | Trogonidae | ![]() |
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Cuban tody | Todus multicolor | Todidae | ![]() |
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Cuban green woodpecker | Xiphidiopicus percussus | Picidae | ![]() |
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Fernandina's flicker | Colaptes fernandinae | Picidae | ![]() |
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Giant kingbird | Tyrannus cubensis | Tyrannidae | ![]() |
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Cuban martin | Progne cryptoleuca | Hirundinidae | ![]() |
Probably winters somewhere in South America, though this is not confirmed.[1] |
Cuban crow | Corvus nasicus | Corvidae | ![]() |
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Zapata wren | Ferminia cerverai | Troglodytidae | ![]() |
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Cuban gnatcatcher | Polioptila lembeyei | Polioptilidae | ![]() |
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Cuban solitaire | Myadestes elisabeth | Turdidae | ![]() |
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Cuban vireo | Vireo gundlachii | Vireonidae | ![]() |
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Yellow-headed warbler | Teretistris fernandinae | Parulidae | ![]() |
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Oriente warbler | Teretistris fornsi | Parulidae | ![]() |
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Cuban grassquit | Tiaris canorus | Thraupidae | ![]() |
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Zapata sparrow | Torreornis inexpectata | Passerellidae | ![]() |
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Red-shouldered blackbird | Agelaius assimilis | Icteridae | ![]() |
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Cuban blackbird | Dives atroviolaceus | Icteridae | ![]() |
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Cuban oriole | Icterus melanopsis | Icteridae | ![]() |
Species endemic to Hispaniola
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/DRbirds_Hispaniolan-Lizard_Cuckoo_2c.jpg/175px-DRbirds_Hispaniolan-Lizard_Cuckoo_2c.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Black-crowned_Palm_Warbler.jpg/175px-Black-crowned_Palm_Warbler.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Adult_Hispaniolan_Golden_Swallow_perched_on_artificial_nest-box.jpg/175px-Adult_Hispaniolan_Golden_Swallow_perched_on_artificial_nest-box.jpg)
Species endemic to Jamaica
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Amazona_agilis_-Cockpit_Country%2C_Jamaica-8_%281%29.jpg/175px-Amazona_agilis_-Cockpit_Country%2C_Jamaica-8_%281%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Trochilus_scitulus.jpg/175px-Trochilus_scitulus.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Orangequit_male_RWD4.jpg/175px-Orangequit_male_RWD4.jpg)
Common name | Binomial | Family | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ring-tailed pigeon | Patagioenas caribaea | Columbidae | ![]() |
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Crested quail-dove | Geotrygon versicolor | Columbidae | ![]() |
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Yellow-billed amazon | Amazona collaria | Psittacidae | ![]() |
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Black-billed amazon | Amazona agilis | Psittacidae | ![]() |
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Jamaican lizard cuckoo | Coccyzus vetula | Cuculidae | ![]() |
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Chestnut-bellied cuckoo | Coccyzus pluvialis | Cuculidae | ![]() |
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Jamaican owl | Asio grammicus | Strigidae | ![]() |
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Jamaican poorwill | Siphonorhis americana | Caprimulgidae | ![]() Possibly extinct |
Possibly extinct, hasn't been definitively seen since 1860.[2] |
Jamaican mango | Anthracothorax mango | Trochilidae | ![]() |
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Black-billed streamertail | Trochilus scitulus | Trochilidae | ![]() |
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Red-billed streamertail | Trochilus polytmus | Trochilidae | ![]() |
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Jamaican tody | Todus todus | Todidae | ![]() |
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Jamaican woodpecker | Melanerpes radiolatus | Picidae | ![]() |
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Jamaican elaenia | Myiopagis cotta | Tyrannidae | ![]() |
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Jamaican pewee | Contopus pallidus | Tyrannidae | ![]() |
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Sad flycatcher | Myiarchus barbirostris | Tyrannidae | ![]() |
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Rufous-tailed flycatcher | Myiarchus validus | Tyrannidae | ![]() |
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Jamaican becard | Pachyramphus niger | Tyrannidae | ![]() |
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Jamaican crow | Corvus jamaicensis | Corvidae | ![]() |
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White-eyed thrush | Turdus jamaicensis | Turdidae | ![]() |
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White-chinned thrush | Turdus aurantius | Turdidae | ![]() |
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Jamaican vireo | Vireo modestus | Vireonidae | ![]() |
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Blue Mountain vireo | Vireo osburni | Vireonidae | ![]() |
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Arrow-headed warbler | Setophaga pharetra | Parulidae | ![]() |
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Jamaican euphonia | Euphonia jamaica | Fringillidae | ![]() |
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Yellow-shouldered grassquit | Loxipasser anoxanthus | Fringillidae | ![]() |
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Jamaican spindalis | Spindalis nigricephala | Spindalidae | ![]() |
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Orangequit | Euneornis campestris | Thraupidae | ![]() |
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Jamaican blackbird | Nesopsar nigerrimus | Icteridae | ![]() |
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Jamaican oriole | Icterus leucopteryx | Icteridae | ![]() |
Formerly found on Grand Cayman, currently extant on San Andrés. |
Jamaican petrel | Pterodroma caribbaea | Procellariidae | ![]() Possibly extinct |
Possibly extinct; formerly would have bred on Dominica and Guadeloupe. Last specimen collected in 1879. Surveys have been conducted, though nocturnal petrels are renowned for how hard they are to study. |
Species endemic to Puerto Rico
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Puerto_Rican_parrot.jpg/175px-Puerto_Rican_parrot.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Antrostomus_noctitherus_-Puerto_Rico-8.jpg/175px-Antrostomus_noctitherus_-Puerto_Rico-8.jpg)
Common name | Binomial | Family | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Puerto Rican amazon | Amazona vittata | Psittacidae | ![]() |
Currently being reintroduced to parts of the island. |
Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo | Coccyzus vieilloti | Cuculidae | ![]() |
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Puerto Rican owl | Gymnasio nudipes | Strigidae | ![]() |
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Puerto Rican nightjar | Antrostomus noctitherus | Caprimulgidae | ![]() |
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Green mango | Anthracothorax viridis | Trochilidae | ![]() |
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Puerto Rican emerald | Riccordia maugaeus | Trochilidae | ![]() |
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Puerto Rican tody | Todus mexicanus | Todidae | ![]() |
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Puerto Rican woodpecker | Melanerpes portoricensis | Picidae | ![]() |
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Puerto Rican flycatcher | Myiarchus antillarum | Tyrannidae | ![]() |
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Puerto Rican vireo | Vireo latimeri | Vireonidae | ![]() |
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Adelaide's warbler | Setophaga adelaidae | Parulidae | ![]() |
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Elfin woods warbler | Setophaga angelae | Parulidae | ![]() |
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Puerto Rican spindalis | Spindalis portoricensis | Spindalidae | ![]() |
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Puerto Rican tanager | Nesospingus speculiferus | Nesospingidae | ![]() |
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Puerto Rican bullfinch | Melopyrrha portoricensis | Thraupidae | ![]() |
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Yellow-shouldered blackbird | Agelaius xanthomus | Icteridae | ![]() |
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Puerto Rican oriole | Icterus portoricensis | Icteridae | ![]() |
Other insular endemics of the West Indies
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Bahama_Oriole.jpg/175px-Bahama_Oriole.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Bahama_Yellowthroat_%28Geothlypis_rostrata%29_held_in_hand%2C_side_view.jpg/175px-Bahama_Yellowthroat_%28Geothlypis_rostrata%29_held_in_hand%2C_side_view.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/LeucopezaSemperiSmit.jpg/175px-LeucopezaSemperiSmit.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Amazona_guildingii_-Botanical_Gardens_-Kingstown_-Saint_Vincent-8a-4c.jpg/175px-Amazona_guildingii_-Botanical_Gardens_-Kingstown_-Saint_Vincent-8a-4c.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Icterus_oberi.jpg/175px-Icterus_oberi.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Barbuda_Warbler.jpg/175px-Barbuda_Warbler.jpg)
Common name | Binomial | Family | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Species endemic to the Bahamas | ||||
Bahama woodstar | Nesophlox evelynae | Trochilidae | ![]() |
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Inagua woodstar | Nesophlox lyrura | Trochilidae | ![]() |
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Bahama swallow | Tachycineta cyaneoviridis | Hirundinidae | ![]() |
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Bahama nuthatch | Sitta insularis | Sittidae | ![]() |
Possibly extinct following Hurricane Dorian |
Bahama oriole | Icterus northropi | Icteridae | ![]() |
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Bahama yellowthroat | Geothlypis rostrata | Parulidae | ![]() |
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Bahama warbler | Setophaga flavescens | Parulidae | ![]() |
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Species endemic to Grenada | ||||
Grenada dove | Leptotila wellsi | Columbidae | ![]() |
National bird of Grenada. |
Species endemic to Dominica | ||||
Imperial parrot | Amazona imperialis | Psittacidae | ![]() |
National bird of Dominica. |
Red-necked amazon | Amazona arausiaca | Psittacidae | ![]() |
|
Species endemic to St. Lucia | ||||
St. Lucia amazon | Amazona versicolor | Psittacidae | ![]() |
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St. Lucia oriole | Icterus laudabilis | Icteridae | ![]() |
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Semper's warbler | Leucopaza semperi | Parulidae | ![]() |
After not being reliably reported since 1961, some have speculated that Semper's warbler is already extinct. |
St. Lucia warbler | Setophaga delicata | Parulidae | ![]() |
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St. Lucia black finch | Melanospiza richardsoni | Fringillidae | ![]() |
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Species endemic to St. Vincent | ||||
St. Vincent amazon | Amazona guildingii | Psittacidae | ![]() |
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Whistling warbler | Catharopeza bishopi | Parulidae | ![]() |
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Species endemic to Guadeloupe | ||||
Guadeloupe woodpecker | Melanerpes herminieri | Picidae | ![]() |
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Species endemic to Barbuda | ||||
Barbuda warbler | Setophaga subita | Parulidae | ![]() | |
Species endemic to Barbados | ||||
Barbados bullfinch | Loxigilla barbadensis | Thraupidae | ![]() |
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Species endemic to Montserrat | ||||
Montserrat oriole | Icterus oberi | Icteridae | ![]() |
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Species endemic to Martinique | ||||
Martinique oriole | Icterus bonana | Icteridae | ![]() |
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Species endemic to San Andrés | ||||
San Andres vireo | Vireo caribaeus | Vireonidae | ![]() | |
Species endemic to Trinidad | ||||
Trinidad motmot | Momotus bahamensis | Momotidae | ![]() |
|
Trinidad piping guan | Pipile pipile | Cracidae | ![]() |
Other species endemic to the Greater Antilles
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Vervain_Hummingbird.jpg/175px-Vervain_Hummingbird.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Agelaius_humeralis%2C_Holguin%2C_Cuba.jpg/175px-Agelaius_humeralis%2C_Holguin%2C_Cuba.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Mimus_gundlachii_-Ciego_de_Avila_Province%2C_Cuba-8_%282%29.jpg/175px-Mimus_gundlachii_-Ciego_de_Avila_Province%2C_Cuba-8_%282%29.jpg)
Other species endemic to the Lesser Antilles
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Purple-throated_carib_hummingbird.jpg/175px-Purple-throated_carib_hummingbird.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Blue-headed_hummingbird.jpg/175px-Blue-headed_hummingbird.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Allenia_fusca_in_Coulibistrie-a05.jpg/175px-Allenia_fusca_in_Coulibistrie-a05.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Cinclocerthia_ruficauda_-_Dominica_2001_-_a.jpg/175px-Cinclocerthia_ruficauda_-_Dominica_2001_-_a.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Lesser_Antillean_saltator.jpg/175px-Lesser_Antillean_saltator.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Lesser_Antillean_Bullfinch_RWD5.jpg/175px-Lesser_Antillean_Bullfinch_RWD5.jpg)
Other species endemic to the West Indies
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Tyrannus_caudifasciatus_-Camaguey_Province%2C_Cuba-8_%282%29.jpg/175px-Tyrannus_caudifasciatus_-Camaguey_Province%2C_Cuba-8_%282%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Greater_Antillean_Grackle_%28Quiscalus_niger%29_RWD.jpg/175px-Greater_Antillean_Grackle_%28Quiscalus_niger%29_RWD.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Scaly-naped_Pigeon_RWD.jpg/175px-Scaly-naped_Pigeon_RWD.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Green_throated_carib_shs.jpg/175px-Green_throated_carib_shs.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Antillean_crested_hummingbird.jpg/175px-Antillean_crested_hummingbird.jpg)
Extinct birds
[edit]Common name | Binomial | Family | Distribution | Last Sighting | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antillean cave rail | Nesotrochis debooyi | Rallidae | Occurred on Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. | Only known from subfossil fragments. | An account from Alexander Wetmore from 1912 may refer to this bird. |
Cuban macaw | Ara tricolor | Psittacidae | Occurred on Cuba. | 1864, though may have lasted until the 1880s. | |
Guadeloupe parakeet | Psittacara labati | Psittacidae | Occurred on Guadeloupe. | Presumed to have disappeared in the late 1700s. | Since no physical evidence has been discovered, the existence of this species has been brought into question. |
Martinique amazon | Amazona martinicana | Psittacidae | Occurred on Martinique. | 1722 | Since no physical evidence has been discovered, the existence of this species has been brought into question. |
Guadeloupe amazon | Amazona violacea | Psittacidae | Occurred on Guadeloupe. | 1779 | Since no physical evidence has been discovered, the existence of this species has been brought into question. |
Puerto Rican barn owl | Tyto cavatica | Tytonidae | Occurred in Puerto Rico | Prehistoric. | May have existed until 1912. |
Andros Island barn owl | Tyto pollens | Tytonidae | Occurred in the Bahamas. | May have existed into the 16th century. | |
Cuban pauraque | Siphonorhis daiquiri | Caprimulgidae | Occurred in Cuba. | Prehistoric. | May still survive based on the fact that nightjars are notoriously hard to study. |
Brace's emerald | Riccordia bracei | Trochilidae | Occurred in the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence. | Only known from a specimen collected in 1879. | |
Gould's emerald | Riccordia elegans | Trochilidae | Most likely Jamaica or the Bahamas. | Only known from the type specimen, taken in 1860. | |
St. Kitts bullfinch | Melopyrrha grandis | Thraupidae | Occurred on Saint Kitts. | Last reliably seen in 1929. | May still survive; potential sightings have been made since the 1990s. |
Grand Cayman thrush | Turdus ravidus | Turdidae | Occurred on Grand Cayman | Last reliably seen in 1938. |
Near-endemics
[edit]The following is a list of species endemic to the region as breeding species:
![]() |
The following is a list of species endemic to the region as non-breeding species:
![]() |
The following restricted-range species are also found in the region:
![]() |
The following seabirds are restricted to the region as breeders:
![]() |
References
[edit]- ^ "Cuban Martin". Cornell Lab of Ornithology Neotropical Birda. Cornell University. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
- ^ "Jamaican Pauraque". Cornell Lab of Ornithology Neotropical Birds. Cornell University. Retrieved 23 March 2019.