The Birds of Puerto Rico

When Christopher Columbus first set eyes on Puerto Rico back in November 1493, during his second voyage to the New World, he would have seen a tropical paradise looming out of the clear blue Atlantic Ocean – a mountainous, forested island inhabited by the indigenous Taíno people. Nowadays, Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States and, while largely overlooked by the European holiday market and by birders, it is a tempting winter destination, offering 17 endemic birds and numerous Greater Antillean and Caribbean specialities, as well as a pleasing variety of North American breeding species that winter on the island. Additional appeal lies in the island's good infrastructure, short travel distances and a welcome dose of winter sunshine!

We will begin this new holiday by exploring the northern karst belt of Puerto Rico, of which a striking feature are the giant, haystack-like mounds of eroded limestone. Here we should encounter our first endemic birds, including the suitably if unimaginatively named Puerto Rican Vireo, Puerto Rican Tody, Puerto Rican Woodpecker, Puerto Rican Flycatcher, Puerto Rican Lizard-cuckoo, Puerto Rican Spindalis, Puerto Rican Bullfinch, Puerto Rican Oriole and Puerto Rican Emerald! The rugged Rio Abajo State Forest, just to the south, is the site of the most successful reintroduction of the critically endangered Puerto Rican Parrot. The sight of wild parrots wheeling through the forest (we will need a slice of luck to see them!), and the sound of their squawking, is used effectively here to stimulate captive birds to breed. Nearby, feeders attract the island’s two endemic hummingbirds, Puerto Rican Emerald and Green Mango, in addition to Antillean Mango. Next we will drive to Maricao State Forest to look for the endangered Elfin Woods Warbler, which was only discovered in 1968, before heading onward to the dry forests of the far south-west in search of Puerto Rican Nightjar and Yellow-shouldered Blackbird. From a charming hotel amongst the mangroves in La Parguera we will be able to enjoy Bioluminescent Bay, where water luminescence at night is caused by dinoflagellates, oceanic plankton which generate an emerald green and ultramarine illumination when water is physically agitated by, for example, an oar or swimmer. It is quite a sight! Our journey continues on to Fajardo in the north-west of Puerto Rico, where we will look for Antillean Crested Hummingbird and Green-throated Carib, and enjoy some exceptional snorkelling over pristine reefs (with a dive possible for any PADI-certified guests). We will conclude our winter break in the sun with a visit to El Yunque National Forest (the only tropical rainforest in the US national forest system) and a final night in Old San Juan, the best-preserved of all the Spanish colonial cities.