Birds: Ciconiiformes - Galliformes


Family: Ardeidae - Herons
Large wading birds with long legs, neck and bill. In flight herons hunch the head back between the shoulders, and the legs show well beyond the tail.
Scientific Name
Local Name
Trinidad
Tobago
Agamia agami Chestnut-bellied Heron
X
Ardea cocoi White-necked Heron
X
X
Ardea herodias
Great Blue Heron
X
X
Botaurus pinnatus Pinnated Bittern
X
Bubulcus ibis Cattle Egret
X
X
Butorides striatus Green-backed Heron, Chuck, Green Heron
X
X
Casmerodius albus
Great Egret, Large White Egret
X
X
Egretta caerulea Little Blue Heron
X
X
Egretta garzetta
Little Egret
X
X
Egretta thula
Snowy Egret
X
X
Egretta tricolor
Tricoloured Heron, Red-necked Heron
X
Nyctanassa violacea Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
X
X
Nycticorax nycticorax
Black-crowned Night Heron
X
X
Tigrisoma lineatum
Rufescent Tiger Heron, Tiger Bittern
X
Ixobrychus exilis Least Bittern
X
Ixobrychus involucris
Stripe-backed Bittern, Small Chuck
X

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Family: Cochleariidae - Boat billed Herons
The one species in this family has an enormously wide, flat bill, used as a scoop.
Scientific Name
Local Name
Trinidad
Tobago
Cochlearius cochlearius
Boat billed Heron
X

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Family: Threskiornithidae - Ibises and Spoonbills
Birds of this family are distinguished by their long, slender, decurved bills. They fly with outstretched necks and are often found in large flocks.
Scientific Name
Local Name
Trinidad
Tobago
Ajaia ajaja Roseate Spoonbill
X
X
Eudocimus ruber
Scarlet Ibis
X
Plegadis falcinellus
Glossy Ibis, Black Ibis
X
X

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Family: Columbidae - Pigeons and Doves
Characterized by their plump bodies and small heads, short and thick bills and soft plumage. Family is generally brown in colour and glossed with metallic hues. Found in forests, swamps and open country and they feed mostly on fruit and seeds. Some are terrestrial.
Scientific Name
Local Name
Trinidad
Tobago
Claravis pretiosa
Blue Ground-Dove
X
Columba fasciata
Band-tailed Pigeon
X
Columba cayennensis
Pale-vented Pigeon
X
Columba speciosa
Scaled Pigeon, Scaly-necked Pigeon
X
Columbina minuta
Grey Ground-Dove
X
Columbina passerina
Common Ground-Dove
X
Columbina talpacoti
Rufous-winged Dove
X
X
Geotrygon linearis
Lined Quail-Dove
X
X
Geotrygon montana
Ruddy Quail-Dove
X
Leptotila rufaxilla
Gray-fronted Dove
X
Leptotila verreauxi
White-tipped Dove
X
X
Zenaida auriculata
Eared Dove
X
X

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Family: Alcedinidae - Kingfishers
These birds have short necks and legs and short rounded wings, large heads and massive, sharp-pointed bills. They are usually seen perched upright on a branch overhanging water, from which it plunges headlong after a fish, or flying rapidly and directly up a river or stream.
Scientific Name
Local Name
Trinidad
Tobago
Ceryle alcyon
Belted Kingfisher
X
X
Ceryle torquata
Ringed Kingfisher
X
Chloroceryle americana
Little Green Kingfisher
X
Chloroceryle amazona
Amazon Kingfisher
X
Chloroceryle aenea
Pygmy Kingfisher
X

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Family: Momotidae - Motmots
Members of this family are fairly large, strikingly coloured birds with strong bills and long graduated tails. They are found in deep forest perched amidst the taller undergrowth.
Scientific Name
Local Name
Trinidad
Tobago
Momotus momota
Blue-crowned Motmot
X
X

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Family: Cuculidae - Cuckoos
Large birds, with stout, slightly decurved bills and long tails. Most are reddish brown and white. They are found mostly in trees, where they feed largely on insects and lizards. Several species frequent mangrove swamps, but others are more widely distributed.
Scientific Name
Local Name
Trinidad
Tobago
Coccyzus americanus
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
X
X
Coccyzus erythrophthalmus
Black-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus melacoryphus
Dark-billed Cuckoo
X
Coccyzus minor
Mangrove Cuckoo
X
X
Piaya cayana
Squirrel Cuckoo
X
Piaya minuta
Little Cuckoo
X
Crotophaga ani
Smooth-billed Ani
X
X
Crotophaga major
Greater Ani
X
Tapera naeiva
Striped Cuckoo
X

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Family: Accipitridae - Kites, Hawks and Eagles
Birds of prey, ranging in size from the Kiskadee-sized Pearl Kite to the very large eagles. Most kites can be distinguished from hawks and eagles by their smaller, lighter build, more pointed wings and longer tails. Hawks and eagles have broad wings and broad, rounded tails. Eagles are considerably larger than kites and hawks with proportionately longer wings and tails fairly long. The current check-list is most likely incomplete.
Scientific Name
Local Name
Trinidad
Tobago
Busarellus nigricollis Black-collared Hawk
X
Buteo albicaudatus White-tailed Hawk
X
Buteo albonotatus
Zone-tailed Hawk
X
Buteo brachyurus Short-tailed Hawk
X
X
Buteo nitidus
Gray Hawk
X
X
Buteo platypterus Broad-winged Hawk, Chicken Hawk
X
X
Buteogallus aequinoctialis Rufous Crab-Hawk
X
Buteogallus anthracinus Common Black Hawk
X
Buteogallus urubitinga
Great Black Hawk
X
X
Chondrohierax uncinatus Hook-billed Kite
X
Circus buffoni Long-winged Harrier
X
Elanoides forficatus
Swallow-tailed Kite
X
X
Elanus leucrus
White-tailed Kite
X
Gampsonyx swainsoni
Pearl Kite
X
Harpagus bidentatus Double-toothed Kite
X
Heterospizias meridionalis Savanna Hawk
X
Ictinia plumbea Plumbeous Kite
X
Leptodon cayanensis Grey-headed Kite
X
Leucopternis albicollis White Hawk
X
Rostrhamus sociabilis
Snail Kite
X
Spizaetus ornatus
Ornate Hawk-Eagle
X
Spizaetus tyrannus
Black Hawk-Eagle
X

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Family: Cathartidae -American Vultures
Large birds with relatively small, nearly naked heads. Feed largely on carrion and often congregate at garbage dumps and other places where waste is available.
Scientific Name
Local Name
Trinidad
Tobago
Cathartes aura Turkey vulture, Red-head Corbeau, King Corbeau
X
Coragyps atratus Black vulture, Corbeau
X
Sarcoramphus papa
King vulture
X

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Family: Falconidae - Caracaras and Falcons
Birds of prey distinguishable by their long pointed wings and fairly long, comparatively slim tails.
Scientific Name
Local Name
Trinidad
Tobago
Caracara plancus Crested Caracara
X
Falco columbarius Merlin, Pigeon Hawk
X
X
Falco deiroleucus
Orange-breasted Falcon
X
Falco femoralis
Aplomado Falcon
X
Falco peregrinus
Peregrine Falcon
X
Falco rufigularis Bat Falcon, White-throated Falcon
X
Falco sparverius
American Kestrel
X
X
Milvago chimachima Yellow-headed Caracara
X
X

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Family: Pandionidae - Osprey
The only species in the family, is distinguished from other birds of prey by its dependence on water, where it dives feet first for fish.
Scientific Name
Local Name
Trinidad
Tobago
Pandion haliaetus
X
X

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Family: Cracidae - Guans and Chachalacas
Large turkey like birds inhabiting forest and thick scrub. Their flight is heavy and awkward, and they are most often seen in trees.
Scientific Name
Local Name
Trinidad
Tobago
Ortalis ruficauda
Rufus-vented Chacalaca, Cocrico
X
Pawi, Wild Turkey, Trinidad Piping-Guan
X

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Source: Ffrench, Richard (1991), A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago
Cornell University Press
http://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/

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