PO Box 9021, Wilmington, DE 19809, USA
E-mail: font@focusonnature.com
Phone: Toll-free in USA 1-888-721-3555
 or 302/529-1876


Puerto Rico Birds 
 during Focus On Nature Tours 

thru 2015

during the months of 
January, February, March, 
April, May, July







A List of Puerto Rico Birds 
compiled by Armas Hill

PHOTO AT UPPER RIGHT: PUERTO RICAN WOODPECKER


There have been 27 FONT birding tours in Puerto Rico, during which 186 species of birds have cumulatively been found.
Codes:

(t):    a globally threatened or rare species, designated by Birdlife International
          (t1): critical 
          (t2): endangered
          (t3): vulnerable
(nt):  a near-threatened species globally

(p):   seen only pelagically
(mi): on Mona Island

(PRe):         endemic in Puerto Rico
(PR&VIe):    endemic to Puerto Rico & the Virgin Islands
(PRr):          rare in Puerto Rico

(i): introduced species  (Puerto Rico has many; there are 19 in this list.)
 

 The numbers following the bird names indicate the number of Puerto Rican tours during which the bird has been found (out of 27).

Links:

A List & Photo Gallery of Caribbean Birds, in 2 Parts: 
Part #1: Guineafowl to Hummingbirds     Part #2: Trogons to Buntings

Rare Birds of the Caribbean today & those that have gone extinct

Butterflies of the Caribbean  (with some photos)

Marine Life of the Caribbean  (including Sea Turtles, Fish, Corals, Jellyfish, Mollusks, Arthropods)

Upcoming FONT Birding & Nature Tours in the Caribbean




Bird-List:

  1. Pied-billed Grebe ______ 27
    Podilymbus podiceps antillarum
  2. Black-capped Petrel  (PRr) (p) ______ 1
    Pterodroma h. hasitata
  3. Audubon's Shearwater (p) ______ 5
    Puffinus l. lherminieri
  4. Leach's Storm Petrel (p) ______ 1
    Oceanodroma l. leucorhoa
  5. White-tailed Tropicbird ______ 13
    Phaethon lepturus catesbyi
  6. Brown Pelican ______ 27
    Pelecanus o. occidentalis
  7. Masked Booby (mi) ______ 1
    Sula d. dactylatra
  8. Brown Booby ______ 20
    Sula l. leucogaster
  9. Red-footed Booby ______ 6
    Sula s. sula
  10. Magnificent Frigatebird ______ 27
    Fregata magificens      (now said to be monotypic)
  11. Great Blue Heron ______ 25
    Ardea h. herodias  
  12. Great Egret ______ 27
    Casmerodius     (has been Ardea) alba egretta
  13. Green Heron ______ 27  (was for a time considered conspecific with the nearly-cosmopolitan Striated Heron, and was then called Green-backed Heron) 
     Butorides virescens maculata
  14. Western Cattle Egret ______ 27
    Bubulcus ibis      (the single member of its genus)
  15. Snowy Egret ______ 27
    Egretta     (formerly Leucophoyx) thula brewsteri
  16. Little Blue Heron ______ 27
    Egretta     (formerly Florida) caerulea  (monotypic)

  17. Tricolored (has been called Louisiana) Heron ______ 27
    Egretta     (formerly Hydranassa) tricolor ruficollis
  18. Reddish Egret  (PRr) ______ 1
    Egretta     (formerly Dichromanassa) r. rufescens
  19. Black-crowned Night-Heron ______ 18
    Nycticorax nycticorax hoactii
  20. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron ______ 17
    Nyctanassa violacea bancrofti      (the single member of its genus)
  21. Least Bittern ______ 16
    Ixobrychus e. exilis
  22. American Bittern  (PRr) ______ 1
    Botaurus lentiginosus      (monotypic)

  23. Glossy Ibis  (PRr) ______ 1
    Plegadis falcinellus      (now said to be monotypic)
     
  24. American Flamingo  (PRr) ______ 1 (was considered part of Greater Flamingo, also in Europe & Africa, and the Galapagos)
    Phoenicopterus r. ruber
      
  25. West Indian Whistling-Duck (t3) ______ 7 (has also been called West Indian Tree-Duck)
    Dendrocygna arborea      (monotypic)

  26. White-cheeked Pintail ______ 27
    Anas b. bahamensis (t3)
  27. Blue-winged Teal ______ 8
    Anas discors      (monotypic)

  28. American Wigeon ______ 1
    Anas americana      (monotypic)

  29. Lesser Scaup ______ 2
    Aythya affinis      (monotypic)

  30. Ruddy Duck ______ 21
    Oxyura j. jamaicensis
  31. Masked Duck (PRr) ______ 2
    Nomonyx     (formerly Oxyura) dominicus  (monotypic) (the single member of its genus)
  32. Turkey Vulture (i?) ______ 27
     Cathartes a. aura
  33. Sharp-shinned Hawk ______ 9
    Accipiter striatus venator (t2)      (this subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)
  34. Red-tailed Hawk ______ 27
     Buteo j. jamaicensis      (this subspecies also on Jamaica & Hispaniola)
  35. Broad-winged Hawk ______ 17
     Buteo platypterus brunnescens (t3)     (this subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)
  36. Osprey ______ 26
     Pandion haliaetus      (2 subspecies occur in Puerto Rico)  (the single member of its genus)
    Pandion haliaetus carolinensis     (migrant North American breeder)
         Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi (breeder in Caribbean area) 
  37. Merlin ______ 11
    Falco c. columbarius
  38. American Kestrel ______ 27
     Falco sparverius caribaearum      (this subspecies also in Lesser Antilles)
  39. Peregrine Falcon ______ 6
     Falco peregrinus anatum      (from North America)
    Falco peregrinus tundrius      (from North America, north of  F.p.anatum)
  40. Helmeted (or Common) Guinea-Fowl (i) ______ 1
     Numida meleagris
  41. "Antillean" Clapper Rail ______ 20
     Rallus crepitans caribaeus
  42. Yellow-breasted Crake (PRr) ______ 1
     Porzana flaviventer hendersoni     (this subspecies also in Hispaniola) 
  43. Sora (Crake) ______ 4
    Porzana carolina      (monotypic)
  44. Purple Gallinule ______ 5
     Porphyrula martinica      (monotypic)

  45. Common Gallinule  ______ 27
     Gallinula chloropus cerceris
  46. American Coot ______ 8
     Fulica a. americana
  47. "Caribbean Coot" (nt) ______ 27 (considered by some to be conspecific with American Coot)
     Fulica (americana) caribaea
  48. American Oystercatcher ______ 9
    Haematopus p. palliatus
  49. Gray (or Black-bellied) Plover ______ 19 
    Pluvialis squatarola cynosurae
  50. Semipalmated Plover ______ 18
     Charadrius semipalmatus      (monotypic)
  51. Snowy Plover  (PRr) ______ 3  (was conspecific with Kentish Plover of Eurasia)
    Charadrius n. nivosus (t3)
  52. Wilson's Plover ______ 17
     Charadrius wilsonia rufinucha      (resident subspecies in the Caribbean)
  53. Killdeer ______ 19
     Charadrius vociferus ternominatus      (resident subspecies in the Caribbean)   
  54. Black-necked Stilt ______ 26  (was considered by some to be conspecific with the Black-winged Stilt of the Old World, Himantopus himantopus)  
     Himantopus mexicanus 

  55. "American" Whimbrel ______ 5  (has historically been called "Hudsonian Curlew") 
     Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus
     
  56. Spotted Sandpiper ______ 25
     Actitis macularia      (monotypic)
  57. Solitary Sandpiper ______ 7
    Tringa s. solitaria
  58. Greater Yellowlegs ______ 24
    Tringa melanoleuca      (monotypic)
  59. Lesser Yellowlegs ______ 20
     Tringa flavipes      (monotypic)
  60. Willet ______ 7
     Tringa     (formerly Catoptrophorus) s. semipalmata
  61. Ruddy Turnstone ______ 22
    Arenaria interpres morinella
  62. Semipalmated Sandpiper ______ 18
     Calidris pusilia      (monotypic)

  63. Western Sandpiper ______ 11
     Calidris mauri      (monotypic)

  64. Least Sandpiper ______ 13
     Calidris minutilla      (monotypic)

  65. White-rumped Sandpiper (PRr) ______ 1
     Calidris fuscicollis      (monotypic)

  66. Sanderling ______ 10
    Calidris alba rubida
  67. Red Knot ______ 1
    Calidris canutus rufa
  68. Short-billed Dowitcher ______ 3
     Limnodromus griseus      (2 subspecies in the West Indies: L. g. grieus & L. g. hendersoni)
  69. Stilt Sandpiper ______ 3
    Calidris (has been Micropalama) himantopus  (monotypic)

  70. (American) Herring Gull ______ 3
    Larus (argentatus) smithsonianus
  71. Great Black-backed Gull  (PRr) ______ 1
     Larus marinus      (monotypic)

  72. Ring-billed Gull ______ 4
    Larus delawarensis      (monotypic)
  73. Lesser Black-backed Gull ______ 2
     Larus graellsii       (has been Larus fuscus, but that now applied to darker Baltic Gull of Europe, which has been considered conspecific with Lesser Black-backed Gull)
  74. Laughing Gull ______ 13
    Leucophaeus     (formerly Larus) a. atricilla
  75. Common Tern ______ 4
    Sterna h. hirundo
  76. Roseate Tern ______ 1
    Sterna d. dougallii (t3)
  77. Bridled Tern (p) ______ 2
    Onychoprion     (formerly Sterna) anaethetus melanoptera
  78. Sooty Tern ______ 2
    Onychoprion     (formerly Sterna) f. fuscata
  79. Least Tern ______ 7
    Sternula (    formerly Sterna) a. antillarum
  80. Royal Tern ______ 27
     Thalasseus     (formerly Sterna) m. maxima
  81. Cayenne Tern  (PRr)  ______ 1  (was conspecifc with the Sandwich Tern)
    Thalasseus (formerly Sterna) (sandvicensis) eurygnatha
  82. Sandwich Tern ______ 19
     Thalasseus     (formerly Sterna) sandvicensis acuflavida
  83. Caspian Tern ______ 1
     Hydroprogne     (formerly Sterna) caspia  (monotypic)

  84. Brown Noddy (p) ______ 2
    Anous s. stolidus
  85. White-crowned Pigeon  (nt)  ______ 4
     Patagioenas     (formerly Columba) leucocephala  (monotypic)
  86. Scaly-naped (or Red-necked) Pigeon ______ 26
     Patagioenas     (formerly Columba) squamosa  (monotypic)

  87. Plain Pigeon  (t3) ______ 7
    Patagioenas     (formerly Columba) inornata wetmorei  (this subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)
  88. Common (or Feral) Pigeon (i) ______ 27
     Columba livia
  89. African Turtle Dove (i) ______ 19  (historically was native to North Africa)
    Streptopelia risoria
  90. Mourning Dove ______ 8
     Zenaida m. macroura     (this subspecies endemic to the West Indies) 
  91. Zenaida Dove ______ 27
     Zenaida aurita zenaida      (resident subspecies of the northern Caribbean) 
  92. White-winged Dove ______ 27
     Zenaida a. asiatica
  93. Common Ground Dove ______ 27
     Columbina passerina portoricensis     (this subspecies also in the Virgin Islands)
      
  94. Ruddy Quail-Dove ______ 14
     Geotrygon m. montana      (same subspecies as in Central & South America)
  95. Bridled Quail-Dove ______ 4
     Geotrygon mystacea      (monotypic)

  96. Key West Quail-Dove ______ 2
     Geotrygon chrysia      (monotypic)

  97. Puerto Rican Amazon (or Parrot)  (t1) (PRe) (PRr) ______ 11
     Amazona v. vittata     (a second subspecies on Culebra Island, A. V. gracilipes, now extinct)
  98. Monk Parakeet (i) ______ 21 (native to south-central South America)
     Myiopsitta monachus
  99. White-winged Parakeet (i) ______ 10  (native to north-central South America)
     Brotogeris (v.) versicolurus 

         The White-winged Parakeet was part of the former Canary-winged Parakeet. 
  100. Orange-fronted Parakeet (or Conure) (i) ______ 3 (native to Central America)
    Eupsittula     (formerly Aratinga) canicularis
  101. Mitred Parakeet (or Conure) (i) ______ 5  (native to south-central South America)
    Psittacara     (formerly Aratinga) mitrata
  102. Orange-winged Amazon (or Parrot) (i) ______ 2  (native to north-central South America)
     Amazona amazonica
  103. Yellow-headed Amazon/Parrot ______ 1  (native to Mexico & Belize)
    Amazona oratrix 
  104. Mangrove Cuckoo ______ 25
     Coccyzus minor     (now said to be monotypic, formerly a subspecies in the West Indies: Coccyzus minor nesiotes)
  105. Yellow-billed Cuckoo ______ 2
     Coccyzus americanus      (monotypic)

  106. Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo (PRe) ______ 27
    Coccyzus     (formerly Saurothera) vieilloti  (monotypic)  
      
  107. Smooth-billed Ani ______ 27
     Crotophaga ani      (monotypic)
  108. American Barn Owl ______ 1
    Tyto furcata pratincola      (subspecies also in North & Central America and Hispaniola) 

         The American Barn Owl has been part of the Barn Owl of Eurasia & Africa, Tyto alba.
    But Tyto furcata is a heavier bird, with a larger and stouter head and body, and with much more powerful talons.     
  109. Puerto Rican Screech Owl  (PR&VIe) ______ 27
     Megascops     (formerly Otus) n. nudipes  (another subspecies in the Virgin Islands)
  110. Chuck-will's-Widow ______ 3
     Antrostomus     (formerly Caprimulgus) carolinensis  (monotypic)

  111. Puerto Rican Nightjar  (t1) (PRe) (PRr) ______ 25 (during some tours heard only)
     Antrostomus     (formerly Caprimulgus) noctitherus  (monotypic)
  112. Antillean Nighthawk ______ 8
    Chordeiles gundlachii
  113. Black Swift ______ 8
    Cypseloides n. niger
  114. Puerto Rican Emerald  (PRe) ______ 27
     Chlorostilbon maugaeus      (monotypic)
  115. Antillean Mango ______ 26
     Anthracothorax dominicus aurulentus     (subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)
  116. Green Mango  (PRe) ______ 26
     Anthracothorax viridis      (monotypic)
  117. Green-throated Carib ______ 23
     Eulampis h. holosericeus      (subspecies also in most of the Lesser Antilles)  
  118. Antillean Crested Hummingbird ______ 22
     Orthorhyncus cristatus exilis     (subspecies also in most of the Lesser Antilles, green-crested)
  119. Belted Kingfisher ______ 18
     Megaceryle     (formerly Ceryle) torquata  (monotypic)
  120. Puerto Rican Tody  (PRe) ______ 27
     Todus mexicanus      (monotypic)  (this genus, with 5 species, endemic to the Caribbean)
  121. Puerto Rican Woodpecker  (PRe) ______ 27
     Melanerpes portoricensis      (monotypic0
  122. Gray Kingbird ______ 27
     Tyrannus d. dominicensis
  123. Loggerhead Kingbird ______ 23
     Tyrannus caudifasciatus taylori      (subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)
  124. Great Crested Flycatcher  (PRr) ______ 1
     Myiarchus crinitus      (monotypic)
  125. Puerto Rican Flycatcher  (PR&VIe) ______ 27
     Myiarchus antillarum      (monotypic)
  126. Puerto Rican Pewee  (PRe) ______ 25  (was part of Lesser Antillean Pewee)
     Contopus portoricensis  
  127. Caribbean Elaenia ______ 19
     Elaenia m. martinica 
  128. Caribbean Martin ______ 26 (has been considered conspecific with the Sinaloa (or Snowy-bellied) Martin of Mexico)
     Progne d. dominicensis
  129. Tree Swallow ______ 1
    Tachycineta bicolor      (monotypic)

  130. Bank Swallow (or Sand Martin) ______ 4
    Riparia r. riparia
  131. Northern Rough-winged Swallow  (PRr) ______ 1
    Stelgidopteryx s. serripennis
  132. Barn Swallow ______ 6
    Hirundo rustica erythrogaster
  133. "Antillean" Cave Swallow ______ 25
     Petrochelidon     (formerly Hirundo) fulva puertoricensis (subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)
  134. Northern Mockingbird ______ 27
     Mimus polyglottos orpheus      (subspecies endemic to West Indies)
      
  135. Pearly-eyed Thrasher ______ 27
     Margarops fuscatus fuscatus
  136. Red-legged Thrush ______ 27
     Turdus plumbeus ardosiaceus      (subspecies also in Hispaniola)
      
  137. Hill Myna (i) ______ 2  (native to southeast Asia)
    Gracula religiosa
  138. Puerto Rican Vireo  (PRe) ______ 26
     Vireo latimeri      (monotypic)
  139. Red-eyed Vireo  (PRr) ______ 1
    Vireo o. olivaceus
  140. Black-whiskered Vireo ______ 27
     Vireo a. altiloquus 
  141. Black-and-white Warbler ______ 12
     Mniotilta varia      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus) 
  142. Prothonotary Warbler ______ 1
     Protonotaria citrea      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus) 
  143. Worm-eating Warbler ______ 1
     Helmitheros vermivorus      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
  144. Northern Parula (Warbler) ______ 22
     Setophaga     (formerly Parula) americana  (monotypic)
  145. Yellow Warbler ______ 27
    Setophaga     (formerly Dendroica) petechia  (with a race in Puerto Rico that's resident in the Caribbean, and others during the winter of the migratory population that breeds in North America)  
  146. Magnolia Warbler ______ 1
     Setophaga     (formerly Dendroica) magnolia  (monotypic)

  147. Black-throated Blue Warbler ______ 13
    Setophaga     (formerly Dendroica) caerulescens  (2 subspecies winter in the West Indies: D. c. caerulescens & D. c. cairnsi)
  148. Cape May Warbler ______ 6
     Dendroica tigrina      (monotypic)

  149. Yellow-throated Warbler ______ 1
    Dendroica d. dominica
  150. "Myrtle" Yellow-rumped Warbler ______ 2
    Dendroica c. coronata
  151. Adelaide's Warbler (PRe) ______ 27 (formerly included populations on other Caribbean islands of Barbuda and Saint Lucia, each now considered separate species) 
     Dendroica adelaidae
  152. Prairie Warbler ______ 14
     Dendroica discolor      (2 subspecies in the Caribbean)
      
  153. Palm Warbler ______ 5
    Dendroica p. palmarum
  154. Elfin Woods Warbler (t3) (PRe) ______ 23
     Dendroica angelae      (monotypic)
  155. Ovenbird ______ 1
    Seiurus a. aurocapilla
  156. Northern Waterthrush ______ 11
     Seiurus noveboracensis      (now said to be monotypic)

  157. Louisiana Waterthrush ______ 6
     Seiurus motacilla      (monotypic)
  158. Common Yellowthroat ______ 11
    Geothlypis t. trichas
  159. Hooded Warbler ______ 3
     Wilsonia citrina      (monotypic)
  160. American Redstart ______ 14
     Setophaga ruticilla      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus) 
  161. Bananaquit ______ 27
     Coereba flaveola portoricensis     (subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico) (In all, there are 41 subspecies throughout Latin America & the Caribbean. 24 of those subspecies are on islands in the Caribbean including some off the coasts of Mexico & Venezuela, & on Trinidad & Tobago.) (the single member of its genus)
  162. Antillean Euphonia ______ 16 (formerly called Blue-hooded Euphonia, when considered conspecific with what's now the Elegant (or Blue-hooded) Euphonia in Central America and Golden-rumped Euphonia of South America)
    Euphonia musica sclateri  (subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)
  163. Puerto Rican Spindalis  (PRe) ______ 27  (formerly (Puerto Rican) Stripe-headed Tanager)
     Spindalis portoricensis      (monotypic)
  164. Puerto Rican Tanager  (PRe) ______ 27
     Nesospingus speculiferus      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
  165. Shiny (or Glossy) Cowbird ______ 24
     Molothrus bonariensis minimus
  166. Greater Antillean Grackle ______ 27
     Quiscalus niger brachypterus     (subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)
  167. Puerto Rican  (has been part of Greater Antillean & previously Black-cowled) Oriole ______ 25
     Icterus dominicensis portoricensis     (subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)
  168. Baltimore Oriole ______ 3  (formerly called "Northern Oriole" when conspecific with Bullock's Oriole)
    Icterus galbula  (monotypic)
  169. Venezuelan Troupial (i) ______ 26  (native to northern South America)
     Icterus icterus  (monotypic)
  170. Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (t2) (PRe) (PRr) ______ 27
     Agelaius x. xanthomus     (a second PR subspecies on Mona Island)
  171. Pin-tailed Whydah (i) ______ 11  (native to Africa)
    Vidua macroura
  172. House Sparrow (i) ______ 25 (native to Eurasia)
     Passer domesticus
  173. Yellow-crowned Bishop (has also been called Napolean Weaver) (i) ______ 6 (native to Africa)
    Euplectes afer
  174. Red (or Orange) Bishop (i) ______ 10  (native to Africa, where now 2 species: Northern Red Bishop & Southern Red Bishop)  
    Euplectes franciscanus
  175. Orange-cheeked Waxbill (i) ______ 14  (native to central west Africa)
     Estrilda melpoda
  176. Indian Silverbill  (has also been called Warbling Silverbill , or White-throated Munia) (i) ______ 17  (native: Africa thru India)
    Lonchura malabarica
  177. Bronze Mannikin  (has also been called Hooded Weaver) (i) ______ 23  (native to Africa)
         Spermestes (formerly Lonchura) cucullata
  178. Scaly-breasted Munia (has also been called Nutmeg Mannikin, or Spice Finch) (i) ______ 16  (native to India & southeast Asia)
    Lonchura punctulata
  179. Black-headed Munia (has also been called Tricolored Munia) (i) ______ 6  (native to India & southeast Asia) 
    Lonchura malacca
  180. Java Sparrow (i) ______ 4  (native to Indonesia)
    Lonchura     (formerly Padda) oryzivora
  181. Saffron Finch (i) ______ 9 (native to southern South America)
    Sicalis flaveola
  182. Puerto Rican Bullfinch  (PRe) ______ 27
     Loxigilla p. portoricensis      (another subspecies on St Kitts Is. now extirpated)
  183. Lesser Antillean Bullfinch  (PRr) ______ 2
     Loxigilla noctis
  184. Yellow-faced Grassquit ______ 24
     Tiaris olivacea bryanti      (subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)
  185. Black-faced Grassquit ______ 27
     Tiaris bicolor omissus      (subspecies also in the Lesser Antilles)
  186. Indigo Bunting ______ 3
    Passerina cyanea      (monotypic)

Notes:

The tour in February '88 included a trip (by air) to uninhabited Mona Island, off the west coast of Puerto Rico, about mid-way between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Birds found only there noted by an (mi).

A few tours included a trip by ferry to Culebra Island, off northeastern Puerto Rico, about mid-way between Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

During our Feb 6-11, '96 tour, we conducted our first Caribbean pelagic trip off the west coast of Puerto Rico. A Black-capped Petrel was seen. (Only 3 records in Raffaele's book: "Birds of Puerto Rico".) Also whales and dolphins. During the pelagic trip with our Feb 15-19 tour, about 300 boobies. Over 200 of them, Red-footed (both brown & white morphs). Also a 60-foot Whale Shark by the boat. This 4-day tour, one day shorter than our norm. With the pelagic trip during the March '96 tour, 6 species of terns were seen.

 

12 of the very rare Puerto Rican Parrots were seen during FONT Puerto Rican tour #12, in March 1996. Subsequently, the species has become more difficult to see in the wild. 3 were seen during tour #18, in March 1998. The species was seen again during tour #22, in March 2000. One wild bird was seen during tour #26, in March 2004.

 

Although "A Guide to the Birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands", by Herbert A. Raffaele, indicates that there are no records for the Northern Rough-winged Swallow in Puerto Rico, the species was seen there during our March '98 tour in the eastern part of the island. The fore-mentioned book does say that it has been noted as a rare migrant in the Virgin Islands.