| 6 Birding Hotspots |
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(Issue 3: April 2009) Get your binoculars out at these LIAT destinations... El Yunque Rainforest, Puerto Rico This large mountainous national forest hosts numerous unique plant and animal species including the critically endangered Puerto Rican parrot (less than 60 survive). East of the Luquillo Mountains, it is also home to the Puerto Rican tody, the Elfin-woods warbler and the Puerto Rican screech owl. Camping is allowed, with a free permit, and many hiking trails crisscross the park. • www.elyunque.com Parque Nacional Sierra DE Bahoruco, Dominican Republic A vast protected area, in southwest Dominican Republic, Sierra de Bahoruco ranges from cactus-covered dry plains to mountainous rainforests reaching 7700 feet. Access requires a 4WD, but the rewards are more than 150 bird species, including 19 endemic birds such as the threatened Hispaniolan crossbill, Bay-breasted cuckoo and La Selle thrush (as well as 166 species of orchid). • www.godominicanrepublic.com Morne Diablotin National Park, Dominica Two beautiful but threatened endemic parrot species, the Imperial Amazon (or Sisserou) and the Red-necked Amazon (or Jaco), are the reason this heavily forested national park was created in 2000. The 0.8 mile loop trail through the Syndicate Parrot Preserve offers three lookouts from which to spot the birds. Best times are sunrise and sunset. • www.dominica.dm/site/detail.cfm?entityid=7&Category=Hikes Government Forest Reserve, St Lucia Containing four globally threatened species and a host of endemic species, this stunning high-canopy forest reserve straddles the central volcanic mountain massif. Threatened species include the St Lucia Amazon (approx 800-2000 parrots remaining), St Lucia black finch, Forest thrush and Semper’s warbler (last spotted in 1972). Excursions are organised through the Forest and Lands Department. • www.stlucia.org/activity/dest_soft_adventure.asp Frigate Bird Sanctuary, Codrington Lagoon, Barbuda Codrington Lagoon boasts the Caribbean’s largest breeding colony of Magnificent frigate birds and one of nature’s true spectacles. Here, around 5300 birds nest, in stick nests of up to 9ft x 12ft, from September to April. The oldest surviving avian species, frigates can be traced back 50 million years. The sanctuary is accessed by a 40-minute boat trip. • www.caribbeanlogue.com/frigate-bird-sanctuary-in-barbuda.html Dunston Cave, Asa Wright Nature Centre, Trinidad The shrieking calls of the nocturnal cave-dwelling Oilbird, as it leaves its roost at dusk to feed, gave rise to their nickname ‘Devil Bird’. Historically the young, which at 70 days are 50 per cent heavier than adults, were harvested and rendered down for their fat, hence, the name Oil bird. Dunston Cave represents the Caribbean’s most accessible opportunity to view these large, frugivorous, nightjar-like birds. • www.asawright.org |
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