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List of birds of Puerto Rico

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File:PuertoRicanSpindalis.jpg
Puerto Rican Spindalis (Reina Mora in Spanish), the national bird of Puerto Rico.

This is a list of the bird species recorded in the archipelago of Puerto Rico which consists of the main island of Puerto Rico, two island-municipalities off the east coast, Vieques and Culebra, three uninhabited islands off the west coast, Mona, Monito, and Desecheo and more than 125 smaller cays and islands. The avifauna of Puerto Rico includes a total of 349 species, of which 167 (47.85%) are accidental, 41 (11.75%) are introduced by humans and 16 (4.58%) are endemic. Around 120 of these species breed in Puerto Rico while the majority of others winter in the archipelago.

Contents: Taxonomy - Grebes - Shearwaters and Petrels - Storm-Petrels - Tropicbirds - Pelicans - Boobies - Cormorants - Frigatebirds - Bitterns, Herons, and Egrets - Ibises and Spoonbills - Flamingos - Ducks, Geese, and Swans - New World vultures - Osprey - Hawks, Kites, and Eagles - Falcons - New World Quail - Junglefowls and Pheasants - Guineafowls - Limpkins - Rails, Gallinules, and Coots - Jacanas - Oystercatchers - Stilts and Avocets - Lapwings and Plovers - Sandpipers, Curlews, Stints, Godwits, Snipes, and Phalaropes - Skuas and Jaegers - Gulls - Sterns - Skimmers - Pigeons and Doves - Cockatoos - Budgerigars, Parakeets and Parrots - Cuckoos - Barn owls - Potoos - Nightjars - Swifts - Hummingbirds - River kingfishers - Todies - Woodpeckers and Sapsuckers - Tyrant flycatchers - Swallows and Martins - Waxwings - Mockingbirds and Thrashers - Thrushes - Old World flycatchers - Crows - Starlings - Weavers - Estrildid finchs - Whydahs - Vireos - New World warblers - Bananaquits - Tanagers - American sparrows, Towhees, Juncos, and Longspurs - Cardinals, Saltators, and Grosbeaks - Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, Cowbirds, Grackles, and Orioles - Fringilline Finches, Cardueline Finches, and Allies - Sparrows - See also - References

Taxonomy

This list's taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families, and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of Clements's 5th edition.

The following tags have been used to highlight certain relevant categories:

  • (A) Accidental A species that rarely or accidentally occurs in the archipelago of Puerto Rico.
  • (E) Endemic A species endemic to the archipelago of Puerto Rico.
  • (Ex) Extirpated A species that no longer occurs in the archipelago Puerto Rico although populations exist elsewhere.
  • (I) Introduced A species introduced to the archipelago of Puerto Rico as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions.

Grebes

Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae

Pied-billed Grebe, commonly known as Zaramago in Spanish.

Grebes are small to medium-large sized freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes, and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. There are 20 species world-wide and 2 Puerto Rican species.

Shearwaters and Petrels

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Procellariidae

The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized 'true petrels', characterised by united nostrils with medium septum, and a long outer functional primary. There are 75 species world wide and 8 Puerto Rican species, with only one, Puffinus lherminieri, occurring commonly.

Storm-Petrels

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae

The storm-petrels are the smallest of seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like. There are 21 species world wide and 2 Puerto Rican species, both of which occur accidentally.

Tropicbirds

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head. There are 3 species world wide and 2 Puerto Rican species.

Pelicans

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae

Brown Pelican, a protected species which commonly occurs in Puerto Rico's coasts.

Pelicans are very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under the beak Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes. There are 8 species world wide and 2 Puerto Rican species.

Boobies

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Sulidae

The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies with only boobies occurring in Puerto Rico. Both groups are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish. There are 8 species world wide and 3 Puerto Rican species.

Cormorants

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Frigatebirds

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large sea-birds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black or black and white, with long wings and deeply-forked tails. The males have inflatable coloured throat pouches. They do not swim or walk, and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week. There are 5 species world-wide and 1 Puerto Rican species.

Bitterns, Herons, and Egrets

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ardeidae

Cattle Egret (Garza in Spanish), a common bird in Puerto Rico's rural areas, usually found on top of cows.

The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons and egrets. Herons and Egrets are medium to large sized wadng birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secrative. Unlike other long necked birds suck as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted. There are 61 species world wide and 14 Puerto Rican species.

Ibises and Spoonbills

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Threskiornithidae

Flamingos

Order: Phoenicopteriformes Family: Phoenicopteridae

Flamingos (genus Phoenicopterus monotypic in family Phoenicopteridae) are gregarious wading birds, usually 3–5 feet in height, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. They are more numerous in the latter. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly-shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume, and are uniquely used upside-down. There are 6 species world wide and 1 Puerto Rican species.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae

Blue-winged Teal, this non-breeding species may be found in both the north and south regions of the main island.

The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These are birds that are modified for an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. There are 131 species world wide and 28 Puerto Rican species, the majority of which occur accidentally.

New World vultures

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Cathartidae

The New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers. However, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell with which they located carcasses. There are 7 species world wide, all found only in the Americas and 1 Puerto Rican species.

Osprey

Order: Falconiformes Family: Pandionidae

Hawks, Kites, and Eagles

Order: Falconiformes Family: Accipitridae

Red-tailed Hawk, commonly known as Guaraguao in Puerto Rico.

The family Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey and include hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures. These birds have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. There are 233 species world wide and 8 Puerto Rican species.

Falcons

Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae

Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their feet. There are 62 species world wide and 3 Puerto Rican species.

New World Quail

Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae

The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits. There are 32 species world-wide, all found only in the Americas, and 1 Puerto Rican species.

Junglefowls and Pheasants

Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae

Guineafowls

Order: Galliformes Family: Numididae

Limpkins

Order: Gruiformes Family: Aramidae

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae

Common Coot, this species can be commonly seen in the botanical garden of the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras.

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers. There are 143 species world wide and 9 Puerto Rican species.

Jacanas

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Jacanidae

The Jacanas are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. There 8 species world wide and 1 Puerto Rican species.

Oystercatchers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Haematopodidae

American Oystercatcher, this breeding species can be found in the southern Puerto Rican dry forests.

The oystercatchers are large, obvious and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs. There are 11 species world-wide and 1 Puerto Rican species.

Stilts and Avocets

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae

Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and the stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, striaght bills. There are 9 species world wide and 2 Puerto Rican species.

Lapwings and Plovers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae

Killdeer, this species breeds in the archipelago of Puerto Rico.

The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water, although there are some exceptions. There are 66 species world wide and 8 Puerto Rican species.

Sandpipers, Curlews, Stints, Godwits, Snipes, and Phalaropes

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae

The Scolopacidae are a large diverse family of small to medium sized shorebirds including the Sandpipers, Curlews, Godwits, Shanks, Tattlers, Woodcocks, Snipes, Dowitchers and Phalaropes. The majority of species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Different lengths of legs and bills enable different species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. There are 86 species world wide and 31 Puerto Rican species.

Skuas and Jaegers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Stercorariidae

Gulls

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae

Laughing Gull, the most common gull (gaviota) in the archipelago of Puerto Rico.

Laridae is a family of medium to large birds seabirds and includes gulls and kittiwakes. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet.

Terns

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Sternidae

Sooty Tern, this species nests in the Culebra National Reserve.

Skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Rynchopidae

Pigeons and Doves

Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae

Rock Pigeon, a common occurrence in the urban areas of Puerto Rico.

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. There are 308 species world wide and 14 Puerto Rican species.

Cockatoos

Order: Psittaciformes Family: Cacatuidae

Budgerigars, Parakeets and Parrots

Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittacidae

File:Amazona vitatta.jpg
Puerto Rican Parrot, an endemic species and one of the 10 most endangered birds in the world.

Parrots are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak shape. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and the have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two back. There are 335 species world wide and 14 Puerto Rican species.

Cuckoos

Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae

File:Crotophaga ani NBII cropped.jpg
Smooth-billed Ani, this species can be found in urban areas.

The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. Unlike the cuckoo species of the Old World, North American cuckoos are not brood parasites. There are 138 species world wide and 5 Puerto Rican species.

Barn owls

Order: Strigiformes Family: Tytonidae

Barn owls are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. There are 16 species world wide and 1 Puerto Rican species.

Typical owls

Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae

Typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. There are 195 species world wide and 2 Puerto Rican species.

Potoos

Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Nyctibiidae

Nightjars

Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae

Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills that usually nest on the ground. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is crypically coloured to resemble bark or leaves. There are 86 species world wide and 5 Puerto Rican species.

Swifts

Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae

Swifts are small aerial birds, spending the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. There are 98 species world wide and 4 Puerto Rican species.

Hummingbirds

Order: Trochiliformes Family: Trochilidae

Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards. There are 337 species world wide and 9 Puerto Rican species.

River kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes Family: Cerylidae

River Kingfishers are medium sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. There are 94 species world wide and 2 Puerto Rican species.

Todies

Order: Coraciiformes Family: Todidae

File:Todus mexicanus.JPG
Puerto Rican Tody, an endemic bird known as San Pedrito (Little Saint Peter).

Woodpeckers and Sapsuckers

Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae

Woodpeckers are small to medium sized birds with chisel like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward, and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. There are 218 species world wide and 3 Puerto Rican species.

Tyrant flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Tyrannidae

Tyrant flycatchers are Passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America. They superficially resemble the Old World flycatchers, but are more robust with stronger bills. They do not have the sophisticated vocal capabilities of the songbirds. Most, but not all, are rather plain. As the name implies, most are insectivorous. There are 429 species world wide, all found only in the Americas and 9 Puerto Rican species.

Swallows and Martins

Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae

The Hirundinidae family is a group of passerines characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding. Their adaptations include a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and short bills with wide gape. The feet are designed for perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base. There are 75 species world wide and 8 Puerto Rican species.

Waxwings

Order: Passeriformes Family: Bombycillidae

The waxwings are a group of passerine birds characterised by soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. In the Bohemian and Cedar Waxwings, these tips look like sealing wax, and give the group its name. These are arboreal birds of northern forests. They live on insects in summer and berries in winter. There are 3 species world wide and 1 Puerto Rican species.

Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Mimidae

Northern Mockingbird, commonly known as Ruiseñor in Puerto Rico.

The Mimids are a family of passerine birds that includes thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers, and the New World catbirds. These birds are notable for their vocalization, especially their remarkable ability to mimic a wide variety of birds and other sounds heard outdoors. The species tend towards dull grays and browns in their appearance. There are 35 species world wide and 3 Puerto Rican species.

Thrushes

Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae

The Thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly but not exclusively in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs. There are 335 species world wide and 4 Puerto Rican species.

Old World flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Muscicapidae

Crows

Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae

The Corvidae family includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers, and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size for the bird order Passeriformes. Some of the larger species show levels of learned behavior of a high degree. There are 120 species world wide and 1 Puerto Rican speicies.

Starlings

Order: Passeriformes Family: Sturnidae

Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are medium-sized passerines with strong feet. Their flight is strong and direct, and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country, and they eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen. There are 125 species world wide and 3 Puerto Rican species.

Weavers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Ploceidae

Estrildid finchs

Order: Passeriformes Family: Estrildidae

Whydahs

Order: Passeriformes Family: Viduidae

Vireos

Order: Passeriformes Family: Vireonidae

The vireos are a group of small to medium sized passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are typically greenish in colour and resemble wood warblers apart from their heavier bills. There are 52 species world wide and 6 Puerto Rican species.

New World warblers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae

Elfin-woods Warbler, an endemic warbler and the most recent New World warbler discovered.

The New World warblers are a group of small often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal, but some like are more terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores. There are 119 species world wide and 36 Puerto Rican species.

Bananaquit

Order: Passeriformes Family: Coerebidae or Genus Coereba Incertae sedis

The Bananaquit is a small passerine bird. It has a slender, curved bill, adapted to taking nectar from flowers and is the only member of the genus Coereba (Vieillot, 1809) and is normally placed within the family Coerebidae, although there is uncertainty whether that placement is correct (hence the assignment Genus: Coereba Incertae sedis).

Tanagers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Thraupidae

The Tanagers are a large group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World, mainly in the tropics. Many species are brightly coloured. They are seedeaters, but their preference tends towards fruit and nectar. Most have short, rounded wings. There are 256 species world wide and 5 Puerto Rican species.

American sparrows, Towhees, Juncos, and Longspurs

Order: Passeriformes Family: Emberizidae

The Emberizidae are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with a distinctively shaped bill. In Europe, most species are named as buntings. In North America, most of the species in this family are known as Sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the Old World sparrows which are in the family Passeridae. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns. There are species 275 world wide and 9 Puerto Rican species.

Cardinals, Saltators, and Grosbeaks

Order: Passeriformes Family: Cardinalidae

The Cardinals are a family of passerine birds that are robust, seed-eating birds, with strong bills. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinct plumages. There are 43 species world wide and 4 Puerto Rican species.

Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, Cowbirds, Grackles, and Orioles

Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteridae

Yellow-shouldered Blackbird, an endemic blackbird placed in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service list of endangered species in 1976.

The Icterids are a group of small to medium, often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World and include the grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles. Most species have black as a predominant plumage colour, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. There are 98 species world wide and 10 Puerto Rican Species.

Fringilline Finches, Cardueline Finches, and Allies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae

Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have 12 tail feathers and 9 primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. There are 137 species world wide and 3 Puerto Rican species.

Sparrows

Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae

Sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small plump brownish or greyish birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed-eaters, and they also consume small insects. There are 35 species world wide and 1 Puerto Rican species.

See also

References

  • Lepage, Denis. "Puerto Rico checklist". Bird Checklists of the World. Avibase. Retrieved April 5. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  • Template:Es icon Oberle, Mark (2003). Las aves de Puerto Rico en fotografías. Editorial Humanitas. ISBN 0-9650104-2-2.
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