Puerto Rico Birding

Puerto Rico, the easternmost island of the Greater Antilles, is an exciting birding destination, harboring 19 endemic species of birds. Additionally, this US territory features fine facilities and a good road system that make birding in Puerto Rico a comfortable and rewarding experience.

We’ll explore stretches of intact habitat ranging from montane rainforest to dry coastal forest and scrub. We’ll hit the “haystack hills” in search of birds like Puerto Rican Flycatcher, Scaly-naped Pigeon, Puerto Rican Vireo, Adelaide’s Warbler, and Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo, with a good chance of the very rare Puerto Rican Parrot. The charming southwestern corner of the island holds dry forest, mangroves, and rich wetlands where we’ll look for the tiny Puerto Rican Tody, nocturnal West Indian Whistling-Duck, the critically endangered Yellow-shouldered Blackbird, and the uncommon and local Puerto Rican Nightjar. In Maricao State Forest, we hope to find the Elfin-woods Warbler and the unique Puerto Rican Tanager (recently placed in its own family, Nesospingidae), as well as a few other specialties including Puerto Rican Euphonia, Lesser Antillean Pewee, Puerto Rican Oriole, Puerto Rican Spindalis, Green Mango, and the unusual Puerto Rican Owl.

Finally, we’ll explore the southeastern corner of the island to search for White-cheeked Pintail and Caribbean Coot, along with Least Bittern, Green-throated Carib, and the fetching Antillean Crested Hummingbird. Puerto Rican birding is a delight, an easy introduction to the Greater Antillean avifauna, and a must for anyone who loves island birding anywhere.