Puerto Rico Birds 
during FONT Birding 
& Nature Tours 

 1988 thru 2007

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

List compiled by Armas Hill

 


There have been 27 FONT birding tours in Puerto Rico, during which 187 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 tours during which the bird has been found (out of 27).

Upcoming Puerto Rico Tour Itineraries

Caribbean Bird Photo Gallery (in PG)




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
    Ardea (or Casmerodius or Egretta) 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. Cattle Egret ______ 27
    Bubulcus i. 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. "Caribbean Flamingo" (PRr) ______ 1 (considered part of Greater Flamingo, also in Europe & Africa, and the Galapagos)
    Phoenicopterus r. ruber
     
  25. West Indian (or Black-billed) 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 longirostris 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 (or Moorhen) ______ 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  (races in Eurasia called Kentish Plover)
    Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus (t3)
  52. Wilson's (or Thick-billed) 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  (considered by some to be conspecific with the Black-winged Stilt of the Old World, Himantopus 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
    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  (by some merged with more-northerly 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 ______ 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. Ringed 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 Parrot/Amazon (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 (has been known as Canary-winged) Parakeet (i) ______ 10 (native to north-central South America)
    Brotogeris (v.) versicolurus 
  100. Orange-fronted Conure/Parakeet (i) ______ 3 (native to Central America)
    Aratinga canicularis
  101. Mitred Conure/Parakeet (i) ______ 5 (native to south-central South America)
    Aratinga mitrata
  102. Orange-winged Amazon/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. Barn Owl ______ 1
    Tyto alba pratincola     (subspecies also in North & Central America and Hispaniola)
  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
    Caprimulgus carolinensis  (monotypic)
  111. Puerto Rican Nightjar (t1) (PRe) (PRr) ______ 25 (during some tours heard only)
    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 (or Dominican) 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 (has been considered part of Lesser Antillean Pewee)
    Contopus (latirostris) portoricensis  (monotypic)

  127. Caribbean Elaenia ______ 19
    Elaenia m. martinica 

  128. Caribbean Martin ______ 26 (has been considered conspecific with 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
    Parula americana  (monotypic)

  145. Golden (has been part of Yellow) Warbler ______ 27
    Dendroica petechia      (resident in the Caribbean, considered distinct from the migratory Yellow Warbler of North America, Dendroica aestiva, and the Mangrove Warbler of Central America, Dendroica erithachorides) (Some migrant Yellow Warblers from North America winter in Greater Antilles.) 

  146. Yellow Warbler ______ (wintering, breeds in North America)
    Dendroica aestiva 

  147. Magnolia Warbler ______ 1
    Dendroica magnolia  (monotypic)
  148. Black-throated Blue Warbler ______ 13
    Dendroica caerulescens     (2 subspecies winter in the West Indies: D. c. caerulescens & D. c. cairnsi)
  149. Cape May Warbler ______ 6
    Dendroica tigrina  (monotypic)
  150. Yellow-throated Warbler ______ 1
    Dendroica d. dominica
  151. "Myrtle" Yellow-rumped Warbler ______ 2
    Dendroica c. coronata
  152. Adelaide's Warbler (PRe) ______ 27 (formerly included populations on other Caribbean islands of Barbuda and Saint Lucia, each now considered separate species) 
    Dendroica adelaidae

  153. Prairie Warbler ______ 14
    Dendroica discolor  (2 subspecies in the Caribbean)
     
  154. Palm Warbler ______ 5
    Dendroica p. palmarum
  155. Elfin Woods Warbler (t3) (PRe) ______ 23
    Dendroica angelae  (monotypic)

  156. Ovenbird ______ 1
    Seiurus a. aurocapilla
  157. Northern Waterthrush ______ 11
    Seiurus noveboracensis  (now said to be monotypic)
  158. Louisiana Waterthrush ______ 6
    Seiurus motacilla  (monotypic)
  159. Common Yellowthroat ______ 11
    Geothlypis t. trichas
  160. Hooded Warbler ______ 3
    Wilsonia citrina  (monotypic)
  161. American Redstart ______ 14
    Setophaga ruticilla  (monotypic, and the single member of its genus) 

  162. 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)

  163. Antillean Euphonia ______ 16 (was called Blue-hooded Euphonia, when considered conspecific with what's now Elegant Euphonia in Central America and Golden-rumped Euphonia of South America)
    Euphonia musica sclateri  (subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)

  164. Puerto Rican Spindalis (PRe) ______ 27  (formerly (Puerto Rican) Stripe-headed Tanager)
    Spindalis portoricensis  (monotypic)

  165. Puerto Rican Tanager (PRe) ______ 27
    Nesospingus speculiferus  (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)

  166. Shiny (or Glossy) Cowbird ______ 24
    Molothrus bonariensis minimus

  167. Greater Antillean Grackle ______ 27
    Quiscalus niger brachypterus     (subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)

  168. Puerto Rican Oriole  (has been part of the Greater Antillean & previously Black-cowled Oriole) ______ 25
    Icterus dominicensis portoricensis     (subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)

  169. Baltimore Oriole ______ 3 (formerly called "Northern Oriole" when conspecific with Bullock's Oriole)
    Icterus galbula  (monotypic)

  170. Venezuelan Troupial (i) ______ 26  (native to northern South America)
    Icterus icterus  (monotypic)

  171. Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (t2) (PRe) (PRr) ______ 27
    Agelaius x. xanthomus     (a second PR subspecies on Mona Island)

  172. Pin-tailed Whydah (i) ______ 11 (native to Africa)
    Vidua macroura
  173. House Sparrow (i) ______ 25 (native to Eurasia)
    Passer domesticus

  174. Yellow-crowned Bishop (or Napolean Weaver) (i) ______ 6 (native to Africa)
    Euplectes afer
  175. Red (or Orange) Bishop (i) ______ 10 (native to Africa, where now 2 species: Northern Red Bishop & Southern Red Bishop)  
    Euplectes franciscanus
  176. Orange-cheeked Waxbill (i) ______ 14 (native to central west Africa)
    Estrilda melpoda

  177. Warbling Silverbill (or White-throated Munia) (i) ______ 17 (native: Africa thru India)
    Lonchura malabarica
  178. Bronze (or Hooded) Mannikin (has been called Hooded Weaver) (i) ______ 23 (native to Africa)
     Lonchura cucullata

  179. Nutmeg Mannikin (or Spice Finch, or Scaly-breasted Munia) (i) ______ 16 (native to India & southeast Asia)
    Lonchura punctulata
  180. Tricolored (or Chestnut) Mannikin/Munia (formerly called Black-headed Nun) (i) ______ 6 (native to India & southeast Asia) 
    Lonchura malacca
  181. Java Finch/Sparrow (i) ______ 4 (native to Indonesia)
    Padda oryzivora
  182. Saffron (Yellow-) Finch (i) ______ 9 (native to southern South America)
    Sicalis flaveola
  183. Puerto Rican Bullfinch (PRe) ______ 27
    Loxigilla p. portoricensis     (another subspecies on St Kitts Is. now extirpated)

  184. Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (PRr) ______ 2
    Loxigilla noctis

  185. Yellow-faced Grassquit ______ 24
    Tiaris olivacea bryanti      (subspecies endemic to Puerto Rico)

  186. Black-faced Grassquit ______ 27
    Tiaris bicolor omissus      (subspecies also in the Lesser Antilles)

  187. 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.