PO Box 9021, Wilmington, DE 19809, USA
E-mail: font@focusonnature.com
Phone: Toll-free in USA 1-800-721-9986
 or 302/529-1876; Fax: 302/529-1085



Jamaica Birds 
 during Focus On Nature Tours 

1994 thru 2010        
                            

(during the months of February, 
 March, April, June)

A List of Jamaica Birds compiled by Armas Hill

UPPER RIGHT PHOTO; a JAMAICAN POTOO
photographed during a FONT tour
(also called the NORTHERN POTOO)





There have been 10 FONT birding tours in Jamaica, during which 155 species of birds have cumulatively been found. The numbers after the bird names indicate the number of tours during which the bird has been found (out of 10).

Some Jamaican local bird-names are given in the listing following the English common names.

Codes:

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

(JMe): endemic in Jamaica
(JMqe): Jamaican quasi- (or near-) endemic    
(JMr): rare in Jamaica
(JMi): introduced in Jamaica

h: heard only 

f: in February only    m: in March only     a: in April only         ju: in June only

Places visited during FONT tours have included:
 The areas of Kingston, the Blue Mountains, Portland Cottage, Port Antonio, 
the John Crow Mountains, the Cockpit Country, Orange River, Mandeville, and the Black River Morass.

 

Links:

A Bird-List & Photo Gallery of Caribbean Birds, Part #1: Guineafowl to Hummingbirds

A Bird-List & Photo Gallery of Caribbean Birds, Part #2: Trogons to Buntings

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

Upcoming FONT Birding & Nature Tours in the Caribbean

FONT Jamaica Tours can be done in conjunction with those in the Cayman Islands.

Birds during previous FONT Tours in the Cayman Islands



Bird-List:

  1. Least Grebe ______ 9
     Tachybaptus     (formerly Podiceps) d. dominicus
  2. Pied-billed Grebe  (Duck-and-Teal) ______ 10
         Podilymbus podiceps antillarum
  3. White-tailed Tropicbird  (Bo'sun Bird) ______ 4
    Phaethon lepturus catesbyi

  4. Brown Pelican  (Old Joe) ______ 10
    Pelecanus o. occidentalis

  5. Neotropic (formerly called Olivaceous) Cormorant  (JMr) ______ 1ju 
     Phalacrocorax brasilianus mexicanus

  6. Magnificent Frigatebird  (Man o'War Bird) ______ 10
    Fregata magnificens      (now said to be monotypic)
  7. Great Blue Heron ______ 9
     Ardea h. herodias 
  8. Great Egret ______ 10
         Casmerodius (has been Ardea) alba egretta
  9. Snowy Egret (Golden Slippers) ______ 10
    Egretta     (formerly Leucophoyx) thula brewsteri
  10. Little Blue Heron  (Blue Gaulin) ______ 10
    Egretta     (formerly Florida) caerulea  (monotypic)
  11. Western Cattle Egret  (Tick Bird) ______ 10
    Bubulcus ibis      (the single member of its genus)
  12. Green Heron ______ 10  (was for a time considered conspecific with the nearly-cosmopolitan Striated Heron, and was then called Green-backed Heron) 
    Butorides virescens maculata

  13. Tricolored (has also been called Louisiana) Heron ______ 10
     Egretta     (formerly Hydranassa) tricolor ruficollis
  14. Black-crowned Night-Heron  (Quok) ______ 9
    Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli

  15. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron  (Crab-catcher) ______ 5
    Nyctanassa violaceus bancrofti      (the single member of its genus)
  16. Least Bittern ______ 8
     Ixobrychus e. exilis
  17. Glossy Ibis ______ 8
     Plegadis falcinellus      (now said to be monotypic)
  18. White Ibis ______ 2
     Eudocimus albus      (monotypic)
  19. West Indian (or Black-billed) Whistling-Duck (t3) ______ 5 (has also been called West Indian Tree-Duck)
     Dendrocygna arborea      (monotypic)
         (during one of our tours, over 200 seen together)

  20. Blue-winged Teal ______ 7
     Anas discors      (monotypic)
  21. American Wigeon  (JMr) ______ 1f
    Anas americana  (monotypic)
  22. Northern Shoveler  (JMr) ______  1f
    Anas clypeata  (monotypic)

  23. Ring-necked Duck ______ 3m
     Aythya collaris      (monotypic)
  24. Lesser Scaup ______ 1m
     Aythya affinis      (monotypic)
  25. Masked Duck ______  1f
    Nomonyx     (formerly Oxyura) dominicus  (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
  26. Turkey Vulture  (John Crow) ______ 10
    Cathartes a. aura

  27. Osprey ______ 7
    2 subspecies occur in the Caribbean:
    Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi     & Pandion haliaetus carolinensis
  28. Red-tailed Hawk ______ 9
     Buteo j. jamaicensis      (subspecies endemic to Jamaica)  (this is one of a few species of birds that in scientific nomenclature is named after Jamaica)  
  29. Merlin ______ 4
     Falco c. columbarius

  30. American Kestrel  (Killy-killy) ______ 10
    Falco sparverius sparveroides      (this subspecies is also a resident of the southern Bahamas & Cuba)
    (this subspecies is also a resident of the southern Bahamas & Cuba)
  31. Limpkin ______ 6
     Aramus guarauna pictus      (this is the subspecies of Florida, Cuba, & Jamaica) (the single member of its genus & family)
  32. "Antillean" Clapper Rail ______ 4
     Rallus longirostris caribaeus

  33. Yellow-breasted Crake ______ 2
     Porzana flaviventer gossi      (this is the subspecies of Jamaica & Cuba)
  34. American Purple Gallinule ______ 6
     Porphyrula martinica      (monotypic)
  35. Common Gallinule (or Moorhen) ______ 10
     Gallinula chloropus cerceris
  36. American Coot ______ 8
     Fulica a. americana
  37. "Caribbean Coot"______ 5  (said by some to be conspecific with the American Coot)
     Fulica (americana) caribaea
  38. Northern Jacana  (River Chink) ______ 8
    Jacana spinosa violacea

  39. Black-necked Stilt  (Captain Lewis) ______ 10
    Himantopus (himantopus) mexicanus 

  40. Gray Plover ______ 7  (has been called Black-bellied Plover)
    Pluvialis squatarola cynosurae

  41. Semipalmated Plover ______ 5
     Charadrius semipalmatus      (monotypic)
  42. Wilson's (or Thick-billed) Plover ______ 7
     Charadrius wilsonia rufinucha      (resident subspecies in the Caribbean)
  43. Killdeer ______ 8
     Charadrius vociferus ternominatus      (resident subspecies in the Caribbean)
  44. Ruddy Turnstone ______ 7
     Arenaria interpres morinella
  45. Spotted Sandpiper ______ 8
     Actitis macularia      (monotypic)
  46. Solitary Sandpiper ______ 3
     Tringa s. solitaria

  47. Greater Yellowlegs ______ 9
     Tringa melanoleuca      (monotypic)
  48. Lesser Yellowlegs ______ 6
     Tringa flavipes      (monotypic)
  49. Willet ______ 8
    Tringa     (formerly Catoptrophorus) s. semipalmata
  50. Short-billed Dowitcher _____ 3
     Limnodromus griseus      (2 subspecies occur in Jamaica: L. g. griseus & L. griseus hendersoni) 
  51. Semipalmated Sandpiper ______ 7
     Calidris pusilla      (monotypic)
  52. Least Sandpiper ______ 6
     Calidris minutilla      (monotypic)
  53. Western Sandpiper ______ 1m
     Calidris mauri      (monotypic)
  54. Sanderling ______ 2m
     Calidris alba rubida

  55. Wilson's Snipe ______ 2 (until recently considered part of the Common Snipe of the Palearctic, Gallinago gallinago) 
    Gallinago delicata

  56. Laughing Gull ______ 4
     Leucophaeus     (formerly Larus) a. atricilla
  57. Royal Tern ______ 10
    Thalasseus     (formerly Sterna) m. maxima
  58. Sandwich Tern ______ 1m
    Thalasseus     (formerly Sterna) sandvicensis acuflavida
  59. White-crowned Pigeon  (Baldpate) ______ 9
    Patagioenas     (formerly Columba) leucocephala (monotypic)
  60. Ring-tailed Pigeon (t1) (JMe) ______ 10
    Patagioenas     (formerly Columba) caribaea  (monotypic)

  61. Feral (or Rock) Pigeon (i) ______ 10
     Columba livia
  62. Mourning Dove ______ 5
     Zenaida m. macroura      (resident subspecies of the Caribbean) 
  63. Zenaida Dove  (Pea Dove) ______ 10
    Zenaida aurita zenaida      (resident subspecies of the northern Caribbean)

  64. White-winged Dove  (White-wing) ______ 9
    Zenaida a. asiatica

  65. Caribbean (or White-bellied) Dove _______ 8
     Leptotila j. jamaicensis      (subspecies endemic to Jamaica)
  66. Common Ground-Dove ______ 10
     Columbina passerina jamaicensis      (subspecies endemic to Jamaica)
  67. Ruddy Quail-Dove  (Partridge / Red Partridge ) ______ 8
     Geotrygon m. montana

  68. Crested Quail-Dove (nt) (JMe)  (Mountain-Witch / Blue Partridge) ______ 6
    Geotrygon versicolor      (monotypic)
  69. Jamaican Conure/Parakeet  (JMe) ______ 10  (has been considered conspecific with what's now the Aztec Conure/Parakeet in Central America, Aratinga astec; when merged known collectively as the Olive-throated Conure/Parakeet) (this "Jamaican endemic" has spread into western Hispaniola) 
    Aratinga (n.) nana 
  70. Green-rumped (or Guiana) Parrotlet  (JMi) ______ 8
     Forpus passerinus
  71. Yellow-billed Parrot  (nt) (JMe) ______ 10
    Amazona collaria      (monotypic)
  72. Black-billed Parrot  (t3) ______ 10
    Amazona agilis      (monotypic)
  73. Mangrove Cuckoo ______ 4
     Coccyzus minor      (now said to be monotypic)
  74. Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo (JMe)  (Old Woman Bird)______ 10
    Coccyzus     (formerly Saurothera) vetula  (monotypic)  
  75. Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo (JMe)  (Old Man Bird) ______ 10
    Coccyzus     (formerly Hyetornis) pluvialis  (monotypic)  (the other species in this genus on Hispaniola) 
  76. Smooth-billed Ani ______ 10
     Crotophaga ani      (monotypic)
  77. Barn Owl ______ 6
     Tyto alba furcata      (this subspecies in Jamaica, Cuba, and the Caymans)
  78. Jamaican Owl  (JMe) ______ 6
     Pseudoscops grammicus      (monotypic)
  79. Jamaican (or Northern) Potoo  (Patoo) ______ 10  (in the photo at the top of this list) 
     Nyctibius j. jamaicensis      (subspecies endemic to Jamaica)
  80. Antillean Nighthawk  (Gimme-me-bit) ______ 5
    Chordeiles g. gundlachii      (this subspecies of the Greater Antilles; the other of Florida & the Bahamas)
  81. White-collared Swift ______ 8
     Streptoprocne zonaris pallidifrons      (subspecies of the Caribbean)   
  82. Black Swift ______ 4
     Cypseloides n. niger      (this is the subspecies of the Caribbean & Trinidad, present there during its breeding season) 
  83. Antillean Palm-Swift ______ 9
     Tachornis p. phoenicobia      (this is the subspecies of Jamaica & Hispaniola; the other subspecies is of Cuba) 
  84. Jamaican Mango  (JMe) ______ 10
     Anthracothorax mango      (monotypic)
  85. Red-billed Streamertail  (JMe)  (Doctorbird) ______ 10  (the two streamertail species have been considered conspecific, including so by the AOU)
    Trochilus polytmus      (monotypic)
  86. Black-billed Streamertail  (JMe)  (Doctorbird) ______ 7  (the two streamertail species have been considered conspecific, including so by the AOU)  
         Trochilus scitulus      (monotypic)
         (note follows list)

  87. Vervain Hummingbird  (Little Doctorbird) ______ 10
     Mellisuga m. minima      (subspecies endemic to Jamaica)  (in this genus, this species & the Bee Hummingbird of Cuba, reputed to be the smallest bird in the world) 
  88. Belted Kingfisher ______ 7
    Megaceryle     (formerly Ceryle) alcyon  (monotypic)
  89. Jamaican Tody  (JMe)  (Robin Redbreast) ______ 10
    Todus todus      (monotypic)  (this genus with 5 species, endemic to the Caribbean)
  90. Jamaican Woodpecker  (JMe) ______ 10
     Melanerpes radiolatus      (monotypic)
  91. Jamaican Becard  (JMe) (Mountain Dick, male) (Mountain Judy, female)______ 10
    Pachyramphus niger      (monotypic)  (the only becard of the Caribbean)
  92. Gray Kingbird  (Petchary) ______ 7
     Tyrannus d. dominicensis      (this subspecies also in parts of North, Central & South America; the other subspecies in the Lesser Antilles & Trinidad) 
  93. Loggerhead Kingbird ______  10
     Tyrannus caudifasciatus jamaicensis      (subspecies endemic to Jamaica)
  94. Stolid Flycatcher ______ 7
     Myiarchus s. stolidus      (this subspecies endemic to Jamaica; the other on Hispaniola)
  95. Rufous-tailed Flycatcher (JMe)  (Big Tom Fool) ______ 10
     Myiarchus validus      (monotypic)
  96. Sad Flycatcher (JMe)  (Little Tom Fool) ______ 10
     Myiarchus barbirostris      (monotypic)
  97. Jamaican Pewee (JMe) _____ 9
     Contopus pallidus      (monotypic)
  98. Greater Antillean Elaenia ______ 2
     Elaenia f. fallax      (this subspecies endemic to Jamaica; the other on Hispaniola)
  99. Jamaican (or Yellow-crowned) Elaenia (JMe) ______ 8
     Myiopagis cotta      (monotypic)
  100. Caribbean Martin ______ 2a
     Progne dominicensis      (monotypic)
  101. Purple Martin (JMr) ______ 1a
     Progne s. subis
     (Probably a Purple Martin sighting, but possibly Cuban Martin, Progne cryptoleuca)

  102. Tree Swallow ______ 2
     Tachycineta bicolor      (monotypic)
  103. Barn Swallow ______ 7
     Hirundo rustica erythrogaster
  104. "Antillean" Cave Swallow ______ 10
    Petrochelidon     (formerly Hirundo) fulva poeciloma  (subspecies endemic to Jamaica; 1 of 4 subspecies in the Caribbean. 2 other subspecies in Mexico & the sw US)
  105. Jamaican Crow (JMe)  (Jabbering Crow) ______ 10
     Corvus jamaicensis      (monotypic)  (1 of 4 resident crows in the Caribbean) 

         (monotypic)  (1 of 4 resident crows in the Caribbean) 
  106. Northern Mockingbird ______ 10
     Mimus polyglottos orpheus      (resident subspecies of the Caribbean, mostly the Greater Antilles) 
  107. Bahama Mockingbird ______ 3
     Mimus gundlachii hillii      (subspecies endemic to Jamaica; the other species in the Bahamas & on small islands off Cuba) (note follows list)

  108. White-eyed Thrush (JMe)  (Shine-eye) ______ 10
     Turdus jamaicensis      (monotypic)
  109. White-chinned Thrush (JMe)  (Hopping Dick) ______ 10
     Turdus aurantius      (monotypic)
  110. Rufous-throated Solitaire  (Mountain Whistler) ______ 10
     Myadestes genibarbis solitarius      (subspecies endemic to Jamaica; 1 of 6 subspecies in the Caribbean.) (This species is 1 of 2 members of its genus in the Caribbean, the other being the Cuban Solitaire.)   
  111. Common (or European) Starling (i) ______ 9
     Sturnis vulgaris
  112. Jamaican Vireo (JMe)  (Sewi-sewi) ______ 10
     Vireo modestus      (monotypic)
  113. White-eyed Vireo  (JMr) ______ 1f
    Vireo g. griseus
  114. Blue Mountain Vireo (nt) (JMe) ______ 10
     Vireo osburni      (monotypic)
  115. Black-whiskered Vireo  (John-to-Whit)______ 9
     Vireo a. altiloquus

  116. Black-and-white Warbler ______ 9
     Mniotilta varia      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
  117. Swainson's Warbler ______ 2
     Limnothlypis swainsonii      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
  118. Worm-eating Warbler ______ 8
     Helmitheros vermivorus      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)  
  119. Northern Parula (Warbler) ______ 8
     Parula americana      (monotypic)
  120. Tennessee Warbler ______ 1m
     Vermivora peregrina      (monotypic)
  121. Nashville Warbler ______ 1m
     Vermivora r. ruficapilla

  122. Golden Warbler ______ 8 (considered distinct from migratory Yellow Warbler, breeding in North America, Dendroica aestiva, and the Mangrove Warbler of Central America, Dendroica erithachorides)
    Dendroica petechia eoa  (this subspecies in Jamaica & the Caymans)
  123. Yellow Warbler  ______ 1m
    Dendroica aestiva
  124. Black-throated Blue Warbler ______ 9
     Dendroica caerulescens      (2 subspecies occur in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean: D. c. caerulescens & D. caerulescens cairnsi.)
  125. "Myrtle" Yellow-rumped Warbler ______ 3
     Dendroica c. coronata

  126. Magnolia Warbler ______ 1 f,m
    Dendroica magnolia  (monotypic) 
  127. Cape May Warbler ______ 3
     Dendroica tigrina      (monotypic)
  128. Yellow-throated Warbler ______ 2
     Dendroica dominica albilora      (1 of 3 subspecies that occur in the Caribbean)   
  129. Chestnut-sided Warbler ______ 2
     Dendroica pensylvanica      (monotypic)
  130. Prairie Warbler ______ 7
     Dendroica discolor      (2 subspecies occur in the Caribbean: D. d. discolor & D. discolor paludicola.)
  131. Palm Warbler ______ 7
     Dendroica p. palmarum
  132. Arrow-headed Warbler (JMe)  (Ants Picker) ______ 10
    Dendroica pharetra      (monotypic)
  133. Ovenbird ______ 6
     Seiurus aurocapillus      (2 subspecies occur in the Caribbean: S. a. aurocapillus & S. aurocapillus furvior.)
  134. Northern Waterthrush ______ 4
     Seiurus noveboracensis      (now said to be monotypic)
  135. Louisiana Waterthrush ______ 3
     Seiurus motacilla      (monotypic)
  136. Common Yellowthroat ______ 7
     Geothlypis t. trichas
  137. American Redstart  (Butterfly Bird) ______ 10
         Setophaga ruticilla      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
  138. Bananaquit  (Sugar Bird) ______ 10
         Coereba f. flaveola      (subspecies endemic to Jamaica)  (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.)  
  139. Orangequit (JMe)  (Blue Quit) ______ 10
         Euneornis campestris      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
  140. Jamaican Euphonia (JMe) ______ 10
     Euphonia jamaica      (monotypic)
  141. Jamaican Spindalis (JMe)  (Mark Head) ______ 10 (formerly called (Jamaican) Stripe-headed Tanager; formerly considered conspecific with what are now the Western Spindalis, Hispaniolan Spindalis, & the Puerto Rican Spindalis)
    Spindalis nigricephala  (monotypic)

  142. Summer Tanager______ 1m
     Piranga r. rubra

  143. Shiny (or Glossy) Cowbird ______ 5
     Molothrus bonariensis minimus

  144. Greater Antillean Grackle  (Cling-cling) ______ 10
    Quiscalus niger crassinostris      (subspecies endemic to Jamaica)
  145. Jamaican Oriole (JMne)  (Banana Katie) ______ 10
         Icterus l. leucopteryx      (subspecies endemic to Jamaica; other subspecies now on Isla Andres & formerly on Grand Cayman, as the latter is now extinct) 

  146. Baltimore Oriole ______ 1m (formerly, when conspecific with Bullock's Oriole, called Northern Oriole)
    Icterus galbula  (monotypic)

  147. Jamaican Blackbird (nt) (JMe)  (Wildpine Sargeant) ______ 7
         Nesopsar nigerrimus      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
  148. Saffron (Yellow-) Finch (JMi) ______ 4
     Sicalis flaveola

  149. Greater Antillean Bullfinch ______ 10
     Loxigilla violacea ruficollis      (subspecies endemic to Jamaica)
  150. Yellow-shouldered Grassquit (JMe)  (Yellow-back) ______ 8
         Loxipasser anoxanthus      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
  151. Yellow-faced Grassquit ______ 10
     Tiaris o. olivacea      (this subspecies in Jamaica, Cuba, & the Caymans)
  152. Black-faced Grassquit ______ 9
     Tiaris bicolor marchii      (this subspecies in Jamaica & Hispaniola) 
  153. Lincoln's Sparrow ______ 1f
     Melospiza l. lincolnii

  154. House Sparrow  (i) ______  1m
    Passer domesticus
  155. Chestnut Mannikin  (i) ______  1m  (also called Black-headed Nun)
    Lonchura malacca 

 Notes:

The Black-billed Streamertail, in northeastern Jamaica, has been "tried for" during 7 tours, thus "7 for 7".  

The Bahama Mockingbird, in southern Jamaica, has only been "tried for" during 3 tours, thus "3 for 3".