Puerto Rico's Birds

I've always been fascinated by birds because of their ability to fly, for one. So my goal is to, at least by these pictures, grow the same feeling in you for them.

In this space you will see different species of birds, some rare and others very common. Some of these are native, endemic and/or migratory. All the pictures where taken all around the Island by my person with no exception. Enjoy!

Puerto Rico is about 111 by 35 miles and in this small area we have 16 surviving endemic birds (found nowhere else in the world). In comparison, the U.S.A. contiguous 48 states have 900 times more area that Puerto Rico and yet there are only 10 endemic bird species. The reason for us been blessed with this number of endemism is that "islands provide unique habitat conditions and geographic isolation necessary for populations of animals and plants to slowly evolve into new species.

The avifauna of the Island and the Virgin Islands includes 350 species of birds from which a third are "accidentals". Some 35 where introduced by man and 120 regularly nest in Puerto Rico including native ones. Many other species breed in North America and elsewhere, but spend the winter in the tropics, including Puerto Rico and other islands on the Caribbean. (W. Oberle, Mark, 2006. Puerto Rico's Birds in Photographs, A Complete Guide and CD-ROM Including the Virgin Islands. Second Ed. Editorial Humanitas, Seattle Washington.)

Endemics:

Non-endemics: