Birding In Cuba

Posted on May 13, 2016 by Tara

Although the USA has only just reinstated the ability for US citizens to visit Cuba, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t already on the radar of dedicated birders! Cuba does have some real stunning birds as you will see in this video journey by Rigdon Currie.

A Step Closer To Seeing Wild Cuban Amazon Parrots

Posted on December 19, 2015 by Tara

The United States and Cuba have agreed to restore scheduled commercial airline service for the first time in more than five decades in a deal allowing 110 round-trip flights a day between the former Cold War foes. More details in this article.

This is great news to anyone who wants to go birding in Cuba and hopefully see Cuban Amazon parrots! Tourism is still not a legitimate reason for Americans to visit Cuba but “educational tours” are and I would consider birding as educational.

In the meanwhile, you can still see their cousins – Cayman Amazon Parrots in nearby Grand Cayman.

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Cuban Amazon Parrot (Amazona leucocephala)

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Tara

The Cuban Amazon (Amazona leucocephala) also known as Cuban Parrot or the rose-throated parrot, is a medium-sized mainly green parrot found in woodlands and dry forests of Cuba, the Bahamas and Cayman Islands in the Caribbean.

There are four subspecies of the Cuban amazon^:

A. l. leucocephala (Linnaeus, 1758). Present throughout Cuba, including Isla de la Juventud (formerly known as Isla de Pinos).
A. l. bahamensis (H. Bryant, 1867), also called the Bahama amazon. Two extant populations in the Bahamas; one on the Abaco Islands and one on Great Inagua (with sightings from nearby Little Inagua). Now extirpated populations were present on the Acklins and Crooked Islands and possibly also elsewhere in the Bahamas.
A. l. caymanensis (Cory, 1886), also called the Grand Cayman amazon. Restricted to Grand Cayman Island.
A. l. hesterna Bangs, 1916. Now restricted to the island of Cayman Brac, but formerly also on Little Cayman.

The birds I saw while on our cruise were the Cayman Parrot subspecies. Now that Cuba has opened up to tourism, we should be hearing about more sightings of the nominate subspecies as well!