List of endemic birds of the West Indies
This article is one of a series providing information about endemism among birds in the world's various zoogeographic zones. For an overview of this subject see Endemism in birds.
Patterns of endemism
This region is notable not just for the high number of endemic species, but for endemism in higher-level taxonomic groupings too. This article is one of a series providing information about endemism among birds in the world's various zoogeographic zones. For an overview of this subject see Endemism in birds.
Family-level endemism
The following families are endemic to the region:
- Palmchat, a passerine family (Dulidae), containing a single species found only on Hispaniola.
- the todies, a family (Todidae) with five species, found only on the Greater Antilles.
- the Cuban warblers, a passerine family (Teretistridae), containing two species on Cuba
- the Hispaniolan tanagers, Phaenicophilidae, a passerine family, containing 4 species in 3 genera on Hispaniola
- the Puerto Rican tanager, a passerine family (Nesospingidae), containing a single species found only on Puerto Rico
- the chat-tanagers (Calyptophilidae) a passerine family, containing 2 species found only on Hispaniola
- the spindalises, a passerine family (Spindalidae), with 4 species found only on the Greater Antilles and nearby islands
Genus-level endemism
In addition to genera in the families above, the following genera are endemic to the region:
- Riccordia, with six species, the blue-headed hummingbird, Puerto Rican emerald, Cuban emerald, Hispaniolan emerald, and the extinct Brace's emerald & Gould's emerald
- Margarops, with one species, the pearly-eyed thrasher
- Priotelus, with two species, the Cuban trogon and Hispaniolan trogon
- Melopyrrha, with four species, the Puerto Rican bullfinch, Cuban bullfinch, Greater Antillean bullfinch, and the extinct St. Kitts bullfinch
Six genera found only on Hispaniola:
- Nesoctites, with one species, the Antillean piculet (also monotypic within the subfamily)
- Dulus, with only one species, the palmchat (also monotypic within the family)
- Phaenicophilus, with two species, the black-crowned tanager and grey-crowned tanager
- Xenoligea, with one species, the white-winged warbler
- Microligea, with one species, the green-tailed warbler
- Calyptophilus, with two species, the western chat-tanager and eastern chat-tanager
Five genera found only on Jamaica:
- Trochilus, with two species, red-billed and black-billed streamertails
- Loxipasser, with one species, the yellow-shouldered grassquit
- Euneornis, with one species, the orangequit
- Nesopsar, with one species, the Jamaican blackbird
Six genera found only on Cuba:
- Ferminia, a genus with only one species, the Zapata wren
- Cyanolimnas, with one species, the Zapata rail
- Margarobyas, with one species, the bare-legged owl
- Starnoenas, with one species, the blue-headed quail-dove (depending on classification, the genus may also be monotypic to the subfamily level)
- Torreornis, with one species, the Zapata sparrow
- Xiphidiopicus, with one species, the Cuban green woodpecker
One genus found only on Puerto Rico:
- Gymnasio, with one species, the Puerto Rican owl (formerly also found in the Virgin Islands, but now likely extirpated there)
One genus found only on the Bahamas:
- Nesophlox, with two species, the Bahama woodstar and Inagua woodstar
The following genera are confined to the Lesser Antilles:
- Ramphocinclus, with a single species, the white-breasted thrasher
- Cinclocerthia, with two species, the gray trembler and the brown trembler
- Allenia, with one species, the scaly-breasted thrasher
- Loxigilla, with two species, the Lesser Antillean bullfinch and the Barbados bullfinch
In addition in the following genera, a high proportions of the member species are endemic to the west Indies:
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Endemic Bird Areas
Birdlife International has defined a number of Endemic Bird Areas in the West Indies.
025 | Cuba |
026 | Bahamas |
027 | Jamaica |
028 | Hispaniola |
029 | Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands |
030 | Lesser Antilles |
They have also defined the following secondary areas:
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List of species
Species endemic to Cuba
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/Bee_hummingbird_%28Mellisuga_helenae%29_immature_male.jpg/175px-Bee_hummingbird_%28Mellisuga_helenae%29_immature_male.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5d/Oriente_warbler_%28Teretistris_fornsi%29_-_cropped.jpg/175px-Oriente_warbler_%28Teretistris_fornsi%29_-_cropped.jpg)
Common name | Binomial | Family | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cuban kite | Chondrohierax wilsonii | Accipitridae | Sometimes considered a subspecies of hook-billed kite. | |
Gundlach's hawk | Accipiter gundlachi | Accipitridae | ||
Cuban black hawk | Buteogallus gundlachii | Accipitridae | ||
Zapata rail | Cyanolimnas cerverai | Rallidae | ||
Grey-fronted quail-dove | Geotrygon caniceps | Columbidae | ||
Blue-headed quail-dove | Starnoenas cyanocephala | Columbidae | ||
Cuban parakeet | Psittacara euops | Psittacidae | Extirpated from Isla de la Juventud | |
Bare-legged owl | Margarobyas lawrencii | Strigidae | ||
Cuban pygmy owl | Glaucidium siju | Strigidae | ||
Cuban nightjar | Antrostomus cubanensis | Caprimulgidae | ||
Bee hummingbird | Mellisuga helenae | Trochilidae | World's smallest bird. | |
Cuban trogon | Priotelus temnurus | Trogonidae | ||
Cuban tody | Todus multicolor | Todidae | ||
Cuban green woodpecker | Xiphidiopicus percussus | Picidae | ||
Fernandina's flicker | Colaptes fernandinae | Picidae | ||
Giant kingbird | Tyrannus cubensis | Tyrannidae | ||
Cuban martin | Progne cryptoleuca | Hirundinidae | Probably winters somewhere in South America, though this is not confirmed.[1] | |
Cuban crow | Corvus nasicus | Corvidae | ||
Zapata wren | Ferminia cerverai | Troglodytidae | ||
Cuban gnatcatcher | Polioptila lembeyei | Polioptilidae | ||
Cuban solitaire | Myadestes elisabeth | Turdidae | ||
Cuban vireo | Vireo gundlachii | Vireonidae | ||
Yellow-headed warbler | Teretistris fernandinae | Parulidae | ||
Oriente warbler | Teretistris fornsi | Parulidae | ||
Cuban grassquit | Tiaris canorus | Thraupidae | ||
Zapata sparrow | Torreornis inexpectata | Passerellidae | ||
Red-shouldered blackbird | Agelaius assimilis | Icteridae | ||
Cuban blackbird | Dives atroviolaceus | Icteridae | ||
Cuban oriole | Icterus melanopsis | Icteridae |
Species endemic to Hispaniola
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/DRbirds_Hispaniolan-Lizard_Cuckoo_2c.jpg/175px-DRbirds_Hispaniolan-Lizard_Cuckoo_2c.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Black-crowned_Palm_Warbler.jpg/175px-Black-crowned_Palm_Warbler.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Adult_Hispaniolan_Golden_Swallow_perched_on_artificial_nest-box.jpg/175px-Adult_Hispaniolan_Golden_Swallow_perched_on_artificial_nest-box.jpg)
Species endemic to Jamaica
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Amazona_agilis_-Cockpit_Country%2C_Jamaica-8_%281%29.jpg/175px-Amazona_agilis_-Cockpit_Country%2C_Jamaica-8_%281%29.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Trochilus_scitulus.jpg/175px-Trochilus_scitulus.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/Orangequit_male_RWD4.jpg/175px-Orangequit_male_RWD4.jpg)
Common name | Binomial | Family | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ring-tailed pigeon | Patagioenas caribaea | Columbidae | ||
Crested quail-dove | Geotrygon versicolor | Columbidae | ||
Yellow-billed amazon | Amazona collaria | Psittacidae | ||
Black-billed amazon | Amazona agilis | Psittacidae | ||
Jamaican lizard cuckoo | Coccyzus vetula | Cuculidae | ||
Chestnut-bellied cuckoo | Coccyzus pluvialis | Cuculidae | ||
Jamaican owl | Asio grammicus | Strigidae | ||
Jamaican poorwill | Siphonorhis americana | Caprimulgidae | Possibly extinct |
Possibly extinct, hasn't been definitively seen since 1860.[2] |
Jamaican mango | Anthracothorax mango | Trochilidae | ||
Black-billed streamertail | Trochilus scitulus | Trochilidae | ||
Red-billed streamertail | Trochilus polytmus | Trochilidae | ||
Jamaican tody | Todus todus | Todidae | ||
Jamaican woodpecker | Melanerpes radiolatus | Picidae | ||
Jamaican elaenia | Myiopagis cotta | Tyrannidae | ||
Jamaican pewee | Contopus pallidus | Tyrannidae | ||
Sad flycatcher | Myiarchus barbirostris | Tyrannidae | ||
Rufous-tailed flycatcher | Myiarchus validus | Tyrannidae | ||
Jamaican becard | Pachyramphus niger | Tyrannidae | ||
Jamaican crow | Corvus jamaicensis | Corvidae | ||
White-eyed thrush | Turdus jamaicensis | Turdidae | ||
White-chinned thrush | Turdus aurantius | Turdidae | ||
Jamaican vireo | Vireo modestus | Vireonidae | ||
Blue Mountain vireo | Vireo osburni | Vireonidae | ||
Arrow-headed warbler | Setophaga pharetra | Parulidae | ||
Jamaican euphonia | Euphonia jamaica | Fringillidae | ||
Yellow-shouldered grassquit | Loxipasser anoxanthus | Fringillidae | ||
Jamaican spindalis | Spindalis nigricephala | Spindalidae | ||
Orangequit | Euneornis campestris | Thraupidae | ||
Jamaican blackbird | Nesopsar nigerrimus | Icteridae | ||
Jamaican oriole | Icterus leucopteryx | Icteridae | Formerly found on Grand Cayman, currently extant on San Andrés. | |
Jamaican petrel | Pterodroma caribbaea | Procellariidae | Possibly extinct |
Possibly extinct; formerly would have bred on Dominica and Guadeloupe. Last specimen collected in 1879. Surveys have been conducted, though nocturnal petrels are renowned for how hard they are to study. |
Species endemic to Puerto Rico
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Puerto_Rican_parrot.jpg/175px-Puerto_Rican_parrot.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Antrostomus_noctitherus_-Puerto_Rico-8.jpg/175px-Antrostomus_noctitherus_-Puerto_Rico-8.jpg)
Common name | Binomial | Family | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Puerto Rican amazon | Amazona vittata | Psittacidae | Currently being reintroduced to parts of the island. | |
Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo | Coccyzus vieilloti | Cuculidae | ||
Puerto Rican owl | Gymnasio nudipes | Strigidae | ||
Puerto Rican nightjar | Antrostomus noctitherus | Caprimulgidae | ||
Green mango | Anthracothorax viridis | Trochilidae | ||
Puerto Rican emerald | Riccordia maugaeus | Trochilidae | ||
Puerto Rican tody | Todus mexicanus | Todidae | ||
Puerto Rican woodpecker | Melanerpes portoricensis | Picidae | ||
Puerto Rican flycatcher | Myiarchus antillarum | Tyrannidae | ||
Puerto Rican vireo | Vireo latimeri | Vireonidae | ||
Adelaide's warbler | Setophaga adelaidae | Parulidae | ||
Elfin woods warbler | Setophaga angelae | Parulidae | ||
Puerto Rican spindalis | Spindalis portoricensis | Spindalidae | ||
Puerto Rican tanager | Nesospingus speculiferus | Nesospingidae | ||
Puerto Rican bullfinch | Melopyrrha portoricensis | Thraupidae | ||
Yellow-shouldered blackbird | Agelaius xanthomus | Icteridae | ||
Puerto Rican oriole | Icterus portoricensis | Icteridae |
Other insular endemics of the West Indies
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Bahama_Oriole.jpg/175px-Bahama_Oriole.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Bahama_Yellowthroat_%28Geothlypis_rostrata%29_held_in_hand%2C_side_view.jpg/175px-Bahama_Yellowthroat_%28Geothlypis_rostrata%29_held_in_hand%2C_side_view.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/LeucopezaSemperiSmit.jpg/175px-LeucopezaSemperiSmit.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Amazona_guildingii_-Botanical_Gardens_-Kingstown_-Saint_Vincent-8a-4c.jpg/175px-Amazona_guildingii_-Botanical_Gardens_-Kingstown_-Saint_Vincent-8a-4c.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Icterus_oberi.jpg/175px-Icterus_oberi.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Barbuda_Warbler.jpg/175px-Barbuda_Warbler.jpg)
Common name | Binomial | Family | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Species endemic to the Bahamas | ||||
Bahama woodstar | Nesophlox evelynae | Trochilidae | ||
Inagua woodstar | Nesophlox lyrura | Trochilidae | ||
Bahama swallow | Tachycineta cyaneoviridis | Hirundinidae | ||
Bahama nuthatch | Sitta insularis | Sittidae | Possibly extinct following Hurricane Dorian | |
Bahama oriole | Icterus northropi | Icteridae | ||
Bahama yellowthroat | Geothlypis rostrata | Parulidae | ||
Bahama warbler | Setophaga flavescens | Parulidae | ||
Species endemic to Grenada | ||||
Grenada dove | Leptotila wellsi | Columbidae | National bird of Grenada. | |
Species endemic to Dominica | ||||
Imperial parrot | Amazona imperialis | Psittacidae | National bird of Dominica. | |
Red-necked amazon | Amazona arausiaca | Psittacidae | ||
Species endemic to St. Lucia | ||||
St. Lucia amazon | Amazona versicolor | Psittacidae | ||
St. Lucia oriole | Icterus laudabilis | Icteridae | ||
Semper's warbler | Leucopaza semperi | Parulidae | After not being reliably reported since 1961, some have speculated that Semper's warbler is already extinct. | |
St. Lucia warbler | Setophaga delicata | Parulidae | ||
St. Lucia black finch | Melanospiza richardsoni | Fringillidae | ||
Species endemic to St. Vincent | ||||
St. Vincent amazon | Amazona guildingii | Psittacidae | ||
Whistling warbler | Catharopeza bishopi | Parulidae | ||
Species endemic to Guadeloupe | ||||
Guadeloupe woodpecker | Melanerpes herminieri | Picidae | ||
Species endemic to Barbuda | ||||
Barbuda warbler | Setophaga subita | Parulidae | ||
Species endemic to Barbados | ||||
Barbados bullfinch | Loxigilla barbadensis | Thraupidae | ||
Species endemic to Montserrat | ||||
Montserrat oriole | Icterus oberi | Icteridae | ||
Species endemic to Martinique | ||||
Martinique oriole | Icterus bonana | Icteridae | ||
Species endemic to San Andrés | ||||
San Andres vireo | Vireo caribaeus | Vireonidae | ||
Species endemic to Trinidad | ||||
Trinidad motmot | Momotus bahamensis | Momotidae | ||
Trinidad piping guan | Pipile pipile | Cracidae |
Other species endemic to the Greater Antilles
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Vervain_Hummingbird.jpg/175px-Vervain_Hummingbird.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Agelaius_humeralis%2C_Holguin%2C_Cuba.jpg/175px-Agelaius_humeralis%2C_Holguin%2C_Cuba.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Mimus_gundlachii_-Ciego_de_Avila_Province%2C_Cuba-8_%282%29.jpg/175px-Mimus_gundlachii_-Ciego_de_Avila_Province%2C_Cuba-8_%282%29.jpg)
Other species endemic to the Lesser Antilles
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/Purple-throated_carib_hummingbird.jpg/175px-Purple-throated_carib_hummingbird.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Blue-headed_hummingbird.jpg/175px-Blue-headed_hummingbird.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9c/Allenia_fusca_in_Coulibistrie-a05.jpg/175px-Allenia_fusca_in_Coulibistrie-a05.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/Cinclocerthia_ruficauda_-_Dominica_2001_-_a.jpg/175px-Cinclocerthia_ruficauda_-_Dominica_2001_-_a.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/Lesser_Antillean_saltator.jpg/175px-Lesser_Antillean_saltator.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/Lesser_Antillean_Bullfinch_RWD5.jpg/175px-Lesser_Antillean_Bullfinch_RWD5.jpg)
Other species endemic to the West Indies
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/Tyrannus_caudifasciatus_-Camaguey_Province%2C_Cuba-8_%282%29.jpg/175px-Tyrannus_caudifasciatus_-Camaguey_Province%2C_Cuba-8_%282%29.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a3/Greater_Antillean_Grackle_%28Quiscalus_niger%29_RWD.jpg/175px-Greater_Antillean_Grackle_%28Quiscalus_niger%29_RWD.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ec/Scaly-naped_Pigeon_RWD.jpg/175px-Scaly-naped_Pigeon_RWD.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Green_throated_carib_shs.jpg/175px-Green_throated_carib_shs.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/Antillean_crested_hummingbird.jpg/175px-Antillean_crested_hummingbird.jpg)
Extinct birds
Common name | Binomial | Family | Distribution | Last Sighting | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antillean cave rail | Nesotrochis debooyi | Rallidae | Occurred on Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. | Only known from subfossil fragments. | An account from Alexander Wetmore from 1912 may refer to this bird. |
Cuban macaw | Ara tricolor | Psittacidae | Occurred on Cuba. | 1864, though may have lasted until the 1880s. | |
Guadeloupe parakeet | Psittacara labati | Psittacidae | Occurred on Guadeloupe. | Presumed to have disappeared in the late 1700s. | Since no physical evidence has been discovered, the existence of this species has been brought into question. |
Martinique amazon | Amazona martinicana | Psittacidae | Occurred on Martinique. | 1722 | Since no physical evidence has been discovered, the existence of this species has been brought into question. |
Guadeloupe amazon | Amazona violacea | Psittacidae | Occurred on Guadeloupe. | 1779 | Since no physical evidence has been discovered, the existence of this species has been brought into question. |
Puerto Rican barn owl | Tyto cavatica | Tytonidae | Occurred in Puerto Rico | Prehistoric. | May have existed until 1912. |
Andros Island barn owl | Tyto pollens | Tytonidae | Occurred in the Bahamas. | May have existed into the 16th century. | |
Cuban pauraque | Siphonorhis daiquiri | Caprimulgidae | Occurred in Cuba. | Prehistoric. | May still survive based on the fact that nightjars are notoriously hard to study. |
Brace's emerald | Riccordia bracei | Trochilidae | Occurred in the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence. | Only known from a specimen collected in 1879. | |
Gould's emerald | Riccordia elegans | Trochilidae | Most likely Jamaica or the Bahamas. | Only known from the type specimen, taken in 1860. | |
St. Kitts bullfinch | Melopyrrha grandis | Thraupidae | Occurred on Saint Kitts. | Last reliably seen in 1929. | May still survive; potential sightings have been made since the 1990s. |
Grand Cayman thrush | Turdus ravidus | Turdidae | Occurred on Grand Cayman | Last reliably seen in 1938. |
Near-endemics
The following is a list of species endemic to the region as breeding species:
![]() |
The following is a list of species endemic to the region as non-breeding species:
![]() |
The following restricted-range species are also found in the region:
![]() |
The following seabirds are restricted to the region as breeders:
![]() |
References
- ^ "Cuban Martin". Cornell Lab of Ornithology Neotropical Birda. Cornell University. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
- ^ "Jamaican Pauraque". Cornell Lab of Ornithology Neotropical Birds. Cornell University. Retrieved 23 March 2019.