Bird Photos
Species Accounts
Conservation Issues
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Bird Research in the Bahamas
In the early winter of 1996, we began a long term study of resident and neotropical
migrant birds wintering on Eleuthera Island in the Bahama Islands. The purpose of this
study is to identify those species, wintering in this region, identify those habitats used
by these wintering species, and recommend management and conservation programs to protect
these species on their wintering grounds. We hope you enjoy these views of some of the
birds we found in our study area.
*We are greatly indebted to the Bahama Ministry of Agriculture for granting us the
opportunity to undertake this important investigation, and to Mr. David Steigelman for his
offer to use his home and estate to conduct this study.
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This is our banding station on Eleuthera
Island. It is a privately maintained lighthouse located on the Atlantic coast a few miles
from Governor's Harbor. |
Figure 1 - Banding Station
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Figure 2 - Silver Palm Habitat
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The Silver Palm habitat characterizes much of
this study area. Soils are sandy with a heavy litter layer of decaying palm fronds. |
The attractive Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)
is a resident honeycreeper common in the study area. They are common throughout the West
Indies, and are called by many local names such as Banana Bird, Paw-paw Bird, Marley Quit,
Bessie Coban, Black See-see and Sucrier. These birds build a globular nest that is often
used for roosting when not in use for breeding.
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Figure 3 - Bananaquit
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Figure 4 - Black-faced Grassquit
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The resident Black-faced Grassquit (Tiaris
bicolor) is common in the study area. Males are black, females duller. Its high pitched
buzzy song is often the first indication of their presence. Found throughout the West
Indies, they go by many descriptive local names such as Parson Bird, Sin Bird, Chitty
Bird, Chamorro Negro, Ci-ci des Tomeguín and others.
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This Neotropical migrant breeds in the
eastern USA and winters in the Caribbean. This species is distinguished from the resident
Bahama Yellowthroat on Eleuthera Island by its brownish crown, and blue-gray band on the
forecrown.
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Figure 5 - Common Yellowthroat
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Figure 6 - Greater Antillean Bullfinch
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This is a female Greater Antillean Bullfinch.
Males are jet black with red patches over the eyes, throat, and red under tail coverts.
The large bill of this bird is used to turn and peel berries much like a parrot. |
This individual is an adult male Indigo
Bunting in winter plumage. Note the amount of brown in the plumage. On its breeding
grounds in North America, this male will be entirely blue. |
Figure 7 - Indigo Bunting
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Figure 8 - Northern Parula
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The Northern Parula is a most attractive
warbler. The lovely plumage of blue, chestnut, yellow, green and white almost defies
description. This bird is a Neotropical migrant the breeds in North America. |
The resident Thick-billed Vireo is a common
species on all main islands. Their call is reminiscent of the White-eyed Vireo commonly
heard in brushy thickets in North America. |
Figure 9 - Thick-billed Vireo
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Figure 10 - Prairie Warbler
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The Prairie Warbler breeds in the eastern US
and Canada in open pine forests. It is one of the species that has benefited from the
clearing of forests. Declining populations may be resulting from reforestation efforts. |
The Palm Warbler, also a species wintering in
the Caribbean, is one of the most commonly observed warblers in the Bahamas in winter
months. |
Figure 11 - Palm Warbler
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Figure 12 - Gray Catbird
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The Gray Catbird is a bird of forest edges
and dense brush. It breeds in North America and winters in the extreme southeastern US,
and parts of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. |
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