Nearly 20 percent of the country is in some sort of nature reserve. The political and practical problems of field study in Cuba make it difficult for foreign ornithologists to gather data and Cuban ornithologists are hampered by a lack of fuel for transportation and decent field gear such as binoculars, telescopes, mist nets, computers, and so on. Habitat destruction and climate change are certainly suspects but the exact reasons are not well known because of a lack of research. ![]() There is some indication that North American migrants as well as resident species are declining in number on the island of Cuba. All but three of the eastern wood-warblers have been recorded in Cuba, and Cuba was the only known wintering location for the extinct Bachman’s Warbler. Nineteen species of passerines are considered common wintering residents. Well over 100 North American breeding bird species winter or pass through Cuba. The land mass of Cuba comprises half of the entire West Indian land mass, so it is one of the most important wintering and migratory stopover sites for North American birds. And for a field guide, check out the one from Cornell. There’s a site called Cuba Explorer that lists and pictures a couple of dozen birds you might want to peruse. This high level of endemism alone signifies Cuba as a globally important place for birds. In addition, a dozen or so endemic subspecies are potentially new species. The Bee Hummingbird ( Mellisuga helenae) is the smallest bird on the planet. A medium-sized gray and yellow bird, it inhabits the grasslands of the Zapata Swamp and elsewhere in Cuba. The Zapata Sparrow (To rreornis inexpectatais) is the only sparrow endemic to the West Indies. ![]() He probably had an interesting life list as there are several endemic bird species in Cuba and it’s rumored that a population of Ivory-bill Woodpeckers might even reside on an isolated mountaintop there.Ĭuba is home to almost 400 bird species with at least 21 of them found no place else in the world nine of them are endangered or vulnerable. Although there is not much written regarding his passion for birding, it’s widely known that it was one of his passions. How Studying Ornithology Can Help Us Better Understand Our Environment and Ourselvesįidel Castro was the dictator of Cuba who was also known for his love of birdwatching.Guide to Graduate Studies in Ornithology in 2023.Careers in Ornithology- Becoming an Ornithologist.Binoculars (and Spotting ‘Scopes) for Birds.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |