Birds of Cuba

Cuban Green Woodpecker - Varaderos, CU I was told by a friend that this was a must see bird for Cuba. They great little personalities and they are striking with the red head on the green back. This bird was keeping an eye on a Cuban Black Hawk that was making some serious noise from a light above them. They kept an eye until the wondering raptor flew off. This was taken just at the edge of Varahicacos Ecological Reserve at the edge of a mangrove swamp. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Cuban Green Woodpecker - Varaderos, CU
Cuban Black Hawk - Varadero, CU The Cuban Black Hawkis somewhat of a specialist in that they are beachcombers. The are typically found only in the coastal areas of Cuba hunting mostly crabs. This particular bird was very vocal after snatching some prey from the mangrove swamp and perching on this light. Most of the other prey birds seemed weary of this predator including a pair of Cuban Green Woodpeckers just below him. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Cuban Black Hawk - Veradero, CU
Greater Antillean Grackle - Varadero, CU This is the only blackbird in Cuba with the
Greater Antillean Grackle - Varadero, CU
Gray Kingbird - Varadero, CU One of the more common flycatchers on the Varadero peninsula the Gray Kingbirds and is also one of the most conspicuous. If there was ever one of them there was a pair, hawking from the tree tops. These birds are summer residents in Cuba making the rest of the Caribbean and the northern portion of South America as their winter grounds. Michael W Klotz 2019 - www.TheBirdBlogger.com Picture
Gray Kingbird - Varadero, CU
Turquoise-browed Motmot - Laguna de Apoyo, MS-NI This amazingly colored bird is the National bird of Nicaragua. The racket tail is the dead give away with only other species of Motmot possibly giving some chance of mis-identification. The motmot is named for the sound that it makes while sitting waiting for its dinner. This bird was with a mate moving from perch to perch after flying out to collect an insect on the wing. This was particularly close to the laguna, but they are found almost everywhere in the country. This particular bird is missing one of its
Mourning Dove - Varadero, CU