Gavin Bieber on his recently completed tour of Puerto Rico

Although islands in the Greater Antilles don’t hold the same diversity of species as mainland sites in the tropics, they have a higher rate of endemism and hold many regional specialties that combine for exciting birding.  This year we encountered 17 of the 18 endemics (all except the Puerto Rican Parrot, which is virtually impossible to see during the breeding season), and 116 species overall (a new trip record). As is the norm for this trip the jewel-like and highly charismatic Puerto Rican Tody won bird of the trip with honorable mention going to the inquisitive Puerto Rican Pewees, blushing American Flamingo, striking Puerto Rican Woodpecker, and with a special award to Puerto Rico's beautiful coastline and forested mountains.

Puerto Rican Tody

Puerto Rican Pewee

American Flamingo

Puerto Rican Woodpecker

The fabulous northeast coast