Birds of the Caribbean Nazarene College Campus
Santa Cruz Valley
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Copyright February, 2008

Observation period - Jan. 11-23, 2006
All observations by Dick Swinney

Observations: These were made during a Work & Witness Team trip sponsored by the Los Angeles District of the Church of the Nazarene. There was very little time to bird and most that are represented here are the ones most likely to be seen around parks, open spaces and residential areas. There is at least one trail leading into the forest. Time spent in the forest would reveal a list of birds that are not normally observed unless you venture into their sylvan habitat. Many of these birds are very secretive and most easily recognized by their calls and songs, assuming you have access to taped recordings.

The campus is immediately adjacent to undisturbed rain forest. The builders of the campus took great effort to not remove any vegetation unnecessarily. The result is a beautiful blend of college and forest with wonderful views of the surrounding valley and mountains.

Background:
The campus occupies a former ranch of twenty-six acres that was equiped with one large home, three small cottages and fruit trees, including a nutmeg orchard. Sale of the nutmeg crop kept the college financialy solvent until 1961. The grove was removed later for a cricket field. The school had sixteen students its first year in 1951 with Raymond & Ruth Miller as its only teachers. In 1951, ten additional acres were purchased.

When the school opened, the countries that were invited to send students there were Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Guyana. Today there are twelve participating countries. The campus is ten miles from Port-of-Spain. The size of the campus is now thirty-six acres and is situated in the Santa Cruz Valley in the heavily forested northern range of mountains. This range is the highest of Trinidad’s three east-west oriented ranges. This Northern Range rises to 940 meters (3,085 feet) at Mount Aripo.

Trinidad lies near the northeastern coast of Venezuela, from which it is separated by the shallow Gulf of Paria by only seven miles. Geologically it is more like the adjacent mainland of South America than like other islands of the Caribbean. Trinidad is the fifth largest island of the West Indies.
The climate of Trinidad and Tobago is warm and humid, but the easterly trade winds temper the heat. The average annual temperature at Port-of-Spain, on the westen side of Trinidad, is 25 degrees C (77 deg. F). Rainfall is abundant throughout most of the island and occurs mainly from June to December. It exceeds 250 centimeters (100 inches) per year on the windward slopes of the Northern Range and in the highest parts of the Central lRange. Lying only at 10 1/2 degrees north of the equator, Trinidad and Tobago are spared the destruction from hurricanes experienced by many other islands of the Caribbean. The island is 37 by 50 miles across.

Over 425 species from 65 families of birds have been recorded in Trinidad. Over 250 species breed in Trinidad. Only one bird species is endemic to the Island of Trinidad. Hopefully this initial list will be added onto by bird enthusiasts who come to work or visit at Caribbean Nazarene College.


Reference:
ffrench, Richard. Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, Photographs by Roger Neckles, Macmillan Caribbean, Macmillan Education, 2004.
ffrench, Richard. A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, 2nd ed. Cornell University Press, N.Y., 1991.

Family Phaethontidae Tropicbirds

Phaethon aethereus Red-billed Tropicbird R, in flight overhead

Family Pelecanidae Pelicans

Pelecanus occidentalis Brown Pelican F, in flight overhead

Family Fregatidae Frigatebirds

Fregata magnificens Magnificent Frigatebird F, in flight overhead

Family Ardeidae Herons, Egrets and Bitterns

Egretta thula Snowy Egret F, on soccor field
Bubulcus ibis Cattle Egret F, on soccor field

Family Cathartidae New World Vultures

Coragyps atratus Black Vulture A, in flight overhead

Family Accipitridae Kites, Hawks, Harriers and Eagles

Leptodon cayanensis Gray-headed Kite R, 1 in flight
Buteogallus anthracinus Common Black Hawk F, in flight overhead

Family Columbidae Pigeons and Doves

Columbina talpacoti Ruddy Ground-Dove F, on lawns

Family Cuculidae Cuckoos, Anis, Roadrunners

Crotophaga ani Smooth-billed Ani F, on power lines and small trees in groups of 5-10

Family Strigidae True Owls

Pulsatrix perspicillata Spectacled Owl R, 1 heard near midnight

Family Tyrannidae Tyrant Flycatchers

Tyrannus melancholicus Tropical Kingbird F, on wires and trees near clearings
Myiodynastes maculatus Streaked Flycatcher U, in low vegetation
Pitangus sulphuratus Great Kiskadee F, on wires and trees near clearings

Family Hirundinidae Swallows

Tachycineta albiventer White-winged Swallow F, throughout

Family Troglodytidae Wrens

Troglodytes aedon House Wren F, near buildings

Family Mimidae Thrashers and Mockingbirds

Mimus gilvus Tropical Mockingbird F, near buildings

Family Turdidae Thrushes, Solitaires, Bluebirds

Turdus nudigenis Bare-eyed Thrush F, on ground eating fallen fruit

Family Coerebidae Honeycreepers

Coereba flaveola Bananaquit F, in low vegetation

Family Icteridae Blackbirds, Orioles, Meadowlarks

Psarocolius decumanus Crested Oropendola F, in tall trees
Quiscalus lugubris Carib Grackle R
Icterus nigrogularis Yellow Oriole U

Family Thraupidae Tanagers

Thraupis episcopus Blue-gray Tanager F
Thraupis palmarum Palm Tanager A, near buildings, nesting under eves
Tachyphonus rufus White-lined Tanager U