Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba

by Orlando H. Garrido, Arturo Kirkconnell, Roman F. Company (Illustrator), Lester L. Short (Foreword by)

Overview

The richness and diversity of Cuban birdlife features 354 recorded species that represent 20 orders and 60 families. The 21 living endemic species include the charming Cuban Tody, the striking and elegant Cuban Trogon (the national bird), the colorful Cuban Green Woodpecker, and the smallest of all birds, the Bee Hummingbird.

This compact and portable field reference will help Cubans, visitors from abroad, and bird enthusiasts identify and enjoy the island's avifauna. The 51 color plates and 662 images accurately illustrate male, female, and juvenile plumages (in some cases for the first time). Many migratory species are depicted in both winter and breeding colors, providing a glimpse of many common North American birds as they appear when away from northern surroundings. In the comprehensive Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba Orlando H. Garrido and Arturo Kirkconnell share their vast wealth of knowledge about birds—and habitats—that are too little known.

Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba contains:

•Species accounts including habitat descriptions, similar species, range, status, nesting and feeding habits, and vocalizations.
•Checklists of endemic species and subspecies.
•Background on the geography, climate, geology, paleontology, and natural history of Cuba.
•144 maps that show regional boundaries and vegetative habitats as well as the local distribution of each species.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801486319
Publisher:	Cornell University Press
Publication date:	08/01/2000
Series:	Comstock Book Series
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Orlando H. Garrido and Arturo Kirkconnell are Curators, National Museum of Natural History of Cuba. Lester Short is emeritus director of the department of ornithology at the American Museum of Natural History.

Table of Contents

	Foreword	xi
	Preface	xiii
	Acknowledgments	xv
	Introduction	1
	About Cuba	1
	Geographic Statistics on the Cuban Archipelago
	Climate
	Origin of Cuba
	Fossil Birds
	Derivation of Cuba's Avifauna
	Migration
	Cuban Ornithology
	Conservation
	Bird-watching in Cuba
	Where to Focus Attention on Birds
	Bird Habitats
	Using this Guide	15
	Families
	Species
	Description
	Similar Species
	Range
	Status
	Habitat
	Nesting
	Voice
	Food
	Illustrations
	Maps
	Checklist
	Species accounts	21
	Loons: Gaviidae	21
	Grebes: Podicipedidae	21
	Petrels and Shearwaters: Procellariidae	23
	Storm-Petrels: Hydrobatidae	25
	Tropicbirds: Phaethontidae	26
	Boobies and Gannets: Sulidae	28
	Pelicans: Pelecanidae	30
	Cormorants: Phalacrocoracidae	31
	Darters: Anhingidae	33
	Frigatebirds: Fregatidae	34
	Bitterns and Herons: Ardeidae	35
	Ibises and Spoonbills: Threskiornithidae	44
	Storks: Ciconiidae	47
	American Vultures: Cathartidae	47
	Flamingos: Phoenicopteridae	49
	Swans, Geese, and Ducks: Anatidae	50
	Kites and Hawks: Accipitridae	64
	Caracaras and Falcons: Falconidae	71
	Pheasants, Quails, and Guineafowl: Phasianidae	73
	Rails, Gallinules, and Coots: Rallidae	75
	Limpkins: Aramidae	83
	Cranes: Gruidae	83
	Plovers: Charadriidae	84
	Oystercatchers: Haematopodidae	88
	Stilts and Avocets: Recurvirostridae	89
	Jacanas: Jacanidae	90
	Sandpipers and Phalaropes: Scolopacidae	91
	Jaegers, Skuas, Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers: Laridae	104
	Auks: Alcidae	118
	Pigeons and Doves: Columbidae	119
	Parakeets and Parrots: Psittacidae	128
	Cuckoos and Anis: Cuculidae	130
	Barn Owls: Tytonidae	133
	Typical Owls: Strigidae	134
	Goatsuckers: Caprimulgidae	138
	Swifts: Apodidae	141
	Hummingbirds: Trochilidae	144
	Trogons: Trogonidae	146
	Todies: Todidae	147
	Kingfishers: Alcedinidae	147
	Woodpeckers: Picidae	148
	Tyrant Flycatchers: Tyrannidae	152
	Vireos: Vireonidae	161
	Crows: Corvidae	166
	Swallows: Hirundinidae	168
	Wrens: Troglodytidae	172
	Kinglets: Regulidae	173
	Gnatcatchers: Sylviidae	174
	Thrushes: Turdidae	175
	Mockingbirds and Thrashers: Mimidae	180
	Starlings: Sturnidae	182
	Waxwings: Bombycillidae	183
	Wood-Warblers: Parulidae	183
	Bananaquits: Coerebidae	203
	Tanagers: Thraupidae	204
	Grassquits and Sparrows: Emberizidae	207
	Grosbeaks and Buntings: Cardinalidae	215
	Bobolinks, Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, Grackles, and Cowbirds: Icteridae	217
	Finches: Fringillidae	225
	Old World Sparrows: Passeridae	226
	Estrildid Finches: Estrildidae	227
Appendix 1	Endemic Species List	229
	Endemic Subspecies	231
Appendix 2	Glossary	233
	References	239
	Index	241

What People are Saying About This

John Faaborg

This is an impressive piece of work, an exceptionally complete field guide to the birds of Cuba, a valuable book that will fill a void in the literature that has existed for a long time, written by folks who know Cuban birding best.

Davis W. Finch

The first book entirely devoted to Cuba's birds to appear in eighty years, Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba is a serious work in the tradition of Don Ramón de la Sagra, Johannes Gundlach and Thomas Barbour. With vast amounts of new information, range maps, and admirable illustrations, it is at once a summation of Cuban ornithology and an excellent field guide.

James W. Wiley

Based on their lifetimes of work in their native country, Orlando Garrido and Arturo Kirkconnell have crafted a truly complete, self-contained guide that will be essential to all those seeking to enjoy Cuba's exciting birdlife.

Guy M. Kirwan

Cuba is the largest and, arguably, ornithologically most interesting of the Caribbean islands. This guide, the first to comprehensively tackle the identification, status and range of all birds found in the archipelago, will be welcomed by aficionados of this stunning country; that it is the product of an all-Cuban team is a double triumph.

Editorial Reviews

Written and illustrated by Cuban nationals, this book is a significant contribution to ornithology within that country.... There are 51 excellent plates showing all but two of the 354 species on the island. Distribution maps are large and clear. The book should be included in any library with an interest in the birds of the New World tropics either for travel or research.... Suitable for all levels of readers.

Choice

As ecotourists return to Cuba to see the country and its plants and animals, they may well wish to take along Orlando Garrido and Arturo Kirkconnell's Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba. Bird descriptions and paintings are useful and often imaginatively helpful.

El Nuevo Herald

The guide and its excellent color plates are the product of Cubans (by necessity), which is unusual and welcome among guides published in the U.S.... As ecotourism to Cuba evolves, this book will be the choice of birders who visit the island.

Wildlife Activist

Ornithologists, raptor biologists, and birders visiting Cuba (hopefully including Americans sometime soon) have in this highly recommended field guide an essential field research reference. The authors and artist deserve high praise for a job well done.

International Hawkwatcher

This is the first field guide that exclusively and comprehensively covers the relatively unknown avifauna of Cuba.... The book will be very useful for birders and ornithologists visiting Cuba as well as those who want to know what species occur there.

The Condor

All students of West Indian birds and, especially, all birders visiting Cuba should own this book. Highly recommended.

Cotinga: Journal of the Neotropical Bird Club

It seems inevitable that the day is coming in which North American bird watchers will be traveling to Cuba. When that time comes they will want to have this guide.... The real strengths are the text and the maps. The range maps for each species are quite detailed, supported well by text information on range and status. The text also provides a usefully complete description of the bird.

Bird Watcher's Digest Staff

"All students of West Indian birds and, especially, all birders visiting Cuba should own this book. Highly recommended."

Cotinga: Journal of the Neotropical Bird Club

"This is an impressive piece of work, an exceptionally complete field guide to the birds of Cuba, a valuable book that will fill a void in the literature that has existed for a long time, written by folks who know Cuban birding best."

John Faaborg

"The first book entirely devoted to Cuba's birds to appear in eighty years, Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba is a serious work in the tradition of Don Ramón de la Sagra, Johannes Gundlach and Thomas Barbour. With vast amounts of new information, range maps, and admirable illustrations, it is at once a summation of Cuban ornithology and an excellent field guide."

Davis W. Finch

"Cuba is the largest and, arguably, ornithologically most interesting of the Caribbean islands. This guide, the first to comprehensively tackle the identification, status and range of all birds found in the archipelago, will be welcomed by aficionados of this stunning country; that it is the product of an all-Cuban team is a double triumph."

Guy M. Kirwan

"Based on their lifetimes of work in their native country, Orlando Garrido and Arturo Kirkconnell have crafted a truly complete, self-contained guide that will be essential to all those seeking to enjoy Cuba's exciting birdlife."

James W. Wiley

"All students of West Indian birds and, especially, all birders visiting Cuba should own this book. Highly recommended."—Allan R. Keith, Cotinga: Journal of the Neotropical Bird Club

"Written and illustrated by Cuban nationals, this book is a significant contribution to ornithology within that country. . . There are 51 excellent plates showing all but two of the 354 species on the island. Distribution maps are large and clear. The book should be included in any library with an interest in the birds of the New World tropics either for travel or research. . . Suitable for all levels of readers."—Choice, December 2000

"The guide and its excellent color plates are the product of Cubans (by necessity), which is unusual and welcome among guides published in the U.S. As ecotourism to Cuba evolves, this book will be the choice of birders who visit the island."—Wildlife Activist, No. 41, April 2001

"As ecotourists return to Cuba to see the country and its plants and animals, they may well wish to take along Orlando Garrido and Arturo Kirkconnell's Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba. Bird descriptions and paintings are useful and often imaginatively helpful."—Georgia Tasker, El Nuevo Herald, February 10, 2002

"This is an impressive piece of work, an exceptionally complete field guide to the birds of Cuba, a valuable book that will fill a void in the literature that has existed for a long time, written by folks who know Cuban birding best."—John Faaborg, University of Missouri, Columbia

"The first book entirely devoted to Cuba's birds to appear in eighty years, Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba is a serious work in the tradition of Don Ramón de la Sagra, Johannes Gundlach and Thomas Barbour. With vast amounts of new information, range maps, and admirable illustrations, it is at once a summation of Cuban ornithology and an excellent field guide."—Davis W. Finch, WINGS

"Based on their lifetimes of work in their native country, Orlando Garrido and Arturo Kirkconnell have crafted a truly complete, self-contained guide that will be essential to all those seeking to enjoy Cuba's exciting birdlife."—James W. Wiley, Leader of the Grambling Cooperative Wildlife Project, Grambling State University

"Cuba is the largest and, arguably, ornithologically most interesting of the Caribbean islands. This guide, the first to comprehensively tackle the identification, status and range of all birds found in the archipelago, will be welcomed by aficionados of this stunning country; that it is the product of an all-Cuban team is a double triumph."—Guy M. Kirwan, Managing Editor of Cotinga (Journal of the Neotropical Bird Club)

From the Publisher

Curators at the National Museum of Natural History of Cuba describe the range, status, habitat, nesting, voice, and food of 354 species. Many of the color drawings are of migrating birds, showing North Americans what their familiar avians wear in the winter. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews