The national birds of the Caribbean are some of the most unique species anywhere on earth. In some countries, the national birds may be rare finds that you will have to trek to hidden spots to find. In others countries. they may be so plentiful that you may hear their unique call at every turn in both urban and rural areas.
National symbols unite citizens and residents of a country. They are symbols of patriotism and nationhood and often represent the vision, goals, values and history of the country. The different types of national symbols are national flags, national anthems, national songs, national birds, national animals, national flowers and national emblems such as coats-of-arms.
Here are the national birds in the Caribbean:
- Anguilla: Zenaida Dove
- Antigua and Barbuda: Magnificent Frigatebird
- Aruba: Brown-throated Parakeet
- Bahamas: Flamingo
- Barbados: Brown Pelican
- Belize: Keel-billed Toucan
- Bermuda: Bermuda Petrel
- Bonaire: Greater Flamingo
- British Virgin Islands: Mourning Dove
- Cayman Islands: Grand Cayman Parrot
- Cuba: Cuban Trogon
- Curacao: Troupial
- Dominica: Imperial Amazon Parrot
- Dominican Republic: Palm-Chat
- Grenada: Grenada Dove
- Guadeloupe: Guadeloupe Woodpecker
- Guyana: Hoatzin
- Haiti: Hispaniolan Trogon
- Jamaica: Swallow Tail Hummingbird
- Martinique: Martinique Oriole/ Brown-Throated Parakeet
- Montserrat: Monserrat Oriole
- Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico Spindalis
- Saba: Audubon Shearwater
- St. Barthelemy: Black‑Bellied Whistling‑Duck
- St. Eustatius: American Kestrel
- St. Kitts & Nevis: Brown Pelican
- St. Lucia: St. Lucian Amazon Parrot
- St. Maarten: Brown Pelican
- St. Martin: Brown Pelican
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines: St. Vincent Amazon Parrot
- Suriname: Lesser Kiskadee
- Tobago: Rufous-Vented Chachalaca
- Trinidad: Scarlet Ibis
- Turks and Caicos Islands: Brown Pelican
- United States Virgin Islands: Bananaquit
Countries With the Same or Similar National Birds
Anguilla and Grenada have two different species of doves, whilst the Bahamas and Bonaire have different species of flamingoes. Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Maarten/ St. Martin and the Turks and Caicos Islands have the same national bird – the brown pelican. The Cayman Islands, Dominica, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have different species of Amazon parrots. Also, Cuba and Haiti have different species of trogons and Martinique and Montserrat have different species of orioles.
Image: Jeremy Bezanger via Unsplash
References
C.A Macdonald: Country Index
Wikipedia: List of National Birds
