BIRDS

Cockpit Country is recognized nationally and globally for its extraordinary bird diversity. At least 64 of Jamaica's 67 resident breeding land birds occur here, including 27 of the island's 28 endemic species. . Several other human-introduced species (such as Green-rumped Parrotlets (Forpus passerina) and Chestnut Mannikins (Lonchura malacca)), and those species extending their geographic ranges naturally (e.g., Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis)) have become established along the periphery. The majority of Jamaica's resident birds occur across the island in suitable habitats and no species is endemic to Cockpit Country. It is, however, the stronghold of the endemic Black-billed Parrot (Amazona agilis) and is the only region on the island where this species and the Yellow-billed Parrot (Amazona collaria) -- Jamaica's other endemic amazon parrot -- occur sympatrically in large numbers. The mid-elevation wet limestone forest of Cockpit Country also is recognized as important habitat for the endemic Ring-tailed Pigeon (Columba caribaea), Crested Quail-Dove (Geotrygon versicolor) and Blue Mountain Vireo (Vireo osburni) (Raffaele et al. 1998). The Jamaican Blackbird (Nesopsar nigerrimus), considered by many Jamaican ornithologists to be the most endangered of endemic land birds, occurs in isolated pockets of Cockpit Country, most notably in bottom lands and areas of high relative humidity. The Golden Swallow (Tachycineta euchrysea), an endemic sub-species, whose historical range included the Blue Mountains and central highlands, was last reported with certainty in 1989 in the Cockpit Country (Raffaele et al. 1989).

Nearly 40 Neotropical migrant bird species have been reported from Cockpit Country -- 35 winter migrant species that breed in the United States and Canada from April - August and four summer migrants that come to Jamaica to breed. The more common winter migrants include Black-throated Blue Warblers (Dendroica caerulescens), Common Yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas) and Ovenbirds (Seiurus aurocapillus). In the summer, Black-whiskered Vireos (Vireo altiloquus) dominate the Cockpit Country landscape.

Windsor Research Centre has been training banders since 2002 and has an ongoing programme to band resident and migrant birds.
You can access some of our photos and data from the selections below:

Residents Select Species American Kestrel Arrow-headed Warbler Bananaquit BAND DESTROYED BAND LOST Black-billed Parrot Black-faced Grassquit Blue Mountain Vireo Caribbean Dove Chestnut bellied Cuckoo Chestnut Mannikin Common Ground Dove Crested Quail-Dove Greater Antillean Bullfinch Greater Antillean Elaenia Greater Antillean Grackle Green-rumped Parrotlet Jamaican Becard Jamaican Blackbird Jamaican Crow Jamaican Elaenia Jamaican Euphonia Jamaican Lizard Cuckoo Jamaican Mango Jamaican Oriole Jamaican Owl Jamaican Pewee Jamaican Stripe-headed Tanager Jamaican Tody Jamaican Vireo Jamaican Woodpecker Loggerhead Kingbird Orangequit Red-billed Streamertail Ring-tailed Pigeon Ruddy Quail-dove Rufous-tailed Flycatcher Sad Flycatcher Smooth billed Ani Stolid Flycatcher Turkey Vulture Vervain Hummingbird White-chinned Thrush White-eyed Thrush White-eyed Vireo Yellow-billed Parrot Yellow-faced Grassquit Yellow-shouldered Grassquit Zenaida Dove

Migrants Select Species American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Black-throated Blue Warbler Black-whiskered Vireo Chestnut-sided Warbler Common Yellowthroat Gray Catbird Gray Kingbird Gray-cheeked Thrush Indigo Bunting Kentucky Warbler Louisiana Waterthrush Northern Parula Northern Waterthrush Olive-throated Parakeet Ovenbird Prairie Warbler Rufous-throated Solitaire Scarlet Tanager Swainson's Thrush Swainson's Warbler Tennessee Warbler Veery Wood Thrush Worm-eating Warbler

More details of captures are available on our searchable database.

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