Conure (Brown-throated) or ST Thomas Parrot

Brown-throated Parakeets or St. Thomas Conure - are endemic to northern South America, but introduced to the U.S. Virgin Islands by being brought from Curacao to St. Thomas. Their natural habitats include subtropical or tropical dry forests, moist lowland forests, and dry shrub land. Their average life is 10 years in the wild and can live up to 25 years in captivity.

 

They are known for being sociable and both the male and female can talk. They are found in pairs or groups in the wild and don’t like to be alone.  The Brown-throated Conure usually will nest in a termite mound in a tree but will also use rock crevices and burrows in banks. This species was introduced to the Virgin Islands


Photographed in the wild, St Thomas USVI (2015)

Booby (Brown)

The breeding grounds of this Booby are on the islands in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. The booby's head and upper body (back) is covered in dark brown or black, with the remainder (belly) being a contrasting white. The juvenile form is gray-brown with darkening on the head, wings and tail.

 Brown booby pairs may remain together over several seasons. They perform elaborate greeting rituals, and are also spectacular divers, plunging into the ocean at high speed. They mainly eat small fish or squid which gather in groups near the surface and may catch leaping fish while skimming the surface. Although they are powerful and agile fliers, they are particularly clumsy in takeoffs and landings; they use strong winds and high perches to assist their takeoffs.
 Photographed in the wild, St Thomas USVI (2015)

 

Ani (Smooth billed)

The smooth-billed is part of the cuckoo family and larger on average than
the groove-billed ani. This ani is found in open and semi-open country and areas under cultivation. The nest, built communally by several pairs, is a deep cup lined with leaves and placed usually 6.6–19.7 feet high in a tree. A number of females lay their chalky blue eggs in the nest and then share incubation and feeding. Each female is capable of laying up to seven eggs, and nests have been found containing up to 29 eggs, but it is rare for more than ten to hatch.

The adult is mainly flat black, with a long tail, deep ridged black bill and a brown iris. The flight is weak and wobbly, but the bird runs well and usually feeds on the ground.

This is a very gregarious species, always found in noisy groups. The smooth-billed ani feeds on termites, large insects and even lizards and frogs. They will occasionally remove ticks and other parasites from grazing animals.

  Photographed in the wild, St Thomas USVI (2015)

Dove (Ringneck-white)

 The White Dove is often thought of as a separate species but it is actually perhaps the most common color mutation of the Ringneck Dove. This bird is often confused with the domestic white homing pigeon which is used to release at special occasions (weddings, anniversaries, etc.). This bird does not have the homing instinct and should not be released.



 This particular bird was photographed at Magen’s Bay in St Thomas but does not appear in any bird books of the West or East Indies. It must have been released into the wild during a special occasion.

 They have a life span of up to 15 years and hopefully this guy finds a mate


 Photographed in the wild, St Thomas USVI (2015)

 

Pigeon (Scaly-naped)

The Scaly-naped is a large pigeon (13-15") that inhabits all the West Indies except the Bahamas. It appears gray or dark at a distance, but the head is wine colored and it has these distinctive ruffles on the nape of the neck. The sexes are similar but the eye ring is reddish in males and yellowish in females.

The Scaly-Naped pigeon feeds in trees on fruits, seeds, leaf buds and snails. Although large, it manages to hide in trees and is typically seen flying in the distance or when it is perched on a far-away tree limb. Its song is a slow series of four notes, with the last note prolonged: who-hoo-hoo-hoooo

The nest is a loose, stick platform constructed on a tree limb, or occasionally on the ground. The female lays 1 or 2 glossy, white eggs which incubate in 14 to 15 days. The young fledge in 18 to 22 days.


Photographed in the wild, St Thomas USVI (2015)





 

Thrasher (Pearly-eyed)

 

 

It prefers to live in bushes and trees in mountain forests and coffee plantations in the Caribbean and west indies.. The pearly-eyed thrasher is described as an aggressive, opportunistic omnivore that feeds primarily on large insects, but also feeds on fruits and berries, and will occasionally eat lizards, frogs, small crabs and other bird’s eggs and nestlings. The pearly-eyed thrasher is a major nest predator and competitor for nest sites of the endangered Puerto Rican Parrot.

 

This fellow is much like the Starlings and Grackles and is considered a pest at times willing to steal food off a unattended plate of food.

 

Photographed in the wild, St Thomas USVI (2015)

 

Lorikeet (Green-naped)

The Green Naped Lorikeet is one of the most common of the 21 subspecies of the Rainbow Lorikeets. In the same family as parrots, their colorful plumage, acrobatic maneuvers, and wide range of vocalizations combine to make them one of the best known of the Rainbow Lorikeets.
The feet of these birds have two forward and two backward facing toes. These combined with their strong bills enable them to be excellent climbers, hang up-side-down, and in general imitate Olympic gymnasts, especially when feeding.

They do not have oil glands but instead use preen using powder down. Special down feathers with tips that constantly break down form a waxy powder that the birds spread through their plumage during preening.

The Green-Naped Lorikeet was the first lorikeet bred in captivity. This achievement led to captive breeding programs eliminating the need to collect these birds from the wild.

 Photographed at, Coral World, St Thomas USVI (2015)

Lorikeet (Blue Streaked)

The Blue-streaked Lori is also known as the Blue-necked Lori. It is a medium size parrot, primarily red with blue streaks from eye through ear coverts, brown-black tail, and black variegation on wing coverts.

Lorikeets have very specialized tongues for feeding on nectar. Tiny hair-like structures called 'papillae' line the end of the tongue in the shape of an "U". When a lorikeet extends its tongue during feeding, the papillae stand on end, like bristles on a brush, allowing nectar and pollen to be easily soaked up. Unique to lorikeets, this trait has earned them the nickname "brush-tongued parrots". 

Photographed at, Coral World, St Thomas USVI (2015)

BOOKS - field guides of West & East Indies

 

These books, or (field guides) helped me ID some of the birds in the Virgin Islands. I make it a habit to obtain at least one good guide to help with the varieties of some of many birds I come across considering some look so much alike. They also help with new birds that are not in any other areas (Endemic).

 

BIRDS of the Eastern Caribbean: (Peter Evans)

ISBN 978 0 333 52155 7 (2015)

 

This book is more of a general description book but misses some of the pictures for birds. Photos do not overly help with colour variations of different species. good for general bird watchers.

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BIRDS of the West Indies: (Norman Arlott)
ISBN 978 0 691 14780 2 (2010)

This book is the best to be found and has good description but mostly easy to follow colour pictures. it shows colour of breeding, non-breeding, sexes, and in some cases wing colours like for hawks etc.

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Birds of St. Thomas USVI

We are visiting Coral World Ocean Park
to take pictures at the Lorikeet Garden

 

 

More to come soon !

 

Junglefowl (Red)

This bird occupies a wide range of habitat throughout its broad range. From sea level to over 6,000 ft, they are found in nearly all tropical to subtropical habitats. Rolling hills of bamboo forests and other secondary growth is preferred. Males form harems of 3-4 hens and breeding begins as early as January. Nests with 5-6 eggs are placed under a bush or in a bamboo clump and the hen alone cares for the young.

Introduced to the Dominican Republic and spread throughout the West Indies. Bread as a farm fowl for their eggs and meat.

Photographed in St Thomas US Virgin Islands