Birds at Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge

Birds at Asa Wright are the Nature Centre’s main attraction, with 166 species recorded (Ref 1). In comparison, Trinidad has recorded 471 species (Refs 2 and 3). The six galleries comprise (1) Hummingbirds, (2) Hummingbird Behaviours, (3) Landbirds, (4) Passerida, (5) Tanagers and Cardinals, and (6) Suboscines.

Hummingbirds at Asa Wright Nature Centre

Black-throated Mango Hummingbird (Anthracothorax nigricollis) Male perched in Trinidad

Blue-chinned Sapphire Hummingbird (Chlorestes notata) Male perched in Trinidad

Blue-chinned Sapphire Hummingbird (Chlorestes notata) Female perched in Trinidad

Ruby-topaz Hummingbird (Chrysolampis mosquitus) Male perched in Trinidad

Tufted Coquette Hummingbird (Lophornis ornatus) Male perched in Trinidad

Tufted Coquette Hummingbird (Lophornis ornatus) Female perched in Trinidad

White-chested Emerald Hummingbird (Amazilia brevirostris chionopectus) perched in Trinidad

White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora), Immature Male perched in Trinidad

White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora), Male perched in Trinidad

Hummingbirds at Asa Wright

Thirteen hummingbird species occur at Asa Wright, six feature in the gallery. Except for the sexually monomorphic White-chested Emerald, all other displayed species are dimorphic. For instance, the gallery shows images of two species of both sexes. Also, see the Hummingbirds and Relatives bird webpage for hummingbird classification and taxonomy.

Hummingbird Behaviours at Asa Wright Nature Centre

White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora) Male hovering in Trinidad

White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora) Immature Male hovering and feeding on Mimosa nectar in Trinidad

White-chested Emerald Hummingbird (Amazilia brevirostris) feeding on red vervain nectar in Trinidad

White-chested Emerald Hummingbird (Amazilia brevirostris) hovering in Trinidad

Blue-chinned Sapphire Hummingbird (Chlorestes notata notata) Male hovering in Trinidad

Tufted Coquette Hummingbird (Lophornis ornatus) Female feeding on red Vervain nectar in Trinidad

Tufted Coquette Hummingbird (Lophornis ornatus) Female feeding on lantana flower nectar in Trinidad

Tufted Coquette Hummingbird (Lophornis ornatus) Male feeding on changeable velvetberry nectar in Trinidad

Tufted Coquette Hummingbird (Lophornis ornatus) Male feeding on purple Vervain nectar in Trinidad

Ruby-topaz Hummingbird (Chrysolampis mosquitus) Male hovering and feeding on vervain nectar in Trinidad

Ruby-topaz Hummingbird (Chrysolampis mosquitus) Male in-flight in Trinidad

Hummingbirds Behaviours

Featured photos show several species hovering while feeding in flight or hovering near nectar plants, such as Mimosa, Sanchezia speciosa shrub, red and purple vervain. Two of my favourite hummingbirds to photograph are the fast Tufted Coquette and skittish Ruby-topaz.

Landbirds at Asa Wright Nature Centre

Oilbird (Steatornis caripensis) perched inside Dunston Cave at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Squirrel Cuckoo (Piaya cayana insulana) perched at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Guianan Trogon [Violaceous] (Trogon violaceus) male perched in a tree at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Crimson-crested Woodpecker (Campephilus melanoleucos) foraging at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

White-tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi zapluta) at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura ruficollis) at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Landbirds at Asa Wright

Displayed in the gallery are six species, three each from both Landbirds and Core Landbirds Photo Albums.

Passerida Birds at Asa Wright Nature Centre

Tropical Mockingbird (Mimus gilvus tobagensis) perched at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Spectacled Thrush (Turdu nudigenis) collecting nest material at in Trinidad

Violaceous Euphonia (Euphonia violacea rodwayi) Male perched at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Violaceous Euphonia (Euphonia violacea) Female perched at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Crested Oropendola (Psarocolius decumanus insularis) perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Yellow Oriole (Icterus nigrogularis trinitatis) perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Violaceous Euphonia (Euphonia violacea rodwayi) Male feeding at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Violaceous Euphonia (Euphonia violacea rodwayi) Female feeding at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Crested Oropendola (Psarocolius decumanus insularis) feeding at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Crested Oropendola (Psarocolius decumanus insularis) nests at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Passerida Birds at Asa Wright

Featured in the gallery are two images from Passerida I and ten from Passerida II Photo Albums.

Tanagers and Cardinals at Asa Wright Nature Centre

Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola luteola) perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Blue-grey Tanager (Thraupis episcopus nesophila) perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Green Honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza) Female perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Green Honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza) Male perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Palm Tanager (Thraupis palmarum melanoptera) perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) female perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Silver-beaked Tanager (Ramphocelus carbo magnirostris) Male perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Silver-beaked Tanager (Ramphocelus carbo magnirostris) Female perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

White-lined Tanager (Tachyphonus rufus) Male perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

White-lined Tanager (Tachyphonus rufus) Female perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Purple Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes caeruleus) Male perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Purple Honeycreeper (Cyanerpes caeruleus) Female perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Birds at Asa Wright — Green Honeycreeper (Chlorophanes spiza) Male and Female perched at Asa Wright Nature Reserve in Trinidad

Tanagers and Cardinals

The displayed Tanagers and Cardinals images include species from Tanagers, Cardinals & Darwin’s Finches Photo Album.

Tyranni (Suboscine) Birds at Asa Wright Nature Centre

Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus trinitatis) at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Barred Antshrike (Thamnophilus doliatus) male perched at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Plain-brown Woodcreeper (Dendrocincla fuliginosa meruloides) at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Golden-headed Manakin (Pipra erythrocephala at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

White-bearded Manakin (Manacus manacus trinitatis) at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Bearded Bellbird (Procnias averano carnobarba) at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad

Tyranni (Suboscine) Birds at Asa Wright

The featured birds include images from Tyranni (Suboscines) Photo Album.

Along the Discovery Trail, there are Leks of White-bearded Manakin and Golden-headed Manakin. Also, along the Bellbird Trail, the bell-like “bong” of the bearded bellbird rings out.

Birds at Asa Wright References: Online Resources

1. Asa Wright Nature Centre Bird List [Online] Available from: https://asawright.org/tropical-nature/birds-2/ [Accessed 30th April 2021].
2. Avibase – The World Bird Database [Online] Available from: https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/checklist.jsp?lang=EN [Accessed 30th April 2021].
3. Gill, F & Donsker, D (Editors) (2016). IOC World Bird List (v 11.1). [Online] Available from: https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/ [Accessed 30th April 2021]. DOI: 10.14344/IOC.ML.11.1.