Originally posted on http://www.birdphotos.com/
In early April I am traveling to Grand Bahama, the closest island to my home in Fort Lauderdale, for a few days. I am hoping to find a way to get to Abaco, the island more east and less developed, time permitting. At least one bird, the Cuban Amazon, might be found there and not on Grand Bahama.
But I will be traveling without a car, and might end up spending all of my time at the Rand Nature Center. I wonder if anyone has ideas of locations or hotels I could easily visit without a car, or if the trip to Abaco is worthwhile (and where to stay there)> I think my wife will get bored going to Rand Nature Center every day.
Looking through this site's database and other sources, I made a list of interesting birds that I hope to encounter. I will be there during migration, but it is my understanding is that the dozens of species of North American migratory birds generally do not travel through the Bahamas.
I have seen the following birds on Grand Bahama in a previous three day visit during the summer, at the Rand Nature Center.
Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii)
Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) - Seen in a pine forest near the airport
Black-faced Grassquit (Tiaris bicolor)
Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena)
White-crowned Pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala) - Commonly seen
Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus)
The following birds were reported by Larry Manfredi in this trip report:
http://www.southfloridabirding.com/...02-22-24-08.htm
This trip report is a must-read for Grand Bahama birders.
Greater Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla violacea)
La Sagra's Flycatcher (Myiarchus sagrae)
Cuban Pewee (Contopus caribaeus)
Thick-billed Vireo (Vireo crassirostris)
Bahama Swallow (Tachycineta cyaneoviridis) - Endangered
Bahama Woodstar (Calliphlox evelynae)
Bahama Warbler (Dendroica flavescens) - Once considered a subspecies of the Yellow-throated Warbler.
Bahama Yellowthroat (Geothlypis rostrata)
Olive-capped Warbler (Dendroica pityophila)
Zenaida Dove (Zenaida aurita)
I am researching these birds. Most have wide Caribbean distrubition, and I suspect all could be found on Grand Bahama.
American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber)
Antillean Nighthawk (Chordeiles gundlachii)
Mangrove Cuckoo (Coccyzus minor)
Bridled Tern (Onychoprion anaethetus)
Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii)
Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus)
Key West Quail-Dove (Geotrygon chrysia)
Mangrove Warbler (Dendroica petechia) - Sometimes considered a subspecies of the American Yellow Warbler (Dendroica aestiva)
Kirtland's Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii) - A Critically Endangered Warbler who migrates between Michigan and the Bahamas.
Black-whiskered Vireo(Vireo altiloquus)
West Indian Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna arborea) - IUCN Status Vulnerable. Wikipedia says there is a large breeding population on the Bahamas.
West Indian Woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris) - Reportedly on Grand Bahama
The following birds are found on other islands.
Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi) - From the split of the Greater Antillean Oriole (Icterus dominicensis) into four separate species, is only found on Andros Island.
Cuban Amazon (Amazona leucocephala) - Near Threatened. Two extant populations in the Bahamas; one on the Abaco Islands and one on Great Inagua (with sightings from nearby Little Inagua)
Cuban Grassquit (Tiaris canorus) - Introdocued to New Providence (Nassau)? More research needed.
Caribbean Dove (Leptotila jamaicensis) - Introduced to New Providence
Pearly-eyed Thrasher (Margarops fuscatus) - might only be found in the southmost Bahama island(s), especially Inagua.
Caribbean Coot (Fulica caribaea) - Found on all islands south of the Bahamas (Natureserve)
Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini bahamensis) - Andros, New Providence, and Eleuthera
Cuban Crow (Corvus nasicus) - Clements says S. Bahamas (Caicos)
Caribbean and Bahamian subspecies of note, from Clements.
Blue-grey Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea caesiogaster) - Not in my Clements subspecies database. L. Manfredi writes they have a different call and appear larger than mainland bird.
Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris coryi) - Mangrove swamps of Bahamas
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis solitudinis) - Bahamas and Cuba
Least Grebe (Tachybaptus dominicus dominicus) - Cozumel I., Bahamas, Greater Antilles and Virgin Islands
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius sparveroides) (Cuban) - Bahamas, Cuba and Isle of Pines
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus ridgwayi (Caribbean)) - Caribbean (including Bahamas, Cuba and Belize)
Green Heron (Butorides virescens bahamensis) - Bahamas
Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina bahamensis) - Bermuda and Bahamas (except Inagua I.)
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus piger) - N Bahamas (Abaco, Mores and Grand Bahama)
Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla insularis) - Grand Bahama Island
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos orpheus) - Bahamas and Greater Antilles
Bananaquit Coereba (flaveola bahamensis) - Bahamas (Great Bahama and Little Abaco to Grand Turk)
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus bryanti) - NW Bahamas
The following birds are on the Wikipedia 'Birds of the Bahamas' page, but I can find no other reason to think they might be found anywhere in the Bahamas.
Stolid Flycatcher (Myiarchus stolidus)
Giant Kingbird (Tyrannus cubensis) - Endangered
Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii)
Bridled Quail-Dove (Geotrygon mystacea)