| FLOYD HAYES |
| Kenefick, M., R. Restall, and F. Hayes. 2007. Field Guide to the Birds of Trinidad & Tobago. Christopher Helm, London, and Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. 256 pp. Introduction.--Located on the continental shelf of north-eastern South America, the tropical islands of Trinidad and Tobago are host to an exceptionally rich and diverse avifauna. Their close proximity to South America brings additional species visiting from the continental mainland. Situated at the southern end of a migratory flyway, which follows a stepping-stone chain of islands between North America and South America, migrants from North America have also been recorded, whilst Eurasian and African vagrants have reached Trinidad & Tobago by crossing the Atlantic Ocean, assisted by either trade winds or ships. Finally, human activities have altered the native avifauna, causing the extirpation of several species of birds through habitat destruction and trapping, and introducing numerous exotic species. Trinidad & Tobago have long been a popular birding destination for visiting birders who enjoy the sheer abundance of birds and relative ease of access to a diversity of habitats. Birding, the hobby of searching for and identifying birds, and ornithology, the scientific study of birds, are both rapidly growing in popularity. They are challenging pursuits based upon the accurate identification of birds. The chief purpose of this guide, therefore, is to provide a portable tool equipping birders and ornithologists alike with the information required to accurately identify birds in the field. Consequently, we have illustrated and described every species known to occur naturally or to have been successfully introduced to Trinidad & Tobago up to mid-2007, with Orchard Oriole being the most recent confirmed addition. The vast majority of the illustrations have been taken from Birds of Northern South America: An Identification Guide (Restall et al. 2006), but several images have been repainted or corrected as necessary; in our ever-changing taxonomic world, it is important that the correct subspecies occurring on the islands are depicted. The text for the field guide is new, but because of inherent space constraints we have limited the text for each species to the most essential information to identify a bird. This does not imply that study of the natural history of each species is less important than identification, but rather that it is simply beyond the scope of this book. We fervently hope this field guide will inspire others, especially local residents, to carefully study and document the status and natural history of the birds of Trinidad & Tobago, thereby augmenting our scientific knowledge. Obtaining such information is vital for implementing conservation strategies to preserve the rich but increasingly imperiled birdlife. |
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