Birds

These pages are designed as a photo reference of some of the natural resources found in the Virgin Islands National Park and Coral Reef National Monument. This is not a comprehensive dataset nor is it meant to be. It is a set of pages with photos and brief descriptions of common, interesting and sometimes rare creatures and organisms of the Park and Monument. Many of these photos have been donated to us from visitors such as yourself. We will continue to expand the information and pages as new photos come in.

If you have photos you would like to donate for use on these pages or in our social media suite please email them to us. For more in-depth information on anything seen here a quick internet search will lead you to many scientific pages.

We hope you enjoy these pages!

 

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  Forest Birds

  of the Virgin Islands

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  Seabirds

  of the Virgin Islands

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  Shorebirds

  of the Virgin Islands

 

Birding in Virgin Island National Park

Throughout the year approximately 144 species of birds can be seen in the Park. Of that number, about 35 birds are permanent residents and can be seen year round. The other birds are either Neotropical migrants or summer resident seabirds. The Neotropical migrants, like the shorebirds and warblers, are here from November to April. The summer resident seabirds are here April to November. See the park's bird checklist for more specific information.

The most productive place to bird watch is the Francis Bay Salt Pond trail. As you walk along the dry forest trail you can see hummingbirds, flycatchers, doves, pigeons, cuckoos, thrashers and anis. The trail borders a salt pond, where there are ducks, stilts, moorhens, and migratory shorebirds. You will also have a chance to walk along a beach where you can spot pelicans, boobies, and frigates. In the one hour walk you can usually see at least twelve species of birds.

The other salt ponds on the island are also good places to bird. There are ponds at Salt Pond Bay, Lameshur, Frank Bay, Leinster Bayand Brown Bay. Besides the Francis Bay Trail, there are more than twenty other hiking trails in the Park. Most are through the dry tropical forest and similar birds that are found on the Francis Bay Trail can be seen there also. However the Cinnamon Bay Nature Loop and the Reef Bay Trail are hikes are through the moist tropical forest. Bridled Quail-Doves and migratory warblers can usually be seen there.

There are some birds that do not come close to shore, so traveling by boat would be the way to see them. These are tropicbirds, terns, and different types of boobies.

Don't forget your Bird Check List.