Meet the Puerto Rican Tody: Puerto Rico's Tiny Gem
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Today we're revealing a new bird, and it's a big one -- our 800th Birdorable! 🎉 Actually, it's a really SMALL one -- our newest species to join Birdorable is the Puerto Rican Tody! Read more »
The Puerto Rican Tody is a tiny, vibrant bird endemic to Puerto Rico. It is easily recognizable by its bright green upperparts, brilliant red throat, and yellow flanks. Its belly is white, and it has a distinctive long, flat bill with a red underside and black top. Despite its small size, this bird's vivid colors make it stand out in its natural habitat.
These todies are insectivores, primarily feeding on insects and spiders. They catch their prey by "leaf-feeding", a method that involves rapidly searching leaves above its head to search for food. Prey items are then swept off the leaf surface with a sideways motion during a short flight. Puerto Rican Todies are also known to glean insects from leaves and bark. They are often seen flitting through the lower to mid-canopy levels of forests.
The preferred habitats of the Puerto Rican Tody are forests, woodlands, and coffee plantations. They are especially common in humid and moist environments, where they can find plenty of insects to eat. These birds are cavity nesters, typically excavating burrows in earthen banks or rotting wood, where they lay their eggs.
Today we're revealing a new bird, and it's a big one -- our 800th Birdorable! 🎉 Actually, it's a really SMALL one -- our newest species to join Birdorable is the Puerto Rican Tody! Read more »