The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) will be hosting its second annual Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival as part of its Earth Day celebrations on Friday, April 20th. This week Our Habitat begins a series on some of the endemic birds that will be featured at the festival with a look at the Tody.

The Jamaican Tody, also referred to locally as the Robin Redbreast, Jesus Bird and Rasta Bird is one of Jamaica’s 30 endemic birds. There are only five species of Todies in the world, all occurring in the Greater Antilles – Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola (2), and Puerto Rico.

Description

The Jamaican Tody is a small, round green bird, nine centimetres (3.5 inches) in length, with a red patch on its throat and is pale yellow on its abdomen and the sides of its breast. It is said in Jamaican folklore that the Robin Redbreast got its name, because it was the bird that pulled the nail, from Jesus’ hand after he was crucified. In pulling the nail the blood spilled onto its breast as it gazed upwards. Hence the name Robin Redbreast or Jesus bird. It is also known locally as the Rasta Bird.

Habitat

It is found in all types of forest from the coast to the mountains.

Diet

Its diet consists primarily of insects, but it may occasionally eat berries. The Jamaican Tody is usually seen perched on branches, waiting until it spies its prey. When it spots its victim, it will quickly fly out, snatch it, and return to its perch. They are excellent at catching flying insects. The Tody’s beak is specially adapted for this feeding purpose. It is broad and flat, with serrated edges; at the base it is surrounded by stiff, “whiskerlike” rictal bristles.

Nests

The Jamaican Tody does not build a nest, but excavates its nest in narrow ground tunnels such as marl banks and riverbanks. It is said that a pair can excavate long, curvy tunnels of at least 60 centimetres. It nests between December and July.

Threats

It is not a threatened bird, but loss of habitat due to deforestation and development is a possible threat.

I Jamaica Environment Trust

The Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival is celebrated throughout the Caribbean from April 22nd (Earth Day) to May 22nd (International Biodiversity Day). It is organised by the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival regional committee which is part of the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds.

The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) will host its second annual Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival as part of its Earth Day celebrations on Friday, April 20, 2007.

The themes for the day are “Climate Change” and “Birds in a Changing Climate”.

The celebration, which is open to the public, will be held from 8:30 am until 2:30 pm at JET’s office at 11 Waterloo Road, Kingston 10. This year’s themes focus on raising public awareness of climate change and its impact on the environment and Jamaica’s biodiversity, especially our endemic birds.