The South American Classification Committee (SACC) lists 489 species of birds that have been confirmed on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago as of February 2026. Of them, two are endemic, seven have been introduced by humans, 131 are rare or vagrants, 11 have been extirpated, and the status of one is not known.Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, D. F. Lane, L, N. Naka, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 27 February 2026. Species Lists of Birds for South American Countries and Territories. South American Classification Committee associated with the International Ornithologists' Union. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCCountryLists.htm retrieved February 28, 2026 The origin of one species (vagrant or introduced) is uncertain. As of December 2023 the Trinidad & Tobago Bird Status & Distribution Committee (BSDC) did not recognize three of them and had added nine, all of them vagrants.
There are few places in the world where so many bird species can be seen in such a small area, many of them unique, very rare, or of particular interest. They range from the many species of hummingbird to the cave-dwelling oilbird (which uses echo-location to fly in the dark) and the scarlet ibis.
The islands are within a few miles of Venezuela, and the species are therefore typical of tropical South America. However, the number of species is relatively low compared to the mainland, as would be expected on small islands. The resident breeding birds are augmented in the northern winter by migrants from North America, although the variety of migrant passerines is very limited compared to Central America.
Unless noted otherwise, the list of species is that of the SACC with distribution notes by the BSDC. The list's taxonomic treatment (sequence of orders, families, and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) are also those of the SACC.Remsen, J. V., Jr., J. I. Areta, E. Bonaccorso, S. Claramunt, D. F. Lane, L, N. Naka, M. B. Robbins, F. G. Stiles, and K. J. Zimmer. Version 27 February 2026. A classification of the bird species of South America. South American Classification Committee associated with the International Ornithologists' Union. https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm retrieved February 28, 2026 Capitalization within English names follows Wikipedia practice, i.e. only the first word of a name is capitalized unless a place name such as São Paulo is used.
Species in the list are common on both main islands except as indicated otherwise. Many are also present on other, small, islands which are usually not named in the list. Tobago has only about half the number of bird species of Trinidad, but several species and subspecies have occurred only on the smaller island. Some of the smaller islands off Tobago, such as Little Tobago, have important seabird breeding colonies.
Tinamous
Order: TinamiformesFamily: Tinamidae
The tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird. Although they look similar to other ground-dwelling birds like quail and grouse, they have no close relatives and are classified as a single family, Tinamidae, within their own order, the Tinamiformes.
Name Binomial StatusLittle tinamouCrypturellus souiTrinidad only
Screamers Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anhimidae
The screamers are a small family of birds related to the ducks. They are large, bulky birds, with a small downy head, long legs and large feet which are only partially webbed. They have large spurs on their wings which are used in fights over mates and in territorial disputes.
Name Binomial StatusHorned screamerAnhima cornutaextirpated
Ducks
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.
Name Binomial StatusFulvous whistling-duckDendrocygna bicolorTrinidad onlyWhite-faced whistling-duckDendrocygna viduataTrinidad onlyBlack-bellied whistling-duckDendrocygna autumnalisMuscovy duckCairina moschataTrinidad only - vagrantComb duckSarkidiornis sylvicolaTrinidad only - vagrantNorthern shovellerSpatula clypeatavagrantBlue-winged tealSpatula discorsEurasian wigeonMareca penelopeTobago only - vagrantAmerican wigeonMareca americanaTobago only - vagrantWhite-cheeked pintailAnas bahamensisNorthern pintailAnas acutavagrantGreen-winged tealAnas creccavagrantSouthern pochardNetta erythrophthalmaTrinidad only - vagrantRing-necked duckAythya collarisvagrantLesser scaupAythya affinisvagrantMasked duckOxyura dominica
Guans
Order: GalliformesFamily: Cracidae
The Cracidae are large birds, similar in general appearance to turkeys. The guans and curassows live in trees, but the smaller chachalacas are found in more open scrubby habitats. They are generally dull-plumaged, but the curassows and some guans have colorful facial ornaments.
Common name Binomial StatusTrinidad piping-guanAburria pipileEndemic to TrinidadRufous-vented chachalacaOrtalis ruficaudaTobago only
Flamingos Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.
Name Binomial StatusAmerican flamingoPhoenicopterus ruberTrinidad only
Grebes Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land.
Name Binomial StatusLeast grebeTachybaptus dominicusPied-billed grebePodilymbus podiceps
Pigeons Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Name Binomial StatusRock pigeonColumba liviaIntroduced speciesScaled pigeonPatagioenas speciosaTrinidad onlyScaly-naped pigeonPatagioenas squamosaTobago and Little Tobago onlyBand-tailed pigeonPatagioenas fasciataTrinidad only - extirpatedPale-vented pigeonPatagioenas cayennensisEurasian collared doveStreptopelia decaoctoTrinidad only - introducedRuddy quail-doveGeotrygon montanaTrinidad onlyWhite-tipped doveLeptotila verreauxiGray-fronted doveLeptotila rufaxillaTrinidad onlyLined quail-doveZentrygon linearisTrinidad onlyEared doveZenaida auriculataBlue ground doveClaravis pretiosaTrinidad onlyCommon ground doveColumbina passerinaTrinidad onlyPlain-breasted ground doveColumbina minutaTrinidad onlyRuddy ground doveColumbina talpacotiScaled doveColumbina squammataTrinidad only
Cuckoos
Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs.
Name Binomial StatusGreater aniCrotophaga majorTrinidad onlySmooth-billed aniCrotophaga aniStriped cuckooTapera naeviaTrinidad onlyLittle cuckooCoccycua minutaTrinidad onlyDwarf cuckooCoccycua pumilaTrinidad only - vagrantSquirrel cuckooPiaya cayanaTrinidad onlyDark-billed cuckooCoccyzus melacoryphusTrinidad only - vagrantYellow-billed cuckooCoccyzus americanusMangrove cuckooCoccyzus minorBlack-billed cuckooCoccyzus erythropthalmusTrinidad only - vagrant
Oilbird
Order: SteatornithiformesFamily: Steatornithidae
The oilbird is a slim, long-winged bird related to the nightjars. It is nocturnal and a specialist feeder on the fruit of the oil palm.
Common name Binomial StatusOilbirdSteatornis caripensisTrinidad only
Potoos Order: NyctibiiformesFamily: Nyctibiidae
The potoos (sometimes called poor-me-ones) are large near passerine birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths. They are nocturnal insectivores which lack the bristles around the mouth found in the true nightjars.
Common name Binomial StatusCommon potooNyctibius griseus
Nightjars Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves.
Common name Binomial StatusNacunda nighthawkChordeiles nacundaTrinidad onlyLesser nighthawkChordeiles acutipennisCommon Trinidad, vagrant TobagoCommon nighthawk/Antillean nighthawkChordeiles minor/Chordeiles gundlachiiTrinidad - vagrantShort-tailed nighthawkLurocalis semitorquatusTrinidad onlyCommon pauraqueNyctidromus albicollisTrinidad onlyWhite-tailed nightjarHydropsalis cayennensisRufous nightjarAntrostomus rufusTrinidad only
Swifts Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
Swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
Common name Binomial StatusChestnut-collared swiftCypseloides rutilusTrinidad onlyWhite-collared swiftStreptoprocne zonarisCommon Trinidad, vagrant TobagoGray-rumped swiftChaetura cinereiventrisBand-rumped swiftChaetura spinicaudusTrinidad onlyVaux's swift (not on the BDSC list)Chaetura vauxivagrantChapman's swiftChaetura chapmaniTrinidad onlyShort-tailed swiftChaetura brachyuraFork-tailed palm-swiftTachornis squamataLesser swallow-tailed swiftPanyptila cayennensisTrinidad only
Hummingbirds
Order: ApodiformesFamily: Trochilidae
Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards.
Common name Binomial StatusWhite-necked jacobinFlorisuga mellivora mellivoraRufous-breasted hermitGlaucis hirsutus insularumLittle hermitPhaethornis longuemareusTrinidad onlyGreen hermitPhaethornis guyTrinidad onlyBrown violetearColibri delphinaeCommon Trinidad, vagrant TobagoWhite-tailed goldenthroatPolytmus guainumbiTrinidad onlyRuby-topaz hummingbirdChrysolampis mosquitusGreen-throated mangoAnthracothorax viridigulaTrinidad onlyBlack-throated mangoAnthracothorax nigricollisTufted coquetteLophornis ornatusTrinidad onlyLong-billed starthroatHeliomaster longirostrisTrinidad onlyRufous-shafted woodstarChaetocercus jourdaniiTrinidad only - vagrantAmethyst woodstarCalliphlox amethystinaTrinidad only - vagrantBlue-tailed emeraldChlorostilbon mellisugusTrinidad onlyWhite-tailed sabrewingCampylopterus ensipennisTobago only - near-threatenedCopper-rumped hummingbirdSaucerottia tobaci erythronotaTrinidad only for subspeciesCopper-rumped hummingbirdSaucerottia tobaci tobaciTobago only for subspeciesWhite-chested emeraldChrysuronia brevirostrisTrinidad onlyBlue-chinned sapphireChlorestes notataCommon Trinidad, vagrant Tobago
Limpkin Order: GruiformesFamily: Aramidae
The limpkin resembles a large rail. It has drab-brown plumage and a grayer head and neck.
Name Binomial StatusLimpkinAramus guaraunaCommon Trinidad, vagrant Tobago
Rails Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.