Fun facts about Puerto Rico birds for kids

The San Pedrito: tiny, green, and living in a tunnel

The San Pedrito, or Puerto Rican Tody, weighs about 6 grams. It is green above with a red throat and yellow sides. It may look like a toy, but it is a hunter: it snatches insects with its flat, fast bill from a low perch.

The strangest part is its nest. Instead of weaving a cup in a tree, the tody nests in a tunnel or cavity in the ground, such as an earth bank. It also belongs to a very exclusive family: only five tody species exist in the world, and all of them live in the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico).

Hummingbirds: the island's smallest birds

Puerto Rico has five resident hummingbirds, and three are endemic: the Puerto Rican Mango, the Green Mango, and the Puerto Rican Emerald. The Emerald weighs about 4 grams, less than a US nickel, which weighs 5 grams.

Hummingbirds drink flower nectar and can hover in mid-air in front of a blossom. The Spanish word «zumbador» comes from the buzz their wings make. The Puerto Rican Emerald lays just two eggs per nest and incubates them for 14 to 16 days.

The Puerto Rican Parrot: a comeback story

The Puerto Rican Parrot, also called Iguaca, is green, 28 to 30 centimeters long, with a red forehead and white rings around its eyes. It is the only native parrot in the United States and is critically endangered. Efforts to save it began in 1968.

In September 2017, Hurricane Maria wiped out the entire wild population in El Yunque, and Río Abajo lost 40% of its wild parrots. Thanks to the Iguaca and José Vivaldi aviaries, releases restarted in 2020. By February 2026, USFWS estimated 320 to 340 wild parrots in Río Abajo, 100 to 105 in El Yunque, and 100 to 105 in Maricao.

Birds whose names tell stories

Many Puerto Rican birds have names that imitate their calls. The Gray Kingbird's local name, Pitirre, sounds a lot like its call, and so does the Juí, the Puerto Rican Flycatcher. The Puerto Rican Owl's local name, Múcaro, comes from Taíno, the language of the island's first people, just like Iguaca for the parrot.

Other facts are about what a bird does or eats. The endemic Puerto Rican Bullfinch, or Comeñame, eats fruit, seeds, and insects, and the yellow-and-black Bananaquit, or Reinita Común, visits flowers in almost every yard. The Puerto Rican Woodpecker is the only resident woodpecker on the island and taps tree trunks to find insects.

The Mariquita and other birds that need help

The Yellow-shouldered Blackbird, or Mariquita, is a black bird with a yellow patch on its shoulder. It has been listed as endangered since 1976, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates 600 to 700 birds remain on the whole island. One problem is the Shiny Cowbird, which arrived in Puerto Rico in 1955 and lays its eggs in Mariquita nests so the Mariquita raises the cowbird's chicks.

Other endemic birds are also at risk, such as the Elfin-woods Warbler, which lives in mountain forests, and the Puerto Rican Nightjar, a nighttime bird of the dry forest. Biologists help the Mariquita with artificial nests and weekly checks. You can help all of them by never disturbing nests and by learning to recognize them.

Big coastal birds: frigatebirds, pelicans, and herons

At the beach you may see the Magnificent Frigatebird, or Tijereta, a seabird with very long wings and a tail shaped like open scissors that soars high over the sea. The Brown Pelican, by contrast, flies in lines low over the water and plunges headfirst to catch fish. Puerto Rico's DNER lists it as endangered.

The Great Egret, or Garza Real, can be close to a meter long, with a yellow bill and black legs. The Snowy Egret, or Garza Blanca, is smaller and seems to wear golden slippers: black legs with yellow feet. Herons fly with their necks folded into an S shape, which is easy to notice as they pass over a wetland.

What is the smallest bird in Puerto Rico?

Among resident birds, hummingbirds are the smallest. The Puerto Rican Emerald weighs about 4 grams, and the Puerto Rican Tody, which is not a hummingbird, weighs about 6 grams. Both are endemic to Puerto Rico.

How many birds are there in Puerto Rico?

About 402 bird species have been recorded in Puerto Rico, including residents, migrants, introduced species, and rare visitors. Of these, 19 are endemic under current taxonomy, although some lists count 17.

Which birds live only in Puerto Rico?

Some of the 19 endemic birds are the Puerto Rican Tody, Puerto Rican Spindalis, Puerto Rican Parrot, Puerto Rican Woodpecker, Puerto Rican Owl, Puerto Rican Bullfinch, and Yellow-shouldered Blackbird. Endemic means the species lives naturally nowhere else.

How many Puerto Rican Parrots are left?

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (February 2026), there are more than 900 parrots counting wild and captive birds. Wild birds live in Río Abajo, El Yunque, and Maricao. The species remains endangered.

Why does the Puerto Rican Tody nest in the ground?

The tody uses tunnels or cavities in the ground, such as earth banks, to lay its 1 to 4 eggs. This is typical of its family, the todies, which exist only in the Greater Antilles. That is why banks where they nest should not be dug up or disturbed.

Where can I find Puerto Rico bird coloring pages?

The Kids hub on this site has 50 free Bird Coloring Pages and a downloadable PDF book, with birds such as the tody, the parrot, the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird, and several herons. Each page links to the bird's profile.