Birding South America
Your Caribbean Connection

Why not combine South America and the Caribbean?

South America is a vast and extremely bio-diverse continent. Where do you begin? From the Penguins of the Antarctic, to the more exotic tropical birds of the Amazon, birdwatchers are often faced with either having to travel tremendous distances between diverse ecosystems, or visiting just a single environment.

 Andean Appendage 

Trinidad and Tobago is an astonishing alternative to birding-South-America for those on their first adventures, and for those wishing to see the greatest number of species during their oh-so-short vacations. And here's why...

Trinidad is a forgotten appendage of the Andean Mountains, a little piece of the South American jungle left stranded in the South Caribbean Sea. A lost world, a South American outpost masquerading as a Caribbean Island.

Yet it's an island that retains a surprising number of South American species, an island that still mothers its fair share of Caribbean species, an island happily teamed with its truly Caribbean sister, Tobago; twin islands with truly amazing bio-diversity.

 Latin-Caribbean Bio-Diversity 

Together these uniquely positioned islands offer one of the densest biota in the world, claiming over 460 species of tropical birds, some of which can be seen in these Trinidad bird pictures.

Plus, there are over 600 species of butterflies, approximately 110 species of mammals, 55 species of reptiles, 25 species of amphibians, an astounding 47 species of bats, and 2300 species of flowering plants including bromeliads, bananas and 700 species of orchid; presented in a package no bigger that 50 miles long by 37 miles wide in Trinidad's case, and about 24 miles long and 7 miles wide in Tobago's.

 Birding Trinidad 

There just isn't another package anywhere quite like this one...

It's a bird watching paradise blessed with a vast number of eco specific environments, each of sufficient size to make them true representors of their type, all within 1 to 2 hours drive of Port-of-Spain or Crown Point, the 2 major visitor centers. That's another bonus Trinidad and Tobago offer, accessibility.

 Trinidad and Tobago's list of Best Birding Sites... 

Visitors are often astounded by the variety of wildlife they are able to see on their Trinidad and Tobago vacations. So, when considering that first birding South America trip, combine it with a little Caribbean bird watching and capture for yourself the best of both worlds.

During eco tour and bird watching expeditions you may visit:

Award winning Asa Wright Nature Center with its Birders Veranda;
Caroni Swamp Bird Sanctuary;
Nariva Wetlands Wildlife Sanctuary;
Bush Bush Wildlife Reserve;
Grafton Bird Sanctuary;
Grand Icacos Lagoon;
Mucurapo and Waterloo Mudflats;
Bon Accord Wetlands;
Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust;
Aripo Research Station;
Main Ridge Forest Reserve;
Brasso Seco, Blanchisseuse, Toco, and numerous other spectacular sites scattered across Trinidad and Tobago.

 Birding South America 

To be sure, birding South America offers its own unique environments and beautiful tropical birds, but why waste precious days traveling between locations when you can be in the field every day in Trinidad and Tobago, where there's no language barrier and the birding opportunities are simply amazing.

 2 For The Price Of 1 

At the end of your visits to the rain forest, swamps, mudflats, or misty mountaintops you have the opportunity to close your day with a little calypso, and some delicious local cuisine. Trinidad food that makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

That's the beauty of Trinidad and Tobago vacations, they're a 2 for 1 deal: 2 unique islands for the price of 1; amazing bio-diversity with easy accessibility; Caribbean island serenity, sun, sea and sand; the Caribbeans premiere carnival destination; music and many memorable cultural interactions. Instead of birding South America, go bird watching on these remarkable twin islands in the South Caribbean Sea.

Choose Trinidad and Tobago for your Caribbean adventures, and perhaps get hooked on Trinidad tours.