Birds

The Portland Bight Protected Area is designated as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International, indicating a globally important site for the conservation of bird populations. It is home to many endemic and resident birds, including the Vulnerable West Indian Whistling Duck - one of the most threatened waterfowl species in the Western Hemisphere. The Near Threatened Plain Pigeon and White-crowned Pigeon, are keystone species threatened over much of their range and also nest in this area. Keystone species maintain the integrity and diversity of ecological communities, for example, by spreading seeds in coastal and inland forests. Among the 17 endemics that occur in the area are: Jamaican Lizard Cuckoo, Jamaican Oriole, Jamaican Owl, Jamaican Tody, Sad Flycatcher, Jamaican Spindalis, and Jamaican Mango. Magnificent Frigatebird and Brown Noddy nest on the Portland Bight cays.
The PBPA also provides a critical refuge for numerous Neotropical migrants, including ducks, warblers, waterbirds, shorebirds, and seabirds. These birds leave their temperate and sub-arctic North American habitats to spend the winter months in the PBPA, or use the area as a stopover site where they rest and refuel for the long migrations to and from breeding and wintering grounds.

Click on a photo to expand.

For more great images from Ted Lee Eubanks, link to the Portland Bight Protected Area FaceBook Album