Bird Watching
Top O' Tobago attracts four out of five species of hummingbirds found on the island due to the numerous feeders placed around the property. Birders from around the world are astounded by the rare and beautiful birds they see and hear during their stay, often right from the patio of their cabana.
Excellent guides to show you around the best sites in Tobago are available and they also offer one day tours to Trinidad to experience the diversity found there.
The bird list for the Arnos Vale area includes:
Blue Grey Tanager, Bananaquit, Red Crowned Woodpecker, Rufous Vented Chahalaca, Blue Crowned Mot-Mot (King of the Woods), Tropical Mockingbird, Eared Dove, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, Copper Rumped Hummingbird, Ruby Topaz Hummingbird, Black-throated Mango, Tobago Emerald, Glossy Cowbird, White-shouldered Tanagers, Tobago White-barred Bush Shrikes, Tobago House Wren, Allied Ant Wren, Glossy Grassquit, Yellowtail Cornbird, Rufous-tailed Jacamar owls and many others.
Rachel and Chris Stuart of Ring Ouzel Wildlife Tours, England, left this comment in our guest book that describes birdlife at Top O’ Tobago perfectly.
“Thanks Hugh for your help. A great place. Wish we were able to return sometime. We are planning future tours for birdwatchers in Trinidad and Tobago. Future guests may like to know what we have seen from the veranda.
The very abundant small black and yellow with a white stripe through the eye birds always around the feeders are Bananaquits. The most common of the hummingbirds is the Copper-rumped, basically all green with a copper coloured rump and tail. The White-necked Jacobin is not a common hummingbird but we saw them at the feeders regularly, their pure white feathers on the tail and under parts are diagnostic.
A pair of woodpeckers are addicted to the feeders – these are Red-crowned Woodpeckers with the black and white barring across the black and red crown, not to be mistaken for the very similar Barred Antshrike. The male has black and white barring all over with a small black crest whilst the female is plain brown with a rufous streaked face.
The small green parrots that are well around are Green-rumped Parrotlets. Some mornings, you may have been awakened by the most horrendous of noises. The Rufous-vented Chahalaca is the guilty party. Like small turkeys, you may see them clamoring about in the treetops, but not very proficient at flying. They are the national bird of Tobago. Looking out to sea, you often see Magnificent Frigate Birds in the air occasionally displaying their deeply forked tails. After dark as you drive along the track up to the Villa, you may encounter White Tailed Nightjar taking off in front of you; one often perches on the railing by the pool, just behind the diving board.”
