the Northern Range of Trinidad, seven miles north of the Town of Arima, the Asa Wright Nature Centre is a world-class natural history destination for students of tropical ecosystems and is of particular interest to birdwatchers. Also check out Tim Carney's Checklist of the Birds of the Asa Wright Centre.

reserves, and the birds they contain, in the two islands, including:

(Eudocimus ruber), locally known as "flamingo," makes its home in the Caroni Bird Sanctuary in the Caroni Swamp--an area set aside by the government for the protection of these colourful birds. The Caroni Swamp includes fifteen thousand acres of marshland, tidal lagoons, and mangrove trees.

is a refuge for the island's endangered species.

sanctuary comprises more than 100 square kilometers (40 square miles) of mangrove swampland crossed by waterways.

includes information on Trinidad's Ramsar designated site:
• Nariva Swamp

compare? 2300 species of flowering plants; over 600 different butterflies; over 400 species of birds. South America? No, just Trinidad & Tobago. Long the secret of wildlife film makers – (David Attenbourough has shot many sequences here) – T&T is a veritable ark flora and fauna, awaiting exploration…..

birding hotspots, but I thought it might come in useful (says Tina)!

My trip to Trinidad was a business trip and not really a birding trip. However, I managed to do some birding on weekends, and even on weekdays by getting up early enough to bird a couple of hours before work, and again for an hour in the evening after work. I managed to see well over 200 different species. For alist of species, and locations where the birds were seen, see also Part II.

(yes, he's the author of all the Trinidad Birding Books). 

"Caribbean Index" on John Girdley's site for this great trip report by Charles and Joy Fletcher.

January 5-13, 1996 - by Bill Murphy.  In 1995 the American Birding Association contacted me to offer me an opportunity to serve as their representative on a Clipper Cruise Line voyage through the southern Caribbean in January 1996. The tour itinerary included the Netherlands Antilles islands of Curacao and Bonaire, coastal Venezuela, Tobago, the Orinoco River, and Trinidad -- 1200 sea miles in all. See also Bill's report on the Trinidad extension to this cruise. 

and Cindy Fahay. This was our third birding trip to T&T. Trinidad and Tobago are both wonderful places to spend time, birding and otherwise. My wife and I prefer to go on these trips unguided, do the necessary research, and find birds on our own. Probably because of this habit, we always seem to leave a few species behind, and the omission of those species on our trip lists provides a great excuse for returning to our favorite birding places.

These .pdf format trip reports are made available by Birdfinding Holidays.

Joy Fletcher. This was a family holiday and not a birding trip.  The package was an all inclusive deal through First Choice with accommodation at the Isla Bonita Hotel in the north of Margarita, and the Turtle Beach Hotel in Tobago.To get round the problem of two teenage children who were completely uninterested in birds, most birding took place in the early morning before breakfast, and on days out with plenty of “non-birding” activities for all the family.

Nature Center (AWNC) is a wonderful spot, located in a tropical rain forest on a mountainside.  Before breakfast, I had 18 life birds!! 

Casey.

my family are not interested in birds and I am very keen. On Trinidad I had negotiated 3 nights at Asa Wright before travelling to Tobago and spending the rest of the time at Blue Waters Inn. Click on the "Next by same author" link for parts 2, 3, and 4.

1998. I am, by misfortune, disabled. I am also, entirely through greed, overweight. These two factors combine to create a third; I am by misfortune and my own disposition, indolent. This guide is, then, for those of you who are restricted by disability, or lazy by inclination. This is an essential characteristic of all reports from the "Fat Birder". (Don't let this author's prologue fool you - this is a very comprehensive and entertaining trip report).

Dr Steve M. R. Young. With basic gen on just a few sites in Trinidad and Tobago my wife Penny and I booked a straightforward package holiday with Kuoni via Wildwings to the holiday island of Tobago. However I then planned a 3-4 day excursion of solid birding to Trinidad. 

Ellyn and I just returned from a trip to southern Florida, Trinidad and Tobago. We got some nice photos, displayed in the galleries below, and we had one amazing adventure (well, it's amazing if you're a birder -- we were present at the first sighting of a new bird in Trinidad). 

Tobago trip reports are available from Blake Maybank's "Birding the Americas: Trip Report and Trip Planning Repository".

Factoids taken from Where to Watch Birds in South America - by Nigel Wheatley.

want more from a trip than additions to their life lists. Experience tropical birding in Trinidad and Tobago with Master Guides who do more than find and identify the birds for you. They explain how they identify the birds we see, sharing their methods and knowledge so participants can enhance their own birding skills while discovering the marvels of birding in the tropics. We offer an 11-day tour from April 24-May 4, 2005, spending 4 days in Trinidad, 3 days in Tobago, and then 4 more days in Trinidad. We bird all the best locations on both islands. See nesting Oilbirds and marvel at huge Leatherback Turtles coming ashore to nest at Matura Bay. Enjoy a fantastic stay at Asa Wright Nature Reserve as well as a glass-bottom boat trip to Little Tobago Island. It'll be a great introduction to South American birding. We welcome all skill levels and also non-birding companions. Tour limited to 8 participants.

truly knowledgeable and environmentally sensitive guides. From Environment Tobago.

February 7, 2003. Trinidad and Tobago lie only 16 km north of Venezuela and their combined land area is just 4% of the size of England. With a species list of 430, good accommodation and food, and English as the official language, this is the ideal introduction to South American birding. There is just one endemic bird, the very rare Trinidad Piping-guan, but over half of the endemic bird families of South America are present on the islands. We should see in excess of 200 species during the tour.

Most birders who have visited Trinidad agree that it is perhaps the best place in the New World tropics to gain experience with South American birds without being overwhelmed. Lying barely 10 miles off the coast of Venezuela, Trinidad's bird life is much like that of northern South America. Almost all of the families are represented, but because of Trinidad's long isolation from the mainland, the number of species is somewhat smaller. This, combined with the ease with which many birds can be seen, makes Trinidad a top choice for birders wishing to savor the delights of tropical birding and develop proficiency with a sample of South America's extensive bird life. Trinidad's popularity is also due to the Asa Wright Nature Center, famous for its comfort, its food, and the variety of birds that can be seen from the veranda and grounds. Located in a forested valley of the Northern Range, the center is a convenient base from which to explore nearby habitats, including freshwater and saltwater marshes, swamps, savanna, and montane forest. 
• Trinidad and Tobago - February 17 - February 26, 2003 (10.0 days - Limit 14) with Brad Schram & TBA
• Trinidad and Tobago - December 06 - December 15, 2003 (10.0 days - Limit 14) with Brad Schram & TBA
• Trinidad and Tobago - February 14 - February 23, 2004 (10.0 days - Limit 14) with Brad Schram & TBA
VENT offers nearly 140 tours to over 100 land-based destinations each year and is the largest tour company in the world specializing in birding and natural history.

with Trinidadian Edward Rooks - Thursday, April 25 - Friday, May 10, 2002. Few get to experience Leatherback Turtles nesting on pure white-sand beaches. Mix in excellent natural history leadership, Scarlet Ibis, spring migrants, snorkeling and rainforest birding and you’ll understand Caribbean bliss. Leaders: Edward Rooks and local leaders. 12 participants.

Augustine district on the Caribbean island of Trinidad. While not specifically a birding lodge, the hotel is located within the St. Augustine area which is well known for birding. Assistance is provided to guests in linking up with birding birding activities at Asa Wright, the Caroni Bird Sanctuary and other birding sites within Trinidad and Tobago.

John P. O'Neill (Illustrator), Don R. Eckelberry (Illustrator). Paperback - 426 pages 2nd edition (October 1991). 

Barrow. In the birding world, Trinidad and Tobago is well known for the number, range and accessibility of its bird species. This book contains over 170 photographs representing a cross section of the country's birds. Each photograph is accompanied by a short description based on first-hand experience, pointing out identification features, likely locations, behaviour patterns and unusual characteristics. 

(December 1995).  The fabulous birds of Trinidad and Tobago have attracted naturalists from around the world for generations. Bill Murphy wrote this book in 1986 to satisfy the need for clear, complete information on finding birds throughout both Trinidad and Tobago. Ten years later, from that first effort has come this brand new edition. See also Bill Murphy's home page.

Murphy. (January 1, 1997). Ten pages, accordian folded -- easy to carry and use afield. Pocket-size. 

Murphy.