Cuba Birding (1 Viewer)

[judie gumm]

OOps posted this original request in the general posting site. I will add it here too just in case. I am going to Cuba in November as part of a dance/diplomacy group. We will be dancing for two weeks and have the option of staying an additional two. I am wondering if there has been any further news about possible sightings of the iivory billed woodpecker (rumors abound) and any advise about best birding sites. Any and all information is welcome. Thanks Judie

 

[Johnny1]

Hi Judie, I have recently been to Cuba twice, in April and back in December. The birding was good both times, though I didn't do any birding trips just general birdwatching in the area where I was staying which was Varaderos. I don't think Ivory Billed has been seen in recent years. I got most of my information on birding in Cuba by doing a search on the web, just do a search on Cuban bird sand Trip reports.

 

[Rasmus Boegh]

As you mention, there are plenty of rumours regarding the Ivory-billed. The most believeable are from some of the remote highlands; we are talkin' "hardcore" birding to get there, expedition birding more or less... The area that most seem to believe in is the highest reaches of the Sierra Maestra in south-east Cuba.

Here's what you should listen for (part of the only known recording of an Ivory-billed; made in 1935):

http://birds.cornell.edu/ivory/ibw.wav

In any case, take a look at Eurobirding (don't be put of by the name, they cover the world), and search for trip reports from Cuba. I just tried, there are 20:

http://www.eurobirding.com/triprepo...on&se=on&no=on&dk=on&fi=on&nl=on&it=on&page=1