Cuban Tody

Overview

The Cuban tody (Todus multicolor) is a small bird species in the family Todidae, restricted to Cuba and its adjacent islands. It is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Length of 11 cm and weight of 5.9 g, with a large head relative to body size and a thin, flat bill.
• Iridescent green dorsum, pale whitish-grey underparts, and red highlights, distinguished by pink flanks, a red throat, yellow lores, and a blue ear-patch.
• Bicoloured bill that is black on top and red on the bottom.
• Characteristic calls include a peculiar short "tot-tot-tot-tot" and a soft "pprreeee-pprreeee", while wings produce a whirring sound during display flights.

Habitat

A year-round resident of portions of Cuba and the islands just off the Cuban coast, with populations structured into eastern and western regions. It is a habitat generalist found in dry lowlands, evergreen forests, coastal vegetation, and near streams and rivers.

Diet

The diet is dominated by insects but also includes small fruits, small lizards, and spiders. These birds are known to participate in mixed-species flocks while foraging.

Did you know?

The bird's Cuban common name, 'Pedorrera', is derived from its most characteristic soft "pprreeee-pprreeee" call. It constructs its nest by covering a clay tunnel or tree cavity with a thick glue-like substance mixed with grass, lichen, algae, and small feathers.