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THE BIRDS

One of the pillars upon which the Trust was founded was to conserve both birds and their natural habitats for the future of all. The Trust is actively involved in the research and breeding of locally endangered species of waterfowl and other birds, as well as the translocation of these species into existing wildlife habitats in Trinidad and Tobago. It should be noted that the Wildfowl Trust works with many species of birds, but places particular focus on waterfowl.

Here is a Blue and Gold Macaw

Research and Breeding - The Species

Our avicultural re-introduction programme includes the following species:
Black Bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) 1058 Released (1967-2002)	White-faced Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna viduata) 62 Released (1988-1997)
Fulvous Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) 474 Released (1985-2002)	White-cheeked Pintail (Anas bahamansis) 142 Released (1985-2002)
Wild Muscovy Duck (Cairina moschata) 589 Released (1985-2002)	Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) 74 Bred (1991-2002) Released 37 (1999-2002)
Blue & Gold Macaw (Ara ararauna) 16 Bred (1993-2002)

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Achievements

Scarlet Ibis

Since 1991, the resident flock (8) of our National Bird, the Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) has bred successfully. Reports of their breeding have been recorded in Trinidad for 1996 in the Caroni Swamp. Since 1993, two pairs of our small (15) resident flock of Blue and Gold Macaws have bred successfully; this success continued in 1997. In January 1991, the first recorded live hatch of 2 Anhinga anhinga for Trinidad took place on the Trust's second lake. Regular live hatches continue to be recorded, with the successfully fledged birds now resident in the area.

WILDFOWL

What Are Wildfowl?

Once, "fowl" was the term used to describe all birds, and "wildfowl" meant, simply, "wildbirds". Today the term is used to describe one family of birds - the ducks, geese and swans.

The wildfowl are included in one order - Anseriformes - as the family ANATIDAE. There are 147 distinct species of duck, goose or swan. The animals in this diverse group are found throughout the world and are superbly adapted to life on land, in air and, of course, on and under the water. The sharing of a watery habitat links all wildfowl.

The communities of life, including the birds, depend upon the maintenance of these habitats - called, generically, "Wetlands"

Neotropic Cormorant
(Phalacrocoracidae: Phalacrocorox olivaceous)
Known locally as a "Black Duck"

A regular visitor at the Trust throughout the year. Greatest numbers are present between December / January and August. Breeding plumage / displays seen between May and August.

Latest bird counts on the Trust's second lake show between 700 to 1000 birds.

Cormorants normally fish at sea and return to inland reservoirs and waterways to roost on surrounding trees. They can be seen in the late afternoon, wings outstretched, drying, after washing off saltwater from their bodies.

Neotropic Cormorant

Rehabilitation

Many injured birds are brought to the Trust; we have had some successes, working with vets with this particular expertise and with the Wildlife Orphanage and Rehabilitation Centre. The success stories include a Masked/Blue faced Booby, Ospreys, a Brown Pelican, a Gray Hawk, Gallinules, Jacanas, Song Birds, Psittacines and different Owl species.