Birdwatching is a common pastime because most birds are just so beautiful.
While all birds have a unique beauty to them there’s one species that really takes the cake.
The Cuban Tody might not be a bird you know very well, but it has made a name for itself as one of the most beautiful bird species in the world. It’s worthwhile to know some facts about this gorgeous creature.
Birds are great for their diversity of sounds – and the Cuban Tody happens to make three different sounds. The most common is their “totting” sound that is high-pitched, repetitive, and sounds like an alarm. Their second call has a lower frequency.
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Their wings also make a sound. Just like hummingbirds, they’re known for their ability to flap their wings extremely fast. This creates a beating sound that is entirely generated from the wings.
Like a hummingbird, the tody is quite small and has a beautiful color pattern.
This is a blink-and-you-might-miss-it kind of bird. It’s approximately the size of a stress ball and weighs about 6 grams. It’s a tiny bird, but it can fly very fast.
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The Cuban tody also has stunning colors and patterns on its feathers. While its underside is entirely white, its topside is bright green and pink. On its neck and throat, this bird has patches of blue and red.
It truly contains (almost) all the colors of the rainbow!
While you might not have a chance to look at a Cuban Tody’s natural habitat, this fact is sure to be surprising: they spend a lot of time in tunnels. They nest inside tunnels that they have created by digging into embankments or hollowed-out tree trunks.
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At the end of these tunnels, they create chambers to lay their eggs. The adults normally sleep inside the tunnels while the eggs stay in the chambers.
These smart birds have even invented a way to seal the tunnels so that predators have a hard time getting to them. Using feather, lichen, and algae, the Cuan tody seals its tunnels from the outside world.
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The tody is the most common bird in Cuba.
And fortunately, it has been given the designation of “least concern” by conservationists, meaning it’s not in danger of going extinct any time soon.
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These birds also like to spend time with other species. They like to group around birds and can often be found mingling with their feathered friends.
If you see one in person, it might act quite chill.
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While some birds freak out at the sight of humans, or like pigeons and seagulls, try to go for our food, the Cuban tody will most likely hang out for a bit.
Perhaps as a camouflage tactic, these gorgeous birds have been known to freeze their movements in front of people.
They have also been described as staring right at people and bobbing their heads.
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If you’re a bird lover, you should know about the Cuban tody.
They’re just magnificent, aren’t they?
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Though you may have to go to the Caribbean to see one in person, you can still admire the fact that these creatures exist thanks to the Internet.
You just have to see these beauties in action. Be sure to check out the video below.
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