Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor), an endemic bird of Cuba

The Cuban Tody is endemic to Cuba and is thought to be the oldest surviving member of the Tody family which is confined to the Greater Antilles and comprises 5 species.

This endemic bird is common and widely distributed on Cuba. It is found in a variety of habitats mainly forest and woodland where it feeds on caterpillars, insects and spiders.

A distinctive small, stubby, primarily green bird with a big head, no neck, large flat bill and red throat. The flanks are pink, sides of throat blue and undertail-coverts yellow. This particular bird has some dirt on its head and a small insect crawling around on the feathers of its lower belly.

The voice of the Cuban Tody when perched, sometimos rcpears a peculiar short tot-tot-tot-tot. The most characteristic call is a soft pprreeee-ppueeee, that gave origin to its common name, Pedorrera.

The Cuban Tody usually found in pairs. A rather inactive bird that searches for prey from a perch. It then flits up to glean its prey from twigs and undersides of leaves. Its main food consists of caterpillars, spiders and insects. Rarely, it will eat small fruits.

To do the nest the Cuban Tody digs a tunnel of about 0.3m (1’) in length with a chamber at the end in a clay embankment, though sometimes uses a rotten trunk or tree cavity. The walls of the tunnel and the egg chamber are covered with a thick glue-like substance mixed with grass, lichen, algae. small feathers and other materials that probably act as a sealant. Eggs (3—4) white. Breeds primarily from March to June.