The Bahamas Birds

In November 2024, I had the privilege of visiting the Bahamas for the first time. This stunning archipelago, made up of over 700 islands and cays, was a dream destination for bird photography. My goal? To capture the diverse birdlife that calls these islands home—particularly the unique species found nowhere else in the world.

The Bahamas spans nearly 700 miles across the Caribbean, with over 1,100 islands and cays. However, only about 30 of these islands are inhabited. Nassau, located on New Providence, is the capital and largest city, while Freeport on Grand Bahama is the second-largest. The islands are mostly flat, with the highest point barely reaching 200 feet. The habitats are diverse, ranging from dry and pine forests to mangroves.

Cuban Emerald

Among the rich biodiversity of the Bahamas, over 300 bird species have been recorded, six of which are endemic to the islands. These species can only be found in the Bahamas, making them especially precious for birdwatchers and photographers alike. During my 10-day visit, I explored three islands—New Providence, Great Abaco, and Andros—with a focus on photographing the “Bahama Birds”—those species uniquely named after the islands themselves. These are Bahama Swallow, Bahama Oriole, Bahama Warbler, Bahama Yellowthroat, Bahama Woodstar & Bahama Mockingbird. There are many additional birds that can only be found in the Caribbean region, birds such as Olive-capped Warbler, Cuban Emerald, Western Spindalis, and Cuban Amazon are also shared with Cuba, during the time of my visit there were many familiar birds from North America that winter here, especially many of the Warblers that pass through my home city of Chicago each spring and fall.

Cuban Amazon

The Special Birds of The Bahamas

Bahama Woodstar

Bahama Woodstar

A beautiful hummingbird with a long forked tail, the male has a glittering violet-purple throat, green upperparts and a rufous & green belly. Females lack the violet-purple throat. It is endemic to the Bahamas and is distributed through the archipelago though on my visit I found it to be most common in New Providence where we found it at many locations. I only saw one on Andros and none on Great Abaco. Due to its wide range on the islands its conservation status is treated as ‘Least Concern’. 

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Bahama Swallow

Bahama Swallow

This swallow is reminiscent of the Tree Swallow that I’m so familiar with in the Midwest but differs in its deeply forked tail, white armpits, and iridescent green back. This species is listed as ‘endangered’ and the population is likely declining due to habitat loss especially because of housing development and even the occasional hurricane. They only breed on Andros and Great Abaco and are extirpated from New Providence. We were extremely fortunate to have a few encounters with this species on Andros and on Great Abaco and it was fun trying to get that perfect flight shot!

Conservation Status: Endangered 

Bahama Oriole

Bahama Oriole

Probably the rarest of the Bahama endemics as it is only found on the island of Andros where population estimates of possibly as few as 300 birds exist. This is a beautiful black and yellow oriole and we were very lucky to find and photograph a pair at the Atala Forest Trail at the northern end of Andros. They are treated as ‘endangered’ and threats include habitat destruction and brood parasitism by Shiny Cowbirds as well as predation by introduced mammals such as cats. There was also a population on Great Abaco but unfortunately have been extirpated since the 1990s.

Conservation Status: Endangered

Bahama Yellowthroat

Bahama Yellowthroat

You might be forgiven for thinking this bird is a Common Yellowthroat at first glance and there is a striking resemblance to the more familiar yellowthroat that we are used to seeing throughout the United States. The Bahama Yellowthroat though is slightly larger overall with a larger bill and completely yellow underparts along with other subtle differences. Its habitat is very different too as it is a denizen of the undergrowth in the island’s pine forests rather than the marshy habitats that the Common Yellowthroat prefers. It’s conservation status is listed as ‘least concern’ though there have been some declines on some of the six islands it occurs on. We had great encounters on both Andros and Great Abaco.

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Bahama Warbler

Bahama Warbler

A very distinctive warbler that until recently was treated as just a subspecies of our more familiar Yellow-throated Warbler – but with closer examination it looks totally different with a very long slightly decurved bill, completely yellow underparts and lack of white around the face. They really do look quite different and their ascending song is quite different from Yellow-throated too. They feed similar to Black-and-White Warblers creeping along branches and trunks of pine trees searching for insects in the bark and needles. This warbler is only found on two islands, Grand Bahama and Great Abaco – it took some searching but eventually we had great views of a couple of birds in the pine forest at the southern end of Great Abaco. Their conservation status is ‘endangered’ and they are confined only to the native pine forests. Destruction of their pine forest habitat is a continued threat to their existence as is the newly established population of Shiny Cowbird to the Bahamas.

Conservation Status: Endangered

Bahama Mockingbird

Bahama Mockingbird

This is the only ‘Bahama’ named bird that is not endemic or confined to the Bahama Islands as they also occur albeit in smaller numbers in Cuba, Jamaica, and Turks & Caicos. It is similar in appearance to our Northern Mockingbird but is slightly larger, lacks the white wing patche,s and has streaked underparts. Surprisingly on my trip we only came across one confiding individual of this species at Stafford Creek on North Andros. 

Conservation Status: Least Concern

Northern Mockingbird

The birds of the Bahamas are not just beautiful; they are an essential part of the islands’ natural heritage. As I traveled through New Providence, Great Abaco, and Andros, I felt privileged to witness these incredible creatures in their natural habitats. Some species, like the Bahama Oriole and Bahama Warbler, are critically endangered, and their survival depends on continued conservation efforts to protect their fragile habitats.

Western Spindalis

Whether you’re a birdwatcher, a photographer, or just someone who appreciates the wonders of nature, the Bahamas offers a unique opportunity to experience one of the world’s most stunning birding destinations. I left the islands with unforgettable memories and a deep appreciation for the incredible biodiversity that these islands support.

My good friend Steve Huggins (#guaranteedbirding/ sjhugginsgb@gmail.com / https://www.redhillbirding.com ) designed and guided this trip to the Bahamas. 

In New Providence, we used the guiding services of the superb Lillian Russel of Bahamas Outdoors and I recommend contacting her if you find yourself in Nassau as she really knows the best places to visit for the birds. 

I’d also highly recommend the following accommodations:

Orange Hill Beach Inn on the island of New Providence
Dream Villas at Davis Creek on the island of Andros
The Sandpiper Inn on the island of Great Abaco

Enjoy the complete gallery of birds from The Bahamas – I hope you will enjoy them as much as I enjoyed photographing them!