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Birds of Porto Rico UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE j| BULLETIN No. 326 Contribution from the Bureau of Biological Survey J->-l HENRY W. HENSHAW, Chief -JTWV "5^6. Washington, D. C. PROFESSIONAL PAPER March 24, 1916 BIRDS OF PORTO RICO. By Alex Wetmoke, Assistant Biologist. CONTENTS. Page. Page. Introduction 1 Bibliography 130 Annotated list of species 17 Index 133 INTRODUCTION. The following report on the birds of Porto Eico is the result of investigations made by the Biological Survey in cooperation with the government of the island. Because of the damage to crops by insect pests and the resulting pecuniary loss, the Board of Commis- sioners of Agriculture of the island in 1911 requested the aid of the United States Department of Agriculture in an effort to determine the relations of the island birds to the insect fauna. Little was actu- ally known concerning the economic status of many species of birds, and that little was founded chiefly upon field observation, a method not without value, but one leading frequently to error. In Porto Kico the population is engaged primarily in agricultural pursuits, the production of sugar, tobacco, coffee, and fruits greatly overshadowing other lines of industrial activity. Under the methods of intensive agriculture now employed many insects, including the mole cricket, the cane root-boring weevil, the May beetle, and others, are very destructive. Various methods have been employed in at- tempting to check the ravages of these insects, and planters are be- ginning to recognize that the island birds are of enormous importance in combating them. In the rural districts, however, the country people, ignorant of the services birds render, ruthlessly plunder nests and kill small birds wantonly or for food. In addition, several species of great economic importance are classed as game birds and are killed without regard to season or their value as insect destroyers. 9767°—Bull. 326—16 1 BULLETIX 326, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Accurate knowledge in regard to the economic status and relative abundance of the island birds was lacking, and there was little upon which to base protective legislation. Knowledge was lacking also in regard to practicable methods for increasing useful resident species; and, finally, as to the desirability of introducing exotic insectivorous or other birds. Investigations were begun in December, 1911, and continuous field work was carried on until September, 1912, permitting nine months of consecutive observation. All the principal regions of Porto Rico were visited, short trips were made to the adjacent islands of Vieques and Culebra, and four days were spent on Desecheo Island, in Mona Passage. As a result of this field work more than 2,200 stomachs of birds collected at all seasons were available for labora- tory study and investigation, about 2,000 of which were collected by the writer and the remainder acquired from other sources. The examinations and results have additional importance as representing the first extended work of the kind carried on within the tropical regions of the Western Hemisphere. ITINERARY. The field work in Porto Rico covered the entire island and the more important off-lying islands, with the exception of Mona. Ef- fort was made to visit the main agricultural areas at different seasons in order to study bird life in its relation to changing conditions of season and cultivation incident to growth. Original conditions were studied so far as possible by exploring the small areas of natural forest still remaining. Beginning at San Juan, the capital city, on December 13, 1911. work was continued on the island until September 11. 1912, as follows (see PI. II) : San Juan, Dec. 13-15. Tauco, May 16-28. Rio Piedras, Dec. 16-28. Maricao, May 29-June 5. Fajardo, Dec. 29-30. Mayagiiez, June 6. Rio Piedras, Dec. 31-Jan. 4. Aiiasco, June 7-8. Caguas, Jan. 5-14. Aguadilla, June 9-12. Cayey, Jan. 15—25. Desecheo Island. June 13-16. Aibonito, Jan. 26-Feb. 4. Aguadilla, June 17. Aibonito to Rio Piedras. Feb. 5. Lares, June 18-July 1. San Juan, Feb. 6-8. Quebradillas, July 2-6. Mameyes, Feb. 9-Mar. 1. Manati, July 7-11. Hacienda Catalina, Mar. 2-12. Ciales, July 12-18. Mameyes, Mar. 13-14. Bayanion, July 19-25. San Juan, Mar. 15. Comerio, July 26-31. Vieques Island, Mar. 16-Apr. 4. Bayamon, Aug. 1. Culebra Island, Apr. 5-22. Toa Alta, Aug. 2. Louis Pefia, or Southwest Cay. Apr. 11. "Ctuado, Aug. 3-9. Culebrita Island. Apr. 15. Adjuntas, Aug. 10-16. Vieques Island, Apr. 23. Juana Diaz, Aug. 17-22. Naguabo, Apr. 24. Ponce, Aug. 23. San Juan, Apr. 25. Cabo Rojo, Aug. 24-31. Salinas, Apr. 26-May 2. Cabo Rojo to Caguas, Sept. 1-2. Yabucoa, May 3-11. Humacao, Sept. 3-9. Patillas, May 12-14. San Juan, Sept. 10-11. Ponce, May 15. BIEDS OF PORTO RICO. PHYSIOGRAPHY OF PORTO RICO. Approximately 100 miles long by 40 broad, Porto Kico, though the smallest of the Greater Antilles, possesses considerable diversity of surface. From Mayagiiez to Humacao extends a mountain chain known in the west as the Cordillera Central and east of Aibonito as the Sierra de Cayey. Northeast of the latter runs the Sierra de Luquillo, rising in El Yunque to 3,406 feet above sea level, the highest point on the island. From this central divide the descent to the coast is abrupt and much broken by series of hills cut by deep ravines. As the range is nearer the south coast the larger streams flow to the north. A low divide separates the northeastern moun- tain mass from the main range, and others, higher, offer passage across the island at several points. The coastal region is formed by a narrow plain extending around the island, though in a few places the hills approach the sea abruptly. In this plain, conical limestone hills rising to sharp points are fre- quent, and inland is found a rough limestone foothill region. Man- grove swamps and shallow lagoons, many of which have been drained of late years, are found near the mouths of rivers on the north and west coasts, and at Guanica is a considerable body of fresh water with surrounding marshes. Governed by the prevailing northeast trade winds, rainfall varies greatly in different localities. For the entire island the annual average precipitation amounts to 77.3 inches. The south coast is relatively dry, the greatest precipitation occurring on the north side. The maximum volume of rain falls in the northeast on El Yunque and about its base, where the annual average is 135 (maxi- mum 169) inches. The northern slopes of the central mountain range as a whole secure the greatest quantity. Along the northwest coast from Isabela to Camuy is an area of small precipitation, at times very dry, while the south coast from Cabo Rojo to Guayama is almost universally so, the annual average being 40 inches or less. The rainy and dry seasons are not well . defined, rains occurring throughout the year. The minimum rainfall is in February, while the maximum occurs from May to November, varying with the locality. Vieques and Culebra Islands are comparatively low, with many rounded hills. Lagoons are found near the sea, though they1 are frequently dry. The general appearance of the islands is that of the south coast of Porto Eico. Desecheo Island in Mona Passage is smaller, and rises in two conical hills from the sea to an altitude of about 400 feet. A rough path leads up and down over the rocks above the beach, but inland the brush is almost impassable. Mona Island, as described by Bowdish (MS.), is 7 miles long by 3 or 4 wide and is rather barren. It slopes gradually from the higher north BULLETIN 326, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. end to the south and, though elevated, is comparatively level. Caves are numerous in the face of the cliffs above the sea. At the south- west is a comparatively low strip of ground. Both Mona and Desecheo are drv and arid. BIRD LIFE. As compared with corresponding latitudes in Central America and Mexico, the avifauna of the Greater Antilles is very poor in the number of species, as is usual in island groups distant from conti- nental regions. Porto Rico, smallest of the chain to which it be- longs, is also least in number of forms of bird life, a fact explained by its comparative isolation and remoteness from evolutionary centers in the large land areas. Thus far 162 species and subspecies are recorded for the region, including Porto Rico, Mona, Desecheo, and the American possessions in the Virgin Group, while 16 others are included as hypothetical. A number of forms recorded by Ledru (1810) are disregarded as wholly improbable. Of the bona ficle forms, 94 breed on the islands, 63 are visitants during migration, and 5 species, perhaps residents at one time, may be called accidental. Among the resident species 25 are peculiar to the region under dis- cussion (24 on Porto Rico and 1 on Mona Island) and 3, though breeding there, are absent during part of the winter season. Six have been introduced from foreign countries and are now feral or have been within recent years. Birds are generally more abundant on the coastal plain than in- land, the swamp-loving species and water birds being confined chiefly to the neighborhood of the sea. The range of a number of Greater Antillean birds finds its most eastern extension in Porto Rico, and a few forms come up through the Lesser Antilles to Vieques Island, but go no farther. Mona and Desecheo, isolated peaks on the ocean floor, are populated almost entirely by sea birds, few land birds occurring there.
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