WILD & BEAUTIFUL IN CUBA NOW

Our weeklong visit to Cuba was graced with sightings of an array of magnificent flora and fauna, many found nowhere else in the world. From birds, to reptiles and amphibians, to exotic orchids, we are sharing 10 of the most beautiful. Some are plentiful, while others are endangered due to loss of habitat and ecological imbalances.

1. CUBAN TODY

The Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor) is a brightly colored bird exclusive to Cuba.

It lives in many different habitats, nesting in holes burrowed into clay embankments, rotten tree trunks, and limestone cave entrances.

The Cuban Tody is distinguishable by its large head and bright green feathers, with yellow, red, white, and pink plumes on its underside.

2. BEE HUMMINGBIRD

The world’s tiniest bird lives only in Cuba. The beautiful bee hummingbird (Mellisuga helenae) is only 5 - 6 cm long, and weighs a diminutive 1.6 to 1.9 grams. They eat nectar and occasionally insects, consuming up to ½ their body mass in food and 8 times their body mass in water.

Their teensy bodies pack a powerful color punch -- especially the males, with their iridescent, fiery red-pink feathers on the head and throat, bluish-green backs, blue spotted white-grey bellies, and black-tipped tail feathers. They are most vivid during mating season.

The bee hummingbird flits its wings at an unbelievably rapid 80 times per second, in a figure-eight pattern. When courting another bee hummingbird, their hearts beat even faster, as do their wings, which then move over 200 times per second!

The bee hummingbird is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

3. CUBAN GREEN WOODPECKER

The beautiful Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) is one of only two woodpeckers endemic to Cuba. They are widespread and common across the entire island.

Only the upper parts of this bird’s plumes are green. It has black, red, and yellow feathers on its head, breast, and underbelly.

The Cuban Green Woodpecker lives in many different kinds of forests, including mangroves, from the lowlands up to altitudes of 2,000 meters.

4. CUBAN TROGON

The Cuban Trogon, or Priotelus temnurus, is the national bird of Cuba because of its beautiful feathers, which are the same colors seen on the Cuban flag.

The Cuban Trogon has shiny green feathers on its back, with violet, white, and bright red feathers on its head and underside. Its flared tail is unique among Trogons. They are rather large, at 25 to 28 cm. long.

The Cuban Trogan feasts on flowers and bugs and sings a beautiful odd song, a joyful sound heard all around the island.

5. CUBAN EMERALD

The Cuban Emerald (Chlorostilbon ricordii) is colloquially called “zunzún” by Cubans. They are commonly found throughout the island in vegetated areas.

Their beautiful shimmering feathers are almost completely dark green. The male Cuban Emerald has a small white spot on the side of its head, and the female has a grey underside.

6. CUBAN PAINTED SNAIL

The Cuban Painted Snail (Polymita picta), endemic to Cuba, display a variety of stunning colors and markings, with swirls of vibrant orange, yellow, red, black, and white.

But their beauty has also endangered them, because poachers use their shells for jewelry. Cuban Painted Snails are hermaphroditic, a feature which has helped to save them from extinction so far. They engage in a wildly romantic mating dance ritual, in which a pair slowly circles one another.

Found primarily in Cuba’s red Viñales valleys, these snails never venture more than 60 feet from where they live on the limestone rock faces.

7. CUBAN TREE FROG

The Cuban Tree Frog, (Osteopilus septentrionalis) is the largest tree frog in North America. They can be anywhere from 7.5 - 14 cm. long. These frogs reside in Cuba, as well as in the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands. It is nocturnal.

While the Cuban Tree Frog is beautiful, with its large glassy eyes and its varied colors, ranging from olive, to brown, to gray, to grayish-white, they are threatening.

They are an invasive species on the island of Cuba, where they mate year-round. They eat voraciously, gobbling up endemic species with abandon. And they have few predators, largely due to its toxic skin secretions.

8. CUBAN ROCK IGUANA

The beautiful Cuban Rock Iguana (Cyclura nubila nubila) is one of the world’s largest iguanas.

Adult males are 4 - 5 ft. long and weigh nearly 15 lbs .

Endemic to Cuba, Cuban Rock Iguanas live along coastal areas. Their species is threatened due to habitat loss. Many are also killed by domestic dogs and pigs.

Many people keep these beautiful iguanas as pets, because of their regal beauty and their calm temperaments. They can live up to 20 years.

9. BLACK ORCHID

The Black Orchid (Anacheilium cochleatum, formerly Prosthechea cochleata) is a beautiful blackish violet colored orchid with yellow at its center. It is native to parts of Central and South America, but is particularly dear to Cuba, hailed as its national flora.

The Black Orchid is unusual in that the labellum, which is usually found below the column in most orchids, is found above, forming a “hood.” This makes the Black Orchid appear upside down, or resupinate.

These orchids are also valued by collectors because their long-lasting flowers on continually growing racemes.

10. GHOST ORCHID

The Ghost Orchid, (Dendrophylax lindenii) is extremely rare, only found in Cuba and in parts of Florida. It grows on cypress trees, appearing to float like ghosts.

The Ghost Orchid was, until recently, presumed to be extinct. They are extremely difficult to breed. They have no leaves, and therefore do not use photosynthesis to make their food, as most other plants do. Rather, they feed off of the root system of a specific fungus, which grows nearby.

The flowers emit fragrant odors and bloom between the months of June and August.  

Read more about Beautiful Cuba, as it relates to  Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including 10 Beautiful Books on Cuba Happening Now.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Francesco Veronesi. Cuban Tody.
2. Image: by Shawn McCready. Cuban Tody.
3. Image: Courtesy of British Ornithologists' Club. Bee Hummingbird.
4. Image: by Julie Isa. Bee Hummingbird.
5. Image: by Ekaterina Chernetsova (Papchinskaya). Mellisuga helenae. Bee Hummingbird.
6. Image: by Ekaterina Chernetsova (Papchinskaya). Xiphidiopicus percussus. Cuban Green Woodpecker.
7. Image: by Dominic Sherony. Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus).
8. Image: by Ekaterina Chernetsova (Papchinskaya). Chlorostilbon ricordii. Cuban Emerald.
9. Image: by Baracoa50. Courtesy of Zoo Picture. Cuban Painted Snail.
10. Image: by Larah McElroy. Cuban Tree Frog.
11. Image: by Josh More. Cuban Iguana (Cyclura Nubila).
12. Image: by cskk. Anacheilium Cochleatum Flowers.
13. Image: by David McAdoo. Ghost Orchid closeup.
14. Image: by David McAdoo. Ghost Orchid.
15. Image: Courtesy of Apex Expeditions. Cuban Land Snail.
16. Image: by Rodrigo Medel. Tody (Todus multicolor).