Let me transport you to the April sunshine in Cuba (I know we’re still in March) as we get to know today’s bird, the Cuban tody (Todus Multicolor).
Despite having a name that vaguely resembles a repulsive, wart-covered amphibian, the Cuban tody is more colorful than a clown with a confetti cannon. These small birds, which look quite similar to hummingbirds, are actually more closely related to kookaburras.
There are only five species of tody, and they all live on Caribbean islands. So, if you’ve ever been looking for an excuse to visit Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, or Puerto Rico, now you have one! Just don’t go to Barbados, because they don’t live there, so you can cancel that trip.
The Cuban Tody is, funnily enough, restricted to the island that shares its name. These guys may not weigh more than a thick piece of lint, but they are packed full of spunk. If you’re going to mix blush pink flanks with cyan cheeks, and a too-long bill, then you’re going to need attitude. They zip about at high speed, hunting insects. Like a Hummingbird, their wings whirr when they fly, and people often find them by listening for the distinct wing flaps.
The tody is also a burrowing bird. They dig tunnels up to 30 cm long to use as nests. Males and females work together as a pair to dig and incubate, lining the tunnels with a mixture of moss and feathers to create a soft and cozy place for their offspring.
Now, after last week, I know what you’re wondering. What atrocities do they commit against other animals? Do they eat whales when they surface to breathe? That would be quite a feat, but unfortunately, no. Only kelp gulls do that.
The good news is that the Cuban tody does nothing but be incredibly adorable.
Read More: Meet The Ruspoli’s Turaco
