Birds · Coraciiformes · Todidae

Jamaican Tody

Todus todus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The Jamaican tody, or robin redbreast as it is known on the island, is a tiny bird endemic to Jamaica, brilliant emerald green with a red throat and pink flanks. The todies are a family found only in the Caribbean, with five species spread across the Greater Antilles. It hunts insects from a low perch by looking upwards and taking prey from the undersides of leaves, a technique very rare among birds.

Weight

5 g – 7 g

Size

9 cm – 11 cm

Lifespan

6 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

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Fun facts

distribuciónIt belongs to a bird family found only in the Caribbean, and takes insects on the wing from a perch in the short darting sallies characteristic of the family.
It hunts by looking upwards: it perches on a low branch and scans the undersides of the leaves above, darting upwards to catch insects, a method of capture almost no other bird uses.
It has one of the highest chick-feeding rates known in any bird: the parents can make more than 140 trips to the nest in a single day, for a brood of three chicks.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Humid forest, shade-grown coffee plantations, scrub and gardens across the whole island of Jamaica
Sexual maturity: 12 months
Gestation / incubation: 21 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 3 eggs

Sources consulted: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_tody