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Vinales, Cuba (Center on Interactive Map)

Map of Vinales, Cuba

Map of Vinales, Cuba



Taxi Pig Roast Vinales Farm
West Cuban Anole (Anolis bartschi) Great Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) La Sagras Flycatcher (Myiarchus sagrae) Western Spindalis (Spindalis zena) Cuban Bullfinch (Melopyrrha nigra) Cuban Oriole (Icterus melanopsis)
Cuban Vireo (Vireo gundlachii) Olive-capped Warbler (Setophaga pityophila) Yellow-headed Warbler (Teretistris fernandinae)

Mogotes

Trips

Cuba

1/27/2024: In our "Support for the Cuban people", we continued to Vinales in an ancient Ford station wagon collectivo taxi. It was extremely uncomfortable, and the two hour drive took nearly four hours. We were stopped twice by the police to check documentation, and then we made an unscheduled stop at some tobacco farm where we were given a tour and some light pressure to buy honey, cigars, and rum (with tastings). I payed about 10 times the going rate for some honey.

Once we arrived in Vinales, we drove around the entire town looking for the Casa Particular of some people in the taxi. I had enough of the taxi ride, and it seems like every house in Vinales is a Casa Particular. So, we just got out of the taxi on the spot and stayed at the nearest open residence. We then ate some "tacos" at a local restaurant.

After lunch, we asked a taxi driver about going somewhere to do a hike, and we were astounded when he gave us some WALKING directions to a nearby place called Cueva de la Vaca. We walked to the cave, and after that we drank a coconut at a farm en route.

Later that night, we walked to the center of town to eat in another restaurant followed by watching some live music in a bar.



1/28/2024: In "Support for the Cuban people" we had a nice breakfast in our Casa Particular. Then, we met a bird guide named Francisco and a driver who took us in a 1952 Chevy to go look for some birds just out of town. I highly recommend Francisco for birding, he was really fun to hang around with. francisco.calvo@nauta.com.cu. We were unable to find the Cuban Grassquit as it seems that every last one of them has been captured for cages. We saw a bunch of Cuban Bullfinch in cages as well, so those are probably en route to extinction as well...

After the birding trip, we were dropped off in town where we ate some pizza in a local restaurant. Then we rented some bicycles through our Casa Particular and rode around Vinales. We stopped at an art studio where Barbara bought a small painting. I bought a bottle of rum from a shop near the studio.

Then we went into a valley with a large mural and attended a pig roast at some farm. Everyone was super welcoming, and a guy at the party rolled a cigar on the spot for me. I felt light-headed for a full day after smoking that cigar.

Previous Visit (Havana: 1/27/2024)
Next Visit (Havana Bus Terminal: 1/29/2024)



Species Recorded (52)

Birds ( 51 )

Shoebill ( Balaenicipitidae )
Brown Pelican - Pelecanus occidentalis

Cormorants ( Phalacrocoracidae )
Neotropic Cormorant - Nannopterum brasilianum

Anhingas ( Anhingidae )
Anhinga - Anhinga anhinga

Herons ( Ardeidae )
Great Egret - Ardea alba
Western Cattle Egret - Bubulcus ibis
Little Blue Heron - Egretta caerulea

New World Vultures ( Cathartidae )
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura

Kites, Hawks, Eagles, and Allies ( Acciptridae )
Broad-winged Hawk - Buteo platypterus

Falcons and Allies ( Falconidae )
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius

Rails, Gallinules, and Allies ( Rallidae )
American Coot - Fulica americana

Plovers ( Charadriidae )
Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus

Stilts and Avocets ( Recurvirostridae )
Black-necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus

Pigeons and Doves ( Columbidae )
Scaly-naped Pigeon - Patagioenas squamosa
Eurasian Collared-Dove - Streptopelia decaocto
Zenaida Dove - Zenaida aurita
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura

Cuckoos ( Cuculidae )
Smooth-billed Ani - Crotophaga ani

( Todidae )
Cuban Tody - Todus multicolor

Typical Owls ( Strigidae )
Cuban Pygmy-Owl - Glaucidium siju

Swifts ( Apodidae )
Antillean Palm-Swift - Tachornis phoenicobia

Hummingbirds ( Trochilidae )
Cuban Emerald - Riccordia ricordii

Trogons ( Trogonidae )
Cuban Trogon - Priotelus temnurus

( Coccyzidae )
Great Lizard-Cuckoo - Coccyzus merlini

Kingfishers ( Alcedinidae )
Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon

Piculets and Woodpeckers ( Picidae )
West Indian Woodpecker - Melanerpes superciliaris
Cuban Green Woodpecker - Xiphidiopicus percussus

Tyrant Flycatchers ( Tyrannidae )
Cuban Pewee - Contopus caribaeus
La Sagra's Flycatcher - Myiarchus sagrae
Loggerhead Kingbird - Tyrannus caudifasciatus

Thrushes and Allies ( Turdidae )
Cuban Solitaire - Myadestes elisabeth
Red-legged Thrush - Turdus plumbeus

Mockingbirds, Thrashers, and Allies ( Mimidae )
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos

Vireos ( Vireonidae )
Yellow-throated Vireo - Vireo flavifrons
White-eyed Vireo - Vireo griseus
Cuban Vireo - Vireo gundlachii

Wood-warblers ( Parulidae )
Common Yellowthroat - Geothlypis trichas
Black-and-white Warbler - Mniotilta varia
Northern Parula - Setophaga americana
Palm Warbler - Setophaga palmarum
Olive-capped Warbler - Setophaga pityophila
American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla
Black-throated Green Warbler - Setophaga virens

Tanagers ( Thraupidae )
Red-legged Honeycreeper - Cyanerpes cyaneus

Grosbeaks and Buntings ( Cardinalidae )
Western Spindalis - Spindalis zena

Brushfinches, Seedeaters, Sparrows, and Allies ( Emberizinae )
Yellow-faced Grassquit - Tiaris olivaceus

American Blackbirds and Orioles ( Icteridae )
Cuban Oriole - Icterus melanopsis
Cuban Blackbird - Ptiloxena atroviolacea
Greater Antillean Grackle - Quiscalus niger

Cardueline Finches and Allies ( Fringillidae )
Cuban Bullfinch - Melopyrrha nigra
Yellow-headed Warbler - Teretistris fernandinae

Old World Sparrows ( Passeridae )
House Sparrow - Passer domesticus

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