Tody (family Todidae)

BirdCaribbeanInsectivore

Overview

Todies (family Todidae) are tiny, jewel-like birds found only in the Caribbean — among the smallest birds of the West Indies. Plump and big-headed with a short tail, a long flat bill, and dazzling emerald-green upperparts set off by a bright red throat, a tody looks like a living gem. The five species are split among Cuba, Jamaica (the Jamaican tody, Todus todus), Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola, with the Cuban tody (Todus multicolor) shown here.

Despite their small size, todies are conspicuous and confiding, often perching low and allowing a close approach, and they are surprisingly energetic insect-hunters with a distinctive way of catching prey.

Note: “tody” covers the five Todidae species; details here describe the group broadly. Treat general statements as approximate and verify against authoritative sources.

Habitat & Range

Todies live only on the islands of the Greater Antilles in the Caribbean, each species confined to one or two islands. They occupy a range of wooded habitats — rainforest, dry forest, scrub, woodland, plantations, and gardens — where they perch in the understorey and forest edge, generally favouring areas with good insect life and suitable banks for nesting.

Diet

Todies are insectivores that feed mainly on insects and other small invertebrates, and occasionally tiny fruit. They use a characteristic hunting technique called “underleaf-sallying”: perching quietly, then flying up to snatch an insect from the underside of a leaf with their long bill before returning to a perch. They are remarkably busy feeders, catching large numbers of small prey for their size.

Behavior

Todies are active, perky little birds, often sitting with the bill tilted upward and the throat puffed, then darting out in quick sallies to grab insects from foliage. They are usually seen alone or in pairs, and some make a soft whirring sound with their wings in flight or display. A striking part of their biology is nesting: todies dig a long, narrow tunnel into an earthen bank or roadside cutting and lay their eggs in a chamber at the end — an unusual nest for such a tiny bird. Relatives of the motmots and kingfishers, they share that group's habit of burrow-nesting.

Human Interaction & Conservation

Todies are beloved by birdwatchers and are cherished island endemics, and they help control insects in forests and gardens. Most remain reasonably common within their small ranges, but because each species is confined to one or a few islands, they are inherently vulnerable to habitat loss and other island-scale pressures, so conserving Caribbean forest matters for their future. Consult the IUCN Red List for species-specific status.

More photos of the tody