Meet Cuban Tody - One Of The Most Beautiful Birds In The World

These very cute bird species are one of the smallest of hummingbirds. As the name suggests, these birds are native to Cuba. They live on the islands of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Hispaniola. Let's get to know these birds in more detail.

The Cuban tody can be found in a variety of terrain but most commonly they are found in shaded areas next to streams and rivers (Species Account). Although, they tend to be very adaptable to their environment and will thrive whether in wet, thicket, or woods (Handbook of the Birds). They usually dig tunnels into embankments or hollow tree trunks to create their nest (Wildlife Guideline) and may start excavating burrows as early as September. These tunnels, though are not the tunnels used for eggs. Instead, they are used as nighttime refuges for the adult birds during the weeks while the egg tunnel is being constructed. During the creation of their nest the two, male and female, todies take turns digging into the embankment or tree trunk (Alexander). They cover the tunnel walls with a sealant, which is a mixture of grass, algae, feathers, and lichen (Wildlife Guideline). In the tunnels they create sharp turns to discourage predators and at the end of each tunnel construct a chamber that holds an average of two to three eggs (Alexander).