Wild Tobago

Faraaz Abdool encourages us to become very familiar with the nature around during our “stays at home.” Tobago, he assures us, offers prime bird-watching from every vantage point. Photos courtesy Faraaz Abdool There has never been a better time to become a bona fide backyard birder. Worldwide, people are encouraged to occupy themselves during this period of isolation by getting in touch with nature. What’s more fitting than with the birds in your yard or neighbourhood? Birds are everywhere. Just above ten thousand species currently exist. There is no continent on this planet without them and they have conquered almost every habitat. From icecap to desert, they are masters of the air, land and ocean. We can stand anywhere on the planet and be able to see at least one bird. It goes without saying that wherever we live, birds are beckoning us to reconnect with Mother Earth – all we must do is notice them. The unique benefit of backyard birding is that you ca...

Faraaz Abdool brings you twelve of Tobago’s birds. Enjoy these stunning photos of island residents in their common habitats. All photos courtesy Faraaz Abdool; Trinidad Motmot by Joanne Husain   Tobago boasts some of the bird world’s most incredible representatives –   a mixture of South America and the Caribbean with seasonal migrants from as far as the Arctic Circle. Coincidental confluences of southward migration and the Atlantic hurricane season bring to Tobago some Europeans as well. Exciting rarities aside, let’s look at some of the island’s most familiar inhabitants.  Although Red-billed Tropicbirds don’t quite look like grizzled seafarers, they spend most of their life at sea. Dainty and delicate, they touch land only to breed, preferring uninhabited and often inhospitable offshore islands for protection from predators.. Lacking sharp talons or even an aggressive personality, Red-billed Tropicbirds are extremely vulnerable to human activity on their nes...