Tody

Jamaikatodi ( Todus Todus )

The Todi ( Todus ) are the only genus of the small family of Todi ( Todidae ) in the order of coraciiformes ( Coraciiformes ).

In this genus there are five species that live only in pairs in strictly defined grounds in the West Indies. Todi are very small but stocky. The beak is long and flattened, the tail is short. The plumage is predominantly green on top, red on the throat and whitish on the ventral side. Externally, males and females do not differ. The pups are matter, however, often the throat is not or only weakly stained red. The coloring of the edges varies with the different species. Some species exhibit under the ears on bluish spots.

As the flycatchers they catch their prey, which consists mainly of insects, from a residence dating back in the air. When flying they generate whirring sounds with their short wings.

Their nests they create in clay Erdhängen or in riverbanks. They dig with the long, flat beak a long corridor, which extends up to 50 inches deep. At the end of this corridor is the brood chamber. The two to five white eggs are incubated by both parent birds. Also in the rearing of chicks, both parents participate birds. In some nests even more adult birds were sighted, who helped with the feeding of the young.

Unlike many other island birds that were often decimated by habitat destruction and by the introduction of alien species, Todi are still frequent.

Species

• Family Todidae genus Todus Breitschnabeltodi ( Todus subulatus ) - G. R. Gray, 1847 The Breitschnabeltodi has a pink and yellow colored belly and a thick beak.
• Gelbflankentodi ( Todus mexicanus ) - Lesson, 1838 The Gelbflankentodi has bright yellow flanks.
• Jamaikatodi or Grüntodi ( Todus Todus ) - ( Linnaeus, 1758) The Jamaikatodi differs from the other species by the slight shade of green on his chest. The locals call him robin redbreast.
• Schmalschnabeltodi ( Todus angustirostris ) - Lafresnaye, 1851 The chest of the Schmalschnabeltodis is colored pink. Its beak is relatively thin.
• Vielfarbentodi ( Todus multicolor) - Gould, 1837 The Vielfarbentodi inhabited Cuba. Its colors are consistent with those of the national flag of Cuba.