Flora & Fauna: In the Air
Saba is a bird-lover’s paradise — but don’t forget the butterflies and bats. Explore all things winged, and keep your eyes on the sky.
Featured Species (see all below)
These stunning, secretive birds are primarily ground-dwellers, spending much of their time foraging through leaf litter for a snack.
Bridled quail-dove
Hummingbirds
The three species you’ll see on Saba are the purple- and green-throated caribs, plus the charismatic Antillean crested.
Brown trembler
Scaly-naped pigeon
Butterflies
Red-billed tropicbird
Many species of butterflies flit between Saba’s beautiful flowering plants, in colors and patterns just as vibrant.
Saba is home to the largest breeding population of these birds in the Caribbean.
Cherries, soursop, guava, and other edible fruits are all on the menu for these distinctive pigeons.
These charming birds are full of personality, from their wide range of songs to their striking yellow eyes.
Explore all airborne species
The Audubon’s shearwater is the national bird of Saba, but spends almost all of its time out at sea.
These charming birds are full of personality, from their wide range of songs to their striking yellow eyes.
Audubon’s shearwater
Brown trembler
The three species you’ll see on Saba are the purple- and green-throated caribs, plus the charismatic Antillean crested.
Mexican funnel-eared bat
Hummingbirds
One of the few mammals on Saba, they’re found in deep, humid caves in groups of between 100 and 10,000.
As generalists, they’re able to thrive all over the island, from the cloud forests of Mount Scenery to the scrubby lowlands around Cove Bay.
Saba is home to the largest breeding population of these birds in the Caribbean.
Lesser Antillean bullfinch
Red-billed tropicbird
These stunning, secretive birds are primarily ground-dwellers, spending much of their time foraging through leaf litter for a snack.
Their bug-catching talents have made them popular among Sabans, especially gardeners.
Saba’s largest bird, easily distinguished by its pointed wings, and long, forked tail.
Cherries, soursop, guava, and other edible fruits are all on the menu for these distinctive pigeons.
Magnificent frigatebird
Scaly-naped pigeon
Butterflies
Bananaquit
Many species of butterflies flit between Saba’s beautiful flowering plants, in colors and patterns just as vibrant.
Bananaquits are native to the Caribbean, and are often called “sugar birds” due to their affinity for sugar.
