What is the National Animal of Haiti?

The national animal of Haiti is a bird called the Hispaniolan Trogan. The bird is named after a region in Haiti, and is a brightly colored bird that is one animal you will not forget seeing.

The Hispaniolan Trogan will have a very slow sound to it, but it is a haunting one that can encompass a wide geographic area.

This is a bird that is as unique and symbolic to Haiti as the American eagle is to the United States. It is a bold and impressive thing that is subtle, but heard all across the land when it needs to be.

The Hispaniolan Trogan is a species that dominates both Haiti and the Dominican Republic which borders Haiti to the east of the island in the Caribbean.

There are only two species of Trogan here, but this one owns a piece of Haiti.

Some say the Hispaniolan Trogan was near endangerment status, and this is how it became a national, and thus protected animal.

Learn more about this little bird with a national title here.

Is the National Animal of Haiti Extinct?

Today, the Hispaniolan Trogan is listed on the “Least Concern” list by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) which means it is not endangered.

Still, the population is declining as climate change impacts its habitat, although not yet to dangerous levels.

Protected status as a national animal could lend some federal or even international aid to preserve the species if necessary.

This is a national animal is small but mighty in many ways, and is being watched by the international community with great concern.

What Does the National Animal of Haiti Look Like?

The scientific name of the national animal of Haiti is Temnotrogon roseigaster, but is most commonly known as the Hispaniolan Trogan.

It is a bird of many colors with a long tail and graduated feathering. Its feet are small and so is its bill. It is a bird that is almost impossible to describe, but its colors each are striking and impressive.

The upper body part of the bird is a bold and metallic green, that contrasts the gray breast and throat area. A snow gray covers its throat to its lowest torso section which is red.

The Hispaniolan trogran has a back that is a bright blue, sometimes aquamarine spray that looks like a cape.

The blue feathering can often go right to the end of its rectrices, or flight feathers of the tail, that can be several inches long. This section can also sometimes be green.

On the underwing of the blue cape of the bird is a slate gray color of remiges or flight feathering that is dotted with white dots appearing as pearls in perfect parallel precision.

Just above that layer, directly below the blue is a grey and white section of contour feathers that has perfectly symmetrical white markings going in the opposite direction of the lowest range of feathers on this striking bird.

The male and the female look nearly identical, making it impossible to tell the difference between one and the other.

What are the Sounds of the National Animal of Haiti?

The sound of the Hispaniolan trogan is described as both a coo and a long song that is said to travel the hills of Hispaniola in Haiti.

Some reports describe it as moving from one side of the bird to the other and then echoing across the land.

It is a cry that is curious in nature, as is the call of many birds. Some say there is a confidence to this tone that embodies that of a national animal.

Some birds are just like that, they will tell you they are there and hope the whole country can hear them. The sound of the Hispaniolan trogan will catch one’s attention in an awe-inspiring way that offers a quieter confidence.

What is the Habitat of the National Animal of Haiti?

This is a bird that lives in the pine forests of Haiti, and in some areas of the Dominican Republic as well. As pretty as it is, or maybe because it is so pretty, the Hispaniolan doesn’t like to be showcasing itself when it is time to rest.

Nests aren’t really its thing, but it prefers to make cavities in trees to live in. It has earned the nickname of “nibbler” by many Haitians because of that, as it will make its own cavities in a very noisy manner.

The trees that the Trogan prefers are the pine and deciduous variety that offer a softer word but a strong foundation for living in.

Forests are its home, and these lands need to be protected for the trogan to stay protected, a notion already a known concern for locals and international activists alike.

The Trogan also loves the mountains and prefers to find trees there to live and observe from.

The humidity of Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, is needed by the Hispaniolan trogan. Rainy season are its friend, and it loves older trees to live in during the wetter season.

Does Haiti’s Geography Support the National Animal of Haiti?

Haiti’s geography definitely supports the national animal of Haiti. The bird shares a home with the Dominican Republic, a country that shares the geography of Haiti.

Around the island is Cuba to the West, Jamaica to the south, and The Bahamas to the north. This is a climate that is friendly for the Hispaniola trogan, as it thrives in humid and moist conditions.

Haiti was originally called Hispaniola after the indigenous population that dominated it before it was named Haiti, and many locals still refer to central Hispaniola today.

The region of Haiti that the national animal will appreciate the most is the series of mountain ranges that run from the west to the east of this entire island.

These are mountains that go right into the Dominican Republic. Here, there is some legend of privateers and pirate activity, however, it is not a lifestyle that impacts the national bird of Haiti.

The Lifestyle of the National Animal of Haiti

The national bird of Haiti consumes insects almost exclusively but might enjoy some tourist leftovers of nuts and fruit on occasion, if you can get away with feeding it.

It forages like any other bird, and would prefer fruit over leftover chicken from the country’s Poul ak nwa. When foraging, it picks up its food and then consumes it in private, out of species competition more than anything else.

The forests are its favorite place to forage.

The national bird of Haiti will have a breeding season in the spring, between March and July. It will only hatch two very pale green eggs at a time.

How long the eggs will incubate remains unknown, as each egg and its hatching time will vary. However, the trogan itself can live for as long as 7 or 8 years.

Learn More About the National Animal of Haiti

The national bird of Haiti is the Hispaniolan trogan, a species that may have been on the island longer than humans.

This is a beautiful bird that loves the forest and the warm and humid climate. It can live for several years when it has the right home. The Hispaniolan trogan can also be found in the neighboring country of the Dominican Republic.

Image: Flickr / Alfonso Lomba