Discover Trinidad & Tobago 2018 (#29)

Main Ridge Forest Reserve
The Main Ridge is the backbone of Tobago, a spine that
runs across two thirds of its surface to a height of 876m
(1,890ft). This 14,000-acre reserve, protected since 1776
and the oldest in the western hemisphere, is home to 210
species of birds, including the rare white-tailed sabrewing
hummingbird, which is endemic to Tobago. Venezuela
is the only other place in the world where it is found.
One third of the birds that nest here are endemic, as is
the ocellated gecko, which is not found anywhere else in
the world. The reserve’s 10,000 acres of evergreen rain
forest have been designated by UNESCO as being of Outstanding
Universal Value.
You can drive through the reserve. If you want to
walk through, the most famous of the trails starts at
Gilpin Trace (5km). You may spot yellow sugar birds,
blue-backed manakins, red and green-collared trogons,
white-necked thrushes, motmots (they nest in clay),
great black hawks, and a range of other wildlife (a
dozen mammals, two dozen non-poisonous snake species,
and 16 lizard species), and get a chance to splash
in beautiful waterfalls. The Gilpin trail is fantastic as a
family outing. Small children will enjoy learning about
the rain forest. The hike is easy and you can rent rubber
boots if it’s muddy and wet. Other popular treks are the
Atlantic, Blue Copper, and Niplig trails.
Crested oropendola nests
Just about everywhere
you go, you will see
up in the branches of
tall trees the hanging
nests of the crested
oropendola or cornbird
(pictured below). These
architectural wonders
are painstakingly woven
with vines and banana
fibres. The nests can be
3–6ft long. The birds live
in colonies, so you may
see more than a dozen of
these nests in one tree.
The female takes 9–11
days to make her nest.
The male will watch her
work, and if he doesn’t
like what he sees, he
tears it apart so she has
to start again...
RAPSO IMAGING
For the birders
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