Natural history of Trinidad and Tobago hummingbirds to the primitive cave-dwelling oilbird (that uses sonar to fly in the dark) to the spectacularly beautiful scarlet ibis. The islands are within a few miles of Venezuela, and the species are therefore typical of tropical South America. However, the variety (although quite exceptional for such a small geographic area) is somewhat impoverished compared to the mainland, as would be expected with small islands. The resident breeding birds are augmented in the northern winter by migrants from North America. Tobago has only about half the number of bird species of Trinidad, but about 22 birds have been reported only
Principality of Trinidad on the island's discovery in 1502 by Portuguese navigators. To demonstrate sovereignty over the island, the state of Espírito Santo, which took the island, built a landmark on January 24, 1897. Today, Brazil marks its presence with a permanent Brazilian Navy base on the main island. Principality of Trinidad The Principality of Trinidad was a short-lived unrecognized state declared in 1893 when the American James Harden-Hickey claimed the uninhabited Trindade Island in the South Atlantic. He declared himself James I, Prince of Trinidad, and intended for the islands to become a military dictatorship under his leadership. Britain and Brazil later