TODY

any of five species of small, brilliantly coloured forest birds constituting the genus Todus of the order Coraciiformes. They occur in the West Indies. Four distinct but closely related broad-billed todies may be found on the islands of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Hispaniola (some systems of classification group them in a single species, Todus subulatus). The fifth, the narrow-billed tody (T. angustirostris), is found only on Hispaniola. About 9 to 12 cm (3.5 to 5 inches) long, all have grass-green backs and bright red bibs. They dig tiny nest burrows in sandbanks and feed on insects, caught on the wing.