The White-tailed Sabrewing Hummingbird Population Assessment Pilot Project was hosted by the Department of Natural Resources and Forestry (DNRF) and Improving Forests and Protected Area Management (IFPAM) earlier today and will continue tomorrow at the Speyside Multipurpose Centre from 8:30am – 3:00pm.

The programme is funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and is aimed at building capacity in the community of Speyside, which falls within the proposed protected areas, bird identification and population estimates.

One of 17 species of hummingbird indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago, the white-tailed sabrewing is found only in the Main Ridge, Tobago.

In 2005, it was identified as an environmentally-sensitive species under the Environmentally Sensitive Species Rules, 2001.

This prohibits injury or sale of the species and the destruction of its habitat.