Todies

The todies are a family of tiny Caribbean birds. These are small, near passerine species of forests. Todies range in weight from 5 to 7 g and in length from 10 to 11.5 cm. They have colorful plumage and resemble kingfishers in their general shape. Todies are highly vocal, except that the Jamaican tody seldom calls in the non-breeding season; they give simple, unmusical buzzing notes, beeps, and guttural rattles, puffing their throats out with every call. Their wings produce a \"strange, whirring rattle\", though mostly when courting or defending territory in the Puerto Rican tody. Todies eat small insects sitting on a low, small branch, singly or in pairs, keeping still or stepping or hopping sideways. When they see prey moving on the lower surface of a leaf, they fly a short distance, diagonally upward to glean it. They may also take prey from the ground, occasionally chasing it with a few hops. Todies are generally sedentary and the longest single flight known for the broad-billed tody was 40 m. These birds nest in tunnels, which they dig with their beaks and feet in steep banks or rotten tree trunks. Females lay about four round white eggs in the chamber and both parents incubate the eggs. The young are altricial and stay in the nest until they can fly. Both parents also care for the nestlings and may feed each chick up to 140 times per day - the highest rate known among birds.