f Paria - Ins and Outs of Trinidad & Tobago 2013

Oilbird
Asa Wright Nature Centre
The Asa Wright Nature Centre and Lodge was established on October 20, 1967, in honour of the
estate’s last private owner, Mrs. Asa Wright. The Centre thus became the first facility to be developed
for conservation in the Caribbean. This registered charity is located in the foothills of the Arima Valley,
Trinidad. Nestled within a pristine montane rainforest habitat, the Centre has a high diversity of birds,
mammals, reptiles, amphibians, insects and countless native plants. The approximate 1500-acre property
(made up of several estates) is ideal for hikes and nature tours.
The Asa Wright Nature Centre has twenty-seven standard rooms and two self-contained units for small
groups. Guests are accommodated in comfortable rooms each with private bathroom, hot/cold shower
and ceiling fan. Most rooms have a private balcony with open views through the Arima Valley, some rooms
also include air conditioning and all have phones. Two rooms are located in the Centre’s century-old Tapia
main house (catering for guests with mobility needs) is positioned at the centre of property. The main
house contains the reception desk, the dining room and the world-famous verandah, with views of nearby
feeding wildlife and all of the Arima Valley.
A prime destination for birdwatchers and other nature enthusiasts, with the typical day starting as early
as 6:00 a.m. when freshly brewed home-grown coffee is served on the verandah, while the feeding tables
filled with fruit attract a multitude of birds. Hummingbird feeders are filled with sugar solution to start the
daily avian parade. It is normal for birdwatchers to see an average of twenty-five species on a morning just
from the verandah, all this before buffet breakfast at 7:30 a.m. The delicious meals are all-inclusive for
guests and are buffet-style.
One of the main assets of the Asa Wright Nature Centre is its cadre of knowledgeable and courteous
naturalist guides who conduct tours both on and off the Nature Centre’s premises. A cadre of expert field
guides with “maxi-taxis” (small hired buses) is also on staff to lead tours to nature sites, especially to find
birds. Among the most unique and peculiar of Asa Wright’s birds is the oilbird; it is the only nocturnal
fruit-eating bird in the world. Its name was derived when the fatty young chicks were caught, specifically
for the extraction of oil from their fat. This nightjar-like bird lives in colonies in remote caves located
in northern parts of South America and Trinidad. The most accessible of these is the Dunston’s Cave
colony, located on Asa Wright’s Spring Hill Estate. Trips to see these nocturnal birds are limited to twice
a week for guests staying three or more nights. This restriction comes as a result of the bird’s high
sensitivity to disturbance, which has for many centuries been forced on them.
Although the oilbird colony is special to Asa Wright, the property boasts of having over 140 species
of birds in the country known to be the most densely populated for birds in the world. The Centre is
open daily to the visiting public from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Guided tours are available twice daily.
Swimming can be done at any of the Centre’s freshwater pools and waterfalls. Buffet dining, picnic,
events and conference facilities are all available.
TO CONTACT THE ASA WRIGHT NATURE CENTRE:
Tel: 667-4655/ 667-5162, Fax: 667-4540
E-mail: asaright@tstt.net.tt
Web site: www.asawright.org
Blue-chinned Sapphire
Tufted Coquette
Violaceous Trogon
Copper-rumped Hummingbird
Photos: Harold Diaz
The Ins & Outs of Trinidad and Tobago
73
Silver-beaked Tanager