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★ Official Field Journal · El Yunque National Forest · Puerto Rico ★

WILD FILES

El Yunque Edition · 23 living things of America's only tropical national rainforest

Every bird, coquí, lizard, tree, and snail in this journal really lives in El Yunque or the island of Puerto Rico. Click any file to read its story, copy facts for your StoryMap, and download its photo.

Bird Puerto Rican Parrot

Puerto Rican Parrot

Amazona vittata

The island's flagship endangered species — once down to just a few dozen birds.

EndangeredFound only hereOPEN FILE →
 Bird Elfin-woods Warbler

Elfin-woods Warbler

Setophaga angelae

A songbird of the misty dwarf forest near the peaks.

ThreatenedFound only hereOPEN FILE →
 Bird Puerto Rican Tody

Puerto Rican Tody

Todus mexicanus

The tiny emerald 'San Pedrito' — an insect-catching jewel.

Found only hereOPEN FILE →
 Bird Puerto Rican Woodpecker

Puerto Rican Woodpecker

Melanerpes portoricensis

The only woodpecker on the island.

Found only hereOPEN FILE →
 Bird Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

The fastest animal on Earth visits the forest's skies.

OPEN FILE →
 Bird Pearly-eyed Thrasher

Pearly-eyed Thrasher

Margarops fuscatus

A bold cavity-nester that competes with the parrot for nest holes.

OPEN FILE →
 Amphibian Common Coquí

Common Coquí

Eleutherodactylus coqui

Its 'ko-KEE' call is the sound of Puerto Rico at night.

Found only hereOPEN FILE →
 Amphibian Mountain Coquí

Mountain Coquí

Eleutherodactylus portoricensis

A high-mountain coquí of the Luquillo peaks.

EndangeredFound only hereOPEN FILE →
 Amphibian Coquí Llanero

Coquí Llanero

Eleutherodactylus juanariveroi

Puerto Rico's smallest coquí, found in a single wetland.

Critically endangeredFound only hereOPEN FILE →
 Reptile Puerto Rican Boa

Puerto Rican Boa

Chilabothrus inornatus

The island's largest native snake — a gentle, non-venomous constrictor.

Found only hereOPEN FILE →
 Reptile Puerto Rican Crested Anole

Puerto Rican Crested Anole

Anolis cristatellus

The lizard you'll see everywhere, doing push-ups on tree trunks.

OPEN FILE →
 Reptile Puerto Rican Giant Anole

Puerto Rican Giant Anole

Anolis cuvieri

A big green canopy lizard few people ever spot.

Found only hereOPEN FILE →
 Tree Tabonuco

Tabonuco

Dacryodes excelsa

The great canopy tree of the lower forest; its resin was used by the Taíno.

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 Tree Palo Colorado

Palo Colorado

Cyrilla racemiflora

Ancient red-barked trees whose hollows shelter parrot nests.

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 Tree Roble de Sierra

Roble de Sierra

Tabebuia rigida

A tough little tree of the windswept dwarf forest.

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 Tree Eugenia

Eugenia

Eugenia borinquensis

A dwarf-forest tree found only in Puerto Rico's high mountains.

Found only hereOPEN FILE →
 Palm Sierra Palm

Sierra Palm

Prestoea acuminata var. montana

Whole forests of palms cling to the steep, soggy slopes.

OPEN FILE →
 Plant Wild Orchids

Wild Orchids

Orchidaceae spp.

More than 50 kinds of orchids grow here, many living on tree branches.

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 Fern Tree Fern

Tree Fern

Cyathea arborea

Ferns the size of trees, straight out of the age of dinosaurs.

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 Moss Cloud-forest Mosses

Cloud-forest Mosses

Sphagnum / Bryophyta spp.

Thick wet carpets that drink straight from the clouds.

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 Fungus Bracket Fungi

Bracket Fungi

Polyporales spp.

Shelf-shaped decomposers that recycle fallen tropical wood.

OPEN FILE →
 Invertebrate Puerto Rican Land Snail

Puerto Rican Land Snail

Caracolus caracolla

A big, beautiful snail you'll spot after every rain.

OPEN FILE →
 Invertebrate Freshwater River Shrimp

Freshwater River Shrimp

Atya / Xiphocaris spp.

Shrimp that climb mountain streams — some even scale waterfalls.

OPEN FILE →