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So small they would fit in your hand, these tiny yellow birds dart in for a quick taste of sugar or flower nectar. They’re also known as sugar birds and yellow breasts. If you listen closely, you can hear them chirp.

Used as transportation until cars became commonplace in the 1950s, the ubiquitous donkeys now roam island byways. The largest population lives in St. John’s Virgin Islands National Park and its environs. Their braying can keep you awake at night. Don’t get up close and personal with them; they can deliver a mean kick.

Looking like prehistoric creatures, bright green baby iguanas and the darker adults thrive all over the US and British Virgin Islands, but trees in dry areas see greater populations. They’re somewhat elusive in most areas, and a sighting is a special event.

Eaten by residents in a variety of dishes, goats roam where they want in the St. John’s Coral Bay area and throughout the BVI. Their eating habits cause extensive erosion problems and their droppings make paths slippery. They’re also noisy creatures, particularly when a baby goes astray.

Several varieties of herons are found all over the Virgin Islands. Look for little blue herons, West Indian green herons, and rarely, great blue herons, near the shorelines. Their nests sit on shrubby trees and are made of sticks.

With wings flapping at phenomenal speeds, hummingbirds hover over flowers to dine on their nectar. Mostly green in color, they’re easy to spot as they dart here and there. They’re so well loved that residents make homes for them in feeders made of coconut shells.

The USVI and BVI sit in the flyway for migrating birds heading south for the winter from the US mainland. So many arrive that the Audubon Society and private groups conduct annual Christmas bird counts on several islands.

Originally imported to control rats, mongooses are now well settled in the islands. You’ll see these long, brown, and furry animals scurrying across the road or poking around garbage cans. Mongoose Junction Shopping Center in St. John is so named because the creatures gathered at garbage cans located nearby.

Called trushies by locals, these common brown birds will make moves on your picnic lunch if you’re not careful. You’ll hear them craw-crawing all over the islands. They’re particularly prevalent at beaches where people carelessly discard food.

With a big splash, these broad-billed brown sea birds dive under the water’s edge for a fish dinner. Watch out if you’re snorkeling over schools of small fish. They seldom crashland on snorkelers’ heads, but when they hit the water, the noise can give you a good scare.