“We’re so excited to have an event in Haiti this year!”

Ingrid Flores is delighted to add a new country to her map of events. She is the coordinator of the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF), organized every year by BirdsCaribbean. Partners across the region host events as part of the festival each spring. Its focus is on the types of birds that are unique to each island, or to the Caribbean itself. This year, events took place in at least 16 islands and involved over 2,000 people. Activities take place between April 22 (Earth Day) and International Biodiversity Day (May 22). This year, celebrations took place in at least 16 territories and involved more than 2,000 participants. Events ranged from lectures to bird walks, arts and crafts, tree plantings, exhibitions, and more.

For the first time, partners in Haiti joined the celebrations. The Société Écologique d’Haïti saw the CEBF as “the perfect opportunity” to boost nature education in Haitian schools. 290 students in Forêt des Pins and Les Cayes learned how hunting and caging birds is harmful. They also enjoyed planting trees and learning how trees help birds and people.

In neighboring Dominican Republic, The Peregrine Fund led activities in five places during Ridgway’s Hawk Week. This beautiful hawk lives only on the island of Hispaniola. Listed as “Critically Endangered,” its numbers are falling. Over 300 schoolchildren and residents went on bird walks. They were thrilled to see a live hawk at one event.

On Jamaica’s south coast, the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation visited children from toddlers to age 11 years at four local schools. At one school, teachers hung bird art made by the children from classroom ceilings. To the east, 50 members of BirdLife Jamaica visited the Source Farm Foundation and Ecovillage. They joined residents for guided bird walks in the nearby hills.

On the island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten, groups worked to restore wild spaces. The island still shows damage from Hurricane Irma. Les Fruits de Mer launched a new nursery to provide native tree seedlings at their Endemic Animal Festival. Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) hosted visits to the Little Bay Pond bird watching hut, which was rebuilt by with hurricane relief funds raised by BirdsCaribbean.

Many BirdsCaribbean partners in Puerto Rico were busy in 16 locations, including schools. Here they spread the word about endemic birds. Students at a science high school in San Juan were full of questions. They expressed a wish to conduct their own bird counts next year.

In Antigua, the Environmental Awareness Group, Dept. of Environment and Ministry of Education hosted a Bird Fair for 3 primary schools. Shanna Challenger, dressed as a colorful Barbuda Warbler, shared information with the students about the country’s only endemic bird. Through arts and crafts, birding, and other fun activities, the students also learned why birds are important in our environment. “The students were really into it!” commented organizer Natalya Lawrence.

Some endemic birds are iconic on particular islands. One of these is the splendid Guadeloupe Woodpecker, the island’s only endemic bird. It was among many other birds spotted during a CEBF bird walk in Guadeloupe – the location of BirdsCaribbean’s 22^ndInternational Conference in July, 2019.

“As many islands still recover from hurricane damage, we were excited to share local birds and nature with people,” said Lisa Sorenson, Executive Director of BirdsCaribbean. “For the 17th year, the festival has reached thousands of people across the Caribbean.”

Hover over each photo to see the caption; click on photos to see larger images and a slide show.

Gorgeous Ruddy Quail Dove on the Caribbean Endemica Bird Festival promotional poster in Guadeloupe. (Photo by Franz Delcroix.)

Bird walk in Guadeloupe for the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival

Adrianne Tossas giving a talk on Puerto Rico’s endemic birds at a girls Science Summer Camp.

Getting ready for a bird walk and survey at a girls Science Summer camp in Puerto Rico.

Introduction to bird watching in Haiti with Societe Ecologique d’Haiti.

Students in Haiti celebrate CEBF

Birding in St. Martin/ Sint Maarten with Binkie van Es.

The Wildlife Art Station was busy Les Fruit de Mer’s Endemic Animal Festival in St. Martin.

Boy Scouts in Puerto Rico learn all about Puerto Rico’s endemics birds.

Celebration of CEBF at Turabo University.

Arts and crafts for one of the bird festival events in Puerto Rico by Fundación Ecológica Educativa, Inc.

A fun celebration of CEBF in Puerto Rico with Fundación Ecológica Educativa, Inc.

A student compares her size to the size of various birds at an event in Puerto Rico with Fundación Ecológica Educativa, Inc. (Photo by Ingrid Flores)

Eliezer Nieves-Rodriguez and the San Juan Bay Estuary Program celebrating GLOBAL BIG DAY in the Piñones State Forest (Puerto Rico) as part of their CEBF.

Sharing information on the fascinating and beautiful endemic birds of Puerto Rico at the Ecoexploratorio (Science Museum).

Birding field trip at Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (JOBANERR), Puerto Rico

Youth in Cuba enjoyed learning about endemic birds

Ridgway’s Hawk art activity in the Dominican Republic, organized by the Peregrine Fund and local partners.

Ridgeway’s Hawk Week in the Dominican Republic was a fantastic opportunity to learn about this critically endangered bird.

Birding from the observation tower for Ridgeway’s Hawk Week CEBF Celebration.

Birding Group poses for Global Big Day and CEBF 2018 in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

Youth spotting birds for Global Big Day, Puerto Rico.

Display at CEBF celebration in Trinidad organized by Lester Doodnath.

Learning how to use binoculars at the CEBF Bird Fair in Antigua.

Students participating in the CEBF Bird Fair in Antigua.

Learning how to set up a bird feeder at Roseau Primary School in Dominica (bird feeder donated by BirdsCaribbean).

Barbuda Warbler Shanna Challenger leads a flock of students for a short flight at the CEBF Bird Fair in Antigua.

A student shows off her bird art at the CEBF Bird Fair in Antigua.

Learning about Caribbean endemic birds and why birds matter at the CEBF Bird Fair in Antigua.

Junior Prosper shows youth in Antigua how to use a spotting scope

Students from St. Martin Primary School in Dominica planted native plants for CEBF 2018.

Youth birding in Dominica for CEBF 2018.

BirdLife Jamaica members and guests take a bird walk at Source Farm. (Photo by Source Farm)

Sociedad Ornitologica Puerto Rico shares information about birds for CEBF 2018.

High school students in the Dominican Republic planting Hamelia patens shrub a native plant good for birds, organized by Simón Guerrero.

Birding activity with special education group in Puerto Rico by Yogani Govender

Youth learn about birds in Jamaica at C-CAM’s headquarters in Jamaica.

Young students celebrate CEBF in Jamaica with C-CAM (Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation)

At Earth Day and the CEBF 2018 start date, Asociación Puertorriqueña de Interpretación y Educación, Inc. (APIE) celebrated our endemic birds as part of their Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival. This activity was carried out with the co-host of the U.S. Forest Service and BIRDING PUERTO RICO.

CEBF Educational display @ Portalito HUB: Palmer of The U.S. Forest Service – El Yunque National Forest. (photo by Ingrid Flores)

Presentations on Puerto Rico’s endemic birds at Josefina Marrero Febus Elementary School. (photo by Glenda Lozada)

CEBF activity in PR at Centro Criollo de Ciencias y Tecnología del Caribe (C3Tec)

Endemic birds of PR poster – Centro Criollo de Ciencias y Tecnología del Caribe (C3Tec)

Presentation to children CEBF celebration Puerto Rico: Centro Criollo de Ciencias y Tecnología del Caribe (C3Tec)

Recording data for a habitat assessment activity in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Urban Green Lab. (photo by Laura Hidalgo)

Learning about endemic birds of Puerto Rico, Urban Green Lab activity (photo by Laura Hidalgo).

Materials to learn about the endemic birds of Puerto Rico, Urban Green Lab activity (photo by Laura Hidalgo).

Learning about endemic birds in Puerto Rico with Laura Fidalgo, Urban Green Lab

Enjoying Cuban endemic bird art for CEBF 2018 in Cuba.