BirdsCaribbean hosted its first Bird Zine (pronounced zeen) Contest during the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival. Now, what is a Zine, you may ask?

A zine is a self-published booklet. Zines tend to be a collage of different images, text, and messages put together by writing, drawing, and/or cutting and gluing content into a booklet. In other words, it’s a hands-on creation utilizing various techniques that showcase informational content. We recognize the value of encouraging this form of expression and acknowledging the talent and knowledge of both novice and experienced birders.

The contest was presented as an opportunity for anyone with a love for birds to dig deep into one of the following topics that fascinates them: Bird Sounds; Bird Flight; Caribbean Endemic Bird Species Spotlight; and Why Caribbean Birds Matter.

We received 33 zines (22 in Spanish and 11 in English) from Barbados, Bonaire, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad and Tobago. Some zines were handmade while others – like Allison Perkins’ zine about the Blue-headed Quail Dove and Alondra Del Mar Norat Pérez’s zine ‘Get to Know Me – the Puerto Rican Emerald’  – were beautifully made using free online design software.

All zines submitted are worthy of celebration! The unique quality of a zine is how its ability to share an idea/s will differ depending on the context and reader. We honour the work of all the zine creators. They were artistically unique and effective at expanding our knowledge of the bird and topic.

Grand Prize Winners

Adults (16 and older)

Arnaldo Toledo, Cuba, was the winner of our Grand Prize for adults (ages 16 and older).  Arnaldo Toledo, Cuba- “Apuntes de campo Carpintero Churroso” (Field Notes Fernandina’s Flicker). Arnaldo’s zine explores the amazing adaptations of a Cuban endemic bird, the Fernandina’s Flicker. He beautifully combines art & science with his exquisite drawings and his deep knowledge of the species. One judge commented, “This zine is beautifully designed and packed with information. It reminds me of artwork I would find in The Naturalist’s Library by Sir Jardine Williams (published in the 19th Century).”

We asked Arnaldo what inspired him to create his zine. He replied, “Woodpeckers are among my favorite birds, they are so active and full of cool adaptations. The Fernandina’s Flicker is special for me, I have spent a lot of time observing it and studying its life. It is a Threatened species that needs all the help we can give it. I had a lot of fun creating the Zine. I was able to draw freely about a topic I love, mixing a lot of art techniques and ideas. My hope was to make anyone who opens my zine interested in our beautiful flicker.”

 

Children (15 and under)

Dayami Ravelo, Cuba, age 9, created a lovely zine on the topic of Why Caribbean Birds Matter. Dayami Ravelo,  Cuba- “Por qué importan las aves del Caribe” (Why Caribbean Birds Matter).  Dayami’s zine showcases many Cuban endemic birds and why they are important. It is inspirational to both children and adults. Dayami’s zine received great reviews from the judges. One judge commented,  “It is visually appealing with the hand drawn photos of all the birds and landscapes. A lot of effort was put into creating this zine and I am curious to learn more about Cuba’s endemic birds.”

Prizes for Each Age Category

After much deliberation, the judges made their selections in the following age group categories:

Adults (ages 16+)

First Place: 1st  Beatriz Hernandez, Puerto Rico – “Why Caribbean Birds Matter” Beatriz’ lovely sketches and handwritten information on Todies makes this zine an absolute delight to read. Beatriz was delighted to hear that she was a winner and commented, “I was not only making something, I was learning along the way! Creating the zine was an incredible opportunity to think about how to combine art and words to talk about Why Caribbean Birds Matter. By using the iconic todies, endemic and well represented in the Caribbean, I hope to engage others to learn about the importance of birds in our region as well as ways to protect them and their habitats.”

Second Place: 2nd Amy Sardarsingh, Trinidad and Tobago – “Field Notes Hispaniolan Trogon”  Amy’s ‘Field Notes’ is visually stimulating with her elegant handwriting and vivid paintings.

Third Place: 3rd Sarita Emmanuel, Trinidad and Tobago – “Camping Out With The Jamaican Owl” Sarita introduces the reader to a bird that is feared throughout the Caribbean in an engaging and fun manner, and with a striking color scheme. 

Children

7 to 9 years old: Iris Garrido, 9, Cuba – “Tesoro de mi país” (Treasure of My Country) Iris expresses her appreciation for Cuban endemic birds through poems and art. This zine also highlights the multitude of threats these birds face. [Add photo]

10 to 12 years old: Luis Yaniel, 10, Cuba – “Vuelos de aves” (Bird flight) Luis shares information on one the most fascinating characteristics of birds, flight!  [Add photo]

13 to 15 years old: Miguel Alejandro, 13, Cuba – “Por qué importan las aves del Caribe” (Why Caribbean Birds Matter) Miguel presents information on the Bee Hummingbird in fun and interactive ways. [Add photo]

We would like to express our deepest thanks to everyone who entered their zine; and to the judges, who had the undoubtedly difficult task of reviewing all the zines and selecting the winners.

We invite you to visit our Caribbean Bird Zine Library at this link and below to explore and enjoy the amazing bird zines we received. We would love to see this collection of bird zines grow! Please contact Aliya.Hosein@birdscaribbean.org and info@birdscaribbean.org if you would like to contribute a zine – or two – to our library.

May you be awed and inspired by the bird zines!