It’s an exciting time of year as Migratory Shorebirds start arriving in the Caribbean! This year we’re asking you to help conserve them and the wetlands they rely on by counting them for shorebird conservation. If you do at least three shorebird counts during migration your data will contribute to the Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) AND the International Shorebird Survey (ISS)! We are also getting ready to celebrate World Shorebirds Day on September 6. BirdsCaribbean has everything you need to help you take part. Read on to find out how to take part, and why you should join the count this year!
Our migratory shorebirds are more vulnerable than ever—they are threatened by human activities such as destruction of their habitats, pollution, disturbance, and climate change. Shorebirds in North America are declining more than any other group of birds; in fact, more than half of 28 species studied were estimated to have lost more than 50% of their abundance in the last 30 years.
The Caribbean is an important region for migratory shorebirds. They rely on our mangroves, salt ponds, beaches, sand flats, and mud flats to rest and refuel as they continue on their long migrations. Some shorebirds may even spend the entire winter with us!
Counting Shorebirds for Conservation
Data from citizen science initiatives like our CWC program are essential to help us identify and protect the key stopover and/or wintering habitats that shorebirds use. Protecting these habitats benefits people too because healthy coastal areas provide vital ecosystem services such as clean water, food, sustainable livelihoods, protection from storm surge, and much more.
The more information we have about shorebirds using Caribbean wetlands the more we can learn about their populations and which places are most important for them. This means that carrying out multiple counts at the shorebirds’ favorite wetlands during migration season (August-October) increases our ability to conserve them.
A CWC x ISS collaboration … as easy as 1,2,3!
What if the CWC data you collect during shorebird migration could contribute to not one but two long-term databases that help shorebird conservation?
Well the great news is they can!
The ISS is a volunteer survey effort that has been run by Manomet Conservation since 1974! It collects shorebird count data from 100s of sites across the Americas, including the Caribbean. These counts help inform where conservation action is need and are used to estimate trend in shorebird populations. Your CWC data can be part of this effort.
Here’s how: first make sure your site is used by shorebirds—if it’s not somewhere you’ve been before, you can check eBird for what birds have been seen there. Then be sure to carry out at least three counts spread through the migration season. Be sure to add your counts to the CWC eBird project AND the ISS eBird project (for more information about using eBird see below).
ISS recommends that counts are from July 15th, through to October 15th. In the Caribbean, we suggest aiming for doing counts in August, September, and October. You can certainly do more counts if you want your data to be even more useful. For example, you can do six counts—visiting your site(s) twice in each of August, September and October OR you could try to fit counts in every 10 days (roughly three times a month). Remember though, our message to you is to do at least three CWC counts evenly spread from August to October. If you want to find out more about ISS or want more details about doing multiple counts, and the ideal timing for there then look here.
Celebrate World Shorebirds Day!
World Shorebirds Day is held every year on September 6. This day celebrates shorebirds, their amazing migration journeys, and most importantly, raises awareness of the threats they face and actively promotes their monitoring and conservation. The key event associated with this day is the Global Shorebird Count (GSC), which this year runs from September 1-7. Why not make sure that one of your CWC x ISS counts happens during this week? Then you’ll be contributing to three survey efforts for shorebirds!
How do you join in?
Joining is as simple as heading out to your local wetland sites, counting shorebirds, and submitting your list on eBird! Super easy! Remember to record all the species you see and/or hear (including other non-shorebird species), and to note how many individuals of each species you spot. Take your time and scan the habitats carefully for birds, but be extra careful to stand and walk only in places where you won’t disturb the birds you are trying to count!
Be sure to select “Caribbean Waterbird Census” AND “International Shorebird Survey (ISS)” from your projects when starting a new checklist. Haven’t joined these projects on eBird yet, or want to know more about how to use projects? We’ve got you! Get all the details here (you can use these instructions to join both projects). To make sure your data can help contribute to ISS you should aim to do three counts through migration (see above). The great news is that you only need to do a single checklist and as long as you select both projects when starting your list it will count towards both projects!
Remember that when you do repeated CWC counts at the same site you need to try to cover the same area, and make the conditions of your count as similar as possible e.g. spend a similar amount of time, cover a similar distance (traveling count) or stand in the same spot (stationary count), try to match the time of day and tidal conditions etc. This is also true for the ISS.
Don’t forget that any counts you do at Caribbean wetlands, mangroves, mud flats, coastal areas or beaches at any time of year can be Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) counts!
Finally, to contribute to World Shorebirds Day and the Global Shorebird Count, share each list you do between September 1-7 with the eBird user ‘worldshorebirdsday’. This will ensure that your checklists are included in data analyses for the Global Shorebird Count. If you are new to checklist sharing, check out this quick tutorial on how to do it.
If you do not have an account, it is easy to register—here’s a quick guide on how to enter eBird data online. Check out our helpful video here on how to use eBird and Merlin. If you have questions about eBird checklists, or need help with setting up an eBird account, do contact Dr. Alex Sansom our Waterbird Program Manager at waterbird.manager@birdscaribbean.org .
Need some help with shorebird ID?
We know that Shorebirds can be tricky to identify, with some being especially difficult to tell apart. BirdsCaribbean is here to help with some useful tools! We have a Shorebird Poster and “Quick ID Guide” to get you started as well as handy Shorebird ID cards that you can download and print featuring common shorebirds of the Caribbean. Go to our shorebird resources page to find everything you need. Of course, don’t forget to take your favorite bird ID guide with you when you do your shorebird counts!
You can brush up on your CWC survey skills, waterbird ID, and shorebird ID before you go out on your surveys by watching our fantastic CWC and Shorebird ID webinars on YouTube. We also have a series of shorebird ID shorts pointing out key features to help you distinguish between those tough-to-tell-apart species. Check our latest video all about separating Willets from other similar looking shorebrids below, and see them all on our social media accounts or our YouTube Shorebirds Short Videos Playlist.
If you can get photos or even sound recording of the birds you see, these can be looked at/ listened to later. If you encounter any birds that are difficult for you to identify in the field, visual (or sound) evidence can be shared with birding colleagues and experts for ID support. If you can get photos or even sound recording of the birds you see, these can be looked at/ listened to later! Remember that every survey is a chance to sharpen your bird identification skills, learn to spot new species, and become more confident in the field!
Where to find shorebirds?
The simple answer is: anywhere there is water. This means that, as their name suggests, you can find them at the beach and on other types of shorelines. However, some shorebirds will be further inland, including in salt ponds and salinas, freshwater pools, agricultural fields, and at brackish marshes and ponds. Shorebirds will also gather on mud flats, in mangrove areas, and on tidal flats.
You may not be quite sure of the best places to look in your area. If so, why not take a look for ‘hotspots’ at your local wetlands on eBird. Just take a look at the eBird hotspots map. Zoom in on your local area and then click on a hotspot to see what types of birds have been seen there recently. And as bonus of taking part you get a great excuse to get outdoors, to spend time in our wetlands, enjoy nature, and discover some of the Caribbean’s most beautiful habitats!
What should you do if you spot a banded bird?
While counting shorebirds you may see birds with colorful bands on their legs. These are very special birds! Do your best to record the band colors and any numbers or letters paying special attention to the location of the band or bands on the bird’s legs. Binoculars or zoom photography may allow you to clearly see the band colors and the numbers engraved onto the band—if you get a photo you will be able to send it along with your sighting. You can report your sightings and send any photos you have to BandedBirds.org and the USGS Bird Banding Lab, which oversee all banding in the United States.
Bird surveys are a rewarding way to contribute to real conservation while enjoying peaceful mornings surrounded by wildlife. Taking part is also a fantastic way to meet fellow birders and nature enthusiasts, share knowledge, and make new friends with a passion for conservation. Whether you’re just starting out or have years of birding experience, every survey is an opportunity to learn something new! If you’d like to survey with others, keep an eye on social media for any posts from local organizations for survey opportunities, or get in touch with your local nature NGO or bird club to find out if they have plans for counts in your area.
We love looking at photos of shorebirds, your local wetlands, and your smiling faces; so please share the highlights of your shorebird counts with us! Use a phone or any other camera that is available, but remember to tag @birdscaribbean. We look forward to seeing and sharing your amazing photos and reading your stories!
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about counting shorebirds. Reach out to Alex Sansom at waterbird.manager@birdscaribbean.org
We hope you have a great Shorebird Season 2026!