Proceeds from this raffle directly fund scientific research, fuel community education, and empower Caribbean wildlife professionals through scholarships to attend our regional workshops and conferences. Together, we can make a lasting impact for our Caribbean birds and communities.
But wait, we haven’t even mentioned the amazing prizes you could win! Are you ready to see if fortune favors you this year? This is your chance to make a tangible difference for Caribbean birds and score some incredible rewards. Talk about a win-win!
Grand Prize: “Puerto Rican Spindalis” Painting
Our Grand Prize is an exquisite original painting titled “Puerto Rican Spindalis” by award-winning Cuban scientific illustrator Arnaldo Toledo. It is one of Puerto Rico’s beloved endemics, locally called Reina Mora. Known for its sweet dawn song and show-stopping plumage, the male Puerto Rican Spindalis is a stunning bird with his bold, black-and-white striped head, fiery-orange neck collar, and bright yellow breast. This exquisite piece of art brings the bird’s radiant colors right off the treetops and into your home. Get your tickets for a chance to win!
This stunning 27×22.5 cm watercolor painting on Stonehenge Aqua paper was part of a special collection commissioned for the American Ornithological Society and BirdsCaribbean joint conference held in Puerto Rico.
In an interview, Arnaldo shared his process for creating this collection:
“I carefully researched each species and made an extensive study of reference material. This was essential for rendering each individual in a way that shows the beauty and life of the bird, as well as precisely draw and paint its field marks and diagnostic details. The pose and attitude of each bird is drawn to set the flow and balance of the composition, while at the same time showing all the splendor of these Puerto Rico endemics.”
Second Grand Prize: Vortex Razor HD 8X42 Binoculars
Vortex Razor HD 8X42 Binocular front view.
Vortex Razor HD 8X42 Binocular side view.
Birdwatchers will love the Vortex Razor HD 8×42 Binoculars, a premium-quality, award-winning optic packed with everything you need for stellar field observation. It is rugged, waterproof, compact, and its HD optical system delivers the sharpest, brightest images possible.
With so many high-end features, you might think this binocular is hefty. It is not! It is actually one of the lightest full-size binoculars on the market. To top it off, it comes with Vortex’s incredible, unconditional, lifetime VIP Warranty.
Additional Prizes: Giclée Prints by Nils Navarro
Winners will also have the chance to choose from stunning giclée prints by renowned Cuban wildlife artist and author, Nils Navarro. These beautiful prints expertly capture unique Cuban bird species and are signed, numbered, and measure approximately 8.5″ by 11″.
Cuban Trogon Giclée Print by Nils Navarro.
Blue-headed Quail Dove Giclee Print by Nils Navarro.
Cuban Tody Giclee Print by Nils Navarro.
Bee Hummingbird Giclée Print by Nils Navarro.
Get Your Tickets Now!
The Raffle drawing will take place on Wednesday, September 30th, 2026, at 8 PM EDT(Extended)
Tickets are $5 each, or you can maximize your chances and get five tickets for $20 (get one FREE). The more tickets you buy, the closer you get to taking home one of these incredible prizes!
Piping Plovers and Sanderlings, South Caicos (photo by Craig Watson).
A spectacular arrival unfolds across the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) in late August every year. Thousands of weary travelers touch down after extraordinary journeys spanning thousands of miles from their breeding grounds in Canada and the Arctic.
To celebrate these incredible journeys—and highlight the urgent need to protect the stopover and wintering habitats shorebirds depend on—BirdsCaribbean is proud to share this wonderful new 8-minute documentary. Explore the remarkable world of migratory shorebirds and discover why TCI’s wetlands and coastal habitats are so vital to their survival.
Storytelling that inspires conservation
This project was born from the vision and direction of Simon Busuttil, whose passion for birds and deep commitment to conservation in the Turks and Caicos Islands helped make this documentary possible. As the driving force behind the film, Simon understood that scientific data alone isn’t enough to save a species. We also need compelling stories that inspire people to care and turn knowledge into action.
By showcasing the magnificent migratory birds that depend on TCI, Simon hoped to inspire greater appreciation and stewardship of these remarkable species and the habitats they need to survive—and make their conservation a source of national pride.
Counting shorebirds on Turks and Caicos. (Photo by Simon Busuttil)
Small birds, extraordinary journeys
For many of the shorebirds visiting TCI, the journey begins on breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra. Imagine weighing only a few ounces and traveling thousands of miles—powered only by the beat of your wings! Tough travelers like the Ruddy Turnstone can bulk up to around 172 grams (6 ounces) before migration, storing precious energy reserves to fuel the extraordinary journey ahead.
Joining these incredible migrants is the plump and adorable Piping Plover. These diminutive Near Threatened shorebirds blend beautifully into coastal landscapes with their sandy-gray backs, often hiding in plain sight! You may not even realize you’re looking at one until it suddenly scurries toward the water on its bright orange legs.
But don’t let their small size and delicate appearance fool you: surviving migration requires extraordinary physiological adaptations.
Species like the Red Knot (Near Threatened), a master of long-distance travel, can fly for days without stopping. To prepare for these marathon flights, the birds undergo a dramatic physical transformation, shrinking internal organs like the intestines, liver and gizzard, and doubling their body mass by storing fat to act as high-grade fuel—remarkable adaptations that help make long-distance migration possible.
Black Rock: A haven within a haven
After burning through previous fat reserves during migration, these birds arrive at a physical breaking point, requiring healthy habitats that offer both safety and abundant food. In TCI, one such place is Black Rock, an isolated shoal cay nestled in the shallow, turquoise expanse of the Caicos Banks.
Observing thousands of shorebirds at Black Rock, Caicos Banks (Photo by Caleb Spiegel)
Its isolation from human disturbance and productive surrounding shallows make Black Rock an important refuge for birds. Mollusks and other invertebrates provide food for hungry migrants replenishing energy lost during their long journeys. Thousands of birds can gather here, including small shorebirds, larger wading birds such as egrets and herons, and even raptors.
Healthy wetlands—for birds and people
Protecting migratory shorebirds begins with protecting the habitats they depend on. TCI’s mangroves, salt ponds, tidal flats, beaches, and other coastal wetlands provide essential places for shorebirds to rest and refuel during migration, as well as vital habitat where many spend the winter.
But healthy wetlands aren’t important only for birds. Mangroves and other coastal habitats help buffer communities from storms and flooding, support fisheries and other marine life, and contribute to the extraordinary natural heritage that makes the Turks and Caicos Islands truly “Beautiful by Nature.”
By protecting these wetlands, we secure a win for birds and people alike—helping ensure that migratory shorebirds have safe havens to rely on and return to, year after year.
Watch A Haven for Migratory Shorebirds
Watch our new 8-minute documentary, A Haven for Migratory Shorebirds: The Wetlands of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and discover the extraordinary journeys connecting TCI’s shores to places thousands of miles away.
In Memory of Simon Busuttil
Simon Busuttil doing the fieldwork he loved most—surveying shorebirds and waterbirds in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
BirdsCaribbean and the wider conservation community were deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our dear friend, colleague, and mentor, Simon Busuttil, on January 31, 2026. Simon was a key leader with the RSPB’s UK Overseas Territories Caribbean Team and manager of the Darwin-funded TCI Biosecurity Project. His passion for conservation in TCI, his humor, generosity, and extraordinary warmth inspired everyone who had the privilege of birdwatching and working alongside him.
We are immensely grateful for Simon’s friendship, dedication, and conservation legacy, which lives on through projects like this documentary and through our shared commitment to protecting the extraordinary birds and biodiversity of the Caribbean.
Credits and thanks
This documentary was made possible through the vision and unwavering dedication of Simon Busuttil and the contributions of many people who recognize that migratory bird conservation has no borders. We dedicate this film to Simon’s memory, and our thoughts are with his family, loved ones, friends, and colleagues in TCI and at the RSPB.
We extend a heartfelt thank you to all the funders and partners whose support made this documentary possible: Darwin Plus Initiative, Audubon Americas, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the Turks and Caicos National Trust, the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources, and Spotlight Communications.
Together, we can help ensure that the wetlands of TCI remain a haven for migratory shorebirds for generations to come.
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.
Counting shorebirds. (Photo by Nahira Arocho Hernandez)
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!
Monti Cristi in the Dominican Republic is estimated to host 20,000+ migrating shorebirds per year—making it a regionally important site! (Photo by Maria Paulino)
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 trends 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 and how to take part you can check out this excellent introduction and training webinar or if want more details about doing more then three CWC x ISS counts, and the ideal timing for these then lookhere.
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!
Shanna explains bird ID at McKinnons Pond, Antigua, during the 2025 CWC Count. (Photo by Sherrel Charles)
How do you join in?
Getting a CWC list on eBird. (Photo by EAG)
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 .
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.
The Cargill Salt Ponds site also supports other habitat types, like these mangroves. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Orange Valley Mudflat in Trinidad during CWC2021 (photo by Mark Hulme)
Pectoral Sandpiper. (Photo by Jesse Gordon)
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.
Banded Ruddy Turnstone in Anguilla, “2EY” – keep an eye out for banded birds!
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
Getting to grips with shorebird ID in Puerto Rico. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
From February 23-28, 2026, BirdsCaribbean, together with the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources of Puerto Rico and Manomet Conservation Sciences, hosted a five-day Shorebird and Waterbird Identification and Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) training workshop at Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The workshop brought together 27 conservationists from 10 Caribbean countries for a week of bird identification, wetland conservation, field surveys, and collaborative learning.
Caribbean wetlands are some of the region’s most important ecosystems. From mangroves and mudflats to salt ponds and beaches, these wetlands are special places for birds! They provide critical habitat for regional endemics like the West Indian Whistling-Duck, as well as thousands of migratory shorebirds traveling on the Atlantic Flyway. Yet these habitats continue to face mounting pressure from pollution, habitat degradation and development, disturbance, and climate change.
Monitoring helps conservationists identify and protect important sites, track population changes, understand threats, and guide management decisions. But effective monitoring requires people with the skills and confidence to identify birds, conduct surveys, and build long-term programs.
The perfect location?
Located on Puerto Rico’s southern coast, Jobos Bay NERR could not have been a better place to host a wetland and waterbird workshop. Its mangroves, salt flats, lagoons, and coastal wetlands support an impressive diversity of resident and migratory waterbirds, offering participants daily opportunities to practice identification and survey techniques in the field! Not only that, Jobos Bay has a wonderful classroom space to gather each day for presentations, quizzes and discussions. It was the ideal place to bring people together to learn about wetlands, waterbirds, and monitoring techniques. Participants gathered from across the region for a week of learning, idea-sharing, and fun.
Wetlands at Jobos Bay. (Photo by Lisa Schibley)
Wetlands at Jobos Bay, NERR. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Getting to know each other… and the birds
The workshop began with introductions, as participants got to know one another and learned about Jobos Bay and the surrounding area. With so many Spanish speakers in the room it was great to have the translation services of Efrén Esquivel, to make the workshop bilingual and smooth the way for seamless introductions and information sharing for the whole week.
Once everyone knew who everyone else was and all about our special location for the week it was time to find out more about BirdsCaribbean and our partners for the week Manomet Conservation Sciences. Everyone got to grips with the plan and aims for the week – including plenty of learning both in the classroom and out in the field.
On this first day the group got an overview of the Caribbean Waterbird Census program, and about the importance of wetlands across the Caribbean. Bird ID began with a gentle introduction getting everyone to think about key field marks to look for and thinking about how different groups of birds look and behave differently. But soon it was time to dive deeper and get an introduction to some of the common shorebirds and waterbirds of the Caribbean and how to identify them.
Coral gives out a bag-full of useful waterbird resources. (Photo by Sasha Collie)
Lisa Sorenson introduces waterbird ID. (Photo by Alex Sansom)
Milton introduces the Jobos bay area. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Our translator Efren and his wife Blanca help this bilingual workshop run smoothly. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Everyone received a full set of resources to ensure they were ‘field-ready’, including binoculars, bird ID cards, tally counters, and survey forms. Before the end of the day it was time to put these resources to use and head into the field for the first time, for the first of many days, combining classroom learning with field practice. This made sure that everything that was learned in the classroom could be immediately practiced in the real world!
Nia birding at Jobos Bay wetlands. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
A Wilson’s Plover at Jobos. (Photo by Lisa Shibley)
Wading into waterbirds
The second day focused on more bird identification and introduced participants to conducting surveys and survey methods. The day kicked off with a fun field session at Lago Canta Sapo, a small pond that punched above its weight in terms of wetland bird diversity. Participants had the chance to put the ID skills they learned the day before into practice. Small groups worked through identification challenges together while instructors were on hand with helpful tips and and identification challenges suited to all skill levels. Highlights included a Ruddy Duck and Least Bittern.
Bird ID practice onf day two. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Lago Canta Sapo. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Birding at Lago Canta Sapo. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Back in the classroom the ID learning continues with more on waterbirds, shorebirds and landbirds! The group also started on a key topic for the week – monitoring. Finding out about the Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) and getting a great introduction to the International Shorebird Survey (ISS). The good news for everyone was the CWC survey also ‘count’ as ISS surveys so they can contribute to two survey efforts in one go!
Alex Sansom, BirdsCaribbean’s waterbird program manager introduces CWC. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Coral Aviles presents on landbird ID. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Lisa Schibley from Manomet introduces the ISS. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Studying shorebirds and understanding threats
The next day started early with a trip to Las Mareas – mangrove and mudflat area that is part of Jobos Bay NERR. Shorebird ID was the main focus of the morning. The birds certainly cooperated, providing everything from large Hudsonian Whimbrels down to the smallest “peeps” (small sandpipers) for participants to practice on.
Shorebird ID practice at Las Mareas. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
This distant shorebirds provided an excellent ID challenge for participants. This group includes Black-bellied Plover, Long-billed Dowitcher and Ruddy Turnstone. (Photo by Lisa Schibley)
Shorebird ID practice at Las Mareas. (Photo by Alex Sansom)
In the classroom sessions shifted towards thinking about wetland sites, including monitoring and conservation challenges. Participants learned how monitoring programs can document habitat change, identify emerging threats, and support conservation planning and management decisions. Discussions explored threats facing Caribbean wetlands, including coastal development, pollution, invasive species, disturbance, and climate-related impacts such as sea level rise.
Discussing threats to Caribbean wetlands. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Sharing discussion outcomes. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
It wasn’t all doom and gloom, as the group also learned about site protection, and designation. This included an introduction to the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) and what is needed to get a site designated. This was followed up by an inspiring example of Cargill Salt Pond in Bonaire, the Caribbean’s second WHSRN site!
Juanita Fonseca from Manomet tells the group about WHSRN designation. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Data, surveys, and building programs
As the week continued, participants continued to practice their bird ID at some of the wonderful wetlands in Jobos, whilst also focusing on the practical side of running monitoring programs. There had been a distinct lack of birds during pre-workshop scouting visits, so it was a huge relief when they seemingly appeared on cue throughout the week! They must have known it was important to be there! In the classroom, sessions covered survey design, data recording, and the use of tools such as eBird to store and share observations. And, of course, participants continued honing their skills in the field.
More Shorebird ID practice. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Birding on day four. (Photo by Lisa Schibley)
Some of the group enjoying the wetlands at Playita. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Learning about using CWC data. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Learning heron an egret ID at Jobos Bay. (Photo by Alex Sansom)
Rainbows and shorebirds at Playita. (Photo by Alex Sansom)
The workshop emphasized that successful monitoring is not only about collecting data, but also about sustaining programs over time, training volunteers, and engaging local communities. Participants discussed how they might adapt what they learned to fit the realities of their own islands and organizations. By this point in the week, many participants were already talking about plans for expanding monitoring efforts back home.
Practice makes perfect
The final day brought together everything participants had learned throughout the week. The group spent the whole morning in the field at Aguirre State Forest and Punta Pozuelo. This gave everyone a final opportunity to practice identification and survey techniques before heading home. Then a quick stop by the beach and back to the Jobos Bay classroom via a fantastic local spot to cool down with some ‘Limbers’ (delicious frozen desserts in a cup).
At Aguirre Forest. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
The group looking at shorebirds. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Bird ID at Aguirre Forest. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Lisa and Israel birding on the beach at Punta Pozuelo. (Photo by Alex Sansom)
Watching shorebirds. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
A refreshing break for ‘Limbers’. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Back at Jobos the group talked about funding and fundraising as well as discussing next steps for their local monitoring program, and local and regional collaboration and monitoring. We closed out with some fun, but highly competitive bird ID quizzes, some much deserved prizes from some of the outstanding participants from the week and certificates for everyone!
Looking ahead
Beyond the technical skills and many hours of practice in the field, the workshop also created space for Caribbean conservationists to connect, share experiences, and learn from one another. Participants left with stronger identification skills, muddy boots, memorable bird sightings, and an even stronger regional network of conservationists working toward a shared goal—protecting the Caribbean’s wetlands and waterbirds.
While the workshop was full of enthusiasm, discovery, and shared learning, it also highlighted the urgency of the work ahead. Wetlands across the region continue to face growing threats, and many migratory shorebird populations are declining. Building regional monitoring capacity is an important step toward better understanding and protecting these species and the habitats they depend on. Workshops like this help ensure that Caribbean conservationists have the knowledge, tools, and support needed to continue that work together.
We thank the US Forest Service International Programs, Vortex Optics, BirdsCaribbean donors & Cape Cod Bird Club for funding and supporting this workshop, Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve for kindly hosting us, and the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources and Manomet Conservation Sciences for their invaluable partnership and support.
“The workshop highlighted how similar the conservation challenges are across the Caribbean. My favorite part was the opportunity to have discussions with people from different islands and cultures, share experiences, and learn from one another.”
“The usefulness of shorebird identification by size, shape, behavior, leg color, and other field characteristics was eye-opening. I also gained a much better understanding of how bird monitoring contributes directly to conservation action across the Caribbean.”
“There is always something new to learn from someone else. The workshop reinforced the importance of sharing knowledge and learning from people with different backgrounds and expertise.”
“I really appreciated the knowledge and quality of instruction provided by all the facilitators and organizers. I learned a tremendous amount and felt well supported throughout the workshop. I especially enjoyed the field exercises, quizzes, and the positive energy, generosity, and sense of community fostered by both the leaders and participants.”
“I learned how my local monitoring efforts can contribute to regional and global conservation programs through initiatives like the Caribbean Waterbird Census and International Shorebird Survey.”
“Big takeaways for me were that shorebirds are more than just a conservation issue—they are a fascinating group of birds. I also learned that doing counts really does feed into meaningful conservation work happening across the Caribbean.”
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2026 is “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter” — shining the spotlight on the power of citizen science, reminding us that you don’t need a lab coat or a PhD to contribute to science; you just need curiosity and a genuine love for nature and community. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Grenada Wren
Small but full of personality, the Grenada Wren is a little bird with a big voice. Found only on the island of Grenada, this wren is often heard before it’s seen, filling the air with a bubbly, melodious song. It has a warm brown back, finely streaked with darker markings, a pale eyebrow stripe, and a lightly speckled chest. With its compact size and energetic movements, it’s a delight to spot darting through dense undergrowth, foraging for food.
Grenada Wrens are masters of adaptation, thriving in forests, scrublands, and even gardens. They primarily feast on insects and small invertebrates, using their sharp beaks to pick through leaf litter and bark. During the breeding season, they build dome-shaped nests hidden in vegetation, where the female lays a clutch of tiny eggs. Both parents take part in feeding their chicks, ensuring the next generation of these charismatic birds takes flight.
Despite their adaptability, Grenada Wrens face growing threats. Habitat loss due to deforestation and development is reducing their available nesting and feeding areas. Climate change also poses risks, as shifting weather patterns could disrupt their food supply and breeding cycles. While they are not currently considered endangered, continued habitat destruction could put them at risk in the future.
Helping the Grenada Wren is simple! Protecting natural areas, planting native trees, reducing pesticide use, and keeping cats indoors can all support their survival. Even in urban areas, creating green spaces and maintaining backyard gardens with native plants can provide important refuge.
Whether you’re hiking in Grenada’s forests or enjoying a morning coffee in your backyard, keep an ear out for their cheerful calls—it’s a reminder of the island’s unique and irreplaceable wildlife. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Kendon James for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration.
Colour in the Grenada Wren
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Grenada Wren
The song of the Grenada Wren is loud, with clear trills interspersed with chattering notes.
Enjoy these photos of the Grenada Wren
Grenada Wren singing. (Photo by David Hollie, Macaulay Library- ML602673661)Grenada Wren perched. (Photo by Nathan Goldberg, Macaulay Library-ML631314978)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Grenada Wrens love to feed on insects like beetles, flies and moths!
Can you help this hungry Grenada Wren find its way through our maze to to grab a tasty moth?
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2026 is “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter” — shining the spotlight on the power of citizen science, reminding us that you don’t need a lab coat or a PhD to contribute to science; you just need curiosity and a genuine love for nature and community. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Cuban Vireo
As one of Cuba’s endemic jewels, the Cuban Vireo is widely distributed throughout the island and is considered one of the most common species on the island. Its coloration is not very conspicuous, with mainly grayish olive green on the back, and pale yellowish underneath. Males and females look the same. Its eyes are large and dark, and appear to be larger because of the ring of light-colored feathers around the eye. For this reason, in some parts of Cuba it is known as “ojón” which translates to “big-eyed.” Because of the sound it makes when singing, it is also popularly known in Cuba as “juanchiví.”
The species favors wooded areas , but it can also be found in thickets. It inhabits all types of forests, natural, secondary, coffee and pine plantations. Usually flying short distances within the vegetation, where it roosts and forages mostly in the lower down in the vegetation (1-3m). Occasionally, it mixes in mixed flocks with other Cuban endemic species such as Yellow- headed and Oriente Warblers. It feeds mainly on insects, arachnids, fruits and small reptiles.
Like other vireos, the nest is cup-shaped and the breeding season begins in March and ends in August. The species usually lays three white eggs with small brown or purplish spots.
It is not globally threatened. To keep this “endemic jewel” shining for years to come, we need to make sure its habitats remain healthy and connected. You can plant native plants and berries in your garden to give them a safe place to eat and seek shelter. By spreading the word about the ojón’s funny “juanchiví” song and supporting local environmental organizations, you also help this big-eyed bird stay a common sight for everyone to enjoy for years to come! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Alieny González for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration.
Colour in the Cuban Vireo
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Cuban Vireo
The song of the Cuban Vireo is a “chweee-ch-byuuu,” with an upslurred first note and a downslurred final note.
Enjoy these photos of the Cuban Vireo
Cuban Vireo. (Photo by Aslam Ibrahim Castellón Maure)
Cuban Vireo. (Photo by Roberto Jovel)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Do you know what the different parts of a bird are called? Knowing them can help you to learn how to describe and identify birds, as well as colour them in. Learn the names for the parts of a bird by checking out the diagram in this page.
Test your knowledge on today’s endemic bird by matching the correct names to the correct parts of a Cuban Vireo and completing this sheet.
Want to check your answers? You can see where all the words matched up to here.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2026 is “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter” — shining the spotlight on the power of citizen science, reminding us that you don’t need a lab coat or a PhD to contribute to science; you just need curiosity and a genuine love for nature and community. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Western Chat-Tanager
Way up in the misty mountains of Hispaniola lives a bird called the Western Chat-Tanager. Imagine a bird kind of like a Mockingbird, just a bit smaller and more mysterious! This shy little bird is part of the Caribbean endemic bird family, Calyptophilidae, from the Greek word Calyptophilus which means “loves to hide.” And do they take that seriously!
They live in broadleaf forests and dense thickets which no doubt helps them to stay hidden. Even scientists have a tough time finding them in these habitats! Our tip is to keep your eyesight low. Western Chat-Tanagers usually hang out in pairs, poking through fallen leaves looking for their next meal. They make a “chip-chip” sound while foraging. Their favorite foods are insects, small invertebrates and a little bit of fruit now and then.
How will you know you’re looking at the elusive Western Chat-Tanager and not the Eastern Chat-Tanager?! One big clue is that it has no white eyering, but it does have a small yellow patch between its eye and beak. The upperparts of the Western Chat-Tanager are dark brown. The breast and throat are white shading into the grey-brown belly and flanks. Its tail is long, rounded, and has a chestnut tint. On the other hand, the Eastern Chat-Tanager has dark brown upperparts and a white eye ring but no yellow face patch. Its tail is shorter and more squared off.
During the breeding season, May to July, they build a large and unusual cup-shaped nest with an overhanging dome and a front entrance. They use small woody stems, vines, moss, and lichens for the outer part and line the inside with stems and pieces of leaves. Clutch size is 2 pale blue eggs with brown spots.
Both parents help feed their chicks. The dad doesn’t bring food very often, but the mom shows up with food every 15 to 20 minutes when she’s not keeping the chicks warm. The mom also cleans up after the chicks by carrying away their faecal pellets (poop). Meanwhile, the dad watches nearby and sings often, usually from a perch within 10 meters of the nest.
The conservation status of the Western Chat-Tanager is considered to be Vulnerable by the IUCN, due to widespread clearing of forests particularly in Haiti. The Dominican Republic has several protected areas. One of these places is the Sierra de Bahoruco, a big mountain range where the Western Chat-Tanager can be found. That’s why it’s so important to support environmental groups that work hard to protect these wild places from pollution and deforestation so amazing birds like the Western Chat-Tanager can have a safe home to live and hide. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Aliya Hosein and Holly Garrod for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration.
Colour in the Western Chat-Tanager
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Western Chat-Tanager
The song of the Western Chat-Tanager is a loud, whistled “tsew, tsee-ew, tsee-ew, tsu, tsu, tsu.”
Enjoy these photos of the Western Chat-Tanager
Western Chat-Tanager. (Photo by Dax Roman)Western Chat-Tanager. (Photo by Dax Roman)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Can you find the words in our Western Chat-Tanager word search? Read the text above all about this endemic bird to remind yourself of some of the interesting facts and information, as you look for all 15 hidden words!
Remember the words appear forwards and backwards, as are horizontal, vertical and diagonal! Need some help? Or want to check your answers? You can see where all the words were here.
Enjoy this video of a Western Chat-Tanager in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2026 is “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter” — shining the spotlight on the power of citizen science, reminding us that you don’t need a lab coat or a PhD to contribute to science; you just need curiosity and a genuine love for nature and community. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Grand Cayman Bullfinch
Also known as the “Black Sparrow”, the Grand Cayman Bullfinch bears no resemblance to any other birds in its neighborhood. With a body size and shape typical to finches, the Grand Cayman Bullfinch is only around 5.5 inches long, entirely black) and sports a sleek white stripe along the borders of a closed wing. Females and immatures are duller, grayish olive with a darker head. The stubby, thick and strong bill tells us it’s a seed-eater who forages on fruits in different kinds of habitats.
With a distinctive look, and perhaps an even more distinctive insect-like call “chi-p and zee zee”, the endemic Grand Cayman Bullfinch has only recently been recognized as a full species. Up until July 2023, the Bullfinch found on Grand Cayman was considered a subspecies of the Cuban Bullfinch. The split marks exciting news for the islands, since the only other endemic and full species to inhabit Grand Cayman was the Grand Cayman Thrush, last seen in 1938—and now only found to adorn the local one cent copper coins.
Despite relatively low detections, the Department of Environment (DoE) has in 2023 estimated the population of the Grand Cayman Bullfinch at around 2,500 birds; however, data is sparse so this number should be understood as a guide only. Historically found throughout the small island of Grand Cayman (76 square miles), the bullfinch has been pushed further and further east due to the rapid rate of development and general urbanization. Usually seen in small flocks and inhabiting primary forest as well as dry shrubland, pastures, and buttonwood, the species is found foraging at ground level as well as at the top of the canopy.
Globular nests are built by both parents, usually using an intricate web woven of multiple materials such as grasses, roots, and vines. The nest entrance is found to the side whereby both parents come and go to feed their young after the successful hatching of their 2 – 4 whitish-green eggs with brown spots.
Interestingly, the DoE recorded bullfinch detections west of Savannah during the 2025 population monitoring effort, which is uncommon in recent times due to the above-mentioned development encroachment of eastward habitat. IUCN Red List reclassification of this species to a Near Threatened species of Global Concern is likely to occur in the future given the bullfinch’s restricted range as a single island endemic.
Retaining wild and natural vegetation is a key first step to protecting this Bullfinch and avoiding the monotone short lawns and/or stone gardens which offer little to no value to it. Letting patches of grass and shrubbery stand tall and wild will provide seeds and fruits and tall trees will offer protection and nesting resources.Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Jane Haakonsson for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration.
Colour in the Grand Cayman Bullfinch
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Grand Cayman Bullfinch
The song of the Grand Cayman Bullfinch is a buzzy trill dropping in pitch then rising again.
Enjoy these photos of the Grand Cayman Bullfinch
Grand Cayman Bullfinch, male feeding. (Photo by Aaron Boone, Macaulay Library- ML151426391)
Grand Cayman Bullfinch, female. (Photo by Karen Fung, Macaulay Library- ML565760171)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Test your knowledge of where Caribbean endemic birds live with our ‘Fly away home’ Map Matching Activity!
Draw lines from the picture of each Caribbean endemic bird to match each one with its home. You can find out more about Caribbean endemic birds by reading our posts each day or you can go back and find all the endemic birds that we have featured in previous years here. You can also find out all about our Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book with even more birds to colour in!
Here is the Answer Key – don’t look until you have completed the activity!!!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2026 is “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter” — shining the spotlight on the power of citizen science, reminding us that you don’t need a lab coat or a PhD to contribute to science; you just need curiosity and a genuine love for nature and community. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Black-billed Streamertail
The Streamertail is a symbol of Jamaica’s national pride and our rich biodiversity. While the average Jamaican may not be able to easily differentiate the Black-billed Streamertail from its more widespread compatriot, the Red-billed Streamertail, this striking bird still captures the eyes and hearts of Jamaicans and visitors alike.
It is primarily found in eastern Jamaica, particularly in the parishes of Portland, St. Thomas, and parts of St. Mary. It is closely related to the Red-billed Streamertail known locally as “Doctor Bird”, but the two are distinct species, separated by both geography and subtle differences in appearance and behavior.
Measuring about 22-24 cm in body length including their tail streamers—long, prominent trailing tail feathers for which the male Black-billed Streamertail is most famous for! These tail streamers, which curve and flutter behind it as it flies, produce a distinctive humming sound. Males are an iridescent emerald green with a black bill, while females lack the extravagant tail and have a duller greenish-brown appearance with a white belly. The females of both species are very similar and not always distinguishable in the field. Identity is usually assumed based on location.
Black-billed Streamertails are nectarivores (primarily feed on nectar). They feed on the flowers of native plants like heliconias, wild bananas, and mistletoe; in doing so, they play a critical role in pollination, transferring pollen from flower to flower. They also snack on small insects and spiders to get the protein they need to stay strong. These agile birds are fiercely territorial, often defending feeding sites from rivals and other nectar-feeding species.
During breeding season, females build tiny cup-shaped nests out of plant fibers, moss, and cobwebs, usually attaching them to tree branches or vines. They lay one or two tiny eggs, which they incubate alone, while males focus on displaying and defending their territories.
Although currently classified as “Least Concern” by the IUCN, the Black-billed Streamertail faces threats from habitat loss due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure development. Conservation efforts, including habitat protection and responsible land management, are crucial to ensuring the survival of this extraordinary hummingbird.
A true gem of Jamaica’s forests, the Black-billed Streamertail is always a treat for nature lovers with its dazzling plumage and acrobatic flight, serving as a reminder of the island’s unique and fragile ecosystems.Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Justin Saunders for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration.
Colour in the Black-billed Streamertail
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Black-billed Streamertail
The calls of the Black-billed Streamertail are a high pitched ‘twink–twink–twink’
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the images below to do the puzzles. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Black-billed Streamertail looks for food. (Photo by Glenn Bartley)Black-billed Streamertail feeding on nectar. (Photo by Glenn Bartley)Black-billed Streamertail in flight. (Photo by Dubi Shapiro, Macaulay Library-ML205120501)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: During our 2026 celebration of Caribbean endemic birds we will be sharing a beautiful colouring page for every single bird we feature! These lovely pages were created for us by Arnaldo Toledo, who also created a coloured in version of each bird as inspiration. Get your colour pencils ready, and read these super helpful colouring in tips below. Then go ahead, download and print each bird, and get colouring! Enjoy!
These tips are also available in Spanish:
Discover the birds of the Caribbean with Origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, and learn how to fold a hummingbird out of paper with this video! All you need is a square sheet of paper – 24 x 24 cm is ideal. The video will show you step by step how to fold and create your hummingbird!
Enjoy this video of a Black-billed Streamertail in the wild!
Blue-winged Teals take flight. (Photo by Sam Zhang, Macaulay Library-ML363398841)
In the Caribbean we are blessed with more than 30 species of ducks, with resident species joined by migratory visitors in fall and winter — with the occasional (exciting) ‘rare’ bird showing up too! Male ducks in breeding plumage typically sport colorful features that make identification easier, even when species look similar.
But, what about females, immatures, and males out of breeding plumage (known as ‘eclipse males’)? Fear not — we’re here to help you identify the tricky ‘brown ones’. Read on for some great tips!
In this guide we’ll focus on females of five common migratory ducks that pass through or winter in the Caribbean, with ‘bonus’ tips on four additional, less common species. We will also touch on some of the rarer species that visit the Caribbean which can be easily mixed up with the common ones.
Before you dive in — take a look and see how many of our five species you can already identify!
Blue-winged Teal
These are one of the most common duck visitors to the Caribbean! Even females are often unmistakable in flight thanks to the powder-blue on the wing. This is shared by Northern Shoveler (see next), but the blue for the shoveler is less extensive and they also have bold white on the wing — which the teals lack.
When swimming look for the dark eye-line and black bill. Males in eclipse plumage may also show a faint ‘ghost’ of the white ‘crescent’ mark behind the bill, seen when they are in breeding plumage.
While similar, Green-winged Teal females (see below) are a warmer brown, and have a cream stripe at the rear. You may also spot some of the green on the wing, even when they are swimming.
Northern Shoveler
This duck might be known as the ‘Hollywood Mallard’ for the male’s flashy looks — but females are more demure. Like many female ducks, they show heavily marked brown-buff plumage — but their large spoon-shaped bill is a dead giveaway.
You can also look for a wash of powder blue on the leading edge of the wing in flight, combined with a white stripe.
American Wigeon
Breeding male American Wigeons bring glamour to the wetland! With a green eye patch and white crown, males are hard to mis-identify. Females and non-breeding males are more subtle, but you can recognize these short-billed ducks from the rusty, warm brown tones of their body plumage.
Females look plainer and less mottled than other female brown ducks, with a gray-brown head with that dark smudge around the eyes. Look also for the pale bill with a black tip.
The similar Eurasian Wigeon is a rare visitor to the Caribbean and can cause confusion. Breeding male American and Eurasian Wigeons look quite different. The American Wigeon shows a striking green stripe behind the eye, has a gray brown head and white cap. In contrast Eurasian males have a chestnut head and buff cap. However, females can be hard to separate. Look for the grayer, ‘colder’ colored head in the American Wigeon — and in flight, American Wigeons show white under the wing, whilst Eurasians are silvery gray.
A Quick Feeding Tip!
The way ducks feed can also help narrow down your ID. The ducks above are all ‘dabbling ducks’ — you’re likely to see them in shallow water, tipping head down, tail up in the air.
The next two species are ‘diving ducks’ — they dive head-first underwater when feeding, completely disappearing beneath the surface.
Ring-necked Duck
Despite the name, the male’s chestnut collar across its black neck is hard to see in the field—so don’t rely on it! Females have a brown-gray body, and pale white feathers around the base of the bill. Their heads feature a brown cap that contrasts with its gray face and white eye-ring.
Their bills are also helpful: look for the distinctive white a white band across it near the tip. Males in eclipse plumage display a brown plumage with brown-black head, breast, and back. They can be distinguished from females by their bright yellow eyes and lack of an eye-ring.
Lesser Scaup
Female Less Scaups are a warm chocolate brown. Unlike the Ring-necked Duck, their head and face is almost entirely brown, with a white patch that varies in size just behind the bill, and yellow eyes.
Males have black heads with purple/green iridescence, a black neck and breast, white sides, and greyish marbled looking backs. Both sexes have a white wing-stripe, which runs half-way along the trailing edge of the upper wing, and is visible in flight.
This species is very similar to the far rarer Greater Scaup. The best way to tell them apart is by head shape — the Lesser Scaup’s head is narrower and egg-shaped with a peak near the back of the head, while the head of the Greater Scaup is more rounded. In addition, the sides and back of the Greater Scaup are lighter.
And the rest…
We’ve covered the five most common species of migratory ducks found in the Caribbean — let’s now consider a few less common but noteworthy species.
The Mallard is what most people think of when they picture a duck. Males have a distinctive glossy green head, yellow bill, and bright orange legs and feet. Females and young males are mottled brown, with a dark bill. They may resemble female shovelers but lack the massive bill! In flight, look for the blue wing-patch bordered with white.
Gadwalls are subtly patterned and can look dull at first glance. Females can resemble female mallards, but have a thinner, darker bill and no blue-wing patch. In flight, look for small, white wing patches that are a distinctive feature of this species .
Male Green-winged Teals have a green stripe behind the eye, similar to American Wigeons, but lack the white ‘forehead’ and are MUCH smaller. Females can look like female blue-winged Teals, but again are smaller (see above). Remember, you can look for the cream stripe at the rear of Green-winged Teals — and in flight, as the name suggests, they have green wing patches.
Finally, let’s consider the Northern Pintail. This duck has a distinctive elegant silhouette that sets both the males and females apart. They are long necked and long tailed. Even though the female is brown, her silhouette distinguishes her from other ‘brown ducks’. Whilst she does not have the VERY long tail of the male, she still appears longer in the tail than other ducks. She also has a chestnut-coloured face that is less patterned and plainer looking than other female ducks.
We hope this guide has set you on the path of duck ID enlightenment! There are of course several other species of duck that are found in the region, either as year-round residents or rarer visitors. We highly recommend using your field guide, taking photos when possible, and exploring resources like Birds of the World, which is free to access in the Caribbean thanks to our partnership with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. For trickier, rarer migrants, be sure to check out the All About Birds pages from Cornell, where you can compare similar species side-by-side.
Good luck and happy duck spotting!
You can view all the graphics, plus a ‘bonus’ quiz in this pdf booklet:
We’ve made an ID card that you can download, print as a two-sided 8.5×11 page, and laminate for easy reference in the field.
Get ready for the 17th annual Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) Region-Wide count! This year is extra special as we mark the 60thyear of the International Waterbird Census (IWC) — a global effort to collect waterbird data, of which the CWC is a part. From January 14th to February 3rd 2026, you can directly contribute to Caribbean Waterbird conservation.
Did you know that when you take part in our CWC regional count you are part of something much bigger? Since 1967, thousands of people around the world have headed to their local wetlands to take part in the International Waterbird Census (IWC). That’s 60 years of global citizen science efforts, all dedicated to tracking the health of waterbird populations and the wetlands they depend on! And our very own CWC has been part of this for the past 16 years! You can find out more about this special 60th anniversary of the IWC here.
Supporting over 185 species of waterbirds, Caribbean wetlands are great places to explore to discover amazing birds and habitats. You might see one of our Caribbean endemics like the West Indian Whistling Duck, or ones of the many globally threatened species that live there, including many migrants such as shorebirds like Lesser Yellowlegs and Short-billed Dowitchers. Our wetlands are threatened by coastal development, pollution and the impacts of climate change, so it’s critical that we protect these special places. The data you collect in this ongoing, annual, standardized survey is essential for helping us understand how to best protect these amazing habitats and protect these birds. CWC surveys are also critical in keeping up to date with the changes and threats to waterbirds and their wetland homes.
How to be part of the bigger picture
As we mark our 17th year, you can play an important role in this global effort to protect waterbirds and wetlands! Anyone can participate in the CWC –— just head out to your nearest wetland, and record the birds you see — don’t wait, just wade right into the wonderful world of waterbirds!
Birding at Hellshire Wetlands, Jamaica. (Photo by Damion Whyte)
The Lesser Yellowlegs, a medium-sized shorebird widespread in the Caribbean, has suffered a population decline of 30 to 49%. Its IUCN threat level has been raised from Least Concern to Vulnerable. (Photo by Hemant Kishan)
The Cargill Salt Ponds site also supports other habitat types, like these mangroves. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
West Indian Whistling-Duck & Wetlands Conservation
For CWC, a wetland is any area where water is the primary factor controlling what lives there. These include any place where water is covering the land or is just below the surface. This wide definition includes coastal wetlands like mangroves, mud flats, lagoons and beaches, as well as inland wetlands like lakes, ponds, swamps, areas around rivers and streams and even some types of agriculture (e.g. rice fields). Of course, because this is the Caribbean Waterbird Census, you need to be in the Caribbean to take part! You can find more information about how to conduct surveys here.
Get with the project
Getting a CWC list on eBird. (photo by EAG)
All our CWC data is still stored on eBird, but earlier in 2025 CWC became a project in eBird. This means that you need to be part of the project on eBird to ensure that your counts contribute to our amazing database!
Here’s the good news—if you’ve ever submitted a checklist using a CWC protocol in the past—you’ve likely been automatically added to the project! Check out the CWC project pages here to confirm you’ve joined.
If you’re new to CWC or if for some reason you’ve not been joined, just visit the CWC Project Page and click “Learn how to join.” Review the info about the project, scroll to the end and then click “Join Project.” If you are not logged into eBird you will be prompted to “Login to Join Project.”
Once you’ve joined the CWC project, it’s easy to add your CWC lists to our database on the eBird app or on the website.
Here’s how:
CWC in the eBird Mobile App:
Tap “Choose projects” above the “Start checklist”’ button.
Select the CWC project, and, if you like, ask the app to remember this choice for future submissions. If you do this CWC will appear automatically above the “Start checklist” button next time you use App.
Tap “Continue” and do your count (it’s that simple!)
Next time you do a count at a Caribbean wetland, select “Caribbean Waterbird Census” above the “Start checklist” button.
CWC on the eBird Website:
Go to the Submit page.
Use the “Choose a Project” dropdown to check the box next to “Caribbean Waterbird Census.”
Then follow the steps below to add your list details as normal.
Now that CWC is a project there are no longer specific ‘CWC protocols’ in eBird, you just need to select the “Traveling” or “Stationary” protocol before submitting.
Remember that although these are waterbird counts, you should be sure to count all the birds that you see and hear during your survey visits, not just the waterbirds. If you need help with eBird submissions, have questions about which protocol to choose, or with setting up an eBird account, please contact Alex Sansom: waterbird.manager@birdscaribbean.org
You can learn more about the CWC project on eBird here. And if you’re completely new to eBird, start by looking at this page that will guide you through opening an account and adding data.
Reddish Egret at Las Salinas De Brito, Cuba (Photo Andrew Dobson)
Forget to choose the CWC project in eBird?
You went out in the field, you started your list in eBird and did your CWC survey and submitted the list…. THEN you realize that you forgot the “choose a project” step at the start! It happens! This means your list will not be ‘counted’ as part of the CWC- yet. But don’t worry it can be fixed, you just need add it to the project after you have submitted.
On the eBird app, go to “checklists”, then toggle to show your submitted lists. Next find the list that should have been in the CWC project and open it. Open the ‘edit checklist’ menu (click on the edit icon on the top right), then once in ‘edit’ mode, choose the ‘edit’ menu icon again (again in the top right). Here you will see a menu with the option to ‘choose projects’. Click on this and select the Caribbean Water Census from your projects (of course you need to have joined the project already to do this!). Then save your changes.
On the eBird website it’s slightly different. You can go to ‘My Checklists’, and choose the one you want to add to the CWC project. Once this list is open, you need to select the ‘Edit Location’ option. When you click on this you will see the ‘choose project’ option, at the top of the page under the ‘Where did you bird?’ heading. Just select the Caribbean Waterbird Census project and save the changes.
Surveying in San Juan estuary. (Photo by Emilio Font SOPI)
We’re here to help!
Never done a CWC survey before or need a refresher? Don’t worry! We’ve pulled together some amazing resources that will help you with your counts. To help you get started on your CWC survey journey or give you a reminder about how to take part check out our helpful YouTube webinar that takes you through the steps of how to participate in the CWC*!
*This is a great introduction to the CWC and how to plan your counts and carry out surveys, but the information on adding data to eBird has been updated since it was recorded. Please use the information provided above and here. Join the project, then remember to choose the project when making your eBird list to make sure your data gets included as CWC in eBird.
If you need a hand with your waterbird ID you’ve come to the right place—why not brush up on your ID skills using our helpful videos on YouTube! Part I covers herons, egrets, ducks, marsh birds, and seabirds. Part II tackles those tricky shorebirds! We also have even more ID, survey planning tips, and outreach resources that are available for you to use and download on this page. This includes information on what to do if you see a banded bird during your surveys as well as our handy ID Guide to Common Caribbean Shorebirds, which can print and take with you on your surveys.
Shanna explains bird ID at McKinnons Pond, Antigua, during the 2025 CWC Count. (Photo by Sherrel Charles)
Ajhermae White helps students of the Grade 5 class of Look Out Primary School with shorebird ID during their field trip at Marguerita Bay. (Photo by Stephen Mendes)
If you need more help with those troublesome shorebirds you can also check out our series of short videos. Each of these deals with ID-ing some of the shorebirds that are more difficult separate, even those tricky small sandpipers!
Have fun out there!
We hope you have a great time exploring your country’s wetlands and counting birds during the regional CWC count! Please remember to stay safe and carry out your counts responsibly. This means taking care not to disturb the birds or damage their habitats. Enjoy counting birds and see how many of your local wetlands you can visit during this three-week period! Finally, if you enjoy your CWC experience remember that CWC counts are not limited to the regional count. You can do a CWC survey at any time of year as long as you are in a Caribbean wetland and count all the birds you see!
Good luck! We look forward to hearing about your findings. If you need help with bird ID, or have photos and exciting observations to share, please post to our Waterbird Group Listserv (everyone is welcome to join) and/or on our BirdsCaribbean Facebook page. For sharing on social media, use hashtags: #CaribbeanWaterbirdCensus #CWC2026 #WaterbirdsCount and for this special IWC anniversary year #IWC60 AND please tag us: @BirdsCaribbean
The Caribbean Waterbird Census is an ongoing, long-term survey effort that provides important data that helps us keep track of the birds using Caribbean wetlands, understand the threats they face, and raise awareness. With 27,000+ CWC lists in our long-term database, we’re building an invaluable resource for bird conservation across the region. You can support the CWC here.
Promotional Social Media Graphics – Please feel free to download these graphics and use these to promote your Caribbean Waterbird Census surveys (just open the graphic you want to use right click and choose ‘save image as’) .
Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) with us in 2025! This year’s theme is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”. Have fun learning about a new migratory bird every day. We have coloring pages, interesting facts, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Migratory Bird of the Day: Northern Yellow Warbler
A ray of sunshine visiting from the north—it’s the Northern Yellow Warbler! Formally known as the Yellow Warbler, this species—which once included a whopping 37 subspecies—was recently split into two: the Northern (migratory) and Mangrove (resident) Yellow Warblers. As of October 2025, ornithologists officially recognize them as distinct species. We’ll share more on this split soon, but as we celebrate migratory birds, let’s learn more about the northern traveler.
True to its name, the Northern Yellow Warbler is almost entirely yellow with beady black eyes and stout bill. Males shine in bright yellow plumage with a yellow-green back and reddish streaks on the breast. Females are also yellow overall, but paler, and immatures range from dull yellow to brownish to grayish. At just 12–13 cm long and around 10 grams in weight—about the weight of a chopstick—these tiny birds are a burst of color and energy in any landscape.
They breed across most of North America in shrubby thickets and woodlands, particularly along streams, swamps, and lakeshores. Their neat, cup-shaped nests are usually tucked into shrubs or low trees, carefully woven from plant fibers, grass, and down.
Few sounds capture the joy of spring quite like their sweet, musical song—“sweet-sweet-sweet, I’m-so-sweet!”—one of the easiest warbler songs to recognize. During the non-breeding season, you’ll be far more likely to hear them making persistent, repeated chip calls as they move through mangrove, scrub, wetland edges, forest and even the trees in your garden!
These remarkable migrants travel thousands of kilometers from their breeding grounds to wintering sites in Central and northern South America, flying nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico. They’re regular passage migrants through The Bahamas and Greater Antilles, with a few migratory birds also possibly passing through Lesser Antilles. In Puerto Rico and Cuba, these bright birds are woven into local folklore as cheerful omens of rain and renewal. During migration they can be seen beside resident Mangrove Yellow Warblers. Males of the resident species are distinctive, with heavier streaking on the breast and varying amounts of reddish-chestnut on the crown and head, but females are notoriously tricky to tell apart!
Feeding mainly on insects—caterpillars, mosquitos, beetles, flies, spiders, and more—Northern Yellow Warblers play a vital role in natural pest control. In coffee farms of Costa Rica, both Northern and Mangrove Yellow Warblers help coffee farmers by reducing infestations of coffee berry borers. In other areas, they help keep mosquito numbers down, much to the relief of the human population.
Like other migratory birds, they depend on healthy forests, wetlands, and mangroves for their survival. There are many ways you can help them! Why not plant and/ or protect patches of native trees and shrubs for shelter and foraging? You should also avoid pesticides—warblers rely on insects for food! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Jethro van’t Hul for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration!
Color in the Northern Yellow Warbler
Download the Migratory Birds of the Day Coloring Page! Use the picture above and the photos on this page as your guide, or look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your colored-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #WMBD2025Carib
Listen to the calls of the Northern Yellow Warbler
The call of the Northern Yellow Warbler is short, repeated ‘chip’
Enjoy these photos of Northern Yellow Warblers
Female Northern Yellow Warbler. (Photo by Linda Petersen)
Male Northern Yellow Warbler. (Photo by Jesse Gordon)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Get ready to head out on a bird-friendly adventure with our bird-friendly bingo game! Ask a trusted adult if you can take a walk in your backyard, or go with them on a walk around your neighbourhood. As you walk around look carefully for things that help keep birds safe in your community. You can then mark them off on the bingo card we provide in our game! Get out there and see what you can find!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Northern Yellow Warbler in the wild!
Want to brush up your shorebird ID skills or learn how to conduct Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) counts? Keep reading for details about this exciting opportunity!
BirdsCaribbean is pleased to invite applications for a five-day training workshop focused on shorebird and waterbird identification and CWC survey methods. Participants will strengthen their ID skills, and learn counting and survey techniques through a blend of classroom and field-based activities. We’ll also explore key threats to shorebirds and wetlands and discuss conservation solutions.
We’re delighted to host this workshop at Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Puerto Rico, thanks to a partnership with JBNERR. from 23-27 February, 2026 — mark your calendars! JBNERR is on the Southern coast of Puerto Rico. With mangroves, salt flats, and seasonal lagoons it’s a haven for thousands of migratory shorebirds, and hosts a wonderful diversity of other waterbirds. It’s the perfect place to learn more about CWC and waterbird ID!
Why count shorebirds and waterbirds?
Wetlands across the Caribbean are critical for numerous resident and migratory waterbirds — yet they face mounting threats, from coastal development and pollution to land-use change and climate change impacts. In addition, migratory shorebirds are experiencing alarming declines over the last decades, and need our help. Protecting birds starts with understanding where they go and what habitats they rely on.
Out in Jobos bay doing CWC surveys by boat. (Photo by Carmen Maldonado)
Monti Cristi in the Dominican Republic is estimated to host 20,000+ migrating shorebirds per year—making it a regionally important site! (Photo by Maria Paulino)
Great Blue Heron, Blassina Puerto Rico. (Photo by Eliezer Nieves)
Systematic bird monitoring allows us to:
Identify key habitats and stopover sites
Understand migration patterns and threats
Prioritize areas for protection or restoration
Track the success of conservation and management actions
Critical data on shorebird migration, especially during fall migration, are still lacking in the Caribbean. Expanded monitoring across regional wetlands will help identify and safeguard priority sites—advancing Caribbean biodiversity goals and supporting global shorebird conservation efforts.
About the workshop
This will be the 6th CWC Training Workshop in the region — and the first in seven years! Like our 2019 event, it will cover essential topics in waterbird monitoring and conservation.
This bilingual (English and Spanish) workshop is designed for Caribbean wildlife professionals and volunteers interested in strengthening their waterbird and shorebird ID and survey skills. Prior experience is helpful, but not required. The workshop is open to anyone eager to learn more about waterbird monitoring techniques—especially those who wish to initiate or expand waterbird and wetland monitoring programs in their home countries. Preference will be given to individuals working in protected areas, wetland conservation, or bird monitoring with government agencies or NGOs in the Caribbean, as well as those committed to launching or growing a CWC monitoring program.
Field trip within Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
The goals of the workshop are to:
Increase awareness and appreciation of the Caribbean’ importance for shorebirds and waterbirds
Build confidence in identifying common Caribbean shorebirds
Share information waterbird ecology and the threats that they face
Provide participants with the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to conduct CWC surveys and contribute to regional monitoring
Inspire and facilitate involvement in conservation action, including raising public awareness, alleviating threats, and restoring habitats that have been damaged
Grow our regional network of CWC monitors and stewards of our shared waterbirds
The workshop will be a mixture of classroom and field trip sessions, meaning there will be daily opportunities to practice survey and identification skills.
Topics covered
Participants will gain comprehensive training in:
A volunteer uses a Shorebird ID card at a Caribbean Waterbird Census count. (Photo by Dayamiris Candelario OPAS)
Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) overview: How to design and implement a monitoring program
Field training in shorebird ID, counting, and wetland habitat monitoring using standardized CWC monitoring techniques
Threats to shorebirds and their wetland habitats (e.g., dumping, habitat destruction and degradation, water mismanagement, invasive species, disturbance, etc.) and education, conservation, and management strategies to mitigate these threats
Engaging citizen scientists and sustaining long-term monitoring
Data entry and use of eBird
Sharing results with decision-makers and the public
By the end of the workshop, you will have received comprehensive training in both CWC survey techniques and field identification of Caribbean shorebirds. You will be equipped to monitor wetland sites (including changes in condition and threats), recruit and train new volunteers, and raise awareness about waterbird conservation in your community.
Funding and Logistics
We aim to include approximately 25 participants in this workshop. BirdsCaribbean has funding for a limited number of need- and merit-based scholarships to cover travel and participation costs. Specific funds are available for nationals of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, and we strongly encourage applications from these islands.
Please note: Participants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents will need to obtain the appropriate U.S. visa or travel authorization in advance. We strongly encourage you to check your national visa requirements and apply early to ensure entry to Puerto Rico. Find out more here.
Participants who are able to contribute part or all of their expenses will help us include more participants. We encourage applications from all candidates who are well-suited to make use of this training, regardless of their financial ability.
Participants should plan to arrive Puerto Rico by February 22 and depart on February 28.
Applications
If you’re interested in participating in this workshop, please complete the application form by November 25, 2025.
If you have any questions, please send an email to: Alex Sansom (Waterbird.Manager@BirdsCaribbean.org)
We are grateful to the US Forest Service International Programs and Cape Cod Bird Club for providing funding support and to the staff at Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve for kindly hosting this workshop.
Oportunidad de Capacitación: Conservación de los Humedales del Caribe- Taller de Identificación y Censo de Aves Acuáticas y Costeras
¿Quiere refrescar sus habilidades de identificación de aves playeras o aprender a realizar recuentos del Censo de Aves Acuáticas del Caribe (CWC)? ¡Siga leyendo para obtener más detalles sobre esta emocionante oportunidad!
BirdsCaribbean se complace en invitar a presentar solicitudes para un taller de capacitación de cinco días centrado en la identificación de aves playeras y los métodos de estudio del CWC. Los participantes reforzarán sus habilidades de identificación y aprenderán técnicas de recuento y estudio mediante una combinación de actividades en el aula y en el campo. También exploraremos las principales amenazas para las aves playeras y los humedales y discutiremos soluciones de conservación.
Estamos encantados de organizar este taller en la Reserva Nacional de Investigación Estuarina de la Bahía de Jobos en Puerto Rico, gracias a la colaboración con JBNERR. Del 23 al 27 de febrero de 2026: ¡apúntelo en su calendario! JBNERR se encuentra en la costa sur de Puerto Rico. Con manglares, salinas y lagunas estacionales, es un refugio para miles de aves playeras migratorias y alberga una maravillosa diversidad de otras aves acuáticas. ¡Es el lugar perfecto para aprender más sobre CWC y la identificación de aves acuáticas!
¿Por qué contar las aves costeras y acuáticas?
Los humedales del Caribe son fundamentales para numerosas aves acuáticas residentes y migratorias, pero se enfrentan a amenazas cada vez mayores, desde el desarrollo costero y la contaminación hasta los cambios en el uso del suelo y los efectos del cambio climático. La protección de las aves comienza por comprender adónde van y de qué hábitats dependen.
Out in Jobos bay doing CWC surveys by boat. (Photo by Carmen Maldonado)
Monti Cristi in the Dominican Republic is estimated to host 20,000+ migrating shorebirds per year—making it a regionally important site! (Photo by Maria Paulino)
Great Blue Heron, Blassina Puerto Rico. (Photo by Eliezer Nieves)
El monitoreo sistemático de las aves nos permite:
Identificar hábitats clave y lugares de parada
Comprender los patrones migratorios y las amenazas
Priorizar las áreas para su protección o restauración
Hacer un seguimiento del éxito de las medidas de conservación y gestión
En el Caribe aún se carece de datos críticos sobre la migración de las aves costeras, especialmente durante la migración otoñal. La ampliación del monitoreo en los humedales regionales ayudará a identificar y salvaguardar los sitios prioritarios, lo que contribuirá a avanzar en los objetivos de biodiversidad del Caribe y respaldará los esfuerzos mundiales de conservación de las aves costeras.
Acerca del Taller
Este será el sexto taller de capacitación de la CWC en la región, ¡y el primero en siete años! Al igual que nuestro evento de 2019, cubrirá temas esenciales sobre el monitoreo y la conservación de las aves acuáticas.
Este taller bilingüe (inglés y español) está diseñado para profesionales y voluntarios del ámbito de la vida silvestre del Caribe interesados en mejorar sus habilidades para identificar y estudiar aves playeras. Se valora la experiencia previa, pero no es imprescindible. El taller está abierto a cualquier persona que desee aprender más sobre las técnicas de monitoreo de aves acuáticas, especialmente a aquellas que deseen iniciar o ampliar programas de monitoreo de aves acuáticas y humedales en sus países de origen. Se dará preferencia a las personas que trabajen en áreas protegidas, conservación de humedales o monitoreo de aves con agencias gubernamentales u ONG en el Caribe, así como a aquellas comprometidas con el establecimiento o el crecimiento de un programa de monitoreo de la CWC.
Los objetivos del taller son:
Aumentar la concienciación y la apreciación de la importancia del Caribe para las aves playeras y acuáticas.
Fomentar la confianza en la identificación de las aves playeras comunes del Caribe.
Compartir información sobre la ecología de las aves acuáticas y las amenazas a las que se enfrentan.
Proporcionar a los participantes los conocimientos, las habilidades y las herramientas necesarias para realizar estudios de aves acuáticas y contribuir al monitoreo regional.
Inspirar y facilitar la participación en acciones de conservación, incluyendo la sensibilización del público, la mitigación de amenazas y la restauración de hábitats que han sido dañados.
Ampliar nuestra red regional de monitoreos de la CWC y guardianes de nuestras aves acuáticas comunes.
El taller será una combinación de sesiones en el aula y excursiones, lo que significa que habrá oportunidades diarias para practicar las habilidades de estudio e identificación.
Temas de Discusión
Los participantes recibirán una capacitación completa en:
Descripción general del Censo de Aves Acuáticas del Caribe (CWC): cómo diseñar y poner en práctica un programa de monitoreo.
Capacitación de campo en identificación de aves costeras, recuento y monitoreo de hábitats de humedales utilizando técnicas de monitoreo estandarizadas del CWC.
Amenazas para las aves costeras y sus hábitats de humedales (por ejemplo, vertidos, destrucción y degradación del hábitat, mala gestión del agua, especies invasoras, perturbaciones, etc.) y estrategias de educación, conservación y gestión para mitigar estas amenazas.
Participación de científicos ciudadanos y mantenimiento de un monitoreo a largo plazo.
Introducción de datos y uso de eBird.
Compartir los resultados con los responsables de la toma de decisiones y el público.
Al finalizar el taller, habrá recibido una capacitación completa tanto en las técnicas de estudio de la CWC como en la identificación de campo de las aves playeras del Caribe. Estará preparado para supervisar los humedales (incluidos los cambios en su estado y las amenazas), reclutar y formar a nuevos voluntarios y sensibilizar a su comunidad sobre la conservación de las aves playeras.
Financiación y Logística
Nuestro objetivo es incluir aproximadamente 25 participantes en este taller. BirdsCaribbean dispone de fondos para un número limitado de becas basadas en las necesidades y los méritos, que cubren los gastos de viaje y participación. Hay fondos específicos disponibles para los ciudadanos de Puerto Rico e Islas Vírgenes de los Estados Unidos, por lo que animamos encarecidamente a los residentes de estas islas a que presenten su solicitud.
Nota: Los participantes que no sean ciudadanos estadounidenses ni residentes permanentes deberán obtener con antelación el visado estadounidense o la autorización de viaje correspondientes. Le recomendamos encarecidamente que verifique los requisitos de visado de su país y lo solicite con antelación para garantizar su entrada a Puerto Rico. Más información aquí.
Los participantes que puedan contribuir con parte o la totalidad de sus gastos nos ayudarán a incluir a más participantes. Animamos a todos los candidatos que reúnan los requisitos para aprovechar esta capacitación a que presenten su solicitud, independientemente de su capacidad económica.
Los participantes deben planificar su llegada a Puerto Rico para el 22 de febrero y su salida para el 28 de febrero.
Solicitudes
Si está interesado en participar en este taller, complete el formulario de solicitud antes del 25 de noviembre de 2025.
Si tiene alguna pregunta, envíe un correo electrónico a: Alex Sansom (Waterbird.Manager@BirdsCaribbean.org)
Agradecemos al US Forest Service International Programs y al Cape Cod Bird Club su apoyo financiero y al personal de la Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve por aceptar acoger este taller.
The 60th anniversary of the International Waterbird Census (IWC) is coming up! We’d love for the Caribbean to contribute to the celebration that Wetlands International is planning. They are collecting waterbird survey stories from all around the world to share, showing the amazing breadth and enthusiasm for waterbird monitoring and conservation. You can make sure the Caribbean is showcased. Read on to find out how!
The Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) is one of five regional International Waterbird Census –which means counts from the CWC regional count contribute to this amazing global database! It also means that YOU can be part of the IWC 60th anniversary celebrations.
Wetlands International is sharing these ‘post cards from the field’ on a story map. Currently the Caribbean is looking a little bit empty but by adding your story you can change that!
Your ‘story’ can be very short (just one paragraph). You can share about who you are and where your do your counts; or about a memorable day in the field or an exciting bird you’ve seen during your counts or anything else you’d like to tell people about the birds and wetlands you do CWC counts in! If you need some inspiration for the type of story that might work, take a look at https://iwc.wetlands.org/postcards where you can see other people’s contributions.
Will you send a postcard from the field? All you need to do is:
Grab your fave photo from any CWC count
Write some short text about your CWC counts
Share them using the Google form (below)
You can share your story in English, French or Spanish, just chose your preferred language and click on the link to the form:
Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) with us in 2025! This year’s theme is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”. Have fun learning about a new migratory bird every day. We have coloring pages, interesting facts, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Migratory Bird of the Day: American Golden-Plover
This shorebird is golden! In breeding plumage the American Golden-Plover, a medium-sized, bowling-pin shaped shorebird, is spangled with golden flecks across its wings and back. This beautiful plumage contrasts with a black face and underside, bordered with white on the head and neck. They are a striking sight!
Outside the breeding season they have a change of wardrobe, molting into a more demure plumage. Males and females are both speckled brown with a pale eyebrow and dark cap. They lose their black underparts which become buffy and speckled. In non-breeding plumage American Golden-Plovers can be easy to confuse with Black-bellied Plovers. American Golden-Plovers are smaller and slighter looking, with a finer bill. They also lack the black ‘wing-pits’ sported by the Black-bellied Plover, you can get more ID tips here.
American Golden-Plovers breed in the Arctic, laying their eggs in ‘scrapes’ (a shallow depression on the ground), on the tundra. When breeding is over and it is time for them to head south these shorebirds really are migration masters! They make an epic journey south, with many individuals making the long flight from the east coast of North America down to South America without stopping once! Adults head off in late July and August, but they leave their chicks behind to follow later. These young birds might stay in the north until October, after which they also head to South America.
In the Caribbean we mainly see American Golden-Plovers during fall migration. Birds not able to do a non-stop trip all the way to South America will land to rest and refuel in Caribbean wetlands. American Golden-Plovers like to flock together and you might also spot them hanging out with other ‘shorebird friends’ like the Pectoral Sandpiper. You can look for them in wet grassy areas, agricultural areas like rice fields as well as on mudflats, and shorelines. Here they will be feeding on a variety of insects and insect larvae, as well as worms and mollusks.
Unfortunately, American Golden-Plover populations are declining and they have lost more than 50% of their population in the past 50 years. One of the main threats to them during migration is loss of habitat. This includes changes caused by unfavorable agricultural practices including, intensification, drainage and pesticides, and the conversion of their habitats to other uses such as residential developments and conversion of grasslands to row-crops. This beautiful shorebird relies on wet grasslands with healthy insect populations so switching to organic fertilizers and reducing pesticide use can help them out. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Alex Sansom for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration!
Color in the American Golden-Plover
Download the Migratory Birds of the Day Coloring Page! Use the picture above and the photos on this page as your guide, or look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your colored-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #WMBD2025Carib
Listen to the calls of the American Golden-Plover
The call of the American Golden-Plover is a plaintive “pleedoo”
Enjoy these photos of American Golden-Plovers
American Golden-Plover in non-breeding plumage. (Photo by Hemant Keshan)American Golden-Plover in flight. (Photo by James MacKenzie, Macaulay Library- ML481014871)
Flock of American Golden-Plovers molting out of their breeding plumage. (Photo by Jack Starret, Macaulay Library-ML623806656)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: American Golden-Plovers have seriously long migrations. Flying 1000s of miles nonstop over the ocean until they reach their final destinations. Because they have so far to go, golden-plovers fly at high speeds. Studies tracking the birds found they averaged over 30 mph—that’s as fast as a car driving on a main road. Sometimes they even reached more than 80 mph, during their long flights over the ocean!
In this activity you’re your own paper bird so it can be ready for its own long journey!
With the help of an adult, get ready to help your bird get its wings by gathering the following materials:
printed flapping bird template
scissors
glue
string
crayons, colored pencils or markers
You can download all the information, instructions and worksheet here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a American Golden-Plover in the wild!
Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) with us in 2025! This year’s theme is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”. Have fun learning about a new migratory bird every day. We have coloring pages, interesting facts, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Migratory Bird of the Day: Hudsonian Godwit
With long elegant legs and a long uptilted bill the Hudsonian Godwit certainly stands out from the crowd. This large shorebird is rusty red in the breeding season, but molts to a pale gray-brown with a white belly for the rest of the year. On migration you might still spot traces of rusty coloration. The bill is bi-colored, with pink at the base and black at the tip. In flight you will spot a white rump and wing-stripe together with dark underwings. This can help you separate them from other, rarer, godwits which might be seen in the Caribbean. Marbled Godwits have cinnamon washed underwings, while Black-tailed Godwits share the white wing stripe and white rump, but have a black tail and do not have a dark underwing.
Hudsonian Godwits breed in the arctic, in areas where boreal forest transitions into wet tundra meadows and bogs. The exact breeding range of this shorebird is not well understood and there are likely to be breeding areas that we don’t yet know about! We do know however that after breeding, Hudsonian Godwits make an incredible migration of nearly 10,000 miles from the arctic, all the way down to their wintering habitat near the southernmost tip of South America. Some birds have even been recorded in the Falkland Islands! This journey involves non-stop flights of thousands of miles, some of it over open ocean.
Hudsonian Godwits are not common visitors to the Caribbean, but they do sometimes take a break here to rest and refuel on their epic migration. You might spot a solo godwit, though sometimes they’ll hang out in small groups. You can find them by ponds or large rainwater pools on flooded agricultural areas (including rice farms) or wet pastures. They also rely on coastal areas including brackish swamps, estuaries, lagoons, and beaches. Hudsonian Godwits mainly eat soil dwelling invertebrates, probing for them in the mud with their long, but surprisingly flexible bills. Their flexible bill-tips allow godwits to bend their bill tip to grasp their prey in thick mud.
Hudsonian Godwits are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and their population is thought to be decreasing. This bird already has a relatively small global population, with a fragmented breeding range and a very restricted wintering area. In the Caribbean we can help by supporting wetland habitat protection and restoration efforts and joining wetland clean-ups wetlands; making sure there are places for godwits and other shorebirds to get the resources needed to successfully complete their long journeys. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Alex Sansom for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration!
Color in the Hudsonian Godwit
Download the Migratory Birds of the Day Coloring Page! Use the picture above and the photos on this page as your guide, or look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your colored-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #WMBD2025Carib
Listen to the calls of the Hudsonian Godwit
In wintering areas the Hudsonian Godwits are typically silent, but you might hear a flock makes soft “wheet, wheet” calls.
Enjoy these photos of Hudsonian Godwits
Hudsonian Godwit. (Photo by Kyle Tansley, Macaulay Library-ML278029941)
Hudsonian Godwit in flight, showing the white rump and wing stripe, and the dark underwing. (Photo by Luke Seitzt, Macaulay Library-ML66903611)
Hudsonian Godwit molting out of breeding plumage. (Photo by Peter Brannon)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Hudsonian Godwits are incredible travelers! Every year, they fly thousands of miles from the Arctic all the way to South America for the winter. That’s a super long journey! Along the way, they stop at important places called wetlands, like ponds, mudflats, beaches and even flooded farmland. These spots are like a perfect rest stop, full of yummy food like insects, worms, and small crustaceans that help them refuel for the rest of their trip.
With help from an adult, gather the following materials:
A paper plate
Small pebbles
Small sticks
moss
Plastic animals- optional
White cardstock or bristol board
Paints
Markers
Glue
Glue gun (optional)
Once you’ve gathered your materials, it’s time to make a wetland habitat no Hudsonian Godwit can resist! You can download all the information, instructions and worksheet here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Hudsonian Godwit the wild!
Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) with us in 2025! This year’s theme is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”. Have fun learning about a new migratory bird every day. We have coloring pages, interesting facts, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Migratory Bird of the Day: American Kestrel
North America’s smallest falcon is also one of the most widespread raptors in the Western Hemisphere—found from Alaska and Canada all the way south to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. Roughly the size of a Mourning Dove, this tiny falcon is strikingly colorful. Males have warm rusty backs and tails contrasting with slate-blue wings, while females are reddish-brown above with dark barring. Both sexes have pale underparts with brownish spotting, distinctive black vertical slashes on the sides of their faces—a “mustache” and a “sideburn”— and two black spots or “false eyes” on the back of the head, thought to deter potential attackers from the rear! Males sport a single black tail band, while females show multiple bars.
Small but mighty, kestrels feed mainly on insects (grasshoppers, cicadas, beetles, dragonflies, butterflies) and arachnids (spiders, scorpions), along with small rodents (mice, rats, voles, shrews, bats). These opportunistic hunters also eat lizards, reptiles, and even small songbirds. Their preferred hunting style is “sit-and-wait”— perching on wires or posts to watch for unsuspecting prey to pounce on. They’re also skilled at hover-hunting—hanging in mid-air as they scan below for savory grasshoppers, a favorite snack.
There are three unique subspecies in the Caribbean that look slightly different from each other: one found only on Hispaniola, an Eastern Caribbean race (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and Lesser Antilles to Grenada), and a Cuban race (Bahamas, Cuba, and Jamaica). These resident island forms are joined on some islands by migrants of the northern subspecies escaping the cold winter.
American Kestrels rely on cavities for nesting—using old woodpecker holes, natural tree hollows, rock crevices, and human structures, including nest boxes. If nest sites are scarce, kestrels will fight off or evict other animals like birds and squirrels to secure their spot. The male finds potential nesting sites and presents them to the female, who makes the final selection. She typically lays four or five eggs, which are cream to yellowish or light reddish-brown, and beautifully mottled with violet-magenta, gray, or brown.
Though widespread, American Kestrel populations are declining in parts of their range. Habitat loss from land clearing, removal of dead trees, and pesticide use threaten both their nesting sites and food supply. “Clean” farming practices, i.e., eliminating hedgerows and brush, also reduce their prey and nesting sites.
To help conserve American Kestrels and their insect prey, protect their natural habitats, preserve old trees, install nest boxes, and support sustainable farming practices that preserve hedgerows and natural spaces. Every action counts in ensuring a brighter future for these charismatic falcons and the ecosystems they rely on! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Holly Garrod and Aliya Hosein for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration!
Color in the American Kestrel
Download the Migratory Birds of the Day Coloring Page! Use the picture above and the photos on this page as your guide, or look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your colored-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #WMBD2025Carib
Listen to the calls of the American Kestrel
The American Kestrel makes a series of high-pitched “killi-killi-killi” calls.
Enjoy these photos of American Kestrels
American Kestrel with prey in Cuba, whilst these raptors feed primarily on insects they also eat rodents, small birds and sometimes lizards and frogs. (Photo by Richard Grey, Macaulay Library-ML622485602)
American Kestrel in flight in the Dominican Republic. American Kestrel can often be seen hovering, facing into the wind, flapping and adjusting their long tails to stay in place. (Photo by Holger Teichmann, Macaulay Library-ML209799141)
American Kestrel of the Hispaniola race, seen in the Dominican Republic. The resident Kestrels on some Caribbean islands are joined by migrants from North America, who come to spend the winter in a warmer climate. (Photo by Juan Sangiovanni, Macaulay Library-ML623355248)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Many of the migratory birds we see in the Caribbean are flying south from the northern U.S. and Canada to wintering grounds either here on our islands or further South into South America. Sometimes they will cover thousands of miles on these trips, often stopping along the way. But have you ever wondered how scientists track birds’ movements across the globe?
In today’s activity you will learn more about how birds are tracked and find out about how radio telemetry can be used to understand bird movements. Radio telemetry is one type of technology that helps scientists find out where birds and other animals are located, using radio signals. It works by using three main pieces of equipment 1. A radio tag (which goes onto the bird to sends out a signal) 2. An antenna, which is either fixed in place at a station or carried by a scientist. This will detect the signal sent by the tagged animal 3. A receiver to log the data. You can download all the information, instructions and worksheet here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of an American Kestrel feeding in the wild!
Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) with us in 2025! This year’s theme is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”. Have fun learning about a new migratory bird every day. We have coloring pages, interesting facts, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Migratory Bird of the Day: Solitary Sandpiper
While many sandpipers like to flock together, meet the one that literally stays away from the crowd—the Solitary Sandpiper! As its name suggests this bird is a bit of a loner. Medium-sized and gray-brown above with white underparts, it shows fine white speckling on the wings and a bold white eye-ring. In flight, look for dark underwings, a dark rump, and lots of white on the tail.
During the non-breeding season, it’s easy to mix this bird up with the similar Spotted Sandpiper. The Solitary Sandpiper lacks the Spotted’s “white shoulder,” and though it bobs up and down occasionally, it doesn’t dip and ‘teeter’ quite so much. You can find more ID tips for these two species here.
Like many migratory shorebirds found in the Caribbean, Solitary Sandpipers nest across northern North America. But unlike nearly all other sandpipers that nest on the ground, the Solitary Sandpiper does something unusual—it nests in trees! These resourceful birds will ‘upcycle’ old songbird nests in forested wetlands, likely to keep their eggs safe from predators. After breeding, they migrate south to spend the winter in Central and South America and throughout the Caribbean.
Because of their ‘lone wolf’ lifestyle, Solitary Sandpipers can be easy to overlook. But they’re not fussy about habitats—you might spot them at streams, lakes, pond edges, mangroves, roadside ditches, and even puddles in flooded agricultural areas. Wherever they are, they’ll be probing for crunchy insects and other mud-loving invertebrates.
The good news? Solitary Sandpipers are not currently threatened. Their solitary habits and wide habitat tolerance have made them less vulnerable than other shorebirds to threats like hunting and development. Still, they depend on clean wetlands and healthy insect populations, so opting for organic fertilizers, reducing pesticide use, and protecting waterways remain vital for their future.
Thanks to Alex Sansom for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration!
Color in the Solitary Sandpiper
Download the Migratory Birds of the Day Coloring Page! Use the picture above and the photos on this page as your guide, or look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your colored-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #WMBD2025Carib
Listen to the calls of the Solitary Sandpiper
The Solitary Sandpiper makes a high-pitched two-note “tsee-weet!” call.
Enjoy these photos of Solitary Sandpipers
Solitary Sandpiper in flight. Look out for the dark, underwings, a great way to seperate this species from Spotted Sandpipers that have pale underwings. (Photo by Lev Frid, Macaulay Library-ML608359979)Solitary Sandpipers can be found in a variety of habitats, from streams, to lakes, ponds, mangroves, and ditches, to flooded fields. (Photo by Hemant Kishan)Look out for the white ‘spectacles’ on this bird. (Photo by Gary Robinette)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : in non-breeding plumage Solitary Sandpipers are a medium sized gray-brown sandpiper with pale underparts. Spotted Sandpipers are also a medium sized gray-brown sandpiper with pale underparts. Both also have mid-length bills!
So we have two sandpipers look alike, but they’re not EXACTLY the same! There are some handy way you can tell them apart. Learn all about the differences between these birds in our ‘Bird vs Bird’ ID activity!
Can you tell the difference between the two birds in the photos? If not check out the tips and then try again! Scroll down the page and see if you got it right!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Solitary Sandpiper in the wild!
Learn how to tell the difference between Solitary and Spotted Sandpipers!
Celebrate World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) with us in 2025! This year’s theme is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”. Have fun learning about a new migratory bird every day. We have coloring pages, interesting facts, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Migratory Bird of the Day: Wilson’s Snipe
What’s that small brown shorebird lurking in the grass? Chances are, it’s a Wilson’s Snipe! These plump, long-billed migrants love to skulk in wet grassy habitats. They are true masters of disguise with their cryptic brown and buff coloration. If you’re lucky enough to spot one in the open, you’ll see they have very long bills and highly patterned plumage with four long buffy-white streaks down the back (“snipe stripes”) and a striped head. Often, though, you won’t know one is there until it bursts from under your feet with a rasping ‘scaap’ call and a distinctive zigzagging escape flight.
Wilson’s Snipe breed across northern North America where they favor wet, marshy settings, and areas close to rivers and ponds. After breeding, some remain in the northwest, but many fly south, to the southern U.S., Central America, Venezuela, and the Caribbean. During the non-breeding season, they love those same soggy habitats, turning up in muddy wetlands, marshes, rice fields, wet agricultural areas, and near rivers and ponds. Here they probe in the mud for a delicious meal of insect larvae, snails, crustaceans, and worms.
Wilson’s Snipe are most active at dawn and dusk, often spending the day tucked away snoozing. If you catch them during spring migration or on their breeding grounds, you might witness their famous display flight, performed as a threat display and to advertise the territory. Known as “winnowing,” it involves the snipe circling high in the air, then diving down. During the dive you’ll hear an eerie, whirring ‘hu-hu-hu’ sound. This ”winnowing” isn’t a call, it’s made by air rushing over the outspread tail feathers!
On the ground, breeding Wilson’s Snipe can be just as dramatic. To protect its nest, a parent may feign injury—fluttering, flopping, or dragging itself as though wounded—luring predators away from its eggs or chicks.
Though their populations are currently stable, Wilson’s Snipe rely on wetlands, which are threatened by drainage for agriculture and development. Let’s protect our wetlands and make sure there are lots of places for these birds to hide, rest, and feed. Simple actions like minimizing single use plastics, recycling and fixing leaky taps reduce pressures on these fragile ecosystems and keep them safe for snipe and countless other species. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Alex Sansom for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration!
Color in the Wilson’s Snipe
Download the Migratory Birds of the Day Coloring Page! Use the picture above and the photos on this page as your guide, or look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your colored-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #WMBD2025Carib
Listen to the sounds of the Wilson’s Snipe
The Wilson’s Snipe will make a rasping call when flushed. During display flights on the breeding grounds, they produce a rapid series of ‘hu-hu-hu’ noises using outer tail feathers. These Winnowing Flights are used to threaten other birds, but may also function in attracting a mate.
Enjoy these photos of Wilson’s Snipe
Wilsons Snipe, out in the open. (Photo by Josiah Santiago, Macaulay Library-ML625634968)
Wilson’s Snipe in flight. (Photo by Rick-Evets)
Wilson’s Snipe, hiding in the grass; note the “snipe stripes” running down the back. (Photo by Dorian Anderson, Macaulay Library-ML620143387)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Draw and colour the Wilson’s Snipe!
Gather your paper and coloring pencils and draw along with Josmar Esteban Marquez. He will guide you step-by-step to make your own beautiful drawing of this migratory shorebird.
Stretching from the Virgin Islands south through the Lesser Antilles, the 17 island groups of the Eastern Caribbean are a hotbed for biodiversity, boasting an astonishing array of plants and animals found nowhere else on Earth. Whether you delight in dragonflies, bask in the beauty of birds, or even harbour a fascination for land crabs, the Eastern Caribbean offers endless discoveries for every kind of nature lover. Yet despite its extraordinary richness, there hasn’t been an individual field guide that brought together the region’s birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, land crabs, dragonflies, and butterflies in one accessible volume —until now!
We are delighted to welcome Wildlife of the Eastern Caribbean—the first photographic field identification guide for the region. Conceptualized by husband-and-wife team Gill and Steve Holliday, after a 2000 visit to the region that sparked their curiosity, the guide grew from their search for exactly such a resource. When they couldn’t find one, they set out to create it themselves.
The result? A landmark book showcasing more than 420 species via 850+ stunning photographs. It highlights regional endemics, “don’t miss” wildlife for each island group, suggested sites to get the most out of your visit, and even practical notes on site accessibility. This indispensable guide is certain to become a must-have for travelers, naturalists, nature lovers, and residents alike.
In this interview, Gill and Steve share how their love affair with the Eastern Caribbean began, recount their most challenging photo expeditions, and reveal what it took to bring this monumental project to life.
Gill searching for mangrove crabs, Tortola. (Photo by Steve Holliday)
Gill and Steve on the Mount Scenery Trail, Saba.
Guided walk, Scrub Island, Anguilla. (Photo by Steve Holliday)
About the Field Guide
What inspired you to create this field guide? We first visited the Eastern Caribbean in 2000 and wanted to know more about the fantastic range of wildlife we came across. There were excellent field guides to birds of the West Indies, but books on bats, amphibians, reptiles, butterflies and dragonflies were either out of print, limited in scope, or not available in a handy guide. We knew the type of identification guide we wanted, which ideally would cover the groups of land animals you could most expect to see on the islands. We waited many years for someone to write it, but when no-one did, we decided to have a go ourselves! We were then fortunate to find support from Princeton University Press whose Wildlife Explorer Series was the perfect format for the guide.
What makes the Eastern Caribbean a unique and important biodiversity hotspot? The islands are volcanic in origin and formed over millions of years along lines of past and current volcanic activity. Today they span 500 miles from the Virgin Islands through the Lesser Antilles to Grenada and while some islands joined to form island banks during periods of fluctuating sea levels, most have remained isolated. Any plants and animals that crossed the ocean and reached the islands, have had time to evolve in relative isolation. This has led to high levels of endemism, especially among amphibians and reptiles. Of 578 species referred to in the guide, 30% are endemic to the Eastern Caribbean, most only found on a single island or island bank.
How long did it take to complete this guide? We’ve used notes and photos from our visits to the region spanning 25 years, but the main research, writing, editing and image sourcing was completed on and off over the past five years or so. Even then, it has only been possible thanks to the contributions from so many people; experts in their field, staff in local forestry departments, national parks and conservation organisations, local guides and enthusiasts, and especially photographers. The sections on dragonflies and butterflies took longer to compile as they needed much more research in the field.
What was one of the most surprising things you learned about birds in the Eastern Caribbean while creating this field guide? Distribution both on-island and between islands. While many species of bird can be found across the eastern Caribbean, every island is subtly different; each one having its own endemic species, sub-species or what we’ve called ‘speciality species’. Here’s a few examples: the Snowy Plover is more common on the Virgin Islands and northern Lesser Antilles where it is a real specialty; the Purple-throated Carib is a Lesser Antillean endemic and widespread in rainforests but absent in the dry forests of lower-lying islands. It was also surprising to find how rare and restricted some species are: the entire world population of the critically endangered Grenada Dove is found in just a few fragments of forest on Grenada.
Besides birds, what was a fascinating discovery you made about another group of animals (e.g., reptiles, amphibians, insects, marine life) in the Eastern Caribbean during your research for the guide? There are some amazing land crabs! We just fell in love with them and found them fascinating to watch. From the tiny, but so aggressive fiddler crabs around mangrove-edged lagoons, to the outrageous petrol-blue of the male Blue Land Crab. The latter is the largest of the land crabs; its burrows and untidy piles of excavated mud can litter the floor of mangrove swamps. We also fondly remember watching the endemic Yellow Land Crab (only found from Guadeloupe to St Vincent) along a stream high in a rainforest on St Vincent when a Common Black Hawk flew into a perch above us; the hawk is a main predator of this crab on the island!
Observing Fiddler Crabs, Martinique. (Photo by Steve Holliday)
About the Process
Creating a field guide is a monumental undertaking. How did you keep up the motivation to complete this field guide? Did you have specific routines or personal inspiration to help keep you on track? You’re right—it was a monumental undertaking, and we quickly realised why it had never been done before! We lived by the spreadsheet and the page plan to keep us on track and then it was down to putting the hours in: we tried to work most mornings. We focused on one section at a time, reading and rewriting until we were satisfied with every word. For inspiration we really enjoyed the challenge of keeping the species text succinct and accessible without compromising on key identification features.
How did you gather photos for the guide? We have our own extensive library of images, but some species are notoriously difficult to even see, never mind photograph! Our aim, which we largely achieved, was for as many photos as possible to have been taken in the region; each had to be of sufficient quality for publication and demonstrate key identification features. We are forever grateful to the numerous people who provided their images for us, including BirdsCaribbean members Mark Yokoyama, Anthony Levesque and Frantz Delcroix.
What was the most unexpected challenge you encountered? And how did you overcome this challenge? Data—especially for dragonflies and butterflies! There’s been a lot of work across most of the groups covered in the guide, but dragonfly and butterfly data are limited on some islands. With dragonflies we are particularly indebted to Dennis Paulson and Francois Meurgey who were so helpful with ID. We spent a lot of time in the field to fill distribution gaps for both dragonflies and butterflies, and we had to develop field identification criteria for some species. It was also challenging to keep up to date with changes to common names and taxonomic updates. For example, as the book was with the copy editor and designer, several new endemic bird species were recognized (four wrens and two thrashers), which had to be added to what was supposedly the final text and design!
Were there any particularly challenging photo expeditions? Any photographic expedition into a rainforest presents challenges, as any photographer will know; poor and shaded light, humidity, difficult trails, and biting insects! And forest birds are notoriously elusive and hard to see when high in the canopy. For these reasons, it’s just incredibly difficult to get good photos of some forest species. For example, we have been unable to find a usable upperwing image of the Dominican Leafwing butterfly, a species found only on Dominica, Martinique, and St Lucia.
What was the most rewarding experience while writing this field guide? We got to know some amazing people, both in person and online; some are renowned experts in their field, some enthusiastic amateurs, but all shared a passion for the wildlife of the Eastern Caribbean. We can’t thank everyone enough for their support.
About the Authors
What do you love most about the Eastern Caribbean? The friendliness and generosity of people on all the islands, alongside spectacular landscapes, amazing wildlife, beautiful seas, and the sense of adventure which we still get every time we set off to explore a forest trail or a small offshore island.
What’s one non-essential gear item you always bring with you when you’re out in the field? Thermal coffee mugs!!! When we’re out before sunrise, fresh coffee keeps us going!
Steve getting to grips with shorebirds on Martinique (Photo by Gill Holliday)
On the trail in Montserrat. (Photo by Gill Holliday)
Gill photographing Red-billed Tropicbirds, Statia. (Photo by Steve Holliday)
What do you hope readers will gain from using this guide? We really hope this guide will encourage people to take more interest in the region’s wildlife and enjoy the challenge of identifying and being able to put names to what they are seeing. The guide covers 420+ species, so there’s plenty to go at! We also hope that people gain some understanding of the conservation challenges of the region, including the devastating impact of invasive species such as Small Indian Mongoose and Cane Toad. Over 100 of the species in the guide are on the IUCN Red List of globally threatened species; looking after the amazing habitats that they depend upon and ensuring space for nature is essential for these species to survive for future generations to enjoy.
Sample pages from ‘Wildlife of the Eastern Caribbean’:
Front cover of the Wildlife of the Eastern Caribbean field guide.
What’s next for you? Are there any plans for future editions, companion guides, or other projects related to Eastern Caribbean wildlife? We will of course continue to visit the region and keep up to date with what’s happening that affects species in the region such as the recently produced AviList, a new unified global checklist with up-to-date taxonomy. It has been an incredible experience researching and writing this guide and we’ve learned so much about the whole process of book design and production. Hopefully we can put this experience to good use, so we’ll have to wait and see what’s next for us!
With so many islands to explore, each with their own special sights and surprises, Wildlife of the Eastern Caribbean is the perfect traveling companion for new adventures, or for seeing your local patch with fresh eyes. You can get your own copy of this fantastic guide here.
Steve Holliday has had a long career in wildlife conservation and Gill Holliday has provided images for several wildlife publications. They have been supporting conservation projects for more than 20 years and are lead authors/photographers of bird and wildlife guides for Anguilla and Montserrat.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2025 is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”—highlighting the crucial role bird-friendly cities and communities can have in addressing the decline in bird populations caused by threats like habitat loss, predation, and climate change. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: St. Vincent Wren
The melodic song of the St. Vincent Wren (Troglodytes musicus) echoes across the island of St. Vincent, the only place in the world where this extraordinary bird is found. Formerly considered a subspecies of the widespread House Wren (Troglodytes aedon), it was officially recognized as a distinct species in 2024—one of seven wrens split from the complex that year. Its new name proudly reflects its status as one of just three endemic bird species on the island.
This lively wren is recognized by its rufous-brown upperparts and whitish underparts, distinct dark barring on its wings and tail, a pale eyebrow stripe and face, and warm cinnamon hues on the breast, sides, and undertail—sometimes accented by small brown speckles. Its buzzy call “chih-chih-chih-chih” call and sweet, musical song “chih-chih-twee-twee-deedle-di-di-di” make it a beloved symbol of the island’s natural charm.
Highly adaptable, the St. Vincent Wren inhabits a range of environments—from montane evergreen forests and brushy woodlands to agricultural areas and even towns, where it often nests in the eaves of buildings. It plays an important ecological role by feasting on a variety of invertebrates such as spiders, cockroaches, and worms, helping to control insect populations.
The species is thought to lay two whitish-brown eggs per clutch, though little is known about its breeding habits. Rather than constructing elaborate nests, it uses dried grasses, straw, and even scraps of paper to line cavities in trees, caves, tunnels, or man-made structures—a testament to its resourcefulness and adaptability.
Despite its resilience, the St. Vincent Wren faces growing threats from habitat loss due to deforestation, urban expansion, and conversion of forest to pasture for agriculture. Climate change—including more intense storms and prolonged droughts—may also impact its survival and breeding success. Protecting this unique bird will require ongoing research to better understand its ecology and population status, along with community engagement. Simple actions like preserving roof nests and planting native vegetation can make a meaningful difference in ensuring the St. Vincent Wren continues to sing for generations to come.
Thanks to Jodelia Simmons for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration.
Colour in the St. Vincent Wren
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the St. Vincent Wren
The song of the St. Vincent Wren is made up of clear trills and loud chatters.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the images below to do the puzzles. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
St. Vincent Wren. (Photo by David Hollie, Macaulay Library-ML598496181)St. Vincent Wren. (Photo by Gary Rosenberg, Macaulay Library-ML631883463)St. Vincent Wren. (Photo by David Hollie, Macaulay Library-ML598496141)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS :The St. Vincent Wrens can be found in forests but also urban areas. In fact this is true of many species of wrens in the Caribbean and beyond, meaning they are often common ‘backyard birds’. You can make your garden, or schoolyard safe for all of our backyard birds by building bird-friendly shelters like the birdhouse in our “Home Tweet Home” crafting activity. Together we can help create cities and communities where people and birds can thrive together!
For this activity you will need:
One empty 1L cardboard juice or milk container (clean and dry)
Popsicle sticks (about 20–24)
Acrylic paints
Paint brushes
Glue gun and glue sticks
Scissors
Hole punch (handheld)
A small stick (6–7” long) for a perch
Twine for hanging
A circular object, big enough, to trace an entrance hole for the birds
You can find full step-by-step instructions here. You will need a parent or trusted adult to help you with this activity.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a St. Vincent Wren in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2025 is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”—highlighting the crucial role bird-friendly cities and communities can have in addressing the decline in bird populations caused by threats like habitat loss, predation, and climate change. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Plumbeous Warbler
The Plumbeous Warbler is a magnificent little warbler, weighing in a just ten grams, about the weight of a ballpoint pen! Adults are dark gray above and lighter below, with two crisp wing bars, a white eyebrow, and a pale half-crescent beneath the eye. Juveniles are similar but show a greenish wash to the gray plumage and buffy to yellowish underparts, facial markings, and wingbars.
While its plumage may be modest, the Plumbeous Warbler more than makes up for it with its lovely and varied song. Throughout the day, you can hear their melodic “pa-pi-a” or “de-de-diu.” During the midday, it switches to a soft, whisper-like version of its song. When aggravated, it lets out a long, rolling rattle.
Endemic to Guadeloupe and Dominica, this warbler inhabits a wide variety of forest types—from sea level to elevations over 1,200m. In Guadeloupe, it is particularly abundant in swamp forests.
Within these habitats, the Plumbeous Warbler roams the undergrowth, searching for wriggly, crunchy, and sometimes gooey insects, and the occasional juicy berry. Its breeding season runs from March to August, with a peak in May. Nests are constructed in forked branches of shrubs or small trees using leaves and rootlets. A typical clutch contains 2–3 eggs.
Although it is still relatively common in the main islands of its range, the ecology and habits of this species remain poorly studied. A small population persists on Marie-Galante, a small island south of the “mainland” Guadeloupe, but the bird may have disappeared from Terre-de-Haut, an even smaller offshore island in the Les Saintes archipelago of Guadeloupe.
The Plumbeous Warbler is protected under Guadeloupe’s 1989 ministerial decree. Though classified as “Least Concern” by the IUCN at both regional and international levels, recent monitoring reveals a cause for concern: a 42% decline in population size between 2014 and 2024, as shown by our Breeding Bird Survey in Guadeloupe.
Confined to forested areas, the Plumbeous Warbler is mainly threatened by the destruction of its habitat from development and human activities. Better protection and restoration of forested areas—especially efforts to strengthen the ecological corridor (Green Network) between Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre——would go a long way in securing the future of this beautiful endemic warbler.Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Anthony Levesque for the text!
Colour in the Plumbeous Warbler
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song & call of the Plumbeous Warbler
The song of the Plumbeous Warbler is made up of whistles notes, the first three are given at the same pitch. They have a dry, rattling call.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the images below to do the puzzles. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Plumbeous Warbler. (Photo by Nathan Goldberg, Macaulay Library- ML631686480)Plumbeous Warbler. (Photo by Brian Sullivan, Macaulay Library-ML89353671)Plumbeous Warbler. (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)Plumbeous Warbler. (Photo by Judd Patterson)Plumbeous Warbler. (Photo by Judd Patterson)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : The Plumbeous Warbler loves to feed on insects! In fact insects are an important delicacy for many types of birds. For our dazzling hummingbirds, our captivating todies, swooping swifts and swallows, darting flycatchers, pewees and potoos, drilling woodpeckers, and of course, our warblers —insects are an essential protein source.
we’ve compiled our top six activities into an activity book for you to enjoy! Our theme is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds,” and these activities have been purposely created to help children learn about insects.
Our “Incredible Insects” activity book is available for download directly from Flipsnack in both English and Spanish or download the PDFs.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2025 is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”—highlighting the crucial role bird-friendly cities and communities can have in addressing the decline in bird populations caused by threats like habitat loss, predation, and climate change. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: St. Lucia Oriole
Locally known as Kawouge, the Saint Lucia Oriole is one of the island’s most striking endemic birds. The name Karwouge was likely derived from the French term “Carouge“, which is used as a name for New World blackbirds.
I remember seeing this oriole for the first time when I was about five years old, feeding on a ripe pawpaw near my family home. It was a sight to to behold! My grandmother told me its name: Kawouge. What she may not have known—and what I later discovered as an adult working with the Forestry Department—is that this bird lives only in Saint Lucia.
With bold shiny-black plumage and bright orange-yellow belly, shoulders, and rump, the male Saint Lucia Oriole is unmistakable. Females are similar but duller in color, and immatures sport a more muted yellow-green overall. The pointed dark bill, with a grayish-blue base, completes the bird’s distinctive look. There is simply no other bird like it on the island.
The Saint Lucia Oriole primarily inhabits rainforests, but can also be found in dry forests, coastal scrub, and even near towns—provided there are enough large trees. It has a varied diet, including insects, spiders, fruits, and nectar.
Breeding takes place from April to June. The female weaves a tidy hanging nest from grasses and plant fibers, often suspending it from large leaves such as banana, balizier, coconut, or palm. She lays up to three speckled eggs and incubates them herself. Like many songbirds, both parents work hard to feed and protect their young until they fledge.
Sadly, the Saint Lucia Oriole is under serious threat and is listed as Endangered by the IUCN. Several factors are suspected to contribute to its decline, though more research is needed. One major concern is brood parasitism by the Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis), an invasive species that lays its eggs in other birds’ nests, tricking them into raising cowbird chicks. As cowbirds thrive in cleared, human-altered areas, their impact is expected to grow.
Another possible threat comes from the Bare-eyed Thrush (Turdus nudigenis), which may harass orioles, especially during nesting. There’s also concern that orioles living near banana plantations—where they often forage—may be exposed to pesticides through contaminated food or water. However, the actual effects of cowbirds, thrushes, or agrochemicals remain poorly understood due to a lack of detailed studies.
What is clear is that protecting forest habitats and maintaining healthy forest edges is essential. These buffer zones help limit contact between orioles and cowbirds by preserving ecological separation.
With continued habitat protection and research, there is hope that the Saint Lucia Oriole will remain a cherished part of the island’s unique natural heritage for generations to come.Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Adams Toussaint for the text!
Colour in the St. Lucia Oriole
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the St. Lucia Oriole
The song of the St. Lucia Oriole is a rapid jumble of whistles and squeaks
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
St. Lucia Oriole feeding on coconut. (Photo by Diane Nastase, Macaulay Library-ML613309393)Juvenile St. Lucia Oriole. (Photo by Peter Hawrylyshyn, Macaulay Library-ML614479814)St. Lucia Oriole. (Photo by Brian Sullivan, Macaulay Library-ML89373141)St. Lucia Oriole. (Photo by Adams Toussaint)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS :The female Saint Lucia Oriole is an expert weaver. She builds strong, hidden nests by carefully twisting and weaving natural materials like grass, vines, and palm fibers. These nests hang securely from tree branches, keeping her eggs safe and dry. Today, you’ll practice your own weaving skills—just like a mother oriole!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2025 is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”—highlighting the crucial role bird-friendly cities and communities can have in addressing the decline in bird populations caused by threats like habitat loss, predation, and climate change. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
This crow sticks to lowland habitats—open areas dotted with palm groves and tall trees. Unlike its Hispaniolan cousin, it’s not found in pine forests. Sadly, it’s now very rare and only occurs in scattered pockets of western and central Cuba. With such a limited range and growing threats to its habitat, the Cuban Palm-Crow is listed as Endangered in Cuba’s national Red Data Book.
At a glance, it looks like your classic crow: glossy black plumage with a subtle purple-blue sheen. But here’s the kicker—it shares its home with another nearly identical species, the Cuban Crow, making field ID tricky even for seasoned birders. Fortunately, their calls are distinct: the Cuban Palm-Crow gives a nasal “craaa, craaa,” while the Cuban Crow sounds more like a parrot. Still want more clues? The Palm-Crow has longer nasal bristles that cover its nostrils, and its bill shape differs slightly too—the bill’s commissure (where upper and lower mandible meets) extends below the eye in the Cuban Crow, while in the Cuban Palm-Crow, it only reaches the front of the face. Sharp-eyed birders, take note!
Diet-wise, the Cuban Palm-Crow isn’t picky. With a short, sturdy bill, it feeds on fruits, insects, and other invertebrates, foraging both in trees and on the ground—sometimes even along roadsides. It’s often seen in pairs or small groups, but gatherings of up to 20 birds aren’t uncommon.
There’s still a lot we don’t know about its natural history, especially its breeding behavior. What we do know: it builds a typical crow nest—a stick platform lined with soft materials—usually in tree branches or nestled under palm fronds (yep, that’s where the name comes from!). Breeding takes place from March through July, with clutches of 3–4 pale green, speckled eggs. Though likely solitary nesters, small groups have been spotted mobbing predators to defend nests.
Crows have long been saddled with spooky reputations in Western culture, but it’s time to flip the script. In the Caribbean, crows like the Cuban Palm-Crow are not omens of bad luck, they’re indicators of healthy forests. And with half of our Caribbean crow species now threatened, protecting them is more urgent than ever. So next time you see a crow calling from a palm grove, take it as a good sign—you’ve found a patch of forest worth protecting.Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Daniela Ventura for the text!
Colour in the Cuban Palm-Crow
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the calls of the Cuban Palm-Crow
The call of the Cuban Palm-Crow is nasal “raaah“.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Cuban Palm-Crow. (Photo by Neil Hilton)Cuban Palm-Crow. (Photo by Arturo Kirkconnell Jr. Macaulay Library-ML90721851)Cuban Palm-Crow. (Photo by Adrian Cobas, Macaulay Library-ML610215948)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : In the story, “The Crow and the Pitcher,” a thirsty crow finds a pitcher with a little water at the bottom. The crow can’t reach the water but doesn’t give up. It drops pebbles into the pitcher and slowly, the water rises, and the crow is able to drink! Clever, right?
Did you know this story isn’t just a fable? Scientists have discovered that crows, like the Cuban Palm-Crow, are really smart. They use tools, solve puzzles, and even plan ahead!
In The Clever Crow Challenge you willrecreate the crow’s clever experiment to understand why dropping pebbles into the pitcher caused the water to rise.
You will need:
1 tall, clear container (a plastic water bottle or glass vase works well)
Water
Bottle cap
Small pebbles or marbles (at least 20–30)
Measuring cup
Marker or tape (to mark water levels)
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Cuban Palm-Crow in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2025 is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”—highlighting the crucial role bird-friendly cities and communities can have in addressing the decline in bird populations caused by threats like habitat loss, predation, and climate change. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Jamaican Pewee
Pewuee! Pewuee! Pewuee! Wee-oh! Pee-wee!
What’s that plaintive sound echoing through the trees!? Those are the beautiful notes of the Jamaican Pewee—Jamaica’s very own flycatcher, affectionately known as simply the Pewee. While its song is sometimes described as sad or mournful, listen closely and you’ll hear soft, exhaled notes that speak more of peaceful rest than sorrow.
A plain-looking yet remarkable bird, the Jamaican Pewee is small and dark olive-brown with paler buffy-gray underparts, faint buff wing bars, and no eye-ring. Despite its understated appearance, it’s not easily confused with the other resident flycatchers on the island. The Pewee often perches alertly, with a slightly peaked head, flicking its wings and tail as it scans for its next meal.
This aerial hunter thrives in humid montane and lowland forests, especially in areas with plenty of shade and tall trees. Watch for it perched on an exposed mid-level branch, sitting motionless before darting out to snatch flying insects—beetles, moths, flies, and anything else that dares to buzz past—right out of the air. With sharp eyes and quick reflexes, it returns to its perch to repeat the ambush. How cool is that?
Jamaican Pewees breed from April to June and may nest twice per year. Their cup-shaped nests, built from woven plant fibers, grasses and Spanish moss, are typically placed in tree forks.
Though currently listed as a species of Least Concern, the Jamaican Pewee’s population is declining due to the ongoing habitat destruction in Jamaica. Protecting this species means preserving its forest home, supporting reforestation with native trees, and controlling invasive species. Reducing pesticide use and creating bird-friendly spaces by planting native trees—even in towns and urban parks—can also make a difference. Public education, research, and strong environmental policies that protect natural areas are key to ensuring this soulful songbird continues to thrive.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Michelle Roberts for the text!
Colour in the Jamaican Pewee
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Jamaican Pewee
The song of the Jamaican Pewee includes a plaintive “uh-weee-oo” with the ‘weee’ syllable being upslurred. An upslurred “wee-wee” call with the second note louded, and a slightly rough, whistled “weeah.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Jamaican Pewee, Blue Mountains. (Photo by Daniel Fedorowicz, Macaulay Library-ML629361966)Jamaican Pewee. (Photo by David Chernack, Macaulay Library- ML616475521)Jamaican Pewee, Blue Mountains. (Photo by Matt Grube)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Can you find the words in our Jamaican Pewee word search? Read the text above all about this endemic bird to remind yourself of some of the interesting facts and information, as you look for all 15 hidden words!
Remember the words appear forwards and backwards, as are horizontal, vertical and diagonal! Need some help? Or want to check your answers? You can see where all the words were here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Jamaican Pewee in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2025 is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”—highlighting the crucial role bird-friendly cities and communities can have in addressing the decline in bird populations caused by threats like habitat loss, predation, and climate change. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Puerto Rican Euphonia
The Puerto Rican Euphonia is a triple threat: dazzling plumage, a melodious voice, and undeniable charm! Endemic to Puerto Rico, it’s affectionately known by locals as Canario del País or simply Eufonia. If you’re lucky, you might catch this lively little bird flitting through the canopy in places like El Yunque National Forest, Luquillo Experimental Forest, and the Carite, Maricao, and Guánica State Forests.
Adult males are striking, with a vivid orange-yellow forehead and a sky-blue cap that extends from the crown to the nape. The rest of the upperparts are a rich violet-blue, offset by a bright yellow rump and upper tail coverts. Their underparts start with a yellow throat that deepens to an orange-yellow on the breast and belly. Females, while more subdued, are equally beautiful—olive-green overall with a sky-blue cap with a sky blue helmet and yellowish forehead patch. Their yellow throats gradually deepen to a muted olive-yellow on the remaining underparts.
You’ll find these fashionable birds in a range of habitats, including mountain forests, lowland dry forests, and even shade-coffee plantations. They’ve been recorded in the Tabonuco, Palo Colorado, Palm, and Elfin (Dwarf) forests. Although usually high in the canopy, Puerto Rican Euphonias often come lower to forage along forest edges and in clearings—especially wherever mistletoe (Loranthaceae) grows, one of their favorite foods. They also snack on other small fruits like Yerba Capitana and Capulín (Muntingia calabura). Energetic and vocal, they hop busily through the trees, calling out with sharp “chit-it” notes and a cheerful “wheeee.” Their song is a rapid mix of squeaky, tinkling, and whistled notes.
Though much remains to be learned about their breeding behavior, we do know that Puerto Rican Euphonias nest year-round, with activity peaking from March to June. They build dome-shaped nests 3–20 meters above the ground, tucked into forks of branches or nestled near epiphytes. The nests are crafted from moss, lichen, and bark, bound with spider silk and lined with banana leaves and soft bark fibers. Clutch size ranges from 2 to 4 white eggs speckled with mauve or reddish-brown.
This species faces ongoing threats from deforestation, and hurricanes—bringing strong winds and tree fall—can also limit fruit availability. Supporting local environmental efforts to remove invasive species and restore native trees is key to making forests more resilient. With continued conservation, the Puerto Rican Euphonia and other forest birds can continue to thrive across the island.Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Dimaris Colón for the text!
Colour in the Puerto Rican Euphonia
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Puerto Rican Euphonia
The song of the Puerto Rican Euphonia is mixture of whistles and tinkling, and squeaky notes.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Male Puerto Rican Euphonia. (Photo by Manuel Seda, Macaulay Library-ML626933664)Female Puerto Rican Euphonia. (Photo by Ricardo Sanchez, Macaulay Library-ML477816071)
Male Puerto Rican Euphonia. (Photo by John C. Sullivan, Macaulay Library-ML628015174-
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Puerto Rican Euphonias love to feed on small fruits, especially mistletoe berries!
Can you help this hungry Puerto Rican Euphonia find its way through our maze to to grab some tasty mistletoe?
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2025 is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”—highlighting the crucial role bird-friendly cities and communities can have in addressing the decline in bird populations caused by threats like habitat loss, predation, and climate change. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Hispaniolan Nightjar
If you ever find yourself walking through the forests of Hispaniola at night, listen closely. A ghostly call—pi-tan-guaaaa—echoes through the trees. This mysterious sound belongs to the Pitanguá, or Hispaniolan Nightjar, a bird so elusive that many locals recognize its voice but have never seen it.
The Hispaniolan Nightjar is a master of camouflage. Its mottled dark brown and grayish plumage blends perfectly with the leaf-strewn forest floor. Males can be distinguished by the white tips on their outer tail feathers, while females have buff-colored tips. Its cryptic coloration and nocturnal habits make it one of the most difficult birds to observe in the wild.
Endemic to Hispaniola, this nightjar favors mid-elevation forests in the Dominican Republic, especially in the Cordillera Central, Sierra de Bahoruco, and Loma de Cabrera. It is typically found between 300 and 750 meters above sea level, often in broadleaf forest. While its current status in Haiti today is uncertain, historical records indicate it was once more widespread across the island.
LIttle is known about tis diet, but like other nightjars, A. ekmani is an aerial insectivore. With a wide, bristle-lined mouth, it catches insects on the wing, feeding almost exclusively at night.
Its distinctive call—a prolonged pi-tan-guaaaa—is repeated throughout the night and inspired its local name. The sound carries throughout the forest and is often described as haunting or mournful, contributing to the bird’s near-mythical reputation. According to local legend, the Pitanguá’s song is believed to be the voice of wandering spirits calling out through the night forest.
The Pitanguá nests directly on the ground, laying two greenish-white eggs with brown blotches in a shallow depression hidden among the leaves. Breeding occurs from April to July, and the species relies on its excellent camouflage to avoid predators. Without a constructed nest, the eggs’ survival depends on how well-hidden they are.
BirdLife International currently considers its population trend to be stable. However, the Pitanguá has suffered significant declines due to habitat destruction and invasive species. Deforestation—especially in Haiti—has severely reduced its breeding range. Like many nocturnal birds, it is also sometimes persecuted due to superstition. More research is needed to determine its current status in Haiti and to monitor remaining populations in the Dominican Republic.
The Hispaniolan Nightjar remains one of the island’s most mysterious birds—rarely seen, but often heard. With continued conservation efforts—and a bit of luck—future generations will still hear its eerie, beautiful pi-tan-guaaaa echoing through the night.Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Elvin Vargas Esévez for the text!
Colour in the Hispaniolan Nightjar
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Hispaniolan Nightjar
The song of the Hispaniolan Nightjar a burry “pit, whoo-vore?” often repeated.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
A Hispaniolan Nightjar spreads its wings. (Photo by Dax Roman)Hispaniolan Nightjar. (Photo by Dax Roman)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Birds like the Hispaniolan Nightjar are very good at hiding in plain sight. Their colours help them to blend in with their environment. Insects also use camouflage to blend in with their environment and keep them safe from other animals that love munching on them. But note that it also helps some insects catch prey that doesn’t see them! Their colours, patterns and even physical shape make them indistinguishable from their surroundings.
In this activity you’re going to go outside (with an adult) and help insects and birds find the best spot for them to blend in such as in the grass, amongst fallen leaves, branches, leaves, flowers, dirt, tree trunks, and other plants.
You will need:
pencil
scissors
clipboard (optional)
copy of Masters of Camouflage page
Can you find the ‘Masters of Camouflage’ page to print (in colour or black and white) and full instructions of this activity here!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video about why Hispaniolan Nightjar was made a seperate species!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2025 is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”—highlighting the crucial role bird-friendly cities and communities can have in addressing the decline in bird populations caused by threats like habitat loss, predation, and climate change. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Barbados Bullfinch
The Barbados Bullfinch, affectionately known as “Sparrow” or “Sparky” by locals, is a ubiquitous and endearing resident of the island. Arguably the easiest West Indian endemic to spot, it often finds you rather than the other way around. This charming bird, the only endemic species (so far!) on Barbados, is a testament to resilience and adaptability.
Measuring just 5-6 inches (14-15 cm) in length, the Barbados Bullfinch presents a subtle beauty. Both sexes have similar plumage: dark olive upperparts with brownish wings, and a light grey underbelly that may show faint streaking on the breast and belly. Males have a solid black, cone-shaped bill, while females sport a paler lower mandible. Their vocal repertoire is varied, ranging from rapid “tse tse tse tse tse” calls to harsh “schipp-schipp-schipp” sounds, and a drawn-out “schrrrrrrp.”
Despite its limited range—confined to just 166 square miles of Barbados—the species is classified as “Least Concern” on the IUCN Red List. This favorable status is largely due to its extraordinary adaptability. The Bullfinch thrives in nearly every habitat across the island, from dense woodlands and mangroves to grasslands and highly urbanized areas.
Its diet is just as flexible. Though primarily a seed eater—gleaning seeds from the ground or grasses—it supplements its diet with fruits and berries. On rainy days, it can be observed eating insects—darting from branches to catch them in mid-air like a flycatcher. It’s become remarkably tame, frequenting hotels, restaurants, and backyards, and is often seen accepting hand-fed treats, including processed foods like sugar. Studies have also shown the Bullfinch’s impressive problem-solving skills. In urban environments and lab settings, they’ve been observed opening sugar packets and pulling strings to access food (Lefebvre et al., 2016).
Their nesting habits are equally adaptable. Both sexes contribute to building a domed nest with a side entrance, constructed from woven dry grass or other locally available materials. While typically built in trees and shrubs, they readily adapt to man-made structures. Females usually lay 3-4 eggs, which hatch after about 14 days of incubation.
Though currently thriving, the Barbados Bullfinch faces several threats that should be monitored, including predation by feral and domestic cats, the non-native Mongoose and by African Green Monkeys. They are also subject to brood parasitism by Shiny Cowbirds.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Julian Moore for the text!
Colour in the Barbados Bullfinch
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the calls and song of the Barbados Bullfinch
The song of the Barbados Bullfinch is rapid “tsee-tsee-tsee-tsee…” or “tsit-tsit-tsit-tsit…”. The call is a a sharp “tseet.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Barbados-Bullfinch. (Photo by John Webster)Barbados Bullfinch. (Photo by Lauren Tucker)Barbados Bullfinch. (Photo by David Hollie, Macaulay Library-ML608647927)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Our 2025 CEBF theme “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities” highlights the many challenges our endemic birds face due to human activities and expanding urban development. To combat these challenges conservation efforts need to incorporate bird-friendly actions, making sure that our communities become havens for these unique birds. Anyone from national and local governments, businesses, community groups, and individuals can help out by being “bird-friendly”!
What does “bird-friendly” mean? “Bird-friendly” means making our environment safe and welcoming for birds. We can do this by planting native plants, providing clean water, and avoiding the use of harmful chemicals. As well as in other ways by making choices about how we use resources like electricity and our shopping choices. Why not see how bird-friendly you, and your community are, by taking part in the ” Bird-Friendly Community Challenge“. This will help you think about ways in which we can all be friends to birds!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2025 is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”—highlighting the crucial role bird-friendly cities and communities can have in addressing the decline in bird populations caused by threats like habitat loss, predation, and climate change. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Bermuda Petrel
The Bermuda Petrel, or Cahow, is Bermuda’s only endemic bird—found nowhere else on Earth! Fittingly, it is the national bird of Bermuda, and a source of great pride for Bermudians. Like many seabirds, Cahows spend nearly their entire lives at sea, returning to land only to breed—and they nest underground, in burrows!
Few people have ever seen a Cahow in the wild. These elusive birds return to their breeding grounds under the cover of night, arriving in October or November and departing again in May or June. Juveniles are even more mysterious: after fledging, they may remain out at sea for up to four years before returning to land to breed. Incredible!
Cahows closely resemble the Black-capped Petrel, but can be distinguished by a dark gray cap that extends over the face, nape, and sides of the neck, forming a “cowl.” Their forehead and throat are white, and their upperparts are mostly gray with a white fringe bordering the darker rump. Their underparts are mostly white, and they have very long wings, with a one-meter wingspan. A powerful and agile flier, the Cahow is easily distinguished from the smaller, fluttery storm-petrels.
Why the scientific name Pterodroma cahow? Pterodroma means “winged runner,” a fitting name for a seabird that thrives in strong winds and rarely rests on land. The name “Cahow” comes from the eerie cries these birds make at night—calls that once spooked sailors and earned Bermuda the nickname “Isle of Devils.” Most likely, those ghostly sounds belonged to Cahows.
When the first settlers arrived in the 1600s, the Cahow was abundant, with an estimated half a million pairs nesting throughout the Bermuda archipelago. But within a few short years, the population had been decimated. Adults and chicks were taken by the thousands from their burrows and eaten. By around 1620, the Cahow was believed to be extinct.
During the first half of the 20th Century, four Cahow specimens were recovered, inspiring a search for its breeding grounds, which were rediscovered in 1951. That event was headline news in newspapers around the world. This led to the launch of the Cahow Recovery Program under the leadership of Dr. David Wingate, Bermuda’s first Conservation Officer (1957 to 2000), and since 2000, continued by his successor Jeremy Madeiros.
Thanks to decades of tireless effort, the Cahow has made a remarkable comeback: from just 18 nesting pairs (and 8 fledglings) in 1960, to 62 pairs (32 fledglings) in 2001, and 165 nesting pairs (76 fledglings) in 2024.
The path to recovery has not been easy. Threats included pesticide exposure (leading to thin eggshells and breeding failure), competition for nest sites from White-tailed Tropicbirds, egg predation by rats, and even predation by Peregrine Falcons. Today, rising sea levels pose a new and serious threat.
To give the Cahow every chance at success, conservationists developed wooden baffles to keep out the larger Longtails (White-tailed Tropicbirds), allowing only Cahows to access the burrows. Artificial burrows have also been installed to accommodate the growing population.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Andrew Dobson for the text!
Colour in the Bermuda Petrel
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the calls of the Bermuda Petrel
The calls of the Bermuda Petrel include a high pitcher “oooooooooooooo-EEK” made by males during courtship, and an answering growl of “aaaaaaaawww-AK” made by females.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
A Bermuda Petrel in flight. (photo by Friedemann Arndt, Macaulay Library- ML608756232)A Bermuda Petrel at sea near Bermuda. (Photo by Friedemann Arndt, Macaulay Library- ML608756195)Close-up of a Bermuda Petrel. (Photo by Tom Johnson, Macaulay Library-ML40621211)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : The Bermuda Petrel is a beautiful seabird, related to gulls, albatrosses, shearwaters and many more groups of sea loving birds! Another group of birds that can be found along our Caribbean coastline are the shorebirds. At first glance, shorebirds and seabirds might seem like they’re they are very similar. Both groups are typically found near water, and can often be seen in similar places! But when delve a bit deeper you can see that these two groups of birds are quite distinct. There are differences not just in where they typically live, how they live, and also in how they typically look (although of course in both groups there are some exceptions to the rules!).
Why not think about some of these differences and try out our “seabirds or shorebirds?” activities. Remember that whilst there are several differences between these two groups there are sometime overlaps in their lifestyles! Full instructions of this activity in here ! And you can find the answers here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Bermuda Petrel at a nest, in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2025 is “Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities”—highlighting the crucial role bird-friendly cities and communities can have in addressing the decline in bird populations caused by threats like habitat loss, predation, and climate change. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Kalinago Wren
Say hello to the Kalinago Wren, Dominica’s newest officially recognized single-island endemic bird, named in 2024 to honor the island’s Indigenous people, the Kalinago. Previously considered a subspecies of the House Wren, Troglodytes martinicensis rufescens is now celebrated as its own distinct species—thanks to new research highlighting its unique genetics, song, and behavior.
Locals affectionately call it syòl, sinyòl, wòsinyòl, èsiyòl, òsiyòl, and Madam tètchyen. That last name, “Madam tètchyen” (or “Mrs. Boa Constrictor”), stems from local folklore. The wren is said to frequent the forest floor where the native boa, or tètchyen, is often found—like a husband-and-wife pair in nature. Spot a Kalinago Wren, and you may be near a boa!
Formerly found in Guadeloupe and Martinique, the Kalinago Wren has been extirpated from both islands, likely due to habitat loss and the impacts of invasive predators. That makes Dominica its last remaining stronghold—and a vitally important island for its continued survival.
You can find the Kalinago Wren throughout Dominica’s moist and dry forests, rural landscapes, and even near homes—though it tends to steer clear of towns. Its ability to adapt to human environments (including nesting in gutters and concrete blocks) is impressive and likely helped it recover after Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Its diet includes insects and even small lizards like juvenile anoles, and it’s often seen flitting low across the forest floor while foraging. Its powerful voice makes it easier to hear than see!
While still understudied, the Kalinago Wren is believed to have two breeding seasons, from May–August and November–December. However, some nesting activity has also been reported from February–April, suggesting there could be three annual breeding cycles—a topic ripe for further research! Nests are built in tree cavities from twigs, and the birds have shown clever adaptability by using human structures like gutters and concrete blocks. Clutches typically contain 2–6 whitish eggs with reddish-brown speckles.
Although its exact population size and conservation status have not yet been formally assessed, the Kalinago Wren appears widespread and stable. Still, as a single-island endemic, it is vulnerable to habitat loss and natural disasters—particularly hurricanes. That makes it a priority species for monitoring, research, and conservation efforts.Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Garry Auguiste for the text!
Colour in the Kalinago Wren
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Kalinago Wren
The song of the Kalinago Wren is loud with chatters and trills.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
A Kalinago Wren singing. (Photo by Yann Muzika, Macaulay Library- ML631840540)A Kalinago Wren. (Photo by Holger Teichmann)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Can you find the words in our Kalinago Wren word search? Read the text above all about this endemic bird to remind yourself of some of the interesting facts and information, as you look for all 15 hidden words!
Remember the words appear forwards and backwards, as are horizontal, vertical and diagonal! Need some help? Or want to check your answers? You can see where all the words were here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Kalinago Wren in the wild!
Enter and Support Conservation of Caribbean Birds!
