Author: Alex Sansom

November 22, 2021

Announcing New Communications Manager at BirdsCaribbean—Welcome Tahira Carter!

We are very excited to announce we have a new full-time staff member joining us at BirdsCaribbean!

We would like you to meet our new Communications Manager: Tahira Carter! Tahira is a national of Grenada. She is an award-winning bilingual communications professional with over seven years’ experience in the media industry.

As our Communications Manager, Tahira will oversee BirdsCaribbean’s communications, marketing, and public relations efforts to raise awareness and support for BirdsCaribbean’s mission, projects and programs. Commented Executive Director, Lisa Sorenson, “Tahira has outstanding experience as a public relations specialist and marketing strategist and she has many related skills to support our work. We are thrilled to have her join our staff.”

Tahira holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Science from Cameron University and a Master of Arts in Diplomacy and International Relations from the Diplomatic School of Spain.

Passionate about the development of the Caribbean region, Tahira’s professional portfolio includes work experience in both the public and private sectors, using her expertise in the areas of strategic communications and public relations to effect change at a policy and grassroots level.

Most recently, Tahira held the posts of Senior Communications Specialist and Acting Head of Communications at the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, based in Saint Lucia, where she was an integral partner to government and regional agencies over the past five years.

Tahira is excited to be returning to her home country of Grenada as she begins work with BirdsCaribbean (officially starting December 1^st). Environmental sustainability has been at the forefront of Tahira’s interests, and much of her work at OECS. She is very excited to fully dive into this with BirdsCaribbean.

Tahira is also looking forward to learning more about birds, bird conservation, our partners, and the work we’ve been doing within the Caribbean. She commented that she is, “very excited to work with us and meet as many of us as possible in the weeks and months ahead!”

In her spare time, Tahira enjoys exploring her island home, hiking, bird watching, and scuba diving. She also donates her time and expertise by providing volunteer support to environmental conservation initiatives.

Let’s give a warm Caribbean welcome to Tahira! Welcome to the flock!!

November 17, 2021

Shorebirds Under Fire

Our new video, “Caribbean Shorebirds Under Fire,” is the fourth in our series on the plight of our shorebirds, which are facing a drastic decline in numbers. This video highlights the need for well-regulated, sustainable hunting on several Caribbean islands where it is a traditional way of life. It can be disturbing, but we are looking for the way forward. We owe it to our beautiful shorebirds. We hope you will watch, share, and help us find solutions. Content Warning: Birds that have been shot.

This video is also available in French and Spanish.

Hunting has a strong tradition in the Caribbean, with shorebird hunting being especially prevalent on the islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Barbados.

Map of the west Indies with Guadeloupe, Martinique and Barbados highlighted. These islands are important stopover and wintering sites for hundreds of thousands of migratory shorebirds, but many are killed by hunters during migration and winter. (map by Aly Ollivierre)

For example, the history of shorebirds harvest on Barbados dates back to the to the mid-seventeenth century, in the early colonial period when Barbados was settled. As shorebirds visit the region on their fall migration and during winter, they use Caribbean wetlands to rest and refuel, take refuge from adverse weather, and as a winter home.

Some hunters – for example in Barbados – provide such habitats, managing small wetlands (“shooting swamps”) to attract shorebirds. The habitat is vitally important for tired and hungry migrant shorebirds but its use comes at a cost to the birds, as many then become the targets of sport hunting. On the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, however, wetlands are more abundant and the opportunities for hunting shorebirds are much broader. Targeted species include Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Greater Yellowlegs, Whimbrel, and American Golden-Plover. We know that these and other shorebird populations in the Atlantic Flyway and the entire planet have drastically declined in numbers (50-90%) over the past 3 decades.

The Sad Story of Machi and Goshen

Whimbrels using a wetland on Guadeloupe. (Photo by Anthony Levesque)

Machi and Goshen were two Whimbrels fitted with satellite tracking tags by scientists at the Center for Conservation Biology. We learned that these two sturdy birds took detours around the violent tropical storms of 2011 and made their way further south through the eastern Caribbean. Machi, in particular, had taken some extraordinary trips in his lifetime, clocking many thousands of miles since he was first tagged in 2009.

But in 2011 – just ten years ago now – a sad fate awaited them. News broke that Machi had been shot by hunters at a swamp in Guadeloupe. The news of Goshen’s death, in the same area, swiftly followed. They had weathered the storms, only to end their lives at the barrel of a gun.

A Flood of Letters, and a Change in Guadeloupe

A dead Hudsonian Godwit, part of a hunters bag on Guadeloupe. — A Hudsonian Godwit as part of a hunters bag on Guadeloupe. (Photo by Anthony Levesque)

At the time, hunting in Guadeloupe and nearby Martinique had few or no regulations on which species could be shot, how many could be shot, or the number of days hunting was allowed. With the spotlight on the issue of shorebird hunting, BirdsCaribbean (then the SCSCB – Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds) and partners organized a letter writing campaign. Letters went out in the hundreds – to decision makers in the environmental departments of the French Government, as well as to other key institutions and international organizations. Please, make the harvest of shorebirds more sustainable, the letters urged.

After this campaign, some positive progress was made to Guadeloupe’s hunting regulations. In 2012 and 2013 Red Knot and Solitary Sandpipers were removed from the list of shorebirds that could be hunted. Daily bag limits (20 shorebirds per hunter per day) were introduced and regulations set specific days when hunting was not permitted, giving shorebirds some respite.

On Martinique Red Knots were also removed from the hunting list. However, no bag limits or ‘days off’ were set. It was also clear that on both islands, many declining and threatened shorebird species were still being shot by hunters in numbers that might not be sustainable.

We Must Celebrate the Successes!

So…let’s look at the positives.

Each year in Guadeloupe and Martinique hunting regulations are set by decree (separately for each island). In 2021, besides previous restrictions, shooting of Whimbrels on Guadeloupe was not permitted and the hunting of Hudsonian Godwits was set at two per day. On Martinique shorebird hunting was still allowed for 206 days of the year, with no ‘days off’ from hunting. Although some bag limits were set on Martinique, most were deemed by conservationists to be too high to be sustainable.

shooting swamp on Martinique - a large wetland with makeshift wood path leading to a hunting blind. — A Shooting Swamp on Martinique. (Photo by Yves Aubry)

In the fall of 2021, an alliance of nature protection groups* came together to oppose the 2021-22 decrees in both Guadeloupe and Martinique. They requested the suspension of hunting of the Hudsonian Godwit on Guadeloupe—a species of conservation concern and rare on Guadeloupe. On Martinique, they requested the suspension of hunting of 10 shorebirds and four songbirds, all with poor conservation status on the island. Many BirdsCaribbean members and partners sent in emails (over 1,000) opposing the hunting decree.

Ruling on these requests, a judge banned the hunting of five shorebirds on Martinique (Whimbrel, Hudsonian Godwit, Short-billed Dowitcher, American Golden Plover, and Black-bellied Plover). Martinique also set a bag limit of 20 Lesser Yellowlegs per day per hunter in 2020/21, the first time a restriction has been put in place for this species! On Guadeloupe the hunting of Hudsonian Godwits was also stopped.

It was not an easy task, but the efforts and passion of non-governmental organizations, their members and supporters deserves a huge pat on the back. This was a “win” for shorebirds!

Some Positive Changes to Hunting in Barbados

Hunting decoys, used to attract shorebirds, at a swamp in Barbados. (Photo by John Webster)

Barbados is a small, low-lying island on the far eastern edge of the Lesser Antilles. Because of its rather far-flung position, many shorebirds land on the island to avoid severe storms. Hunting in the early years when birds were abundant provided an opportunistic harvest of shorebirds for food and sport. Over time, opportunistic harvest transitioned to managing land to make it more attractive to shorebirds.

With few remaining natural wetlands, the shooting swamps developed by hunters on the island provide excellent habitats for shorebirds and many non-target waterbird species, both resident and migrants. They will likely rely on these managed wetlands even more in the future as severe storms and drought increase with climate change.

The good news is that shorebird hunting in Barbados has been in decline since the 1990s. A number of shooting swamps have closed, with only five active today. By the late 2000s harvesting had declined from roughly 20– 30,000 to approximately 10,000 annually. Why is this? Well, this is partly because younger people have lost interest in hunting and the cost of hunting is rising. Also, the Barbados Wildfowlers Association, representing a number of shooting swamp owners, decided to self-regulate. The Association recommended voluntary measures to reduce daily and total harvest using suggested daily and seasonal bag limits.

Refuge from the Storm for Shorebirds on Barbados?

On a small island, land and water are precious commodities. Abandoned swamps get used for other purposes, such as agriculture, reducing wetland habitats for birds. So, to maintain such habitats, shorebird refuges came into being. In 2008, the first shorebird refuge was created: Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge as a haven for shorebirds. The greater awareness and appreciation of the value of these wetlands by some members of the hunting community has also contributed to preserving some non-active shooting swamps for shorebirds. They may not be large, but they are some of the best places to observe a wonderful diversity of shorebirds and waterbirds on the island.

Woodbourne Shorebirds Refuge, Barbados. (Photo by John Webster)

What Can We Do?

Here are two facts that are indisputable: Firstly, shorebirds are declining at an unprecedented rate. Taking the example of the Lesser Yellowlegs, its numbers have fallen by 60-70 percent since the 1970s!

Secondly, we believe that we can make a difference if conservationists and hunters work together to build a well-managed, sustainable hunting program. Historically, hunters have played an important role in conservation; for example, the nonprofit Ducks Unlimited has worked with landowners and federal and state agencies to conserve, restore, and manage millions of hectares of wetland habitats for ducks, other wildlife, and people. The dialogue among all stakeholders must continue. We all know that regulations and monitoring are essential, going forward, or the steady decline in shorebirds, most of which are migratory, will continue with disastrous results. So, enforcement of the laws that already exist, and development of future ones, is vital.

It is all doable!

Barbados Needs More Wetlands – Hunters Could Play a Role

As we have noted, Barbados does not have large natural wetlands. What they do have needs to be protected and maintained. Just as in Canada and the United States today, hunters can, and often do, play a vital role in conserving habitat. Now, will hunting become less popular as a pastime in Barbados? If so, the shooting swamps hunters created could become shorebird refuges. If a network of such wetland refuges, including former shooting swamps, could be gradually developed, how marvelous that would be for the shorebirds, for other wildlife – and for the people of Barbados. They could even be the basis for an expansion of eco-tourism, including birding trails for locals and visitors to enjoy.

Let’s Work Together

On Guadeloupe and Martinique, much work needs to be done to bring a sense of balance to the situation. Working together, conservation groups, the island governments and the hunting community can foster a less confrontational state of affairs. The work must continue, because we are all aware that this year’s ruling does not guarantee the same restrictions will apply to the 2022/23 shorebird hunting regulations.

A mixed flock of shorebirds taking off, including Willets and Short-billed Dowitchers, enjoying a Caribbean wetland. — A mixed flock of shorebirds, including Willets and Short-billed Dowitchers, enjoying a Caribbean wetland. (Photo by Ernesto Reyes)

Our shorebirds are under pressure like never before, and we must stop their precipitous decline. Shorebird hunting can be sustainable, with shorebirds thriving for everyone to enjoy. Please take a look at our latest video on shorebird hunting. We welcome your comments, suggestions and support, as we seek solutions. Please share and “like” our shorebird posts on social media.

We promise we will stay focused on this important issue for our precious shorebirds and will update you on any new developments as we go along.

It’s for the shorebirds of the Caribbean!

We thank Environment and Climate Change Canada, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Atlantic Flyways Shorebird Initiative, US Forest Service International Programs, film maker Esther Figueroa, talented photographers and videographers, and our partners, members, and donors for your generous support to create this video (fourth in a series!) and carry out Caribbean shorebird and waterbird conservation initiatives.

Please support out shorebird conservation work – thank you!

* Organizations asking for changes to hunting rules: AMAZONA, Association pour la Protection des Animaux Sauvages, Association pour l’Étude et la protection des Vertébrés et végétaux des petites Antilles, L’Association Francophone des Soigneurs Animaliers, Le Carouge, and Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux

To learn more about Caribbean shorebirds and our work to conserve them, check out the following articles and links therein:

Discover Caribbean Shorebirds this World Shorebirds Day—New Video!

Caribbean Connections: How Shorebirds Link the Boreal Forests of Canada to the Beaches of the Caribbean

A Year in the Life of a Lesser Yellowlegs

November 5, 2021

October Big Day 2021: A Bigger and Better Turnout!

October 15, 2021

A Year in the Life of a Lesser Yellowlegs

Laura McDuffie, a wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Management Program, has been tracking the movements of Lesser Yellowlegs on their migration. Find out more about Laura’s work, the amazing journeys that Lesser Yellowlegs make each year and the threats they face along the way! Scroll down to see Laura’s webinar on the Lesser Yellowlegs with much more information on her research. Also check out our NEW short video on Lesser Yellowlegs and hunting in the Caribbean (below and on our YouTube).

Typically, when people think of shorebirds, they envision gangly, long-billed birds probing for invertebrates along sandy or rocky coastlines. But this is not where you are likely to find our study species, the Lesser Yellowlegs! This medium-sized shorebird breeds in the boreal forests of Alaska and Canada. They can be found in a diversity of wetland habitats during migration and overwintering in the Caribbean and Central and South America. This includes salt, brackish, and freshwater ponds and swamps, mud flats, mangroves, and other water edges. They are particularly fond of freshwater swamps and may also be found in large numbers on flooded agricultural fields (especially rice fields) if available, as in Suriname, Cuba, and Trinidad.

Shorebirds in Trouble

Over the past five decades, shorebirds have declined at an unprecedented rate. Factors causing this decline include habitat destruction and alteration, agrochemical applications, climate change, and for some shorebirds, including the Lesser Yellowlegs, unsustainable harvest at several non-breeding locations. Harvest occurs as sports hunting in the Caribbean, as well as hunting and trapping for sale as food, as a source of income in other parts of the flyway. Lesser Yellowlegs populations have declined by an alarming 63 ̶70% since the 1970s!

Keeping Track of Lesser Yellowlegs

Tagged Lesser Yellowlegs. (Photo By Laura McDuffie)

In May 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Management Program began deploying tracking devices (light-level geolocators) on breeding Lesser Yellowlegs in Anchorage, Alaska. Our goal was to determine where the species occurs during the non-breeding season. In 2017, birds returned to the breeding sites. To our dismay, however, they were incredibly difficult to recapture so that we could retrieve the tags and the data. This serious predicament ultimately made us have a “rethink” about our objectives for the Program. As a result, we expanded the range of our study to include collaborations with Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska; Yellowknife, Northwest Territories; Ft. McMurray, Alberta; Churchill, Manitoba; James Bay, Ontario, and Mingan Archipelago, Quebec.

During the summers of 2018-2021, partners at Alaska Department of Fish and Game (Katherine Christie), USFWS (Christopher Harwood), Environment and Climate Change Canada (Jennie Rausch, Christian Friis, and Yves Aubrey), and Trent University (Erica Nol) deployed Lotek wireless GPS pinpoint tags on breeding adults. These tags record data via satellite so recaptures are not required! The GPS tags are accurate to ~10m, which has allowed us to examine the occurrence of Lesser Yellowlegs in countries where shorebirds are harvested. Since 2018, we have successfully deployed 115 GPS tags on Lesser Yellowlegs!

Amazing Journeys Revealed

Each bird we tag and release has their movements tracked, which mean we can identify the different countries they visit and specific sites they use during migration and overwintering. This information can help us to identify the potential bottlenecks and threats that birds experience each year.

Here is just one amazing journey made by “JP” who was tagged in Anchorage, Alaska in 2018. The tag revealed that he travelled at least 10,576 km on his southward migration, taking in Alberta and Manitoba, Canada, and Devils Lake, North Dakota, on his way through North America. JP then spent a whole month on Barbuda! This highlights how important the Caribbean can be as a rest and refueling spot for some shorebirds. Finally, JP made it to Middenstandspolder, in Suriname, where his tag went offline in February 2019.

We don’t know why JP’s tag stopped transmitting. It was not uncommon in our study to have incomplete tracklines. For these birds, the battery of the tag may have failed, or the harness could have fallen off and left the tag lying covered in mud, unable to recharge and transmit. However, we do know that some birds don’t survive the long journey.

Thanks to strong collaborations with biologists working in the Caribbean, we were able to receive some shorebird harvest reports. In fall 2020, we learned that two of our tagged birds “O2A” and “A65” were shot by hunters in Guadeloupe and Martinique, respectively. This shows that hunting isn’t only a “predicted threat” to the birds we studied, but also a real and observed threat.

Migration map of Lesser Yellowlegs “A65” wearing a GPS tracking tag. A65 was harvested in fall 2020 in Martinique, French West Indies.

Dead Lesser Yellowlegs with GPS tag and leg bands. — Lesser Yellowlegs with GPS tag “A65” was harvested in Martinique by a hunter on its southbound migration. We are thankful to hunters for reporting tagged birds to us!

Migration map of Lesser Yellowlegs O2A — Migration map of Lesser Yellowlegs “O2A” wearing a GPS tracking tag. O2A was harvested in fall 2020 in Guadeloupe, French West Indies.

find out more about Lesser Yellowlegs and hunting in the Caribbean in this short video

Globally, Lesser Yellowlegs are in steep decline, with likely only 400,000 individuals remaining. Our research on the species has helped identify several potential threats, but we still need to learn more about the hazards these birds face. So, we must rely on assistance from local biologists, managers, hunters, and the public in the Caribbean and beyond.

The proper management of a species ensures that it will be around for future generations to enjoy and utilize. Awareness and education about the species decline and an understanding of the threats it faces can go a long way! When the general public is aware of an issue, they are more likely to take actions. These might include helping to monitor birds, conserving local wetlands, or ensuring that hunting laws protect vulnerable species. They may even participate in scientific efforts, such as submitting shorebird harvest records to managers. Awareness, information gathering and partnerships are critical components in helping us to protect these unique shorebirds.

Laura McDuffie holding shorebird chicks — Laura McDuffie, in the field, with Lesser Yellowlegs chicks. (Photo by Zak Pohlen)

Laura McDuffie has been studying the breeding and migration ecology of Alaska’s shorebirds and landbirds since 2014. In spring 2021, Laura completed her master’s degree in biological sciences at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Laura’s thesis is entitled “Migration ecology and harvest exposure risk of Lesser Yellowlegs.”

This study would not have been possible without the tremendous efforts of our collaborators. Our gratitude goes out to the following people: Brad Andres, Yves Aubry, Erin Bayne, Christophe Buidin, Katherine Christie, Ken Foster, Christian Friis, Autumn-Lynn Harrison, Christopher Harwood, James Johnson, Kevin Kardynal, Benoit Laliberte, Peter Marra, Erica Nol, Jennie Rausch, Yann Rochepault, Sarah Sonsthagen, Audrey Taylor, Lee Tibbitts, Ross Wood, Jay Wright, and all the field technicians that helped with banding. Kristy Rouse, Cassandra Schoofs, and Brent Koenen with Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson’s 673rd CES/CEIS supported the project from the beginning and were instrumental in the DoD’s recognition of lesser yellowlegs as a Species of Special Concern. Funding sources include the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Bird Studies Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Smithsonian Institution; the 673rd CES/CEIS, U.S. Department of the Air Force; and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Learn more details about Laura’s fascinating research on lesser yellowlegs’ migration by watching this webinar, recorded for world migratory bird day, OCtober, 2021.

September 10, 2021

The Struggle is Real for the Bridled Quail-Dove on St. Eustatius

The Bridled Quail-Dove is a quiet, retiring bird. It has reason to be nervous, because it is facing a doubtful future on the Dutch-speaking island of St. Eustatius (Statia). Hannah Madden, a Terrestrial Ecologist in St. Eustatius, gives us an important update on how this special bird is faring.

Two years ago we shared the worrying news that the Bridled Quail-Dove population had suffered a significant decline on Statia. This was as a direct result of the powerful and destructive Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which followed each other closely, in September 2017. Four years on, has the situation improved?

The Bridled Quail-Dove (Geotrygon mystacea) is a ground-dwelling species that is endemic to the Caribbean. It spends its day foraging in the forest understory for fruits, seeds and the occasional gecko. Quail-Doves prefer undisturbed forests with a closed canopy. They are very sensitive to changes in their natural habitat. And those changes are happening. Unfortunately the impacts of human-induced climate change mean more intense and more frequent hurricanes, which could spell trouble for this vulnerable species.

The Quill – Before and After

I began surveying Bridled Quail-Doves in the Quill National Park in 2016. The Quill is a dormant volcano that rises to 600 meters with a large, accessible crater. It is the dove’s only home on Statia. Pre-hurricane, Quail-Doves were relatively common and observant birders could almost certainly spot one or two while hiking along the trails. The species breeds in May, when its mournful and unmistakable ‘whooooos’ can be heard echoing through the forest.

Then came Irma and Maria. In September 2017 the forest habitat of the Quill suffered extensive damage from the back-to-back hurricanes. Trees were stripped of leaves and fruits, branches were broken. Some trees did not survive. The hurricanes have left their mark – you can still see the evidence in some parts of the forest.

Hover over each image to see the caption; click on each photo to see it larger and to view images as a gallery

Hannah Madden during fieldwork in May 2021. Some 100 meter transects took up to 20 minutes to complete due to the steep and challenging environment (photo by Oliver Jones)

Overgrazed understory in the Quill National Park, St. Eustatius (photo by Hannah Madden)

Then there are the goats!

In addition, we have a very serious goat problem in the park—one that has been pervasive for decades. These are non-native, free-ranging goats that graze excessively in areas that are already damaged. This results in a limited food supply and reduced understory cover for the Bridled Quail-Dove (as well as other species that depend on the forest). There is nowhere for the birds to find food and shelter. Feral chickens disturb ground cover and compete for the same food source. Invasive black rats and feral cats, both of which are present in the Quill prey on nests and take eggs and chicks. The Bridled Quail-Dove’s survival rate – and its chances of bringing up a family – are slim. There is no evidence that adult birds have come in from nearby islands. The Bridled Quail-Doves of Statia are physically and genetically isolated. We became concerned for the welfare of the Bridled Quail-Dove. We were grateful for the funds from many generous donors, including BirdsCaribbean, allowing us to conduct our surveys.

In search of the Quail-Dove

I conducted surveys of the Bridled Quail-Dove in the Quill National Park, walking previously established transects (walking routes) within the dove’s range (~150 to 600 m). We surveyed during peak breeding season (May), so that we could hear as well as see the birds. Once I saw or heard a Quail-Dove, I measured the distance to the bird. I also recorded how high up they were, and the height of the forest canopy. Once surveys were complete, I pooled all data from 2016 – 2021 to obtain abundance and density estimates per year.

Map of St. Eustatius showing transects (red lines) in the Quill National Park (440 ha).

Greater effort, disappointing results

As shown in the graph below, we increased the extent of our survey from 1,200 m of transects in 2016 to over 15,000 m in 2021. Our coverage increased 13-fold, and yet we were able to find only around one third of the number of doves that were counted in 2016, before the hurricanes. It was challenging work. As you can imagine, repeating so many surveys is physically demanding.

Graph showing Quail Dove detections — Number of detections (left axis; red line) and survey effort (right axis; blue line) between 2016 and 2021 (no surveys were conducted in 2020).

Unfortunately, estimates of the numbers of Bridled Quail-Dove on St. Eustatius have declined significantly since 2016. The current estimate is just 123 individuals (somewhere between a minimum of 72 and a maximum of 210). This is less than half of the 2019 estimate, and less than 5% of the 2016 estimate. So, numbers have continued to dwindle since the hurricanes.

After assessing the influence of covariates (factors that might influence the presence or absence of the dove, like weather, time of day, elevation, condition of the vegetation, etc.) on Bridled Quail-Dove presence, I found that doves were more likely to be found at higher elevations in habitats with a higher canopy (such as inside the crater, along the rim, and on the upper outer slopes of the Quill). It became clear also that in the years following hurricanes Irma and Maria, doves were less and less likely to be present in the survey area.

graph showing abundance estimates of Quail Doves — Abundance estimates of the Bridled Quail-Dove on St. Eustatius between 2016 (pre-hurricane) and 2021 (post-hurricane). No surveys were conducted in 2020.

Urgent action is needed to save the Bridled Quail-Dove on Statia!

We are extremely worried about the Bridled Quail-Dove on St. Eustatius. This lovely bird’s ongoing decline is caused by a combination of two factors: the destruction of the places it calls home, and the invasive species that prey on it. Its long-term survival is now uncertain unless urgent action is taken to save it. Even if the dove does keep going, such a small and isolated population faces additional risks, such as inbreeding.

Climate change is here to stay, and this means that hurricanes are likely to become more frequent and more powerful. This could be catastrophic for the Statia population, and others in the region. Recently the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) proposed that the conservation status of the Bridled Quail-Dove be reassessed, based on our work on Statia. This means the classification could be changed from Least Concern to Near Threatened or Vulnerable. However, apart from Statia, data are still lacking from many islands. We encourage enthusiastic birders to conduct their own surveys so that local populations can be evaluated.

An Action Plan for a precious bird

We will be working with local conservation NGO St. Eustatius National Parks (STENAPA) to create an Action Plan for the Bridled Quail-Dove. To effectively protect the species locally, it is likely that we will have to take action on several fronts, Goats, cats and feral chickens will need to be removed from the park and rodent will need to be controlled. For this, we will need the support of the local government and the community.

Monitoring Bridled Quail-Doves on Statia is a tremendous effort. To make life easier, we are suggesting trying out passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) devices during the breeding season. How does this work? Recording units can be placed in the field for up to a month to record and interpret calls. Using these devices will allow us to collect data in less accessible areas, helping us to broaden our study.

The work will continue as we seek to find help for this iconic bird. Hopefully, by combining conservation efforts with field surveys and PAM, we will have better news in the coming years.

Thank you to BirdsCaribbean and all the generous donors who supported BirdsCaribbean’s Hurricane Relief Fund – my survey work on the Bridled Quail-Dove would not have been possible without your support!

Hannah Madden works with the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute, based on St. Eustatius. She is also a member of the IUCN Pigeon and Dove Specialist Group. She also works as a bird and nature guide in her spare time, sharing the beauty and diversity of Statia with visitors. Hannah is an active member of BirdsCaribbean and has participated in several training workshops and conferences. She has published papers on different taxonomic groups, but especially enjoys working on birds.

Learn more about the Bridled Quail-Dove and download free activities, including a coloring page, for children.

August 28, 2021

Celebrate World Shorebirds Day and Join the Global Shorebird Count: September 1-7, 2021

September is right around the corner and migratory shorebirds are making their way south. Please join us this World Shorebirds Day to learn more about these fascinating birds and what you can do to help protect them. Take part in this year’s Global Shorebird Count and check out our cool resources for honing your ID skills and count techniques. We also have free, fun activities for kids and the whole family – read on!

Global Shorebird Count 2021

This year’s Global Shorebird Count will take place from September 1 to 7, 2021. All across the Caribbean and beyond, intrepid birders will be compiling checklists from island to island and recording them on eBird Caribbean. BirdsCaribbean urges you to participate! Our migratory shorebirds are more vulnerable than ever, threatened by human activities such as destruction of their habitats, pollution, disturbance, and climate change. In some countries they are hunted. Altogether this has led to severe declines in populations of shorebirds around the world.

Where are these fascinating birds to be found? While you will find them on shores and beaches, some shorebirds use habitats further inland, including freshwater and brackish marshes and ponds. Shorebirds are also fond of salt ponds, mud flats, mangrove areas, and tidal flats. Check out the new video we created in honor of this year’s World Shorebirds Day!

Make Your Shorebirds Count—Submit & Share Your Data!

A Piping Plover – the first seen in Jamaica! (Photo by Ann Sutton).

We encourage you to register to participate in the count and be sure share your eBird Caribbean checklist(s) with worldshorebirdsday – the eBird username of World Shorebirds Day. You can find guidelines for sharing checklists here.

eBird Caribbean is a critical tool for tracking and understanding bird migration and population changes – never more so than for our shorebirds. If you do not have an account, it is easy to register – here’s a quick guide to enter eBird data online. There is even a free eBird Essentials course to get you fully oriented. Download the free mobile app for recording your data in the field.

Note that shorebirds are a type of waterbird and any counts you do at wetlands, mangroves, mud flats, coastal areas or beaches at any time of year count as Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) counts. When you do your counts Please choose one of the CWC protocols in the eBird app or when you submit or edit your data online. When you are using the app make sure that you are using the eBird Caribbean Portal. To check or change the portal you are using go into your settings on the app and look for “Portal”. To increase the value of your count to science, be sure to count ALL birds at your site, including seabirds, herons and egrets, land birds, etc.

What if you spot a bird with a band on its leg?

While counting shorebirds you may see birds; especially Piping Plovers, Red Knots, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers, Ruddy Turnstones, and Sanderlings, with colourful bands around their legs. Do your best to record the band colors and any numbers or letters – see guidance in the handy graphic. Binoculars or zoom photography may allow you to clearly see the band colors and the numbers engraved onto the band. Scientists use this information to track bird populations and migrations.

You may report your sightings to BandedBirds.org and the USGS Bird Banding Lab which oversee all banding in the United States.

Handout from the US Fish and Wildlife Service that provides information about Piping Plover banding locations and how to read the flags.

Global Shorebird Count 101

After years of participating in the Global Shorebird Count we have created a list of some best practice tips to help make your count go as smoothly as possible. You may download and share this infographic with your fellow birders.

If you do not already have a favorite place to look at shorebirds, before doing your Global Shorebird Counts, you might need to choose your birding spot. Shorebirds can show up in many different types of wetlands from mangroves, to mudflats, saltponds, marshes, and beaches! If you are unsure where to find shorebirds near you why not take a look for ‘hotspots’ at your local wetlands on eBird. Just click on ‘Explore’ on the eBird Caribbean website, and find ‘Explore Hotspots’. You can open hotspots in a map and then click on a hotspot to see what type of birds have been seen there recently. When you visit your shorebird spot be sure to find a good place to count birds from – you need to have a clear view of the birds, but not be so close you disturb them!

Shorebirds can be challenging to identify, and some species are especially difficult to tell apart. If you have binoculars, a spotting scope or a camera with a good zoom lens don’t forget to take them along. These will help you get a closer look to pick out the ID features, without disturbing the birds. Of course, don’t forget to take you favorite bird ID guide with you when you do your shorebird counts. You might want to print out one of our handy Shorebird ID cards! In fact, you could even do a bit of ‘shorebird studying’ before you go using our useful reference guides and our CWC and Shorebird ID webinars. You can find all these free resources here.

Fun activities to engage kids in exploring wetlands and beaches

These activities were not designed to teach a child how to name and identify shorebirds but rather to give them space to explore and feel connected to their natural environment. Parents and guardians, you will not need to worry about your own knowledge of birds or plants. All you need to do is accompany and participate with your child in these activities.

Beach Scavenger Hunt. This activity is suitable for children ages 4 to 7 years old. They are asked to find plants and animals at the beach.

Beach Bird Bingo. This activity is suitable for children ages 8 to 12 years old. They are asked to find items on the list four in a row, horizontally, vertically or diagonally. They do not need to touch or collect any of the items on the list.

Talk about this with your children before beginning any of the activities. They should not touch or collect items on the lists. When observing birds they should speak softly. They do not need to get close to the birds but if they need to, ask them to do so slowly and quietly. You can check off the items (with a pencil or pen), as they are located. When everyone has had a chance to look for the items listed, come back together to chat about what they were able to find or see. For example, why is the bird’s beak long and straight?

World Shorebirds Day 2021 postcard. This activity is suitable for any age. Print and colour the postcard – sides 1 and 2. Then share it with a friend or family member.

Don’t forget to reward your junior birders with a scoop of their favourite ice cream!

They may also enjoy this Snowy Plover colouring book. You can print the colouring book and carry to the beach, just remember to pack the colouring pencils or crayons.

Get Social for Shorebirds

Celebrating World Wetlands day on Jamaica (Photo by Paula-Anne Porter)

This activity is suitable for anyone 12 years and older. Take photos at your local wetland, beach, mud flat, salt pond, or swamp, and share them on social media; Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and tag us @birdscaribbean and use the hashtag #worldshorebirdsday2021. The categories are:

Caribbean Shorebirds: snap a pic of a shorebird you saw at your local beach, mud flat, pond or swamp. Please also use the hashtag: #Caribshorebirds

Share the Shore: show us how you are helping shorebirds. For tips on how you can help shorebirds when you visit the beach, check out this blog. Please also use the hashtag: #sharetheshore

My Local Wetland: share a beautiful landscape or seascape photo of your local wetland or if you’re not camera shy, take a selfie in the habitat. Please also use the hashtag: #mylocalwetland and #HumansofBirdsCaribbean

Use a phone or any other camera that is available, but you must tag @birdscaribbean and use the hashtags provided. We look forward to seeing and sharing your amazing photos and reading your stories.

August 27, 2021

Discover Caribbean Shorebirds this World Shorebirds Day—New Video!

World Shorebirds Day, on Monday, September 6, is just around the bend. In honor of this annual global event, BirdsCaribbean created a new video to celebrate Caribbean shorebirds. From plump plovers to wave-catching Sanderlings to stately Stilt Sandpipers, shorebirds are delightful birds to get to know and love. Enjoy our short video and learn more about how you can help to conserve these treasures of our beaches and wetlands.

It is prime time to learn about and celebrate the diversity of shorebirds in the Caribbean. During late summer and early fall, our resident shorebirds, like the Killdeer and Wilson’s Plover, are joined by long-distance migrants, such as the Lesser Yellowlegs, Willet, Spotted Sandpiper, and many more. These migratory birds have just completed their breeding seasons, hopefully with much success, in the northern U.S. and Canada. Now, many are passing through the Caribbean, stopping to rest and feed as they travel to wintering areas further south. Other bird arrivals may stay with us for the entire winter.

Shorebirds are a diverse group of wading birds that live close to water—you can find them on our beaches, mangroves, marshes, salt ponds, and mudflats. Many can be easily identified by their long legs or unique bills, which are especially adapted to their diet and habitat. For example, the long, thin, probing bill of the Black-necked Stilt is ideal for plucking worms and crabs from sticky mud; while the Ruddy Turnstone, with his short, stubby bill, is adept at flipping over stones and shells to find tasty insects on the beach.

Hover over each image to see the caption; click on each photo to see it larger and to view images as a gallery

Ruddy Turnstone in winter plumage on a beach

A Ruddy Turnstone in winter plumage. This shorebird is easy to identify from its short bright orange legs and stout ‘triangular’ bill. (Photo By Charles Sharp).

The Killdeer is one of our Caribbean residents, and can be found here year-round. (Photo By Lorie Shaull).

The striking Black-necked Stilt has long legs for wading into deep water to find food. (Photo by Dan Pancamo)

Migratory shorebirds make amazing journeys of thousands of kilometres! Beforehand, they need to store enough energy in the form of fat reserves to migrate. These small birds will eat until they are about double their normal weight. You may think that flying at their top weight would slow shorebirds down, but they are the marathon-winners of flight. Incredibly, this group of birds does not do any soaring, they are physically flapping the entire way!

Sadly, shorebird numbers have declined by roughly forty percent over the last 50 years, due to a number of threats. An increase in developments and various types of pollution have resulted in their habitats being degraded or even lost altogether. Human disturbance, hunting, and climate change…All these factors threaten shorebirds. Please join us this World Shorebirds Day to learn more about these fascinating birds and what you can do to help protect them.

Join the Global Shorebird Count, September 1 to 7 – every shorebird counts!

One of the main activities of World Shorebirds Day is the Global Shorebird Count. We encourage bird enthusiasts in the region to go out and count shorebirds from the 1st to 7th September 2021.

Leucistic (white) Willet, with two other Willets — Spot the difference! A leucistic Willet seen in Zapata Swamp, Cuba. (Photo By Ernesto Reyes).

Your counts will help us to understand which species (and how many) are stopping to rest and feed in the Caribbean. This allows us to assess the health of populations and to determine whether they are increasing, decreasing, or stable. The data you collect will also help scientists to coordinate follow-up research and conservation actions, such as protecting important sites – or even taking immediate action to reduce threats to shorebirds and their environments, if necessary.

So, grab your binoculars, hat, waterboots, and field guide and head to your favorite muddy, sandy, or watery birding spot! Yes, it might get messy. You never know what new birds you might see, and there have been some remarkable discoveries over the years. Since the beginning of the Global Shorebird Count and the Caribbean Waterbird Census, new species have been recorded in the Caribbean. For example, in 2016 Ann Sutton spotted the first Piping Plover ever seen in Jamaica on Pedro Pond, and in 2018 a BirdsCaribbean birding tour in Cuba came across a leucistic (white) Willet in the Zapata Swamp. In addition, we have also greatly expanded our knowledge and conservation of the habitats and sites that shorebirds use across the region, thanks to our many citizen science shorebirders.

We hope that you will be able to visit many areas across your island and invite local birders and/or birding groups to get involved. Note that shorebirds are a type of waterbird; any tallies you do, whether it is at wetlands, mangroves, mud flats, coastal areas or beaches, are also considered as Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) counts. To increase the value of your count to science, be sure to count ALL birds at your site, including seabirds, herons and egrets, land birds, and so on.

Complete instructions on how to do a Global Shorebird Count/ Caribbean Waterbird Census count are available here and here; Shorebird ID resources are available here. Before you head out, it might well be helpful to watch our webinars on Waterbird ID and Shorebird ID to bone up on your ID skills!

Be sure to follow your country’s COVID-19 safety guidelines, have fun and definitely tag us, @birdscaribbean, in your photos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We look forward to seeing your amazing photos and reading your stories!

Please enjoy and share our video!

Many thanks to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Atlantic Flyways Shorebird Initiative, US Forest Service International Programs, film maker Esther Figueroa, talented photographers and videographers, and our partners, members, and donors for your generous support to create this video (first in a series!) and carry out Caribbean shorebird and waterbird conservation initiatives.

August 3, 2021

Sing, Fly, Soar Like a Bird! Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival Sparks Creative Expressions

July 29, 2021

Birds in Every Shape and Form—Morphological Diversity in Grenada and Across the Caribbean

Black morph Bananaquit, found on Grenada — The majority of bananaquits in Grenada are of the black morph. (Photo by Paulson Des Brisay)

Did you know that the same species of Caribbean birds can be a bit different on each island? Find out more from Nicky Koper, who visited Grenada with her team, to compare the Grenadian birds with those across the Caribbean.

Every island in the Caribbean has its own feel, vibe, and ultimately, its own ecosystems. It is not surprising, then, that the Caribbean’s bird communities have adapted a little differently to every island they are found on. This makes each island population genetically and ecologically distinct. Our team from the University of Manitoba and Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre (in Manitoba, Canada) wanted to learn more about why this happens.

Recently, the team published two papers highlighting how and why birds on different Caribbean islands are distinct from one another. We paid special attention to land birds of Grenada, because to the best of our knowledge, the unique forms and structures of land birds here have only been studied in depth for one species before (Bananaquits, by Dr. Joseph Wunderle). While we collected lots of primary data from Grenada in our field trips there, these papers represent one of those special projects that really came about through collaborations with and contributions from many scientists, who generously contributed their data from other islands (and Venezuela) to enable this research (see our thank-you*, below!).

Common Ground Doves had longer tarsi on Grenada than on any other island. (Photo by Paulson Des Brisay)

Although we caught 19 species in Grenada in mist-nets from 2015 to 2017, we focused our analyses on just 4 of these, for which we had lots of data (> 400 individuals per species) from Grenada and other islands: Bananaquit, Black-faced Grassquit, Lesser Antillean Bullfinch, and Common Ground Dove.

Personally, I found our results extremely interesting, as we found many differences between the populations on Grenada compared with other islands, as published in our recent Journal of Caribbean Ornithology paper. In fact, every one of the 4 species we studied on Grenada differed in at least one way from every other population we studied. In a few cases, the Grenada populations were exceptional; for example, Lesser Antillean Bullfinches were smaller on Grenada than anywhere else, while Common Ground Doves had longer tarsi (lower leg bones) than any other population.

Black-faced Grassquits had relatively long wings on Grenada compared with other islands. (Photo by Paulson Des Brisay)

We also really wanted to find out what might have contributed to the unique adaptations of these species across the Caribbean. In our paper in the journal Ornithology, we show that islands with lower avian diversity have populations with characteristics suggesting evidence of “ecological release” – on islands with fewer species, there is less competition among species, which allows for that population to use a wider variety of habitats or niches. This, in turn, tends to result in morphological characteristics that help birds to successfully use a wider variety of resources.

While ecological release seems to be the most important single driver affecting evolution of physical traits in the species we studied, it’s definitely not the only one. Grassquits had longer wings and ground doves had longer tarsi on islands with mongoose, which might mean that these species have begun to adapt to the recent increase in predation risk from that animal. The stronger they can fly or lever off of the ground, the better they can escape mongoose. Morphology of several species also varied with climatic differences among islands.

We think the key take-home messages from this research are that Grenada’s bird populations – and indeed, the populations on all the Caribbean islands – are ecologically unique. Our conservation and management of these islands shouldn’t focus just on species that are endemic; we also need to recognize that each island population contributes to the diversity of its species, so we really need to conserve the species on every island on which they occur.

Lesser Antillean Bullfinches were lighter on Grenada than on any other island. (Photo by Paulson Des Brisay)

*We sincerely thank these researchers for generously sharing their morphological data with us: Floyd Hayes, Miguel Lentino, Chris Rimmer, Kent MacFarlane, John D. Lloyd, Stewart White, Bob Wilkerson, and The Institute for Bird Populations. Many thanks to George Wallace for directing us to a publicly accessible database compiled from years of research. Many thanks to our volunteer banders and assistants, including Chelsea Enslow, Christoph Ng, Laura Burns, Ezra Campbell, Nicholas Bergen, Marie-Ève Cyr, Hannah Carey, and Alice Davey.

Dr. Nicola Koper is a Professor in the Natural Resources Institute of the University of Manitoba. She studies avian conservation biology in Canada and the Neotropics. Currently, she is focusing on effects of anthropogenic noise, oil and gas activity, and agroecology of birds.

July 1, 2021

We’re Launching a New Caribbean Landbird Monitoring Project!

June 30, 2021

Help Us Find the ‘Missing’ Red Knots! Do a CWC Count July 10-20

Red Knots are known for their extraordinary long-distance migrations. On the Atlantic Flyway they head north from their main wintering areas in South America to breed in the Arctic, traveling as far as 15,000 km each way! Here in the Caribbean, they winter in small numbers on various islands, and we see them also during Fall and Spring migration. Counts of birds on northward migration are way down from previous years, causing great concern. Did something different happen this year? Where are the missing Red Knots? We need your help to find out!

Target count dates are July 10-20, but counts at any time during July are welcome!

When Red Knots migrate north to their breeding grounds they will stop along the way to refuel, gathering in large flocks at key sites to rest and feed. These sites are vital for Red Knots and other shorebirds to re-build fat reserves before completing their long journeys north to breed. Counting birds at these sites can give us an indication of how the populations of these birds are faring.

You may have heard that this year, on spring migration, a very steep decline in Red Knot numbers was recorded at one such site. The count of Red Knots at Delaware Bay (New Jersey, and Delaware) where knots gather in huge numbers to gorge on the eggs of spawning Horseshoe Crabs, was just 6,800. This is an alarmingly low count compared to the 19,000 seen last year, and 30,000 seen in 2018 and 2019. In fact, this year’s count was the lowest recorded since the 1980s when the population was about 90,000.

Help Us Find Out What Happened: CWC count July 10-20

We are asking for your help in July to try to understand what happened. It is possible that some of the ‘missing’ Red Knots decided not to migrate north and spent the breeding season in their wintering areas or stopped their journeys before reaching this key stopover site. As part of an international coordinated effort, we would like you to carry out a Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) count at wetlands and beaches you know are good for shorebirds, from July 10 – 20. These are the key dates for the coordinated count, but if you cannot make it out during this period doing a CWC count at any time in July will also help.

Red Knots in Trouble

Red Knot molting in September with some patches of rusty plumage showing. — A Red Knot, in in September still showing some remnants of breeding plumage. (Photo by Hemant Kishan)

We already know that Red Knots are in trouble, like many other shorebirds. They are threatened by climate change, loss of habitat, reduction in food resources, human disturbance, and hunting. The birds using Delaware Bay as a stopover site are of the Rufa sub-species of Red Knots, listed as Threatened since 2014. This sub-species also migrates through the Caribbean on the Atlantic Flyway and winters in small numbers in the islands. The population of rufa Red Knots is estimated to have declined by 75% in recent years and the USFWS say threats to this sub-species put it “in danger of extinction in the next few decades.” So, it is vital that we try to understand what has happened to Red Knots this year!

Ornithologists report that although horseshoe crab eggs were abundant at Delaware Bay, numbers of some of the other migratory shorebirds that stop there, like Ruddy Turnstones, Semipalmated Sandpipers, and Sanderlings were also lower than expected this year. One factor that may have contributed to low numbers of knots was poor reproduction on the breeding grounds last year (there is some evidence for this). Or perhaps migration was delayed due to poor weather, or there was abundant food at another stopover site and so not as many birds used Delaware Bay.

It’s also possible that more birds than usual may have stayed in the Caribbean or other parts of their nonbreeding range instead of migrating north—some juvenile Red Knots do not reproduce in their first year and spend the breeding season in different places across the Americas. Or perhaps some unknown factor (e.g., disease, a storm, etc.), caused the demise of a large numbers of birds. We hope that this is not the case!

Red Knot ID Tips – Click on each photo below to view larger.

Red Knot in rusty coloured breeding plumage

Red Knot in breeding plumage. (Photo by Rick Evets)

Three Knots molting out of breeding plumage

Red Knots molting from breeding to non-breeding plumage. (Photo by Stephen Buckingham)

Red Knot in winter plumage. (Photo by Beth Hamel)

Your CWC Count Data is needed!

We need our CWC monitors throughout the Caribbean to help this international effort to try and understand why numbers of Red Knots and other shorebirds are down this year. Please carry out as many counts as you can during the period July 10-20. When you do your CWC count, remember to keep an eye out for other shorebird species at the same time, and that you should count all the birds you see (of any species, including “landbirds”) on each count—doing a complete count greatly increases the value of your data to science and conservation.

Don’t forget to enter your data in eBird Caribbean using one of the CWC protocols on Step 2 of data entry. If using eBird mobile, set your portal to eBird Caribbean to access the CWC options for your checklists/ counts at wetlands and beaches). Thanks to you, we now have 11+ years of CWC data and counting, and are able to look at status and trends for many species at different sites and in the region overall. Remember that CWC counts can be done at any time of year—whenever you are conducting a count at a wetland, mangrove, salt pond, or beach, make it a CWC count.

You can find out more about CWC monitoring on our CWC page and find Shorebird Resources on our website and Youtube channel – we have lots of great resources to help you with your wetland and shorebird bird ID! Are you familiar with the Red Knot? You can find out more about them in our World Migratory Bird Blog Post or learn more about them, including photos, and calls on eBird.

Share this special CWC July Count, Red Knot edition, with your networks!

As mentioned above this is an international collaborative effort, thus, we would like people to carry out counts throughout the Caribbean and the Americas! We have prepared promotional graphics (portrait, landscape, square) in English, Spanish, and French for our partners in the Caribbean – you can download them here. If you would like to use and adapt these graphics for your country, you are welcome to do so! Contact Lisa.Sorenson@BirdsCaribbean.org.

Please, do remember to follow any COVID rules and precautions in your country when doing surveys.

Thank you for contributing to our knowledge base, as we try to solve the mystery of the missing Red Knots.

Birds Connect Our World – Day 4

June 4, 2021

From the Nest – Day 80

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.

Endemic Bird of the Day: Hispaniolan Oriole

One of its Dominican names is “Platano Maduro.” In Haiti, people call it the “Bananann mí.” These local names for the Hispaniolan Oriole mean “Ripe Plantain” because of its black and yellow colors, as well as the mottled appearance of juveniles – and because it is quite long and slender, just like a plantain (20 to 22 cm). In the DR it is also called “Cigua Canaria.”

Indeed, this handsome, conspicuous jet-black bird with bright yellow shoulders, rump and lower belly is a real find! It is not a common bird, restricted to more remote areas. But when you see it, it really stands out, whether it is feeding on orange maguey (agave) flowers, flying across open fields, or perched on trees in open woodlands or treelines

The Hispaniolan Oriole mostly feeds on nectar, fruit, and other flowers, but it can also be found searching for insects under palm fronds. These fronds are also where it attaches its nest, a shallow basket woven of palm fibers. The oriole’s song is an jumble of squeaky and metallic notes and whistles. Its calls include a sharp “check” and scratchy sounding “jrrrt.”

The Hispaniolan Oriole is found in a variety of habitats island-wide: in highland forests of the Central Mountain range in the Dominican Republic, in shade coffee and fruit plantations in the foothills of San José de Ocoa, and also at sea level where there are palms including Las Dunas de Baní, the beaches of Miches and Punta Cana, Los Haitises National Park, and on offshore islands like Saona. It is regularly seen in the Puerto Escondido Valley on the north slope of the Sierra de Bahoruco, where abundant ficus trees and maguey provide food.

Although listed as “Least Concern” by the IUCN, the population may be declining due to loss of habitat caused by increased agricultural activities in its favored habitat. Another threat is the increasing numbers of the invasive Shiny Cowbirds, brood parasites who lay their eggs in the oriole’s nests, displacing the oriole’s eggs. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Hispaniolan 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 Hispaniolan Oriole

The song of the Hispaniolan Oriole is a jumble of squeaky and metallic notes and whistles. Calls include a scratchy sounding “jrrrt” and metallic “zhwee.”

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!

The Hispaniolan Oriole is scarce but found in a wide variety of habitats, from highland forests to coffee and fruit plantations to gardens, as well at beaches and on offshore islands. (Photo by Dax Roman)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: How much can you remember about the birds we have featured during the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival 2021? Test your memory of your newly gained knowledge of these wonderful birds with our 2021 Caribbean Endemic Bird Quiz! Today we have Part Two of a two-part bird trivia quiz. Try to answer all the questions without checking back to our posts or looking up the answers online or in your bird guides! But just in case you do get stuck you or if you want to do some studying before you try the quiz you can read about all our featured endemic birds here or take a browse on ebird. Did you miss Part One of our quiz? You can find it here.

There are two different ways for you to try tackling our bird-themed questions. You can download a fun and interactive version of the quiz as a PowerPoint file here. If you don’t have PowerPoint you can also open the quiz in google slides here. Read the instructions (given before the questions start) carefully and remember to view the quiz in presentation / slide show mode to play interactively! OR if want to, you can download a pdf version of the quiz here, as printable question sheets. An answer sheet to go with this is available here, but don’t look till you’ve tired to answer all the questions! This is a great activity to try by yourself or with a group of friends and family, either in person or online! If you play in a group remember to designate one person as the ‘host’ who will read the questions, keep score and give the correct answers (if you play with the printable version). Have fun!

Who remembered the most? Which team got highest score over the two parts of the quiz? Who can claim the title of Caribbean endemic bird expert 2021? !

June 2, 2021

From the Nest – Day 79

Endemic Bird of the Day: Green-throated Carib

A flash of emerald zips through the forest — could it be a Green-throated Carib (Eulampis holosericeus)? This is a large bird by hummingbird standards (10.5-12 cm, 4.9-7.8 g), characterized by its slightly down-curved bill, and bright green, iridescent head, back, and throat. As with other birds with iridescent feathers, its black belly and brilliant violet-blue breast band can be hard to see in poor light, and its dark blue tail may sometimes look black in color. Look for the “fan” created by its wide tail feathers. Males and females are similar, but the female’s bill is a little longer and more down-curved, and she is slightly less colorful.

The Green-throated Carib can be found in highlands and lowlands, in gardens, parks, and forests. Its entire range is in eastern Puerto Rico (primarily in coastal areas), the Virgin Islands, and the Lesser Antilles. Like other hummingbird species, it loves to feed on nectar, as well as small invertebrates like flies, small wasps, and beetles. Like the Purple-throated Carib, males and females of the Green-throated Carib may feed on different flowers, judging from the differences in their bill lengths. You may hear a sharp chewp and a short tsip, which it repeats rapidly when upset – and whirring wings!

This species nests from March to July, and both sexes aggressively defend their feeding territories. Hummingbirds are good home-builders, and the Green-throated Carib’s nest is cozy. The female – who does all of the work during breeding season – builds a cup-shaped nest lined with soft plant fibers, and camouflages it with tree bark and lichens to hide it from predators. She lays 2-3 tiny white eggs, which she incubates for 17-19 days. After feeding the nestlings for 20-22 days, they will follow her around for several weeks after fledging. A mother’s work is never done!

The Green-throated Carib is common through most of its range, and is considered “Least Concern” by the IUCN. It seems to adapt well to humans’ presence. However, we need to find out how its movements are affected by habitat fragmentation created by development. We still have a lot to learn about this bird in order to ensure it continues to thrive. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Green-throated Carib

Listen to the call of the Green-throated Carib

The calls of the Green-throated Carib include a mix of twittering noises and a “chewp” call.

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: How much can you remember about the birds we have featured during the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival 2021? Test your memory of your newly gained knowledge of these wonderful birds with our 2021 Caribbean Endemic Bird Quiz! Today we have Part One of a two-part bird trivia quiz. Try to answer all the questions without checking back to our posts or looking up the answers online or in your bird guides! But just in case you do get stuck you or if you want to do some studying before you try the quiz you can read about all our featured endemic birds here or take a browse on ebird.

See how many you can get right and remember to have fun!

June 1, 2021

From the Nest – Day 78

Endemic Bird of the Day: Greater Antillean Grackle

This noisy bird is quite an extrovert. Not at all shy, the Greater Antillean Grackle is a clever bird, quickly adapting and modifying its behavior based on the circumstances. It is quite comfortable in heavily disturbed habitats or areas with high human activity – such as outdoor restaurants – where it can become quite a nuisance, trying to steal humans’ food!

Did you know that there are seven sub-species of the Greater Antillean Grackle? Endemic to the Greater Antilles, this is a common bird found on Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, and adjacent offshore islands.

Ranging in size from 10-12 inches long, this raucous bird has glossy, metallic-blue to violet-black plumage over its entire body, a yellow iris, and an unusual keel-shaped tail which is often held fanned open in flight. Locally referred to as Chango, Cling-cling or variations of this name, it makes its presence known with a distinct 4-syllable song “cling cling clii-ing” that sounds like a rusty hinge. It also gives musical notes, a sharp “cluck,” and wheezy gasps. It has no difficulty expressing itself, in its vocalisations and flamboyant behavior.

The slightly smaller females lay 3-5 eggs, which are incubated for about two weeks. Juveniles fledge after 23-25 days and resemble the adult, except they have shorter tails and lack iridescent coloring. Nesting and roosting occurs in a colony in mangroves, trees, or reeds and often near a water source. For some reason, this bird also likes to roost on power plants. It truly loves water, and can often be seen splashing around in bird baths in the rain!

Using its strong pointed bill, it forages mostly on the ground, eating pretty much anything that they can fit into their beaks. This includes fruits, plants, small vertebrates, invertebrates, and human food scraps.

The Greater Antillean Grackle is classified as Least Concern. Common threats to this species would include deforestation of its nesting and roosting habitats due to the clearing of land for development. Designating specific areas as wildlife reserves would help to combat this issue .Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Greater Antillean Grackle

Listen to the song of the Greater Antillean Grackle

The song of the Greater Antillean Grackle a metallic 4-syllable song “cling cling clii-ing” that sounds like a rusty hinge. It also gives musical notes, a sharp “cluck,” and wheezy gasps.

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Get out your colouring pencils, pens, or paints and get ready to be creative with our “My Caribbean Bird” art activity! Choose your favourite endemic Caribbean bird and draw or paint its portrait. You can download our colourful feather frame and get started. Not sure which bird you want to draw? Or want to check where your bird lives or what its call is? Check back to all our featured Caribbean endemic birds here. OR let you imagination run wild and create your very own imaginary endemic bird using other endemic Caribbean birds as your inspiration! Have fun making up a name for your ‘new’ Caribbean endemic bird! Where do you think your imaginary bird might live? And what sound does it make?

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: What does the Greater Antillean Grackle have to do with James Bond? Find out here in this blog post by Jim Wright – all about Bond, Fleming and Kling-klings! (the local name for Greater Antillean in Jamaica).

Enjoy these videos of Greater Antillean Grackles! The first video shows a handsome glossy blue-black adult bird, perched on a branch. In the second you can see another adult, filmed in a tree in the Dominican Republic. You can also hear this bird’s distinctive call in this video.

May 30, 2021

From the Nest – Day 77

Endemic Bird of the Day: Bahama Warbler

Wandering through the pinelands of the northern Bahamas (specifically, the islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco), you might be lucky enough to come upon the charming Bahama Warbler (Setophaga flavescens). The male has a bright yellow throat, breast, and underparts with black stripes on his sides. His black face mask is broken up by a yellow lore (that’s the area between the eye and the upper base of his beak) and white stripes surround his eye. He also sports the longest bill of any wood-warbler species, which he uses to find tasty insects in the bark of pine trees. The grey on his crown and back are accented by two white wingbars. The female looks similar, but is not as bright.

How do you tell the Bahama Warbler apart from a Yellow-throated Warbler – which visits the Caribbean in winter? Well, it’s confusing. They are close relatives and look very much alike; however, the Yellow-throated Warbler’s breast and sides are white, and the forehead is blackish-grey.

These species also have different songs. From a perch in the canopy, the male Bahama Warbler sings sweetly: short, loud, and clear whistled notes that increase in pitch. The Yellow-throated Warbler, on the other hand, has a descending song.

This bright little warbler loves pine trees. Grand Bahama and Abaco include large areas of Caribbean pine forest – just perfect for the Bahama Warbler, which is often seen creeping up and down the tree trunks, feeding on insects. It also breeds in these forests in spring and summer, but its breeding behavior remains a mystery.

However, there is a sad story. The Bahama Warbler is now listed as Endangered. In 2019, Hurricane Dorian slammed into Abaco and Grand Bahama, causing massive destruction. Grand Bahama lost most of its pine forest habitat due to heavy winds, rain, and storm surges. No Bahama Warblers have been found there since then, despite intensive searches by researchers from the Bahamas National Trust and the American Bird Conservancy.

The island of Abaco is now perhaps the last refuge for this Bahamian endemic, and conservation is critical. Already hit by Hurricane Dorian, this lovely bird faces other threats, including habitat loss, predation by introduced feral cats and raccoons, and frequent fires. Let us hope this beautiful endemic survives these dangers, and thrives once again!
Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Bahama Warbler

Listen to the song of the Bahama Warbler

The song of the Bahama Warbler is an ascending “chutty, chutty, chutty, swee, swee, tsoo, tsoo”

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: What facts can you remember about todays endemic bird – the Bahama Warbler? Test your knowledge by filling in the missing words in each of our Bahama Warbler facts! We have given you the correct words but can you put them into the right fact? You can re-read the information all about this bird above, or search on the BirdsCaribbean webpages for lots more information about the Bahama Warbler! Then, when you have completed all the sentences, you can check your answers here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: There are 37 warbler species recorded on the island of Abaco in the Bahamas. You can find about more about them here, especially the five species that are resident in Abaco (live there all year round), including today’s endemic bird, the Bahama Warbler!

Enjoy the video below of a Bahama Warbler in the wild! This bird was filmed on Grand Bahama (before Hurricane Dorian); you can see it creeping up the trunk of a Caribbean pine tree, probably searching for food.

Learn how to draw and colour a Yellow-throated Warbler! Draw along with artist Josmar Esteban Marquez- who created all the pictures for the birds featured in our 2021 Endemic Bird Festival! The Yellow-throated Warbler is also found on the Bahamas and looks at lot like a Bahama Warbler. But the Bahama warbler has a yellow throat and belly, and shorter wings. The adult male Bahama Warbler also has a less black forehead than the Yellow-throated Warbler and its wingbars are shorter and thinner.

May 28, 2021

From the Nest – Day 76

Endemic Bird of the Day: Lesser Antillean Flycatcher

This chill bird gives off that famous, laid-back Caribbean vibe — a true Caribbean endemic. As you wander through woodlands or dry scrubland, the Lesser Antillean Flycatcher (Myiarchus oberi) peers down, thoughtfully, curiously, watching you. This medium-sized flycatcher (8.5 inches) is inconspicuous, blending in nicely with the vegetation just below the canopy.

Feeling at ease with your presence, it might hazard its distinctive call: a loud, whistling, peeeeeee, or pheeuuu song, or shorter bursts of oo-ee, oo-ee or e-oo-ee. Or maybe it gives away its location going after that delectable flying insect — its favorite food.

Once you spot it, you might second guess yourself. Could it be a Flycatcher after all, or a similar-looking family member, an Elaenia maybe? You replay the call in your mind as you focus on the characteristics that set this species apart. It has a distinctive pale gray chest, a yellow belly, rufous edges to the wings, and rufous-toned tail. The bill is slightly heavy and black. If your eyes are good, or you’ve brought your binoculars, you’d even notice the tiny hook at the tip of its bill. Its dusty gray-brown upper body is capped with an elegantly round head. When excited, individuals may erect the feathers on the crown of their head.

The Lesser Antillean Flycatcher breeds from March to July. It builds its nest using strips of leaves and sticks, usually in a tree cavity. It lays 3–4 eggs that are cream-colored, with heavy purplish-brown and violet-grey markings.

Although its conservation status is Least Concern, the Lesser Antillean Flycatcher is found in only a handful of Caribbean islands. It is common in Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique and Saint Lucia.

Like many other birds in the tropics, this flycatcher faces the threat of habitat loss due to tourism and housing development. They also have to ride out more intense and frequent storms brought on by climate change. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Lesser Antillean Flycatcher

Listen to the song of the Lesser Antillean Flycatcher

The song of the Lesser Antillean Flycatcher is a plaintive, drawn out “pheee” or “phee-u-uu.”

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: The Lesser Antillean Flycatcher catches and insects to eat. It sometimes this bird will flit between plants searching for its next meal. At other times it will perch perfectly still on a twig or branch and wait to strike its prey- perhaps catching a moth, fly or spider! Imagine you are a Lesser Antillean Flycatcher and find out what bugs there are in your backyard in our fun bug hunt! Follow out instructions and see how many different types of bugs you can find! Perhaps you will spot a butterfly of a bee flitting past? Remember just to look at the bugs and not to touch or collect them. You can check the ones you see off on our list and perhaps take some photos of them?

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy the videos below of Lesser Antillean Flycatchers in the wild! In the first you can see a Lesser Antillean Flycatcher perched in the branches of a tree, filmed on Barbuda. You can tell the bird is excited because his the feathers on the top of his head are raised. In the second video you can see another perched Lesser Antillean Flycatcher, you will hear its distinctive, loud “oo-ee” calls.

May 27, 2021

Planting Seeds for the Future: Post-Hurricane Mangrove Restoration in Puerto Rico

Find out from Jean Gonzalez-Crespo, all about how a project aimed at restoring mangroves destroyed by Hurricanes Irma and Maria will help protect part of Puerto Rico’s coast-line and its wildlife, whilst also helping the people that live there.

Puerto Rico’s fragile coastline needs help, badly.

With the support of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, BirdsCaribbean, and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla’s Center for Coastal Restoration and Conservation, known locally as Vida Marina UPR, is about to start work on the restoration of four valuable mangrove forests in the Northwest region of Puerto Rico. These forests were destroyed after the two storms – Hurricanes Irma and Maria – hit the island in 2017, a “double whammy.” Critical infrastructure was left at the mercy of future storms, future hurricanes, and in danger of future destruction.

Damaged basin Mangrove in the Municipality of Isabela. — Secret Spot- Basin Mangrove in the Municipality of Isabela. This mangrove suffered close to 100% mortality due to the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. On its left is PR Road 466, an important evacuation route (Photo by Vida Marina UPR).

However, thanks to funding provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Coastal Resilience Grant, our center is now able to help in the recovery of these remarkable ecosystems—bulwarks against the impact of climate change. We are scheduled to start planting mangroves by the end of May 2021, but we already taking a look at the current conditions of our restoration sites, preparing for our work, and coordinating future activities that will integrate local communities into the restoration process.

What’s in it for humans?

Well, where do we start? There are actually so many important benefits. It’s a win for humans.

The restoration of these mangroves will reinstate the primary line of defense against storm surges for local communities, that increasingly threaten their livelihood and economies. Main access to roads and sanitary infrastructure, essential for those living on the coast, will be protected. The restored mangroves will also provide habitat for many species that, when carefully managed, will be sustainably harvested for local consumption or sale.

Also, thanks to the aid of UW-Madison’s Latino Earth Partnership’s training, we will get communities involved. Citizens on the ground will take “ownership” of the project, and the work will create a sense of stewardship that will result in stronger and more resilient coastal communities. The training will help create community groups that are empowered to identify and respond to threats to their homes and their livelihoods – swiftly and effectively.

Caño Madre Vieja Nature Reserve in the Municipality of Aguada. On the right is the Barrio Espinar community, which was heavily impacted by both storms in 2017. Many houses were flooded during these events as well as the only road that gives access to this community; something that left many families stranded and unable to be rescued (Photo by Vida Marina UPR)

Making life better for birds

It will take time, but the aim is to bring them back.

Our project will restore 59 hectares of severely degraded Basin Mangroves that serve as habitat for a wide range of species, including waterfowl. This should improve the diversity of waterfowl species, which appears to have decreased after the storms of 2017. We are currently carrying out periodic bird surveys, and will continue to do so throughout entire restoration process. If we are to be successful in this restoration, we should, among other things, be able to reach levels of waterfowl diversity like those before the hurricanes.

Efficient mangrove and wetland plant germination

It’s all about getting those seeds going. Now, we have the opportunity to grow and plant more trees, by improving our greenhouse arrangements.

A germination table installed inside Vida Marina UPR’s greenhouse in the University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla. This design adds to the integrity of the table and allows us to germinate multiple species without the risk of mixing them. Furthermore, these divisions also let us test different treatments that may increase seed germination rates (Photo by Vida Marina UPR).

We expect to plant at least 11,500 mangrove trees to be successful; it will take a great deal of time and effort. However, thanks to funding from BirdsCaribbean and ECCC, we were able to significantly increase the rate at which we can grow mangroves and other wetland plants in our greenhouse. With the construction of two seed germination tables, we will be able to grow mangroves more efficiently by maximizing our greenhouse’s limited space. Normally, we would have let all seeds germinate in flowerpots. Not all seeds planted will germinate, so this would result in unsuccessful pots occupying a space that a growing tree would have used. Our new germination tables will give a great boost to tree production. They will not only reduce the amount of time and effort invested in producing mangroves. They will also help us plant more trees in our sites than we initially planned.

Putting the green in greenhouse

Water is always a major concern.

Thanks to this funding, our greenhouse’s irrigation system is now able to run almost exclusively with stored rainwater. This “greener” alternative allows us to save a considerable amount of water each year. It’s a simple way in which we can help protect our country’s water supply and the environment. Additionally, this will give our plants enough water to survive through droughts that can result in the rationing of water.

The rain water tank for the irrigation system — Heriberto working on the installation of a water pump into the rainwater tank for the irrigation system. (Photo by Vida Marina UPR).

Training the next generation of ecologists and restoration practitioners

Young people will learn practical, hands-on techniques.

Under the mentorship of experienced researchers, undergraduate and high-school students involved in our project will be able to develop valuable research skills. Also, since they will take an active role in the monitoring of animal diversity, they will learn multiple survey techniques as well as the fundamentals of native plant and animal identification.

Our trainees will also have the opportunity to learn how to operate unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), as well as other types of technology, to solve different conservation issues. They will also learn how to interpret and analyze multiple types of data. Most importantly, they will be able to play a part in the planning and implementation process of wetland restoration. It will be a rich and rewarding learning experience for them.

The Magrove Nursery Team in the greenhouse — Members of Vida Marina UPR’s taking a small break after finishing the construction of the large, germination table. In the picture, from left to right, are: Jean P. González Crespo, Heriberto Martir Vargas, and Jose J. Vera Rodriguez. Missing in this photo is Arianna Lopez Rodriguez, whose help was vital to the success of this project. (Photo by Vida Marina UPR)

It really does take a village to restore mangroves

Team work is everything. It is only through our partnerships with local communities, environmental groups and agencies, and both state and municipal governments that we will be able to achieve our restoration goals. Without their support, this project, like many others, would be close to impossible to complete. We are as excited as our partners as we get to work to bring back these wonderful forests, which make a tremendous difference to Puerto Rico’s coastal defenses. This is a project that will benefit both humans and wildlife in years to come.

Jean Gonzalez-Crespo is a PhD student from UW-Madison who works as a project assistant in this study. He has worked on multiple bird conservation projects in Puerto Rico since 2017. In addition to overseeing the anuran and avian monitoring of this project, Jean also works in the conservation of the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird—an endangered species unique to Puerto Rico.

May 26, 2021

From the Nest – Day 75

Endemic Bird of the Day: Gundlach’s Hawk

The Caribbean has some handsome endemic hawks! One of them is Gundlach’s Hawk (Accipiter gundlachi) – an elegant, medium-sized forest hawk endemic to Cuba. Known locally as falcon or falconeta, this bird is easy to distinguish by its short, rounded wings and its long, narrow, banded tail, rounded at the tip. The steel-blue on its back becomes darker on the top of the head. Its grey throat fades to a reddish-brown breast and belly, with varying amounts of barring. Females are slightly larger than males, with a longer tail. Juveniles are dark brown above and streaked with brown below.

You are likely to hear its strong and strident kec-kec-kec-kec-kec-kec call in many forest types, wetlands, and on wooded coastlines in Cuba. This species is adapted to fly at high speed through the trees, although it can also be seen gliding across open spaces.

Gundlach's Hawk perched. — Gundlach’s Hawk perched. (photo by Michael J. Good)

The Gundlach’s Hawk breeds from January to June, building a platform nest with branches and twigs in a tall tree, and lays 2-4 eggs. It will aggressively defend its nest, even attacking humans who wander too close. Its fledglings will follow their parents around, constantly begging for food.

The Gundlach’s Hawk is a feared (and often hunted) predator that specializes in hunting birds. Medium-sized birds such as parrots, gallinules, pigeons, doves, crows, nighthawks, and thrushes are among its prey. Unfortunately, this highly efficient predator has gained a bad reputation: it is one of the few Cuban birds of prey known to hunt chickens. Hunting and the destruction of nests are major threats to the species. This species is one of the most sought after for use in falconry, which has become increasingly popular in recent years. It is often captured in the wild or taken from the nest.

Habitat loss remains the biggest threat to this Endangered species. The Gundlach’s Hawk was considered common in the 20th century, but its populations have declined considerably to an estimated 400 individuals. There is an urgent need to conserve this splendid hawk by protecting the places where it lives, feeds, and breeds. Raising public awareness about the extremely serious situation of this fascinating raptor would also help to discourage people from persecuting it. Let’s protect this superb Cuban endemic! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Gundlach’s Hawk

Listen to the call of the Gundlach’s Hawk

The calls of the Gundlach’s Hawk are a loud repeated “eh-eh-eh-eh-eh…”

Puzzle of the Day

Juvenile Gundlach's Hawk — Juvenile Gundlach’s Hawk – they are dark brown above and streaked with brown below. (Photo by Maikel Cañizares)

Adult Gundlach's Hawk — Adult Gundlach’s Hawk. Note the steel-blue on its back that becomes darker on the top of the head, and the long banded tail. (Photo by Michael J. Good)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Can you find the words in our Gundlach’s Hawk word search? Remind yourself of some of the interesting facts about this endemic bird 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.

Find out more about birds of prey! Hawks, like todays birds the Gundlach Hawk, falcons, kestrels, eagles, owls and others birds including vultures are all different types of a group of birds know as ‘birds of prey’; birds in this group are also also known as ‘raptors’. Find out more about this group of birds by reading all about raptors here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Gundlach’s Hawk in the Wild! The video shows a bird high up in the air in a soaring flight.

May 25, 2021

From the Nest – Day 74

Endemic Bird of the Day: Jamaican Spindalis

When you set eyes on a male Jamaican Spindalis (Spindalis nigricephala), you cannot help but admire this spectacular endemic. The vivid black-and-white stripes on his head give him one of his local names — “Mark Head.” He has a brilliant yellowish-orange breast that becomes yellow on the belly, and a white lower belly and undertail. His yellow-olive back fades into yellowish-orange on the rump. The black feathers on his wings and tail are edged with white.

What’s the difference between male and female? This species is “sexually dimorphic,” meaning that males and females look different from each other. As is often the case, the female is less colorful – she is the dull one! She has an olive back, a greenish-yellow breast and belly that fades to pale yellow, and a grayish-olive head and throat. Like the male, she has a white undertail and white-edged wing feathers, but she lacks those bright stripes on her face.

The thin, high-pitched call “tsee” of the Jamaican Spindalis is a common sound in Jamaican forests, and might be your first (or only) hint that one is nearby. It also gives a soft, weak “seep” in flight. While foraging in groups, individuals may give a fast, high “chi-chi-chi-chi-chi.” From an exposed perch, a male will sing a song that consists of a long-sustained phrase repeated several times — “chu wheet, chee see whee see, chu wheet.” These distinct sounds have inspired another popular local name, “Champa Beeza.”

The Jamaican Spindalis roams through forests, woodlands, and brushy areas in the hills and mountains, searching for fruiting trees. Some of their favorites include ficus, pimentos (allspice), palms, cecropia, and oranges. They will also consume nectar, blossoms, leaves, and the occasional insect. You might meet them in pairs and family groups, but you can also find them in flocks with different species.

This agile bird is often seen hanging from twigs and leaves to take berries, or even using its bills to swing effortlessly between plants. Despite these impressive moves, it can only perform short-distance flights, which limits its habitat to forest and forest edges. To protect the Jamaican Spindalis, it is important to conserve and connect habitat, including the preservation of large canopy trees in an ever-changing urban landscape. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Jamaican Spindalis

Listen to the call of the Jamaican Spindalis

The call of the Jamaican Spindalis is a high-pitched “tsee,” sometimes alone sometime repeated in quick succession.

Puzzle of the Day

Male Jamaican Spindalis — The male Jamaican Spindalis is a stunning bird. Note the black head with two bold white facial stripes which give him one of his local names — “Mark Head.” He also has a brilliant yellowish-orange breast that becomes yellow on the belly, and black wing and tail feathers edged with white.(Photo by Matt Grube)

Female Jamaican Spindalis — The female Jamaican Spindalis has a greenish-yellow breast, olive upperparts, and a greyish head. (Photo by Linda Bushman)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: The Jamaican Spindalis, along with many other Caribbean endemic birds found on Jamaica, like the Yellow-shouldered Grassquit, Vervain Hummingbird, Arrowhead Warbler, Jamaican Euphonia and Jamaican Vireo love to live in and around the forests of Jamaica’s hills and mountains. In fact birds across the Caribbean rely on forests as places to nest, feed, rest and shelter. Forests in the Caribbean contain many different types of plants such as, ferns, orchids, other flowering plants and canopy trees. Forests also provide homes for many other types of wildlife as well as birds and plants! Using a variety of textures and colours of paper create your own forest collage with some of Jamaica’s endemic birds! Download our instructions here including some helpful silhouettes and shapes to get you started. You can get an adult to help you with any cutting out.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Read all about how Goat Island, one of the homes of today’s featured bird, the Jamaican Spindalis, and many other Jamaican and Caribbean endemic birds was saved from what would have been a catastrophic development. Then read about the plans to make the same area a Wildlife Sanctuary!

#GoatIslandsSaved! Conservationists Warmly Welcome Jamaican Government Decision Against Transshipment Port in Protected Area

BirdsCaribbean Welcomes News of Proposed Jamaican Wildlife Sanctuary

Enjoy these videos below of Jamaican Spindalis in the wild! In the first video you can see a female Spindalis, filmed in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. The second video shows the more strikingly coloured male, feeding on some flowers.

May 24, 2021

From the Nest – Day 73

Endemic Bird of the Day: Loggerhead Kingbird

What is that noisy bird? The boisterous, chattering call of the Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) can be heard echoing throughout dense coppice forests, pine forests, gardens, settled areas, mangroves, and swamp edges in the Caribbean.

This chunky flycatcher (9.5 -10 inches) has a blackish head with a yellow-orange patch on the crown that only shows when it is excited. It has a dark gray back and wings, accented by whitish edges. The throat, breast, and belly are whitish, with varying amounts of yellow wash. Its square tail is also dark grey with a whitish tip. Juveniles have brownish edges on the wings and no crown patch.

You will always know when the Loggerhead Kingbird is around. It is often seen on exposed perches such as posts, tree branches, and telephone wires. From there, it forages by “sallying” forth – flying out to capture prey, and returning to the same or nearby perch. Its diet mostly consists of insects, berries, small lizards, and amphibians. It builds a cup-shaped, woven nest in the fork of horizontal branches of trees. It will lay 2-4 whitish or salmon-colored eggs, with markings that vary in color in different parts of its range.

The Loggerhead Kingbird is a year-round resident. Endemic to the West Indies, its range extends throughout the northern Bahamas, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico. There are seven recognized subspecies, characterized by the amount of yellow wash and the tail pattern. Two subspecies — Tyrannus caudifasciatus taylori of Puerto Rico and Tyrannus caudifasciatus gabbii of Hispaniola — are under consideration to be classified as new species!

At first glance, you might confuse a Loggerhead Kingbird with another Kingbird species. The Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus), a winter migrant to the region, has a bolder white tail band and smaller bill. The Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis), a summer migrant to The Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, and Cayman Islands, is much paler overall, with a dark face mask and a larger bill. Gray Kingbirds are also much more territorial and aggressive than the Loggerhead Kingbird. The Giant Kingbird (Tyrannus cubensis), which only occurs in Cuba, is a bigger bird with a massive bill and notched tail. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Loggerhead Kingbird

Listen to the song of the Loggerhead Kingbird

The song of the Loggerhead Kingbird is a loud, emphatic trilling, “pit-pit-pit-pit-pit-tirrr-ri-ri-reeee.”

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Can you tell the difference between todays bird, the Loggerhead Kingbird and the other, very similar, types of kingbirds you might meet when out bird watching? Make sure to read our fascinating facts in this post and then test your memory skills in our kingbird matching game ! Be sure to look carefully at the colours, bill sizes, and also the tails of these birds to tell them apart!

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy these videos below showing Loggerhead Kingbirds in their natural habitat! In the first you will see a bird giving the bubbling, chattering calls typical of this species, and you should spot the rarely seen orange-yellow patch on the crown of this bird. The second video shows a Loggerhead Kingbird from the Puerto Rico race, you can see that the tail lacks the white trailing edge seen on this species elsewhere.

May 23, 2021

From the Nest – Day 72

Endemic Bird of the Day: Key West Quail-Dove

Key West? Well, despite its name, you are very unlikely to see this bird in Key West. Although it was first discovered in the Florida Keys, it is now just an occasional vagrant there. It is a truly Caribbean island bird, endemic to The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico.

This is a great loss for Florida, because the Key West Quail-Dove, a chunky, round bird (170 g, 28-30 cm), is strikingly beautiful. The iridescent bluish-green and bronze head and neck of the adult male is accented by a broad white facial stripe. The purple and bronze iridescence on his back and wings contrast with his pale pinkish-grey breast that fades into whitish on the belly. The female looks similar, but her colors are generally more subtle and less iridescent. The plumage of a juvenile is duller, with whitish margins on the wing coverts.

This elegant bird is can be found in both arid and moist habitats: coastal thickets, swamp forest, semi-arid woodland, wet montane forest, semi-deciduous and evergreen woods. It favors the understory up to at least 500 m in elevation, but is found up to at least 1,000 m in Dominican Republic.

The Key West Quail-Dove is a secretive bird, difficult to detect on the forest floor. Listen for a rustling of leaves and you may be lucky to spot it as it quietly rummages around looking for fruit, seeds, insects, and small snails to eat. From the dense vegetation you might also hear its deep, mournful call, consisting of a single, repeated hoooooo. The call usually lasts about 1.4 seconds, increasing in volume and then fading and sliding slightly downward in pitch at the end.

This bird generally breeds from February to August. It builds a nest near the ground or low in trees, laying two buff-colored eggs. It is solitary outside the breeding season.

The Key West Quail-Dove is considered a common resident throughout most of its range, but is declining in some islands. Sadly, it is threatened by habitat fragmentation and hunting. You can help this beautiful bird and others to survive by supporting conservation of habitat on your island. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Key West Quail-Dove

Listen to the song of the Key West Quail-Dove

The song of the Key West Quail-Dove is a soft, low-pitched, mournful “hooooooo.”

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Breeding season for the Key West Quail-Dove is between September and July. This Caribbean endemic dove builds its nests on the ground or sometime low-down in a tree. This makes their eggs vulnerable to predators, including the Indian Mongoose, which has been introduced to the Caribbean from Asia. Can you help the Key West Quail-Dove find her way through our maze and save here eggs from a hungry mongoose? You can find the correct route here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Key West Quail-Dove in the wild! This bird was seen in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. The video shows a Quail-Dove on the ground foraging. You can see the beautiful iridescent plumage on the birds head and neck.

May 21, 2021

From the Nest – Day 71

Endemic Bird of the Day: Puerto Rican Vireo

It seems as if the Puerto Rican Vireo wants to challenge its local name, bien-te-veo, (“I see you well”). You will probably have some difficulty getting a full view of this active little bird as it flits around, tail cocked, searching for insects and the occasional berry. Looking for it is rather like a game of hide-and-seek!

Ah! There it is! When you finally spot it, you’ll see that this vireo has a brownish-gray head and olive-brown back, wings, and tail, a grayish-white throat and breast, and pale-yellow belly and sides. It also has brown eyes, surrounded by an incomplete whitish eye ring.

Luckily, this species is very vocal, and is usually heard before it is seen. Both sexes will sing a song consisting of 3-4 melodious notes. The species likes to scold intruders, especially near the nest, inspiring other species like Bananaquits to join in.

This vireo is endemic to Puerto Rico and can be found in a variety of forested habitats at all elevations, including wet and dry forest, mangroves, and shade coffee plantations. It avoids open areas. The species breeds from March to July, with males and females sharing parenting responsibilities. They build a tight hanging cup nest in the fork of a tree or shrub, beautifully created from thin vines, grasses, and dry leaves. The birds glue these building materials together with spider webs, adding a touch of moss for additional camouflage. The female lays 2-3 eggs, pale pink with reddish-brown spots, but the nest usually produces only one young.

Sadly, the vireo’s wonderfully camouflaged nest is often the target of an invasive species—the Shiny Cowbird. This species is a “brood parasite” – it lays its eggs in the nest of other bird species. The unsuspecting parents raise the cowbird nestling as their own – which means their own babies suffer. Shiny Cowbirds, as well as invasive mammals like rats, mongooses, and feral cats, threaten vireo populations. Habitat fragmentation and the removal of shade in favor of sun grown coffee are also factors posing a threat. To help this charming bird, be sure to purchase bird-friendly shade grown coffee! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Puerto Rican Vireo

Listen to the song of the Puerto Rican Vireo

The song of the Puerto Rican Vireo is made up of variations of “chuwee-chuweech-you” and “chewee-wit-weee”

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: How much do you know now about the Puerto Rican Vireo? Test your knowledge with our crossword puzzle all about this little endemic bird! You’ll need to know about how this bird looks, where is lives, what it eats, and its behaviour as well as some facts about birds in general. Try to remember as much as you can, but if you are not sure of an answer you can check back to the text above or take a look at the Puerto Rican Vireo page on ebird! And you can find the answers here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Growing coffee under trees – a traditional practice called shade-grown coffee – can result in many benefits, both to people, habitats and wildlife. In fact shade-grown coffee is one of places where you might find the Puerto Rican Vireo, todays featured endemic bird! Find out more about how drinking shade-grown coffee can help save birds in the Caribbean any beyond!

Enjoy the videos below of Puerto Rican Vireos in the wild! In the first you will hear a bird singing, and see a bird at it’s mossy nest. The second video also shows some birds at a nest, in this one you can see the adults swapping places as they take turns incubating their eggs. The final video shows an adult bird feeding a fluffy little fledgling that has left the nest.

May 20, 2021

From the Nest – Day 70

Endemic Bird of the Day: Yellow-shouldered Grassquit

This charming bird makes a nice fashion statement. The Yellow-shouldered Grassquit (Loxipasser anoxanthus), known locally as the “Yellow-backed Finch,” is an attractive, two-toned small bird endemic to Jamaica. Living up to both of these names, the adult male will catch your eye with his bright yellow “shoulders” and upper back, which contrast with his black head and breast. The yellow upper back fades to greenish-yellow on the rump, the lower belly and flanks are dark grey, and the under-tail is rusty-brown.

The female also sports a yellow shoulder patch, but her colors are more subtle. Her olive-gray head and breast fade into grey underparts, and her back and wings are a paler greenish-yellow.

This Grassquit is a fairly common sight in the hills and mountains of Jamaica, preferring the edges of forests and other vegetation. It also forages in gardens and roadsides. To find this species, look for plants with seeds and fruits that it loves to eat, such as the Prickly Yellow Tree, Maiden Plum, Fiddlewood, and Guinea Grass. It may announce its presence with a quick, high-pitched chi-chi-chi-chi-chi descending call, which sounds a bit like beads shaken in a jar – an echo effect. Like other Grassquits, it flies only short distances.

If you’re lucky, you might come across this bird’s bowl-shaped nest in tree canopies or garden shrubbery. This Grassquit is an excellent nest-builder, and both male and female birds take a lot of trouble to create a cozy home, usually made of finely-woven dried grass and twigs, and perhaps Spanish Moss (Tillandsia sp.). The species usually lays 3-4 eggs that are white with reddish or brown speckles. Rather unusually, the home-loving parents often make improvements to the outside of their nest, even after their young have hatched. The breeding season is between March and July.

This unique Grassquit is not threatened, but there is still so much we need to know about this species. It is noticeably absent from areas with minimal vegetation, which means that habitat loss and degradation could affect its population. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Yellow-shouldered Grassquit

Listen to the song of the Yellow-shouldered Grassquit

The song of the Yellow-shouldered Grassquit is made up of four or five descending or ascending notes, that are high-pitched and ‘scratchy’.

Puzzle of the Day

The male Yellow-shouldered Grassquit is a striking two-toned bird with bright yellow shoulders and upper back that contrasts with his black head and underside.(Photo by Sam Woods)

The female Yellow-shouldered Grassquit also sports a yellow shoulder patch but her colors are more subdued—olive-gray head and breast, gray underparts, and greenish-yellow back and wings. This species can be seen in a wide range of habitats from mountains, hillsides and forest edges to lowland areas including gardens and roadsides. (Photo by Matt Grube)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Todays featured endemic bird, the Yellow-shouldered Grassquit, builds its rounded nest in tree canopies or garden shrubbery. These little birds will use dried grass and twigs, and sometimes moss, to make the perfect nest in which to lay their eggs and raise their chicks. You could give them and any other birds nesting near your house or in your garden a helping hand, with our nest-material activity. Put out some materials, selected especially to be suitable for bird nests, and see who arrives to make use of them! You can download full instructions here. Be sure to follow our suggestions for nest materials, as some things might be dangerous for birds and their chicks if they put them in their nests. You can keep note of who visits and which things they choose to include in their nests – do some birds have a favourite type of nest material?

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Yellow-shouldered Grassquit in the wild! Here you will see (and hear!) a Yellow-shouldered Grassquit amongst some vegetation, singing it’s buzzy descending song. You might hear this little birds song before you spot it!

May 18, 2021

From the Nest – Day 69

Endemic Bird of the Day: Cuban Parakeet

The Cuban Parakeet (Psittacara euops) is charismatic and easy to identify. It is quite a gorgeous bird—bright green with red feathers like spots scattered on the head, sides of the neck and chest. It has a white eye-ring, a long pointed tail, and a brilliant red patch under its wing can be seen when the bird is in flight. Males and females look alike but juvenile Cuban Parakeets lack the red spots on the body. It is 24–27 cm long.

This Parakeet’s beak is robust and downcurved – a useful tool for eating seeds, pods, green and ripe fruits, leaves, shoots, flowers and buds, pollen, and nectar. In fact, it feeds on over 50 species of plants.

Sadly, this striking bird is now listed as “Vulnerable.” Its numbers are declining, primarily because it is frequently caught for the caged bird trade. Farmers also still shoot them as agricultural pests. Its habitat is also threatened by extreme weather due to climate change. It was once common throughout Cuba, but now only fragmented populations exist in the Zapata Peninsula, Sierra de Najasa, and Guantánamo.

The Cuban Parakeet dwells in palm savannas; on forest edges; on tree stumps near swamps; and in some degraded forest areas, as well as undisturbed forests.

This lively parrot can express itself well. When flying, you may hear a loud, repeated crick-crick-crick. A high pitched kkkkeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrr can often be heard when a flock is feeding in the canopy and looking out for predators. The warning calls, increasing if there is a nearby threat, are repetitive metallic sounds of erh, erh, erh, erh. When socializing, it emits a keirp-keirp-keirp. You may hear an interesting buzzing sound made with its tail and wing feathers during rapid take off or landing.

Living in flocks of six to 50 parakeets, pairs usually mate for life. Nesting parakeets compete aggressively for the best sites: woodpecker holes in dry palm trunks, and occasionally cavities in cliffs and caves. Females lay two to five eggs between March and August.

Trapping for the pet trade remains a serious issue. Cuban Parakeets are beloved household pets. But let us remember that these are wild birds. Let’s allow them to fly free and thrive in the beautiful savannas and forests of Cuba! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Cuban Parakeet

Listen to the calls of the Cuban Parakeet

The Cuban Parakeet has many different calls to communicate with members of its flock. A shrill and squeaky call is often heard when this bird is in flight.

Puzzle of the Day

Cuban Parakeet feeding on berry — Cuban Parakeets feed on seeds, pods, green and ripe fruits, leaves, shoots, flowers and buds, pollen, and nectar. In fact, they feed on over 50 species of plants! (Photo by Jean Sébastion Guénette)

Cuban Parakeets pairs usually mate for life and are considered monogamous. Nesting parakeets compete for prime nest sites in woodpecker holes, cavities in trees, and occasionally in cavities in cliffs and caves. (Photo by Sergey Uryadnikov).

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Use our template to write a poem about Parakeets! Each line of your poem should start with the letters of this birds name. This type of poem is called an ‘acrostic’. You can use words and ideas from the description and information about Cuban Parakeets above. Think about how this bird looks, its colours, the way it flies, how it behaves, where is lives and what it likes to eat. If you feel inspired you could write some more bird-themed poems! Just choose your favourite endemic bird, write it’s name vertically to get started. You can look at the birds we’ve featured so far for inspiration here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy these videos of Cuban Parakeets in the wild! The first video shows a small group of Cuban Parakeets foraging, as they flit around in the bush you can see the bright red patches under their wings. The second shows some Parakeets preening and in the final video you can see some a bird feeding on West Indian elm (guásima).

May 17, 2021

Getting a Bird’s Eye View: Increasing Public Awareness of Wetland Birds on Union Island

May 16, 2021

From the Nest – Day 68

Endemic Bird of the Day: Brown Trembler

The Brown Trembler (Cinclocerthia ruficauda) is a plump, rufous-brown bird, 23–26 cm long. It has a long black beak, slightly decurved at the tip, and a long tail, often cocked over its back. Its flat head is grayish with a faint black eye mask, and it has bright yellow eyes. Males and females look alike but females have longer beaks.

Brown Tremblers live up to their name! They are best known for their curious habit of drooping their wings and trembling (fluttering) them, a behavior that helps you quickly identify this species. They tremble most often when meeting other tremblers, suggesting that the trembling may be a threat signal. They can also be identified by their distinctive warbling songs and calls. These range from one to three syllable phrases (pio-tareeu-tsee) to squeaky musical notes to a nasal rasping yeeeah call, often repeated many times. Brown Tremblers may not win a singing contest, but they have lots of personality.

Brown Tremblers can only be found in the Lesser Antilles; they are most common on Saba, St. Kitts, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Dominica, and St. Vincent; uncommon in Nevis, and rare in St. Eustatius, St. Lucia, Martinique, and Antigua. They live in humid forests and sometimes may be found in secondary forests and plantations, as well as drier woodlands. They are smart foragers – on the ground, where they toss leaves in their beaks to find insects underneath, and in the trees. Their long, strong beaks come in handy as they stick them into spaces between vines, epiphytes, and tree trunks, or pull on leaves trapped in vegetation, in the forest’s understory and mid-story. Snails, scorpions, spiders, beetles, cockroaches, fruit, and even small lizards and frogs – all make tasty meals for the Brown Trembler.

Brown Tremblers are similar to the closely-related Gray Trembler (Cinclocerthia gutturalis) which has pale gray plumage above, more grayish-white underparts, a broader and dark black eye mask, and a longer bill. The Gray Trembler is found only in St. Lucia and Martinique.

Because this bird prefers humid forests, the conversion of forests to plantations or other human settlements could cause the population to decrease. You can help save this species by teaching others about this bird, and supporting forest conservation on your island. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Brown Trembler

Listen to the song of the Brown Trembler

The song of the Brown Trembler is very variable, with a jumble of whistles and high-pitched notes.

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Use the information above and the clues on the sheet to untangle our our word scramble – all about todays endemic bird the Brown Trembler. With clues about how what is looks, what it likes to eat, how it behaves and where is lives! When you’ve finished you can check all the answers to the clues here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy these videos showing some of the behaviours of Tremblers! In the first video you can be today’s featured endemic bird, the Brown Trembler foraging amongst the branches of a tree, searching for insects to eat. The second video shows the similar Gray Trembler, which pale gray and not brown above, you can see this bird ‘trembling’. It is this fluttering behaviour that gives both these two bird species their name!

May 15, 2021

From the Nest – Day 67

Endemic Bird of the Day: Vervain Hummingbird

Was that an insect buzzing past me just now? No, it’s the Vervain hummingbird (Mellisuga minima), the second smallest bird in the world! This tiny bird, just 5 cm long and weighing just over 2 grams, is endemic to Jamaica and Hispaniola and common and widespread on both islands. Both sexes have metallic green upperparts, pale underparts and a short, straight, black bill. Males are slightly smaller than females, have green spotting on the sides of their breast, and a dark slightly-forked tail. Females have a rounded tail with broadly-tipped white on the outer three tail feathers. Juveniles resemble the adult female but with smaller white tail tips.

Vervains are surprisingly vocal for their size, and always let you know when they are around. Often heard before seen with their very loud, high-pitched, rhythmic twittering, one only has to look up towards the highest open perch in the area. You might see its tiny shape on the leafless limb of a tree or a powerline, as it surveys its territory. It truly punches above its weight! From these perches this cranky little bird quickly darts to ward off other little Vervains from their preferred flowers – including pentas, Chinese hat, aloe, tamarind, moringa, and the similarly named vervain plant. These flowers are smaller than those utilized by the larger hummingbirds. It’s also for this reason Vervains are not particularly fond of hummingbird feeders.

These little birds are full of character and energy – and not very shy. Their lively courtship displays can be quite obvious and daring in nature, as the male and female quickly rise together face-to-face to great heights. Twittering and sometimes clutching each other by the feet, they then tumble to the ground or separate at the top of flight, falling away in opposite arcs. Two birds of the same sex conduct a similar precarious dance when defending their territory.

The birds are tiny, and so are their nests! The nest is a tiny cup made of plant fibers held together with cobwebs, and decorated with lichen or moss for camouflage. The nest is usually attached to a twig in a little shrub or in more precarious places like the leaf margin of a palm or on man-made structures. Females lay two eggs and do all the incubation and rearing of the chicks. Main nesting season is December to May.

The Vervain can be found across a broad range of elevations and habitats, including urban settings, gardens and open woodlands – as long as there is ample vegetation with small flowers. Despite how common this species is, it has been little studied. However, much that we know about this species has come from Jamaican residents, who have published their valuable observations in the Gosse Bird Club Broadsheet, a long-running publication of this club (now BirdLife Jamaica). In Jamaica these birds are called Little Doctorbird; in the Dominican Republic Zumbadorcito, and in Haiti, Ouanga Négresse. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Vervain Hummingbird

Listen to the song of the Vervain Hummingbird

The song of the Vervain Hummingbird consists of a series of high-pitched, squeaky “swee” and “swee-ip” sounds.

Puzzle of the Day

Vervain Hummingbird feeding chick. The tiny cup nest is made of plant fibers held together with cobwebs and decorated with lichen or moss for camouflage. Females lay two white eggs. (Photo by Tony Pe)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Be inspired by the Vervain Hummingbird and get creative by making some hummingbird button art to hang on your wall! For this activity you will need a pencil, marker pens or paint, scissors (get an adult to help with any cutting), a paper or plastic plate, glue and some colourful and shiny things to decorate your bird with (beads, glitter, buttons etc.). You can download a silhouette to act as a guide and full instructions here. You can use the pictures of the Vervain Hummingbird on this page as inspiration for colours and patterns or look up other species of hummingbirds in a bird guide or on ebird. Or just use our template and let your imagination run wild!

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy these videos of Vervain Hummingbirds in the wild! In the first you can see a bird, perched up high, singing it’s loud and squeaky song. The second video shows a Vervain Hummingbird building its tiny nest, which it has attached to a fork in a twig. In the final video you can see an adult female Vervain Hummingbird feeding a fledgling.

Interested in Hummingbirds? Want to find out more about them? Read this fascinating post from Aliya Hosein, all about the Hummingbirds of Trinidad and Tobago!

Hummingbirds—Tiny but Mighty

May 14, 2021

From the Nest – Day 66

Endemic Bird of the Day: Puerto Rican Screech-Owl

The Puerto Rican Screech-Owl (Megascops nudipes) is a small owl endemic to Puerto Rico. It is dark brown above and white below with brown streaks on the breast, and prominent white eyebrows. It is about 23- 25cm in length and weighs only 140g, as much as a cup of flour or an adult hamster. There are two color morphs (forms): brown and rufous (reddish-brown). There is also a rare grey morph that can only be found in dry forested areas. It’s scientific name nudipes refers to this owl’s unfeathered legs and feet, which is rare for most owls. Males and females look alike, but females are a bit heavier than males.

The Puerto Rican Screech Owl can be hard to see because it is completely nocturnal and spends the day resting—camouflaged in thick vegetation. Listen out for its call—low-pitched, tremulous trills and a descending whinny. It also gives jumbled hoots and cackles that sound monkey-like. Locally it is known as the “Cuckoo Bird” because of the loud coo-coo sounds it makes. When alarmed, it will elongate its body and raise feathers to form small “ear” tufts.

This owl is common in forests and thickets in montane and coastal zones throughout the whole island of Puerto Rico. It nests inside natural tree cavities from April to June, usually laying one or two eggs. It hunts rodents and small prey, like lizards, coqui frogs, and insects; cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, mantis, beetles, weevils, moths and caterpillars, and scorpions. Like other owls, the Puerto Rican Screech-Owl uses its acute hearing and sharp night vision to locate and catch its food. The Spanish name of the species “Múcaro” is also the Taíno word for owl.

The Puerto Rican Screech-Owl previously inhabited the nearby islands of Vieques and Culebra, as well as the US Virgin Islands, but searches for a number of years have failed to find it. It probably went extinct on these islands due to extensive destruction of native forest habitats for agriculture in the early 20th century. Egg predation by the Pearly-eyed Thrasher may have also played a role.

The natural history of this amazing endemic owl is poorly known. Future research should focus on its diet, breeding behaviour, reproductive success, dispersal, and life span. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Puerto Rican Screech-Owl

Listen to the calls of the Puerto Rican Screech-Owl

The calls of the Puerto Rican Screech-Owl are variable- including a tremulous, low-pitched trill, chatters, and whoops.

Puzzle of the Day

Puerto Rican Screech-Owls — Puerto Rican Screech-Owl . This small owl has two common morphs (colourations); brown and rufous (pictured here) and a rare grey morph. The grey morph can only be found in dry forested areas. (Photo by Alfredo Irizarry)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Can you find the words in our Puerto Rican Screech Owl word search? Remind yourself of some of the interesting facts about this endemic bird as you look for all 15 hidden words! Need some help? Or want to check your answers? You can see where all the words were here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Puerto Rican Screech-owls are nocturnal, so they might not always be that easy to spot. Don’t worry you can enjoy these videos of Puerto Rican Screech-owls in the wild! In the first video you will see and hear this small owl calling at night. You’ll notice that this individual is the brown, rusty coloured morph of the species. The second video shows two fluffy owl chicks in the nest!

May 12, 2021

From the Nest – Day 65

Endemic Bird of the Day: Arrowhead Warbler

The endemic Arrowhead Warbler is locally known as Ants Picker. This bird has never been in doubt of its identity even though scientists recently changed the species name from Arrow-headed Warbler (Dendroica pharetra) to Arrowhead Warbler (Setophaga pharetra). The Arrowhead Warbler is Jamaica’s only endemic warbler. It is a small active bird with heavy black-and-white streaking and two white wing bars. It might be confused with the migrant Black-and-White Warbler, however, the blackish arrowhead shapes from throat to abdomen, pointing towards the bill, make it readily distinguishable from this winter visitor. In addition, the Arrowhead Warbler does not forage on tree trunks like the Black-and-White Warbler. Female Arrowhead Warblers are similar to males but with dark gray streaking. First year birds have a dull olive-green head, brownish-olive upperparts, yellowish-buff underparts, with no arrowhead streaking and indistinct wing bars. They can sometimes be confused with immature Jamaican Vireos. To tell them apart, look very carefully at the beak—it’s small, fine, and dark grey on the Arrowhead Warbler; chunky and pinkish on the Jamaican Vireo. Arrowhead Warblers are locally common. They occur in a variety of woodland and forest habitats from near sea level into the more humid forests and elevations of Cockpit Country and the Blue Mountains. They are usually seen as an individual or in a small family group, within 3 meters or so of the ground, among thick leaves or tangled undergrowth cover. On many occasions, it is the high-pitched, almost metallic, squeaky sww-sw—swee, sww-sw—swee, sww-sw—swee, swee, swee that first draws your attention. Look carefully and you will spot this special warbler, flicking its tail as it moves around, probing for insects on branches, leaves, and vines. The nest is well concealed in a bush, vine, bromeliad, or tree. It is a compact cup of densely woven, fine roots, lined with moss or lichen. Clutch size is 2-4 eggs. The nesting season is mainly from March to June, but nesting can also occur in November following heavy rains in October. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Arrowhead Warbler

Listen to the song of the Arrowhead Warbler

The song of the Arrowhead Warbler is a high-pitched, squeaky sww-sw—swee, sww-sw—swee, sww-sw—swee, swee, swee. 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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Can you remember the difference between the Arrowhead Warbler and the other similar small birds you might meet on Jamaica? Make sure to read our fascinating facts in this post and then test your memory skills in our Arrowhead Warbler matching game ! FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: There are many different warblers you might encounter in the Caribbean! Some of them are endemics, like the Arrowhead Warbler and live in the Caribbean all year round, others are migratory and only visit during fall or over the winter. Some of these birds can look similar to each other and it can be confusing trying to identify them. Take a look at this helpful guide, from wildlife artist Christine Elder, for identifying warblers. Add colors of the bird you see, look at its behavior and add some notes to help you identify and remember it. You can also take a look at this article all about Identifying Warblers in the Caribbean with detailed tips and tricks to help you. Enjoy this video of an Arrowhead Warbler in the wild! This little bird was filmed in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. You can see it hopping around amongst the vegetation, searching for insects to glean from the leaves. https://www.birdscaribbean.org/2016/06/identifying-warblers-in-the-caribbean/

May 11, 2021

From the Nest – Day 64

Endemic Bird of the Day: St. Lucia Parrot

The St. Lucia Parrot is the national bird of St. Lucia. Affectionately known locally as “Jacquot,” it is the best known St. Lucian endemic bird species. At 18 inches, it is also one of the largest birds in St. Lucia. Its plumage is mostly iridescent green, with patches of bright red, black, white, yellow, and blue. The vivid cobalt blue to purple on the head and scarlet breast are striking characteristics of the Jacquot. The St Lucia Parrot is one of the most colourful of the entire genus of Amazona parrots, hence the species name versicolor.

Many years ago the St. Lucia Parrot was in grave danger of becoming extinct. Its population was estimated at only ~150 birds in 1976 due to years of hunting, habitat destruction, and the illegal bird trade. Now, there are about 2,000 parrots flying, feeding, roosting, and nesting in various forested areas in St. Lucia.

There are several reasons why the parrot population rebounded so successfully. In 1978, in partnership with Paul Butler of Rare, the Forestry Dept launched a campaign to save the species from extinction. In 1979, the parrot was made the National Bird of St. Lucia. In 1980, wildlife legislation was revised, making the parrot and other forms of wildlife absolutely protected year-round. Anyone found hunting, keeping, or trying to trade in these birds is liable to a fine of $5,000 or one year in jail. In addition, Forestry laws were also revised to protect watersheds as well as wildlife habitats. Illegal clearing of forest is punishable by fines of $2,000.

Finally a Pride Campaign—an island-wide education program about the unique value and beauty of the bird— was carried out. Schoolchildren and the public learned about the parrot through a parrot mascot “Jacquot,” songs on the radio, billboards, bumper stickers, stamps, hats, t-shirts, posters, and more. Gradually, St. Lucians embraced the parrot as a national treasure. This landmark campaign and other actions reduced the incidence of deforestation, hunting, and other illicit activities in the forest reserves to near zero, thus helping to ensure the long-term survival of this amazing endemic bird.

The parrot’s habitat is primarily moist forest in the interior mountain range; it can also occur in secondary forest and cultivated areas. Despite their large size and bright plumage they can be difficult to see in the dense forest canopy as they clamber about in search of fruits, nuts, seeds, and berries from a wide variety of trees including Gommier, Chatagnier, Bois Pain Maron and Aralie. They may travel considerable distances to feed on their favorite fruit trees, which includes awali, mangoes, and wild passion fruits.

St. Lucia Parrots nest in cavities in tall Gommiere, Chataniere, and other trees, where they lay two and occasionally three white eggs. Breeding occurs mainly from February to May, sometimes in June and July.

Did you know that parrots usually mate for life? If one of the pair dies or is killed it may be years before the survivor finds another mate. Parrots do not sing. They fly to their feeding grounds early in the morning and return home late in the afternoon. As they fly, their loud screeching calls echo through the forest, making them easy to identify. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the St. Lucia Parrot

Listen to the calls of the St. Lucia Parrot

The calls of the St. Lucia Parrot are a loud, squawking “ka-chuck and plaintive “ay-uh.”

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: St. Lucia Parrots love to eat fruits and seeds! Why not try making this passion fruit cup feeder? You can can fill it with seeds or pieces of fruit, and hang in your garden to keep the parrots well fed. Not in St. Lucia – the home of these beautiful endemic parrots? No problem, any parrots that live near you and many other types of wild birds, will love this feeder! Hang it out, fill it with food and see who comes to visit for lunch. Remember that this activity involves using scissors and knife, you will need an adult to help with making this.

Even if you don’t get any parrot visitors to you feeder you can enjoy this video of St. Lucia Parrots in the wild! The video shows a pair or parrots feeding on some palm fruits.

Find out more about the St. Lucia Parrot in this fun and creative St. Lucia Parrot zine! If you enjoy reading this zine and feel inspired, why not enter our Caribbean endemic bird zine competition? Just like the example here, a zine is a self-published booklet. Zines tend to be a collage of different images, text, and messages put together by writing, drawing, and/or cutting and gluing content into a booklet. You will find detailed guidelines and judging criteria in these docs: Bird Zine Contest Guidelines and What is a Zine and Bird Zine Contest Instructions. Be sure to read both documents carefully. There are prizes for each age category and two awesome GRAND PRIZES of a pair of waterproof Vortex Optics Binoculars! The new deadline for entries is Sunday May 30th!

The Sad Story of Machi and Goshen

A Flood of Letters, and a Change in Guadeloupe

We Must Celebrate the Successes!

Some Positive Changes to Hunting in Barbados

Refuge from the Storm for Shorebirds on Barbados?

What Can We Do?

Barbados Needs More Wetlands – Hunters Could Play a Role

Let’s Work Together

How did the Caribbean do?

What about the birds?

Shorebirds in Trouble

Keeping Track of Lesser Yellowlegs

Amazing Journeys Revealed

find out more about Lesser Yellowlegs and hunting in the Caribbean in this short video

Learn more details about Laura’s fascinating research on lesser yellowlegs’ migration by watching this webinar, recorded for world migratory bird day, OCtober, 2021.

The Quill – Before and After

Then there are the goats!

In search of the Quail-Dove

Greater effort, disappointing results

Urgent action is needed to save the Bridled Quail-Dove on Statia!

An Action Plan for a precious bird

Global Shorebird Count 2021

Make Your Shorebirds Count—Submit & Share Your Data!

What if you spot a bird with a band on its leg?

Global Shorebird Count 101

Fun activities to engage kids in exploring wetlands and beaches

Get Social for Shorebirds

Join the Global Shorebird Count, September 1 to 7 – every shorebird counts!

Please enjoy and share our video!

“Birding Bundles” on your doorstep, and learning with a past president!

Students in Cuba kept busy with birds

Some even burst into song!

Endemic birds went virtual…

…and weekly webinars were a hit

Zines, videos, social media…Oh my!

We may ask for your help…

Caribbean Landbird Monitoring (CLM) Network

Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) Network

CLICK ON EACH PHOTO BELOW TO VIEW LARGER.

Motus Wildlife Tracking in the Caribbean

Thank you!

Help Us Find Out What Happened: CWC count July 10-20

Red Knots in Trouble

Red Knot ID Tips – Click on each photo below to view larger.

Your CWC Count Data is needed!

Share this special CWC July Count, Red Knot edition, with your networks!

Endemic Bird of the Day: Hispaniolan Oriole

Colour in the Hispaniolan Oriole

Listen to the song of the Hispaniolan Oriole

Activity of the Day

Endemic Bird of the Day: Green-throated Carib

Colour in the Green-throated Carib

Listen to the call of the Green-throated Carib

Activity of the Day

Endemic Bird of the Day: Greater Antillean Grackle

Colour in the Greater Antillean Grackle

Listen to the song of the Greater Antillean Grackle

Activity of the Day

Endemic Bird of the Day: Bahama Warbler

Colour in the Bahama Warbler

Listen to the song of the Bahama Warbler

Activity of the Day

Endemic Bird of the Day: Lesser Antillean Flycatcher

Colour in the Lesser Antillean Flycatcher

Listen to the song of the Lesser Antillean Flycatcher

Activity of the Day

Puerto Rico’s fragile coastline needs help, badly.

What’s in it for humans?

Making life better for birds

Efficient mangrove and wetland plant germination

Putting the green in greenhouse

Training the next generation of ecologists and restoration practitioners

It really does take a village to restore mangroves

Endemic Bird of the Day: Gundlach’s Hawk

Colour in the Gundlach’s Hawk

Listen to the call of the Gundlach’s Hawk

Activity of the Day

Endemic Bird of the Day: Jamaican Spindalis

Colour in the Jamaican Spindalis

Listen to the call of the Jamaican Spindalis