Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Golden Swallow
If you ever get the chance to go birding in the mountains of the Dominican Republic (DR) or Haiti, you’ll want to add Golden Swallows to your list of birds to see. It’s not uncommon for people to spend hours watching these amazing birds fly around open meadows where they feed. They twist, turn, and dive through the air with incredible grace and precision as they hunt for airborne insects—their primary food source. These little aerial acrobats weigh only 13 grams—the same as a AAA battery—which allows them to maintain flight for a long time with limited effort!
As for their name, the debate of whether this swallow’s colouring better matches its English common name (golden) or its Spanish common name (verde = green) is a fierce one. We’ll settle it right here—they are both! The colours you see on their upperparts are ever-changing as they fly around and catch the sunlight at different angles. In a few seconds you might observe a blue-ish sheen changing to a golden iridescence that then changes to an olive-green!
Because of their erratic flight, it’s challenging to get a good look at a Golden Swallow with binoculars! Instead, you might do better if you can locate one of their nests. They are secondary cavity nesters, which means that they nest in cavities already built. So look for them using old woodpecker holes in dead snags, as well as rocky cliff sides that offer small crevices for nesting. Like many other types of cavity nesting birds (ex. bluebirds and flycatchers), Golden Swallows will sometimes use man-made nest boxes. Scientists in the DR have been successful at attracting Golden Swallows to nest boxes. This has helped them to study the birds and figure out how best to protect them. It turns out that conservation of these swallows is definitely needed!
Although once found in small numbers on the neighboring island of Jamaica, Golden Swallows are now found only on the island of Hispaniola. We don’t know why they have disappeared from Jamaica, but it could be for the same reasons that other swallow species are declining. Swallows feed on insects, and we now know that insects worldwide have been decreasing at alarming rates for a long time. This is from destruction of native habitats as well as the widespread use of insecticides (also called pesticides). Truth be told, we’ve become too good at killing insects, and we’re only now waking up to the realization that our ecosystems depend on them. The good news is that there is an easy way that everyone can help: plant as many native plants as you can on your property. Native plants attract native insects (not pest insects!), and these insects provide lots of food (filled with protein!) for MANY different bird species.
Try to replace lawn space that you don’t use with native trees and bushes. Lead or join community efforts to add more native greenery to your neighborhood. Let’s work together to rebuild the food web from the bottom up to help conserve our birds! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Golden Swallow!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Golden Swallow
The flight call of the Golden Swallow sounds like tchee-weet.
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!
Golden Swallow perched on a nest box in the DR, showing blue, green and golden colours on is back and head! (Photo by Eladio Fernandez)Golden Swallow (Photo by Dax Roman)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Insects are an important food resource for many species of birds. Can you match the pictures of 8 insects with the name of the insect? How many types of insects can you find in your backyard or neighborhood? Do our Insect Matching Activity and then check your answers with the Answer Key.
If you need help identifying them, download Seek, by iNaturalist, a very cool mobile app that can help you identify insects, plants, amphibians, lizards, birds, mammals, and more!
FOR KIDS & ADULTS:
The free ebook, Heritage Plants, is a guide for backyard beautification and habitat restoration using native Caribbean plants and trees.
Learn about key native plants that are beneficial to native and migratory birds with our eBook: Heritage Plants: Native Trees and Plants for Birds and People in the Caribbean. The plants highlighted in this book are perfect for backyard gardens, neighborhood landscaping, and other habitat restoration projects big and small. Browse the book, get inspired, and find new plants to grow in your backyard! Check with your local Forestry Department as they may have some of these plants available at no cost. Available in both English and Spanish!
The Golden Swallow website – lots of great information here on the work that researchers have done with these swallows over the last ten years.
Video of Golden Swallows at their nest box, in flight, feeding chicks, and more! This video highlights the best footage that scientists were able to capture across three summers of research in the Dominican Republic. Most of the video is on the breeding population in the Parque Valle Nuevo, with a glimpse of the population at Aceitillar.
Enjoy the video below from Cockpit Country, Jamaica.This is the last place that Golden Swallows were seen on in Jamaica before they disappeared. Watch the morning fog slowly drift away and listen to all of the birds waking up in the lush jungle below.
Read about Justin Proctor’s marvelous adventures and findings from field work on the Golden Swallow in the DR and Jamaica!
Music producer Robin Perkins of Shika Shika fuses birdsong with art to benefit the conservation of Caribbean birds! Shika Shika is a record label without owners for music without borders.
My name is Robin. I’m a music producer, an environmentalist, and a long-time bird lover. From the name on my passport, to the name I use on stage, El Búho (the owl in Spanish), birds have always been part of my life. There is something magical and fascinating in their freedom, their diversity and, of course, their song…
Robin Perkins (El Búho) co-founded Shika Shika in 2015 with Agustín Rivaldo (Barrio Lindo) to showcase the new wave of music appearing in cities around the world, inspired by the meeting between folk tradition and modern electronic production. “We love music that brings together worlds, that knows no borders or genre boundaries and that is pushing the fusion between rhythms, cultures, sounds, languages and ideas. We believe in people, we believe in collaboration and we believe in the power of music to impact our lives and our planet.”
I first started making music some five years ago, mixing traditional Latin American sounds with electronic music. I soon became fascinated with the idea of incorporating the incredible soundscapes of the natural world into my music and released my first EP: four tracks inspired by the song of four Latin American birds. This was the start of a beautiful journey that gave birth to “A Guide to the Birdsong”…
The project, which began in my small flat in Amsterdam in 2014, had a simple aim: to persuade a group of musicians or electronic music producers from a particular region of the world to create a piece of music inspired by the song of an endangered bird. Ten exciting artists paired with ten endangered birds. We would crowdfund the production of the album, the artwork and the vinyls. All of the profits would be donated to organizations working to protect these species.
The reaction for this first compilation, “A Guide to the Birdsong of South America” was incredible: we smashed our Kickstarter target, sold out of everything and raised almost US$15,000 for the non-profit environmental organizations Aves Argentinas and Ecuador’s Fundación de Conservación Jocotoco.
The story and the concept captured people’s imagination, drawing their attention to the plight of these beautiful species and their disappearing songs. The amazing music and eye-catching artwork supported concrete actions to preserve these endangered birds and their habitats.
Fast-forward five years and we are on the verge of releasing Volume II: “A Guide to the Birdsong of Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean.” The concept is the same but we have migrated north and shifted our focus to a new flock of species and artists. The movement has also grown with us as we met our crowdfunding goal by over 400%!
The resulting album, which will be released on June 26th, features ten tracks from artists from across the region. For example, Caribbean musicians such as Jamaica’s Equiknoxx and Cuba’s DJ Jigüe worked with the songs of the Jamaican Blackbird and the Zapata Wren. And Maracuya in the Dominican Republic composed the song for the Bay-breasted Cuckoo.
Zapata Wren and Jamaican Blackbird Artwork
We are very happy to partner with BirdsCaribbean as one of our three beneficiaries. This organisation is committed to protecting not only birds and their habitats, but also all that is unique and authentic about the islands. The profits from the album will go to support their Caribbean Birding Trail project, which aims to promote authentic travel experiences that highlight birds and culture, benefit local people, and encourage the protection of the Caribbean’s unique birds and natural resources.
I have always firmly believed in the power of art and music as a tool for change, to deliver a message and raise awareness. My hope is that this project can go some way towards supporting those doing an incredible job in preserving birds, their habitats, and their songs for the generations to come.
Here’s a taste of the album – it’s the song for the Black Catbird (found in Mexico) – one song that has been released from the album thus far:
Editor’s Note:Robin Perkins is the creator of Shika Shika, a record label without owners for music without borders. Their mission is to bring together producers from around the world exploring the line between organic and electronic music. The platform aims to foster global collaboration between artists, designers, videographers, product designers and creative minds across continents.
We are so excited and honored to be partnering with Robin and Shika Shika on this amazing project! Thank you, Robin, and thanks to all for supporting this project! Below are images of the 3 endangered Caribbean endemic birds whose bird song is incorporated into the music on the album. Proceeds from the sale of the album, t-shirts, and artwork will benefit conservation of these birds through our Caribbean Birding Trail project.
The Bay-breasted Cuckoo is endemic to Hispaniola. This large active cuckoo is distinguished by its dark reddish-brown throat and breast and thick curved bill. (photo by Jorge Brocca)
The Zapata Wren is endemic to Cuba and is found only in the Zapata Swamp. (photo by Alvaro Jaramillo)The Jamaican Blackbird lives in the forests of Cockpit Country and the Blue and John Crow Mountains of Jamaica. It is threatened by loss of habitat from bauxite mining, clearing of forest for agriculture, etc. (photo by Judd Patterson)
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Palmchat
The Palmchat is endemic to and widespread on the island of Hispaniola (Cigua Palmera in the Dominican Republic and Oiseau Palmiste in Haiti). It is a noisy and conspicuous bird, easily seen in flocks in treetops throughout the island. The Palmchat is a very special bird because it is the only member of its family (Dulidae) and genus. Owing to its unique taxonomic status, the Palmchat is the National Bird of the Dominican Republic.
Palmchats are chunky birds, approximately 8 inches in size, dark brown above with an olive green wash on the wings. The belly is cream-colored with heavy brown streaking.You wouldn’t guess from their rather drab appearance that they are the social butterflies of the bird world. They live in societies with up to 50 or more members, all sharing communal roosting and nesting space atop palm trees in large stick-mounds. The communal nest is divided up into multiple nesting chambers, each pair has its own chamber. Nesting mainly occurs in the spring and summer months, but Palmchats industriously maintain the nest and supply new sticks throughout the year as they continue to use it for roosting and socializing.
While the Palmchat is considered a songbird, it does not so much sing as it does chatter and chirp with members of its community or flock. They have a broad vocabulary of sounds including different types of alarm calls that tell their neighbors whether to focus on a threat on the ground or in the air. They even imitate the calls of hawks and kestrels. Palmchats are also some of the most important seed dispersers in habitats where they live—they move often through open landscapes and help forests regenerate. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Palmchat!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Palmchat
The Palmchat’s call is a noisy array of strange call notes, especially when around the nest.
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!
Palmchat, National Bird of the Dominican Republic, feeding on berries. (Photo by Dax Roman)The Palmchat is a very special bird because it is the only member of its family (Dulidae) and genus.(Photo by Dax Roman)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Play Bird Bingo in your backyard! Look out for hazards and predators and keep your eyes peeled for food and nest materials. Parents – help your kids enjoy and learn about nature in your own backyard and neighborhood. Print the Bird Bingo game cards and play with the whole family!
Learn more about the important role that birds like the Palmchat play in reforesting the forest in these fascinating articles by ornithologist Spencer Shubert:
Emma Lewis, writer and member of our Media Working Group, shares with us the unexpected joy and camaraderie we all felt birding “together” on May 9th, Global Big Day. Here is her report on the day’s adventures with photos and quotes from around the world.
Lisa and Mike Sorenson morning selfie on GBD, coldest May 9th on record! (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
On a humid, overcast day in Panama City, Beny Wilson settled down on his balcony with a mug of coffee—“on lockdown.” At the same time, birding colleagues in the Bahamas, also on stay-at-home orders, ventured no further than sunny verandahs and verdant gardens. Meanwhile up in Massachusetts, BirdsCaribbean Executive Director, Lisa Sorenson, put on a brave face as chilly gale force winds blew around her in the Westborough Wildlife Management Area.
All of these birdwatchers were connected by one goal, one event—Global Big Day 2020—a worldwide event in which birders set out to observe the most species of birds they possibly can see in a 24-hr period. However, this year the day came during unusual times, presenting new challenges, but also offering new rewards. There may never be another like it!
Birding “On Lockdown”
“Who thought we’d see the day that we were restricted to birding from our backyard?” said Kelsey from Cayman Birding—adding: “Although current COVID restrictions in the Cayman Islands made counting birds and numbers of species a lot harder, the challenge itself was worth it and definitely an experience to remember.”
Anneke Mace and her young birder in New Zealand (Photo by Anneke Mace)
With the Caribbean and much of the world still in “lockdown”, Global Big Day did not seem very promising at first. But the non-profit, BirdsCaribbean, decided to create a campaign to promote safe birding and raise funds for conservation—connecting people through virtual teams so as to promote friendly competition and comradery among birders who would need to be birdwatching alone this year. The days leading up to the event proved that people were excited to be involved, and come May 9th, competing teams spread their nets far and wide.
As May 9 dawned, Anneke Mace in New Zealand (a member of the phenomenal Flying Pintails team) had already completed her morning session with her baby—a “birding buddy who offered a lot of smiles, but not a single bird sighting.” Well, it’s early days yet.
Team Rivalry Heated Up
The rivalry was intense, but after all of the bird checklists were tallied several days later, the Flying Pintails were declared the winners, with a total of 865 species, 78 of which were species endemic to the West Indies. The other BirdsCaribbean teams put up valiant efforts, contributing hundreds of checklists and many additional species seen from around the world. They are eager for a rematch next time around! These included the Florida-based Spoonbills Dream Team; the President’s Perch, headed by BirdsCaribbean President Andrew Dobson; Cayman Backyard Birders; the Dark-eyed Junkies of Arkansas; the Far-Flung Flock of Friends, with members from Britain to Brazil; and the Catbirds and Dogbirds.
Scarborough, on the Cape Peninsula south of Cape Town (Photo by Claire Spottiswoode)
The Flying Pintails Team—88 members strong (including myself)—had a lot of fun and a lot of great adventures. The team’s WhatsApp group was buzzing with activity from the get-go, with Claire Spottiswoode sending in early reports from the Cape Peninsula in South Africa (total of 44 species observed). Virtual hugs were exchanged from the tip of Africa to team members far and wide. A photograph of warm African highlands (“The Orange-breasted Sunbirds flitting among the Erica flowers and the wing-flicking familiar Chats”) contrasted strongly with team member Jeff Gerbracht’s photo of a snow-covered field in the Finger Lakes region of New York State.
From my personal vantage point—our hot, dusty yard in Kingston, Jamaica—it was astonishing to see birding colleagues to the north battling the ever-deteriorating weather. “We’re freezing!” they cried, as the sun burned down on our city (now entering drought mode, with bush fires threatening). From either end of the two extremes, these were not perhaps ideal conditions for bird-watching, but perseverance was the name of the game. At home, our two dogs, Freddie and Lulu, lent moral support and searched the yard for cats.
“Today will be my first totally urban GBD,” commented team mate Beny Wilson; he had a nesting Ruddy Ground-Dove for company, obeying stay-at-home rules as well. We all enjoyed some lively Latin music in a video sent from Beny, as his binoculars stood ready for more great sightings. By contrast, in Maine, sleet splashed the windshield as intrepid birders, already inspired by colleagues’ contributions, headed to Mousam River estuary in Kennebunkport. Red-breasted Mergansers, Willet, and Red-throated Loons showed up to warm their hearts, but not so much their bodies.
Mathias Deming, braving the ridiculous weather in Maine on May 9th. Mathias is young birder friend of Charles and Laura – they called him their “secret weapon.” (photo by Laura Blutstein)
“Bahama Strong” Made a Strong Showing
Global Big Day in the Bahamas was curtailed by their 24-hour COVID-19 lockdown on several islands. But you can’t keep a good birder down, and Pericles Maillis (and family) did their best—reminiscing on a baby Osprey spotted on Goulding Cay the Day-Before-Global-Big-Day (no, sorry, that doesn’t count, Pericles!) and posting a nesting bird on his verandah, as well as an adorable photo of his granddaughter in ballet dress against a backdrop of Bahama Pintails. Meanwhile, Erika Gates did a series of outings in her garden in a beautifully branded outfit. “I’ll be out until the Antillean Nighthawks are ‘singing!’” she posted, reporting at the end of the day: “Four checklists between 6:23 am and 8 pm, total of 6 hours from our garden at home (600 x 250 sq feet) on beautiful “Grand” Bahama—total of 32 species! Birds conforming to Lockdown!”
Erika Gates ready for her third outing under “lockdown” in her garden on Grand Bahama
Martha Cartwright reported: “Locked into our yards for the weekend, Bahamas strong. From East fence to West fence, three times today, 2.5 hours, maybe 208 steps. Heart rate stayed at sluggish. Only garden homies to report, but nice to be part of such a brilliant team. Don’t deserve a drink but will have one anyway.”
Bahama Woodstar spotted in New Providence, Bahamas. (Photo by David Maillis)
Despite their limitations, Bahamians came in second for most birds seen in the Caribbean after Cuba, and ahead of Puerto Rico—from where Adrianne Tossas received virtual “abrazos,” from a forested hillside, from Esteban Marquez in Venezuela.
Babies, Birds…and Baby Birds
A stunning Purple Gallinule on Michiel Oversteegen’s checklist in Aruba. (photo by Michiel Oversteegen)
Another couple with baby in tow, Joanne and Glenroy Gaymes, set out on a hot day in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and observed:“Considering the state of the world right now, it gave us an opportunity to appreciate the beauty in front of us and make the best of what we have.”
And how were the birds looking? Photographic contributions came from far and wide. A Catbirds and Dogbirds team member reporteda Black-chinned Hummingbird trying to convince a female he was worthy of her love. In Venezuela, a Bat Falcon was observed from a window eating a Grey-breasted Martin (see video below) and a Pearl Kite was also tucking into some breakfast. In Trinidad, a Ferruginous Pygmy Owl looked sleepy and inscrutable and an early morning Tropical Kingbird was accused of being noisy (so, what is new for a Kingbird?).
Bat Falcon eating a Grey-breasted Martin in Venezuela (Video by Josmar Marquez)
A distant Ostrich (“the Flying Pintails’ only ratite”) was spotted on the Cape Peninsula of South Africa. Then up popped a Bee Hummingbird in Cuba—the smallest bird in the world; what a contrast! In Barbuda, John Mussington reported “lots” of Barbuda Warblers “right outside my window”—welcome news, while in neighboring Antigua a very young Bananaquit surveyed his new world from a low branch. A splendid Spotted Rail was among several rails seen by the Cuban team, who recorded more than 70 species, both at home and a little further afield. A “Dark-eyed Junkie,” Kate Chapman, fell in love with “the fledglings in my yard: Eastern Bluebirds, Carolina Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, and Downy Woodpeckers. Total of 13 bitty fledglings! Oh and my best mammalian bird was a playful muskrat!” Not to be outdone, a British birder from the Far-Flung Flock, Lee Ridley, spotted a Tawny Owl—at 4:00 a.m.!
Spotted Rail spotted in Cuba by Ernesto Reyes and Tania Pineiro. (Photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Some Birds Were Special
As a golden sunrise brightened the sky in Sacramento, California, a slowly awakening Lois Goldfrank realized she had 103 messages on the WhatsApp group. By that time, over on the east coast, Lisa and Mike Sorenson looked distinctly colder than earlier in the day, with noses turning pink—but sharing a lovely photo of a sweetly singing Rose-breasted Grosbeak. “Absolutely frozen!” Lisa posted, “41 degrees and 45 mph winds!” While down in Trinidad, Mark Hulme celebrated his fiftieth species of the day with a glass of rum.
A sweetly singing Rose-breasted Grosbeak in MA. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Some of us had our very special “Birds of the Day.” Mine was definitely the White-crowned Pigeon, a gorgeous bird that we see in our yard more and more often these days. This species (once very much a “country bird”) seems to be adapting very well to urban life, and can be seen flying over busy roads in the middle of the Kingston rush hour. For Wendy Lee, my colleague on Jamaica’s north coast, the lovely Caribbean Dove was her Bird of the Day. Both species are very valuable as seed dispersers. Erika Gates’ “Couple of the Day” were two courting Common Ground Doves—“a sign of hope as all had perished in our garden in Hurricane Dorian, except for one who finally found a mate.” Down south in Bonaire, Susan Davis’ prayer for a Crested Caracara was granted some 30 seconds later: “A Crested Caracara soared out of nowhere and crossed in front of my car. I put my eyes heavenward one more time, and silently said, ‘Thank you, God.’”
The beautiful White-crowned Pigeon was on the backyard bird list for a few birders in the Caribbean. (photo by Erika Gates)
President’s Caribbean Team Members—Signs of Indiscipline!
So, the Flying Pintails flew away with top honours. A close rival and the team leader of President’s Perch, BirdsCaribbean President Andrew Dobson, commented dryly on seeing the results of the competition: “If I’d known it was that close, I would have tried harder.” His team underwent Zoom training events ahead of the Big Day and participants were advised to not party too late the night before the Big Day. Andrew commented, “Tania Pineiro in Cuba obviously misunderstood my English as she recorded two species of owl just after midnight.”
Other Caribbean team members broke one of the President’s many rules: “Folks in the Caribbean enjoyed the best of the weather but there were serious challenges of staying awake and refraining from alcohol (team rule #48). Martyn Kenefick didn’t read that far as he sat on the balcony of Asa Wright Nature Reserve [in Trinidad] with rum punch in hand—tough posting.” It is rumored that the President may defect to the Pintails, next time around; but somehow I feel his 21-country team may come back with extra determination. There are more “big birding days” on the horizon to contemplate!
Urban Life: Not Only About Humans
Beny Wilson reflected from his balcony: “This year quarantine forced us to look inward: towards the Urbe. The urban that has not respected the natural, assuming that natural is not human and human is not natural. Today, with this exercise, the world realizes the big mistake we have made. We understand by rediscovering that the urban is home to much life beyond human. Watching so much wildlife live well in the urban means we can live well too!”
Beny on his balcony in eBird gear (Photo by Beny Wilson)
eBird’s Jeff Gerbracht commented, “It’s so exciting to live vicariously through everyone’s bird adventures!” Perhaps this was what was so special about Global Big Day 2020. We were all communicating, sharing, laughing together, and most of all—seeing birds! For those who are going through anxious times at the moment, it was a day that lightened the heart and soul. The general consensus was that we should do it again. It brought us all together in surprising ways. As Andrew Dobson put it, “A great day’s birding—an impressive list of birds, new birding friends made, and funds raised for BirdsCaribbean.”
Thank you, take care and stay safe, all the birders out there.
Thanks to Emma Lewis, blogger, social and environmental activist, and avid birder based in Jamaica for this wonderful recap of Global Big Day! And thanks again to all who contributed to the fun and success of our first Global Big Day Fundraiser – both team members and generous donors!! If you have not yet had a chance to donate, it is not too late! We are still hoping to reach our goal of $20,000 raised for science and conservation of Caribbean birds. Click here to donate, and thanks!
Huge Santa Cruz, was part of the team birding at Macaw Lodge in Santa Cruz. He observed, “Many people, including experienced birders, added “lifers” to their lists, as well as noticed birds for the first time in new places—a result of needing to choose new locations to safely bird during this pandemic.”
Big thanks to Josmar Esteban Marquez for creating this wonderful recap of our Global Big Day – thanks to all who sent photos and videos!
Best From the Garden Bird photo – a Green Heron by Erika Gates from her backyard in Freeport, Grand Bahama.
A mixed brood of White-cheeked Pintails (the Flying Pintails team namesake) in Aruba showed up right on cue. (photo by Michiel Oversteegen)
Great Blue Heron, spotted by Richard Garrigus in New Hampshire. (photo by Richard Garrigus)
“I had to escape from lockdown just to include some seabirds 😅” Adrianne Tossas (Puerto Rico)
White-cheeked Pintail ducklings in Aruba (Photo by Michiel Oversteegen)
Snowy Egret in Aruba (Photo by Michiel Oversteegen)
This is an adorable selfie of Jessica and Maydiel Cañizares birding in Massachusetts.
Yellow-shouldered Parrot having lunch in Bonaire. (photo by Susan Davis)
Searching for Killdeer in Fayetteville, Arkansas (Photo by Jennifer Mortensen)
Andrew Dobson (Team Leader of President’s Perch) and family birding in the UK. (Photo by Andrew Dobson)
GBDer (Charles Duncan) bundled up in the most layers while surviving the most miserable weather: photo by Laura Blutstein — Massachusetts, USACharles Duncan braves horrific GBD weather in Maine to find birds!
Best Bird Staying at Home Photo: Ruddy Ground Dove in Panama City, Panama, by Beny Wilson
Ferruginous Pygmy Owl in Trinidad. (Photo by Mark Hulme)
Claire Spottiswoode and young birding buddy (Adam) in Cape Town, South Africa.
Adam Spottiswoode on his Dad’s back birding at sundown in Cape Town, South Africa
Brown Pelican in Aruba (Photo by Michiel Oversteegen)
All citizens were taking precautions against the pandemic in Santa Cruz, CA. (photo by Lois Goldfrank)
Hairy Woodpecker spotted in Maine. (Photo by Laura Blutstein)
Joanna Gaymes and baby Maeson birding in Saint Vincent (Photo by Glenroy Gaymes)
Four Cubans racked up large species lists for GBD!
Bee Hummingbird in Cuba on Adrian’s list at Casa Ana in Caleton.
Black-crowned Night-Heron in Aruba (Photo by Michiel Oversteegen)
Reddish Egret enjoying the quiet beach in Sanibel! (photo by Carefree Birding)
Catriona (on President’s Perch team) had a snowy start in Ontario but is all smiles despite the cold!!!
Spotted Rail spotted in Cuba by Ernesto Reyes and Tania Pineiro. (Photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Cuban Trogon in Ernesto Reyes’ Garden in Los Hondones, Cuba (Photo by Ernesto Reyes)
American Oystercatcher eating breakfast in Aruba. (photo by Michiel Oversteegen)
Jeff Gerbracht birding in the snow in upstate New York. (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
Birder on Far Flung Flock braves the elements and enters her sightings in eBird.
John and Sonia Webster spent the day birding together in Barbuda, and their smiles are certainly prize-worthy!
Mark Hulme starting the afternoon shift birding in Trinidad.
Common Ground Doves in Aruba (Photo by Michiel Oversteegen)
Carib Grackle in Aruba (Photo by Michiel Oversteegen)
“I had to escape from lockdown just to include some seabirds 😅” Adrianne Tossas (Puerto Rico)
Blackburnian Warbler looking smart in breeding plumage. (Photo by Seth Inman)
Cape May Warbler male in Erika Gates garden, Grand Bahama. (photo by Erika Gates)
Get excited about seeing West Indian Whistling-Ducks in Puerto Rico in the summer of 2022! (Photo by Adrianne Tossas)
A mixed brood of White-cheeked Pintails shows up on cue in Aruba. This species is the namesake of The Flying Pintails team. (photo by Michiel Oversteegen)
Osprey with Parrotfish catch in Bonaire. (Photo by Susan Davis)
Justin and Marisol started their GBD with some of Colombia’s finest Bird-Friendly coffee, as well as a shout-out to NPR (note the mug).
Mark Hulme (Trinidad) takes home the prize for Most Delicious Looking Adult Beverage. Mark confirmed that it was darn good.
Jennifer Mortensen and birding partner celebrating at the end of the day. (Photo by Jennifer Mortensen)
Third Best Bird Photo goes to Susan Davis, for this shot of a Yellow-shouldered Parrot in Bonaire
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Yellow-billed Parrot
Imagine yourself in a cool early morning in Jamaica’s remote Cockpit Country. As the sun rises and the mist gradually clears from the forested hills and valleys, the flights of parrots begin. You can hear them coming from hundreds of metres away. Flocks of these bright green marvels leave the safety of their remote roosts and their nests in cavities of large trees in search of food. In the forests and agricultural lands, they feast on fruit and seeds, sometimes to the despair of farmers.
There are two species of parrots in Jamaica: Yellow-billed and Black-billed Parrots. The Yellow-bills have light-coloured bills, bluish foreheads, pink cheeks and throats. The Black-bills have dark bills and green faces with a dark spot behind their eyes. Yellow-bills are slightly larger and possibly more abundant than Black-bills. In flight, their wing beats are deeper. Both can be seen in Cockpit Country and the Blue and John Crow Mountains, and there is a population of Yellow-billed Parrots in the Hope Botanical Gardens in Kingston. Both species are threatened by habitat loss and illegal trapping and trade.
Their voices provide further clues to identification. Yellow-bills have mid-range voices, while Black-bills’ voices range both higher and lower. Parrots can be very noisy but sometimes they can be perched above your head, totally silent and undetectable in the green leaves – until they explode into flight with loud squawks.
What are they saying to each other as they fly? Are those squawks and squeaks just random babblings or do they have meaning? Scientists who have studied parrots elsewhere have found that some species of parrots can recognize each other by call and communicate when they have found a good place to feed. Can Jamaican parrots share the location of a fig tree in fruit or juicy flower buds? No one has studied their calls, so we cannot say for sure that this is the case, but it seems likely.
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Yellow-billed Parrot
Yellow-billed Parrots emit a variety of screeches and squawks, mostly low-pitched squawks when perched.
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!
Yellow-billed Parrot (Photo by Stewart Lacy)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Create your own bird colouring page for your favourite bird! Or draw an imaginary bird! And don’t forget add your “Feathery Facts.” Share with us by tagging us @BirdsCaribbean. Have fun!
Check out the wonderful video of two Yellow-billed Parrots calling and interacting in Jamaica!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Purple-throated Carib
When you think purple throat, you wouldn’t expect that the most obvious field mark for this large hummingbird is it’s accentuated, emerald green wings! Coming in at a whopping 5 inches, this hummingbird tends to appear completely black except for its wings. Try golden hour, with the perfect lighting and the right angles and it transforms before the eyes, living up to its name. The regal purplish-red of its throat and breast are revealed, much to the delight of its observers.
Male Purple-throated Caribs are slightly larger than females and more aggressive. Both sexes have the same coloration, but the female’s bill is about 30% longer and more sharply down-curved than the male. Both bills are adapted for feeding on nectar but they feed from different flowers that fit the shape of their bills. Males prefer Heliconias with short corollas (petals) while females visit Heliconias with longer corollas. They also eat insects.
Purple-throated Caribs are endemic to only a handful of islands in the Lesser Antilles but may be vagrant on other islands. They are often simply called hummingbirds, but may also be called Doctor Bird, Ruby-Throat, Madè, Fou-fou, and Fal-wouj, depending on what island you’re on. Calls include a strident tsip, and a sharp chewp, which is repeated rapidly when they are agitated.
Nesting takes place between January and July. A cup-shaped nest normally containing 2 white eggs is hung from a fork of a small branch between 3 and 18 meters (9 and 60 feet) above ground. Though their conservation status is classified as Least Concern, they are primarily found in low-level moist forests, and may not be the easiest hummingbird to find. Ask any villager though, and they will tell you to look for Heliconia or a flowering Moringa and there you will find what you seek! Due to the continual encroachment of development, both the habitat and the birds are at risk. Conservation should focus on protecting forest habitats in all the islands. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Purple-throated Carib!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Purple-throated Carib
Calls include a strident tsip, and a sharp chewp, which is repeated rapidly when they are agitated.
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!
Female Purple-throated Carib – note the longer, more down-curved bill compared to the male. (Photo by Tadas Jucys)Male Purple-throated Carib (Photo by Anthony Levesque)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Check out the video of a Purple-throated Carib in St. Lucia, perching, flying and feeding on nectar. Towards the end of the video, there is good footage of the male courting a female – he holds his body low and horizontal with wings extended and shakes them while moving his head from side to side. The male and female fly together in a circle round and round in a courtship dance which ends with a quick mating and the female flies off.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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 Trogon
Meet the Hispaniolan Trogon (called Papagayo in the Dominican Republic and Caleçon Rouge in Haiti), one of only two trogon species found within the Caribbean (the other being the sister species, the Cuban Trogon). These birds are hefty and distinct, with a glossy green back, gray breast and throat, red belly, and yellow bill. They have a long dark blue tail marked with white below. The sexes look alike except males have fine black and white markings on the wings while females do not.
Although large, these birds can be difficult to find in denser forests. Fortunately their booming vocalizations can often be heard echoing throughout the hills. As the name implies, this chonker of a bird is endemic to the island of Hispaniola. While they are the national bird of Haiti, due to increasing habitat loss, they are more commonly found in the Cordillera Central and Sierra de Bahoruco mountain ranges of the Dominican Republic. They live in pine and broadleaf forest habitats, and have even been recorded as high as 3,000 m in elevation!
Hispaniolan Trogons are secondary cavity nesters, meaning they’ll take over old cavities from birds such as the Hispaniolan Woodpecker, and enlarge them to make their own nest. Currently the biggest threat these birds face is loss of habitat from deforestation, resulting in their current IUCN listing as Near-Threatened. Some scientists and local conservationists have successfully created nest-boxes for these birds in the scientific reserve, Ebano Verde. The diet of Hispaniolan Trogons is not very well known. They have been recorded eating insects, small anoles, and fruits, especially those of the Parrot Tree (Brunellia comocladifolia). Interestingly, in many other Latin American countries, the Spanish word for trogon is simply trogon, and Papagayo, the name of the Hispaniolan Trogon, is often used for macaws. Be sure to be on the lookout for this striking bird in the mountains of Hispaniola! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Hispaniolan Trogon!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo 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 Trogon
The Hispaniolan Trogon’s song is described as “cuh kwao or cuh kwao kwao,” or repeating and carrying over long distances.
The Hispaniolan Trogon has a low rattle or cooing call.
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!
Hispaniolan Trogon (Photo by Dax Roman). The common name in Haiti is Caleçon Rouge, which refers to the red belly that resembles red shorts!Hispaniolan Trogon (Photo by Dax Roman)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Complete our All about the Papagayo (Hispaniolan Trogon) Crossword Puzzle! How many words do you know? Be sure to read about the Papagayo, our Endemic Bird of the Day, for clues to the puzzle. If you need help, also check out our Glossary for some definitions that will help you complete this puzzle. And here is a the Answer Key to the puzzle.
And check out this short video with nice footage about the national bird of Haiti, called the Caleçon Rouge in Haiti.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Puerto Rican Bullfinch
The Puerto Rican Bullfinch is endemic to Puerto Rico, where it is known as “Comeñame”. It is ~ 7.5 in (19 cm) long and weighs ~32-33 g. The male is slightly larger than the female. Adults have a black body with a reddish-orange colored band on the crown, throat and under the tail. Juveniles are a dark olive-green color, with a pale reddish-brown marking under the tail. All ages have a large, heavy finch-type (conical) beak.
The Puerto Rican Bullfinch can be spotted in woodlands and forests (dry and humid) and shade coffee plantations throughout Puerto Rico at all elevations. It is a common bird but shy and secretive, so more often heard than seen. The nest is shaped like a cup with an entrance in the side and the female lays 3 dull-green eggs with dark spots. During the breeding season, usually from February to June, the male is aggressive and territorial. Banding studies suggest that bullfinches have long-term territories or home ranges. Bullfinches forage mainly in vegetation but also on the ground. They eat seeds, fruits, flower buds, small insects, spiders and mollusks.
Bullfinches sing much of the day and throughout the year, but especially during the breeding season. The song of this bird is a series of loud or rising whistles whip whip whip followed by a high-pitched trill or buzz. The second song is a whistled coochi, coochi, chooochii and it also has a low tsuit call note that sounds like striking two stones together. The Puerto Rican Bullfinch is not currently threatened, but it may be declining due to destruction of its forest habitat. We must be vigilant and monitor this beautiful bird to safeguard its long-term survival. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Puerto Rican Bullfinch!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Puerto Rican Bullfinch
The Puerto Rican Bullfinch’s call is a distinct series (2–10) of rising whistles followed by a buzz. It also whistles coochi-coochi-coochi and a mid-strength check or tsuit call note.
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!
Puerto Rican Bullfinch (Photo by Hemant Kishan)Puerto Rican Bullfinch (Photo by Gloria Archilla)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Enjoy this fabulous close-up video of a male Puerto Rican Bullfinch feeding on banana in Puerto Rico.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: St. Vincent Parrot
The Saint Vincent Parrot or Saint Vincent Amazon (Amazona guildingii) is the national bird of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and is endemic to the island of Saint Vincent. This species has striking and unique coloration unlike any other Amazon. There are two colour morphs: yellow-brown (more common) and green. Both have pale heads and bronze-colored underparts, a blue, yellow and orange tail, and green-and-blue flight feathers. The green morph has many green feathers on the back, whereas the yellow-brown morph has the rest of the upperparts largely similar to the body. Males and females look similar. This colourful bird has the colours of the national flag, making it more special to Vincentians.
The Saint Vincent Parrot is found in mature rainforest along western and eastern slopes of the central mountain range. Occasionally, they are seen in nearby cultivated lands. They are usually seen flying in pairs but are observed foraging in flocks on fruits, seeds, flowers and leaves. These parrots nest in cavities of large, mature trees. The female typically lays two eggs, but could lay up to four. They are loud birds with an impressive vocal repertoire. Like most parrots, they are active early in the morning and late in the afternoon, the ideal times to see them in the wild!
The Saint Vincent Parrot was once common, but destruction of its forest habitat, hunting for food, trapping for the cage-bird trade, and hurricanes all led to the parrot’s decline to only 370-470 birds in the 1980s. Thankfully, the parrot and its habitat are now protected by law and the population is slowly increasing. It is now listed as Vulnerable with a wild population of about 750 birds. Continued conservation and public awareness campaigns are critical to saving this species from extinction. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the St. Vincent Parrot!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the St. Vincent Parrot
The St. Vincent Parrot has an impressive vocal repertoire; they give a loud, scratchy un-parrot-like call gua-gua-gua while in flight.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
St. Vincent Parrots in Flight (Photo by SVG Tourism Authority)St. Vincent Parrot (Photo by St. Vincent Parrot Project)St. Vincent Parrot (Photo by Joel Sartore)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Learn how to draw Cuban endemic birds—the charming Cuban Tody and gorgeous Bridled Quail-Dove—in this fun video by talented artist, biologist, and educator, Josmar Esteban Marquez! The video is in Spanish with English sub-titles. (turn on sub-titles by clicking on the “CC” link at the bottom of the video screen).
FOR ADULTS:Learn more about the birds of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and top birding hotspots in this Caribbean BirdWatch article in ZiNG magazine, LIAT Airlines in-flight magazine. Take a virtual birding trip to the Lesser Antilles, including St. Vincent, and “see” the St. Vincent Parrots in these two fun articles:
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Cuban Pygmy-Owl
The Cuban Pygmy-Owl is one of the two pocket-sized owls of the Cuban archipelago. At just 17.5 cm, it is considered the smallest West Indian owl. It is the most common of Cuban owls. There are two color phases: one with grayish-brown upper-parts (more common) and one with cinnamon-brown upper-parts. Their underparts are off-white with brown spots and streaks. The head is dark brown with tufts of white and it has large yellow eyes. Their short legs and feet are yellow, covered with white feathers. The Cuban Pygmy Owl can turn its head almost completely around, showing markings on the back that look like two dark, menacing eyes. This adaptation of “eye” markings is meant to ward off predators of the owl.Cuban Pygmy-Owls live in woodlands across the main island, the Isle of Youth and some northern cays. Like most pygmy-owls It is active during the day so easy to see and hear. You can easily find it by listening for its call, a low repeating whistle uh, uh, uh… or an increasingly loud and shrill hui-hui-chiii-chiii-chi-chi-chi... It is usually found in pairs, spread out from one another.Cuban Pygmy-Owls nest from December to May. They lay 3-4 almost round white eggs in tree-holes, often palm trees, that have already been used and abandoned by woodpeckers. Their diet is lizards, large insects (such as moths and beetles), and small birds. Other species commonly “mob” the owl with vigorous jabbering and chasing, attempting to scare it off from the area. It is a curious bird, often allowing humans to approach within 2 meters from its perch! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Cuban Pygmy-Owl!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Cuban Pygmy-Owl
The Cuban Pygmy-Owl’s call is a low, repeating a short uh, uh, uh… (you can also hear a Bare-legged Owl hooting in the recording) Cuban Pygmy-Owl second call, an increasingly loud hui-hui-chiii-chiii-chi-chi-chi… often given when alarmed.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Cuban Pygmy Owl (grayish-brown phase) with Lizard (Photo by Aslam Ibrahim)Cuban Pygmy Owl – cinnamon-brown phase. (Photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Learn about Caribbean endemic birds and how to draw them with our talented artist, Josmar Esteban Marquez. Josmar is based in Venezuela and studies and monitors shorebirds on the offshore cays and islands of Venezuela. He loves working with communities and children on wildlife art projects. He’s a fantastic teacher!!! (subscribe to our Youtube channel to follow the video series!) Click on the “CC” at the bottom to see the subtitles in English.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Bahama Woodstar
Resourceful, brave, energetic, full of life, beautiful – these are words that perfectly describe the little superstar… the Bahama Woodstar (Nesophlox evelynae). It is about 8-9.5 cm long. It is green above with males sporting a glittering purplish-pink gorget, white breast band, and a cinnamon-brown belly. It also has rufous and black tail feathers, black wings, and a long, thin, slightly curved beak. Females have a white throat and breast and rufous belly. When they fly you can see that males have forked tails and females have rounded tails. Although they are nectarivores (feed primarily on nectar), they will consume small insects to supplement their protein needs.
Like other species of hummingbirds, Bahama Woodstars are polygynous with males having multiple partners. During courtship, males engage in several courtship displays, one of which is a dive. During the dive, males make a metallic sound using their tail feathers. Bahama Woodstars build their nest using lichen, spider webs, cotton, and other plant fibers, and the papery bark from Gumelemi (Bursera simaruba). They lay two small white eggs. Females build the nest and raise the chicks. Males take no part in the rearing of offspring. Nesting has been observed year-round in this species. Despite their small size, Bahama Woodstars can be very aggressive and will defend their chicks as well as feeding territories from other birds.
The Bahama Woodstar is endemic to the Lucayan archipelago. It is a common resident on most islands in the Bahamas except for Great and Little Inagua islands, where it is replaced by the closely related Inagua Woodstar (N. Lyrura). It is also resident in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It occurs in all island habitats, including pine forests, gardens, and parks. Their call is a sharp tit, titit, tit, tit, titit, often speeding up into a rapid rattling sound. Their song is a dry rhythmic prititidee, prititidee, prititidee. Many native and cultivated plants depend on the Bahama Woodstar for pollination. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Bahama Woodstar!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Bahama Woodstar
The Bahama Woodstar’s call is a sharp tit, titit, tit, tit, titit often speeding to a quick rattle.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Male Bahama Woodstar showing off his purplish-pink gorget. (Photo by Keith Salvesen)Bahama Woodstar female feeding chicks in Exuma, Bahamas. (Photo by Bailey Smith)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Scott Johnson, Bahamas National Trust Science Officer, captured this awesome video of a male Bahama Woodstar courting a female.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Antillean Euphonia
The Antillean Euphonia is a colorful, small bird of the Fringillidae family. It has a remarkable variety of melodious calls and jumbled songs that includes sharp whistles whee, trilling, tinkling notes tuc-tuc-tuc, and a hard metallic chi-chink, hence it’s Latin specific name musica. It is endemic to the islands of Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and much of the Lesser Antilles (Antigua south to Grenada, absent from Barbados). These three areas host three distinct subspecies and some authorities even consider them separate species. The three subspecies differ in color, as well as the size of the beak and tail.
The males of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico have a turquoise blue crown and nape, blackish-violet face, back and wings, a small band of tawny-yellow on the forehead, and rich tawny-yellow underparts and rump. However, males in Puerto Rico have a yellow throat while males from Hispaniola have a dark blue throat. The females of all the groups are lighter overall, with yellow-greenish body and wings, turquoise crown and nape, and the forehead nicely adorned with a spot of gold. The males of the Lesser Antilles have female-like plumage, except for a sky-blue forehead, crown and nape.
The Antillean Euphonia lives in all forest habitats at sea level and up to an altitude of more than 2,000 m, but it seems to prefer humid mountain forests. It can also be found in shade-coffee plantations. Euphonias are seen in pairs during the breeding season (Jan to July) and in small flocks at other times of the year, sometimes with warblers and tanagers. It flits about in the dense forest canopy and can be difficult to see—listen for their musical songs to locate them! These small birds feed on a variety of plants and berries but have a clear fondness for mistletoe berries (Phoradendron) and are an important disperser of its seeds.
While the species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, deforestation throughout its range is a concern. It has experienced a particularly worrying decline in Guadeloupe over the past thirty years where it could be classified locally as Endangered or even Critically Endangered according to IUCN criteria. It has become extremely rare in St. Vincent and may even have disappeared from Saba. The AMAZONA association has been studying it in Guadeloupe for the past three years. Further research and monitoring is needed to understand and protect this delightful bird so that it persists in abundance across the islands. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Antillean Euphonia!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo 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 Antillean Euphonia
The Antillean Euphonia has a remarkable variety of melodious calls and jumbled songs that includes sharp whistles whee, trilling, tinkling notes tuc-tuc-tuc, and a hard metallic chi-chink, hence it’s Latin specific name musica.
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!
Antillean Euphonia, male, Hispaniola subspecies (Photo by Dax Roman)Female Antillean Euphonia, Hispaniola subspecies. (Photo by Hemant Kishan)
Male Antillean Euphonia, Lesser Antilles Subspecies (Photo by Anthony Levesque)Antillean Euphonia male, Puerto Rican Subspecies (Photo by Aldredo Irizarry)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Test your knowledge of what kinds of nests Caribbean endemic birds build and use to lay eggs and raise chicks with our Nest Matching Activity! Draw lines from the colouring book drawings to match each Caribbean endemic bird with its nest type. And here is the Answer Key – don’t look until you have completed the activity!!! More information about our Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book is here. We are sharing a new colouring page from the book each day of our Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival 2020, From the Nest, Virtual Edition.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Grenada Dove
One of the rarest birds in the world – the Grenada Dove – is found only in Grenada. It is a shy and elusive bird, staying well hidden within the forested hills and valleys of its dry forest habitat. It is a medium sized (~200g) dove with brown upperparts, buffy cinnamon-coloured breast and neck, and grayish forehead, face and crown. Its legs and feet are bright pinkish-red. The belly is white with a strip of white feathers that extends from its side up around the bend of the wing (key field mark!). It is a thrilling experience to get a glimpse of one of these rare birds, walking under the canopy looking for food or calling from a branch. Make sure to observe them from a distance of course so that they are not disturbed!
The Grenada Dove is Critically Endangered. The entire population is estimated at less than 160 individuals*. It lives in just 2 small parcels of remaining dry coastal forest in the southwest and west coast of Grenada. Like most doves, the Grenada Dove spends most of its time scouring the ground for seeds. If you aren’t lucky enough to get a glimpse of this dove, you will most certainly hear them calling during the breeding season. Its characteristic call is a single descending note hooooooo that is repeated every 7-8 seconds, sometimes for long periods during the breeding season when males are territorial. The nest is a platform of twigs constructed in a tree, palm or bush up to 4 m above the ground.
The main threat to the Grenada Dove is loss of habitat. Its coastal scrub habitats are unfortunately prime areas for development (resort, residential and industrial). The dove’s survival is also threatened from predation by introduced predators, especially mongoose but also cats, rats, and opossum. While there are two Protected Areas legally established for the conservation of the dove (Mt Hartman National Park and Beausejour Estates), they cover only a portion of where the dove is found. The remaining habitat is both crown and private lands. Predator control programmes have also been taking place in the protected areas. Everyone can do their part to help save this beautiful and unique species from extinction by supporting conservation of its forest habitat. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Grenada Dove!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Grenada Dove
The Grenada Dove’s call is a descending hoooo which repeats consistently every 7-8seconds.
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!
Grenada Dove on its platform nest made of twigs. Note that the bird has NO spots on its body, helping to tell it apart from other similar resident doves like the Zenaida Dove, Eared Dove, and Common Ground Dove. Also, the white strip of feathers on its side extending up along the wing is a key field mark. (Photo by Greg Homel)The Grenada Dove is usually seen walking on the ground or perched on a low tree branch. If flushed, it will fly to the ground and run away. Because it spends so much time on the ground it is vulnerable to introduced predators like mongoose, cats, and dogs. (photo by Greg Homel)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: You can see the the Grenada Dove for yourself through a fantastic virtual visit to the Mt. Hartman National Park, established in 1996 to protect the dove in the following videos:
Learn more about Mt Hartman National Park, the dove, threats to its habitat and long-term survival, and the efforts to conserve the dove:
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Puerto Rican Parrot
The Puerto Rican Parrot is one of nine species of Amazon parrots endemic to the Caribbean region. It is the only native psittacid in the island, although 46 species of exotic Psittaciformes have been reported. This species can be distinguished from other green parrots by a red forehead, white eye ring, and brilliant blue flight feathers. It feeds on a variety of wild fruits, like those from the Sierra Palm, but also consumes seeds, flowers and leaf buds.
The Puerto Rican Parrot, locally called Iguaca, was so abundant during Spanish colonial times, that the population was believed to reach about one million individuals, particularly in the coastal forests. Sadly, human activities, mainly development of cities and towns, destroyed the parrot’s native forest habitats. In addition, parrots were captured for the pet trade and shot by farmers who regarded them as pests. All these actions led to a massive decline in the species so that by 1975 only 13 individuals were left in the wild!
This led to the Puerto Rican Parrot being listed as Critically Endangered and conservation programs were established to restore their numbers. A captive breeding program in relict habitat at El Yunque National Forest was established in 1973. Careful release of some parrots into the wild rebuilt the total wild population to nearly 200 birds by the middle of 2017. A second captive breeding facility in Río Abajo State Forest in the north-central karst area began successfully rearing parrots around 1994, and a second wild population was reintroduced there in 2006. This program has been successful in raising many parrot chicks that have been released into the forest and are thriving. After losing the relict wild population in El Yunque to Hurricane Maria in 2017, a new population has been recently reintroduced at the captive-rearing facility there and currently has 28 free-flying individuals and 2 active nests, where none existed less than 4 months ago.
At present, the two Puerto Rican Parrot subpopulations add up to more than 600 individuals, including approximately 180 living and breeding around Río Abajo. But small populations have extra concerns when it comes to conservation. Fewer individuals means less genes to share, resulting in a limited capacity to evolve with a changing environment. They are also more vulnerable to random events like disease and storms. Despite these barriers, thankfully the population is increasing. We hope someday, that with continued efforts to grow the population and restore its habitats, enormous parrot flocks will once again move through the tree tops, flashing their brilliant blue flight feathers for all to enjoy. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Puerto Rican Parrot!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Puerto Rican Parrot
The Puerto Rican Parrot’s call is raucous squawks and distinct bugling during flight.
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!
Puerto Rican Parrot eating fruit – Camasey (Miconia prasina). This parrot is wearing a radio transmitter to track the bird’s movements – you can see the antenna sticking up. (Photo by Tanya Martinez)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Test your knowledge of where Caribbean endemic birds live with our Colouring Map Matching Activity! Draw lines from the colouring book drawings to match each Caribbean endemic parrot with its home island. And here is the Answer Key – don’t look until you have completed the activity!!! More information about our Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book is here. We are sharing a new colouring page from the book each day of our Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival 2020, From the Nest, Virtual Edition.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Bee Hummingbird
The Bee Hummingbird, endemic to Cuba, is the smallest bird in the world! In Cuba they are called Zunzuncito. They measure between 5 cm and 6 cm and weigh 1.6 to 1.9 g, less than the weight of a dime! The male has deep blue to metallic turqouise upperparts and a grayish belly with flecks of blue on the sides. The head and throat are iridescent ruby-red, with feathers changing to a dark metallic sheen color, depending on the viewing angle. During the breeding season these iridescent feathers extend down the sides of the neck, increasing the birds’ attractiveness. When males sing, the elongated feathers of the cheeks vibrate and shimmer with color. The tail is short and rounded, with a slight fork. The female is a little larger than the male and more plain. Her upperparts are turqouise blue combined with green tones and her underparts are more pale. In the non-breeding season, males are similar to females but with a more intense blue color.
The Bee Hummingbird’s distribution in Cuba is in patches, with very small populations. It has been reported in wooded areas in the west, central and eastern parts of the country. Bee Hummingbirds nest between March and June. The tiny nest is constructed with cotton, grass, hair, and other soft materials, held together with lichens and spider webs. Females lay two tiny white eggs, the size of coffee bean. Bee Humingbirds feed mainly on nectar but they also eat spiders and insects that they catch in the air. In flight their wings making a buzzing sound similar to bumblebees.
Bee Hummingbirds are shy and solitary. Males spend a lot of time perched on high branches, devoid of leaves, and may use the same perch for years. During the breeding season, males court females with an elaborate U-shaped aerial display—flying vertically straight up in the air and then descending abruptly. They are aggressive and territorial during the breeding season. Seeing this tiny gem, not much bigger than a large bee, is the thrill of a lifetime! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Bee Hummingbird!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Bee Hummingbird
The Bee Hummingbird’s song is mixture of high-pitched warbling phrases and a high-pitched long and noisy sizzling buzzy note, very strong for such a tiny bird.
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!
Female Bee Hummingbird (Photo by Aslam Ibrahim)Bee Hummingbird (Photo by Aslam Ibrahim)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS:
Let your creativity flow with bird-themed poetry! Try out these two different poetry styles: a vertical poem using a focus word that guides the first letter of each line, or a cinquain, a five-lined poem with a set structure. Choose your favorite endemic bird, create a vertical poem or cinquain, and then post it to us on social media (Facebook or twitter) by tagging us @BirdsCaribbean and/or use hashtag #CEBFFromtheNest. Or, send your poem to us via email (info@BirdsCaribbean.org). We’d love to see what everyone comes up with!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Guadeloupe Woodpecker
The Guadeloupe Woodpecker is a stunning bird found just on the island of Guadeloupe and no other islands in the Guadeloupe archipelago. Its plumage is entirely black except for a reddish hue on the chest. The male is a little bigger than the female and the birds even vary in size within the island. The birds found on the peaks of Basse-Terre are a little bigger than those of Grande-Terre. They are 25–29 cm long and weigh 70 to 96 g.
The Guadeloupe Woodpecker is found from sea level to around 1,000 meters, in all types of forest habitat including humid forest, swamp forest, mangrove, and semi-deciduous forest. They are monogamous and pairs remain in their territory throughout the year. They mainly feed on insect larvae but will also consume fruit and even take small vertebrates. When breeding season arrives, the woodpeckers excavate a cavity in a dead tree in order to nest and lay 3 to 5 white eggs. After 15 days, the eggs hatch. The young fledge in about a month but juveniles spend several months with their parents.
This large dark Melanerpes woodpecker, is the singular endemic bird of the Lesser Antillean island of Guadeloupe. However, this was not always the case. Before their extinction in the 18th century, Guadeloupe was home to three other endemic birds: Guadeloupe Parrot Amazona violacea, Guadeloupe Parakeet Psittacara labati, and the Lesser Antillean Macaw Ara guadeloupensis. Habitat loss and fragmentation (especially the removal of dead trees), and predation by rats are the biggest threats for the Guadeloupe Woodpecker. Thankfully, its IUCN status was amended from Near Threatened to Least Concern in 2019 and the bird is legally protected. Continued protection of this species and conservation of its habitats will help ensure that this beautiful species survives for future generations to enjoy! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Guadeloupe Woodpecker!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Guadeloupe Woodpecker
The Guadeloupe Woodpecker’s call is a wa-uh or wa-ah and a staccato cht-cht-cht-cht-cht-cht-cht-cht.
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!
Guadeloupe Woodpecker (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS:
Let’s celebrate moms AND endemic birds! Mother’s Day is this weekend on May 10th and we’ve got you covered. We have two styles of endemic bird-themed Mother’s Day Cards to download and color. This is a fun activity for people of all ages to celebrate the mother figure in their life.
Each page has two cards on them (Bahama Woodstar and Black-crowned Palm-Tanager). Please download and print in the paper size you normally use: US Letter or A4 Size. It’s best to use card stock, but regular printer paper will do just fine. Once printed, fold the sheet in half (so the short sides touch) then cut along the fold. Now, you will have two cards to fold and color. Don’t forget to write a special message on the inside!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo
How do birds get their names? Take the case of Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoos. They are definitely Jamaican, for they are found nowhere else in the world. They in no way resemble lizards but they do dine on lizards, and it is this that gives them their middle name. Their last name is “Cuckoo”, which some people find surprising because unlike the European Cuckoo, and like most other New World Cuckoos, they build their own nests—rough platforms of sticks high in the forest canopy.
Many millions of years ago, the New World Cuckoo ancestors of the Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo flew across the ocean from the mainland to the Caribbean. There they found islands with an abundance of lizards. Mammalian predators were absent—so birds like the lizard cuckoos evolved to take their place. Today, Jamaica, Cuba, Bahamas, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico all have their own endemic species of lizard-cuckoos.
This spectacular group of birds specializes in eating lizards in the forest canopy. They also eat small birds, eggs and insects. They all have long straight bills; large dark eyes surrounded by brilliant red orbital skin; pale throats; rufous patch on the primary wing feathers, and pale reddish-brown underparts; but their most distinctive features are their long dark tails with large, paired, white spots along the edges. They use them for balance and fan them wide in mating displays.
The behaviour of Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoos is unmistakable – look for them running up branches in the canopy, like very large rats or squirrels, or gliding silently between trees with wings and tails spread out. They can be hard to see in their leafy forest habitats but their calls are loud and distinctive—like the rapid sound of a machine gun being fired. They are generally solitary. They may come out to feed before or after rain; thus they are sometimes called Rain Birds.
Few Jamaicans think of these birds as Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoos, rather as Old Woman Birds. Country people say that they sound like old women nagging. The (probably male) scientists who named them seem to have agreed—because they gave them the scientific name Coccyzus vetula. Coccyzus is Latin for cuckoo, and vetula means old woman! Birds get their names in many ways—and some of them are not politically correct.
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo
The Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo’s call is a trailing, low, rapid cak-cak-cak-ka-ka-ka-k-k.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo (Photo by Jerome Foster)Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo (Photo by Eric Hynes)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS:
Complete our Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo Crossword Puzzle! How many words do you know? Be sure to read about the Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo, our Endemic Bird of the Day, for clues to the puzzle. If you need help, also check out our Glossary for some definitions that will help you complete this puzzle. And here is a the Answer Key to the puzzle.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Black-crowned Palm-Tanager
Meet the Black-crowned Palm-Tanager, or locally known as Cuatro Ojos (“four-eyes”). This striking bird is a medium-sized passerine endemic to the island of Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic) and some satellite islands. Commonly found throughout the island, these birds are easily identified by their olive back contrasting with a gray nape and underparts, and a black head bearing a unique pattern of four white spots, hence its Spanish name Cuatro Ojos. Interestingly, while these birds are called tanagers, they are not in the same family as many of the other tropical tanagers, Thraupidae. They actually reside in their own family (Phaenicophilidae), along with several other of Hispaniola’s unique endemics.
The species is common in nearly all habitats, from urban to remote, from wet forest to dry forest, and both low and high elevation. They feed opportunistically on many different foods, including insects, small vertebrates such as lizards, many species of wild fruits, and occasionally nectar. Though they have several vocalizations, the presence of a Black-crowned Palm-Tanager is often announced by a cascading series of soft whistle calls as they move between perches in flight or by an almost cat-like alarm call used when agitated or detecting a predator. Where you find one, you can be almost certain that there is another close by. Mated pairs stay together year-round, and often forage together. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Black-crowned Palm-Tanager!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Black-crowned Palm-Tanager
The Black-crowned Tanager’s vocalizations include a high thin tseeoo and ts as well as a nasal byu. You can also hear the loud call of a Black-whiskered Vireo towards the end of the recording.
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!
Black-crowned Palm Tanager with Chick (Photo by Dax Roman)Black-crowned Palm Tanager (Photo by Dax Roman)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Check out this short video of a Black-crowned Tanager in the wild in the Dominican Republic, such a distinctive and beautiful bird! This video was taken as the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Reserve, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; the second bird shown is a Red-legged Thrush.
FOR ADULTS:Learn more about the Black-crowned Palm Tanager and other endemic birds in the Dominican Republic! Check out these articles on Spencer Schubert’s adventures into the remote corners of the Dominican Republic, all in the name of science and conservation. He is studying how important these birds are in the forest ecosystem as seed dispersers.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Barbuda Warbler
A little bird with a big attitude, meet the Barbuda Warbler, known to Barbudans as the Christmas Bird! This gregarious bird, packed with energy and curiosity, is the sole endemic bird of Antigua & Barbuda. The Barbuda Warbler, though near-threatened, outnumbers the entire human population of Barbuda 5:1! This warbler measures between 12 and 13.5cm and weighs about 7 grams. It is characterized by bluish-gray upperparts and yellow throat and breast. It also bears a distinct yellow eyebrow stripe and a yellow crescent just below the eye. Females are slightly duller in appearance than males.
The Barbuda Warbler has a restricted range on Barbuda, preferring dry shrubland near wetlands. Besides its physical attractiveness, another nice thing about this endemic bird is that it is extremely easy to find when visiting the island. Barbuda Warblers are often found in the company of the Yellow Warbler although it appears that they have a competitive rather than friendly relationship with them.
Barbuda Warbler populations have suffered from loss of habitat. Though Barbuda remains largely undeveloped, in recent years the government has pushed for large scale development projects to boost the country’s economy. In 2017, the Barbuda Warbler population suffered a significant decline following the passage of catastrophic super Hurricane Irma. A surprising number of these tiny warblers survived, however, and have thankfully made a recovery since then. The sounds of the warbler’s sweet, melodic trill can again be heard when one wanders the paths through tropical dry shrubland on Barbuda.
Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Barbuda Warbler!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Barbuda Warbler
The Barbuda Warbler’s call is a loud trill varying in pitch and speed as well as a mid-strength chick.
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!
Barbuda Warbler (Photo by Ted Eubanks)Barbuda Warbler (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Endemic birds face many threats and dangers in their daily life—from habitat loss to storms to non-native predators like cats, rats and mongoose, it’s a challenge for birds to stay alive every day! Read about some of the threats that our birds face and how you can help birds. Then do our maze—Hazards Birds Face—help the bird get past the hazards back home to its nest!
FOR ADULTS: Learn The Truth About the Chickcharney in this fun webinar by Scott Johnson, Science Officer with the Bahamas National Trust.
The Caribbean is home to many different cultures, with intriguing folklore about creatures and spirits such as Bre Bouki and Bre Rabbi, the Lougaroo, Lajabless, Lusca, and many others. However, one creature called the Chickcharney is said to still inhabit the pine forests of Andros in The Bahamas. This bird-like creature with the face of a man is said to bring good and bad fortune to anyone who treats it with respect or disrespects it. What is most interesting about this creature… is that it may be based on a real animal!
Join Scott Johnson of the Bahamas National Trust and BirdsCaribbean as they explore the amazing story of the Chickcharney and the bird that is believed to be the basis of the myth. This webinar helped us launch our celebration of the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival 2020, virtual edition, called “From the Nest.” For one month starting on April 22nd, we are celebrating every day with an Endemic Bird of the Day, coloring pages, puzzles, webinars, activities, and much more. All activities are available on our website: https://bit.ly/CEBFFromthenest
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Montserrat Oriole
The Montserrat Oriole is endemic to the island of Montserrat, where it is the national bird. The male of this species is a striking combination of black and yellow: a rich black head, chest and back contrasts with deep yellowish-orange underparts and rump. The female is mostly olive-green above and yellowish-green below. Both have the characteristic sharp beak of the blackbird family, Icteridae; its color is silver-black.
While the Montserrat Oriole has always had a small range, things took a dramatic turn for this bird – and the entire island – due to volcanic activity in the mid-1990s. Eruptions of the Soufriere Hills volcano destroyed the southern half of this beautiful island. Lava flows and ash fall drastically reduced the amount of suitable forest habitat for the oriole by two thirds. The population of the oriole rapidly declined to less than 500 birds and the species was listed as Critically Endangered. After many years of conservation work, the birds have rebounded somewhat and the population is currently stable. As a result, it has been reclassified to Vulnerable. It’s survival is still threatened due to its small population size and extremely small range.
The oriole inhabits just two wet forested areas on the island: the Centre Hills and the South Soufriere Hills. It breeds mostly between late March and September, during the rainfall season. The nest, built entirely by the female, is a hanging basket structure sewn onto the underside of leaves. While we are thankful for the oriole’s recovery, its history shines an important light on how fragile island ecosystems truly are and the need for habitat conservation and management. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Montserrat Oriole!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Montserrat Oriole
The Montserrat Oriole’s call consists of loud whistles and a scolding, harsh chuur.
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!
Montserrat Oriole (Photo by Alistair Homer)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Test your knowledge of where Caribbean endemic birds live with our Colouring Map Matching Activity! Draw lines from the colouring book drawings to match each Caribbean endemic songbird with its home island. And here is the Answer Key – don’t look until you have completed the activity!!! More information about our Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book is here. We are sharing a new colouring page from the book each day of our Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival 2020, From the Nest, Virtual Edition.
FOR ADULTS: Learn more about the efforts to save the Montserrat Oriole from extinction at this link.
Magnificent Frigatebirds at a nesting colony. (photo by Rhiannon Austin)
Do you study seabirds as a student, scientist, or independent researcher? Do you manage nesting islands or work in a seabird colony? Do you teach environmental education about seabirds or lead birdwatching groups? Are you a project director, a volunteer, a retiree active in seabird conservation? If so, we want to hear from you!
You can help BirdsCaribbean’s Seabirds Working Group (SWG) by letting us know who you are, what you do, where your activities take place, and/or how the SWG can help you. Just fill out our survey here! (Spanish and French versions are available below.)
Note: We recognize that most seabird work will likely be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and we understand that your activities this year will be very different from any other year: when filling out the survey, just let us know what you would have done in a ‘normal’ year. Most importantly, we hope that everyone is safe.
Why seabirds?
Seabirds are among the most threatened groups of birds globally. The twenty-three species of seabirds that breed in the Caribbean and Bermuda are all under threat, with some having experienced dramatic declines in recent years. Many of these species have meta-populations, thus understanding their regional population trends and ecology is especially important. To conserve Caribbean seabirds efficiently, we must work together on multiple fronts to understand, promote, manage and protect this important group.
Save Our Seabirds Poster, produced by BirdsCaribbean. This poster is available in English and Spanish – let us know if you need copies for outreach and education on seabirds!
Why a Seabirds Working Group?
Since 1999, the BirdsCaribbean Seabirds Working Group (SWG) has been working to bring people who are studying and/or conserving seabirds together to promote seabird research and conservation. Its purpose is to:
Bring together those working on, and interested in, seabirds within the Caribbean
Provide a forum within which to share information amongst the community on (past, present and future) research, monitoring, and management activities in the Caribbean relevant to seabird conservation
Seek new avenues to extend seabird conservation activities within the Caribbean and support those already working towards achieving this goal!
During the last 20 years, we have seen a great increase in appreciation for the plight of Caribbean seabirds, and launched several research and conservation efforts. However, much remains to be done. Now more than ever, we need to keep working together for seabirds.
Group looking at seabirds on Catto Cay, San Salvador, Bahamas. These are participants in BirdsCaribbean’s International Seabird Training Workshop in June, 2011. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
What’s happening with the Seabirds WG?
After many years as co-chair of the group, Will Mackin took a step back and, in 2020, Yvan Satgé and Rhiannon Austin joined Ann Sutton as co-chairs of the group. Their interest and enthusiasm promise to revitalize the group.
How can the Seabirds WG serve you better?
In order to strengthen our joint seabird efforts, we must first bring the group more closely together. Therefore, we are reaching out to seabird professionals who are working in the Caribbean, to find out who you are, where you work, and how the SWG can help. Please fill in our online questionnaire. This will help us to help you in your work. Also, please feel free to share the questionnaire with your colleagues and encourage them to fill it out.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Blue-headed Quail-Dove
The Blue-headed Quail-Dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala) is the largest and most eye-catching of Cuba’s terrestrial doves. It has a cobalt blue crown, black eye line, white facial stripe, and black medallion on the throat and breast bordered by white. The sides of the throat have iridescent blue lines. The body is a cinnamon-brown color that blends in with dead leaves. This shy bird lives in dense forests where it walks constantly on the ground, often in pairs or small groups, searching for seeds, insects, snails, grubs, berries, and other fruits in the leaf litter.
Blue-headed Quail-Doves are endemic to Cuba. They were formerly common and widespread throughout Cuba but today are rare and classified as Endangered. They are now found in only a few forested areas, including Guanahacabibes Peninsula, Zapata Swamp, and in the Pinar del Río Province. The major threats to this species are hunting and habitat destruction. Although protected, the species is still illegally trapped for its good-tasting meat. Blue-headed Quail-Doves nest on the ground or in cavities and low bushes between the months of March and June, and lay two white eggs. Their flight is clumsy, and they produce a characteristic loud noise when they are frightened, very similar to that of the European Partridge (Perdix perdix). This is probably why Spanish colonizers gave it its local name, Perdiz, which is Spanish for Partridge.
The Blue-headed Quail-Dove’s call, a series of two similar notes, whoooo-up, whoooo-up, seems like a whisper in the forest. It should remind us that the forest is the quail-dove’s only habitat and we must protect it to continue enjoying these beautiful birds—considered a jewel of the Cuban avifuana. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Blue-headed Quail-Dove!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Blue-headed Quail-Dove
The Blue-headed Quail-Dove’s call is a series of two similar notes, whoooo-up, whoooo-up, with the last syllable rising in tone and then stopping short. During the breeding season, male may call from a low perch for long periods at virtually any time of day. You can also hear the chattering call of the Cuban Tody in this recording.
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 spectacular Blue-headed Quail-Dove is endemic to Cuba. Once common and widespread, it is now Endangered due to hunting and deforestation. It is now found in only a few areas in Cuba. (Photo by Aslam Ibrahim)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Enjoy this short video of a male Blue-headed Quail-Dove courting a female by following her and head-bobbing. Breeding pairs are socially monogamous and defend territories during the breeding season. The nest is built of loosely placed twigs lined with freshly fallen leaves, placed either on the ground or low to it in a stump cavity, the fork of a branch among the roots of trees, and sometimes among tangled vines.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Bahama Yellowthroat
The Bahama Yellowthroat is one of five endemic bird species found in The Bahamas. It was first discovered by Dr. Henry Bryant during an expedition to The Bahamas in 1865-1866. It is a relatively large warbler species in the Family Parulidae, about 5.5in (14cm) long. There are three subspecies and they can be found on the islands of Grand Bahama, Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera and Cat Island. There was a population on New Providence, but it is believed to be extirpated.
The Bahama Yellowthroat male has a striking black face mask that makes it look like a bandit. Its back, nape, and tail are olive green, contrasting with a bright yellow throat and belly. The bright yellow coloration may serve as an “honest” signal to potential mates, indicating a healthy mate. The female is duller colored with no face mask. Its song is a loud whichity-whichity-whichity similar to a Common Yellowthroat, but louder and richer. It also has a sharp chip note.They feed on arthropods and nest in low, scrubby vegetation.
The Bahama Yellowthroat is an attractive endemic Bahamian species but it is more often heard than seen due to its skulking behaviour. It can be distinguished from Common Yellowthroats, which are common and widespread winter visitors, by its greater size, longer and heavier bill, and more uniformly yellow underparts. They also live in different habitats—the Bahama Yellowthroat prefers wooded areas while the Common Yellowthroat lives in wetlands. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Bahama Yellowthroat!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Bahama Yellowthroat
The Bahama Yellowthroat’s song is remarkably similar to the Common Yellowthroat, calling loudly and clearly witchity-whitchity-witchity.
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!
Bahama Yellowthroat (Photo by Keith Salveson)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Hone your observation skills and go on a Nature Scavenger Hunt! Print the cards on sturdy paper and use a clipboard or piece of cardboard as a writing surface outside. Younger children can do side 1 of the card, older children side 2. English, Spanish and French versions are available for free download here!
All living things have a habitat—a place that provides the food, water, cover, and space that they need to survive. Cover includes nesting areas, places to sleep or rest, places to hide or escape, and shelter. Space means a big enough area to hunt and feed, find nesting areas, and for some bird species, to migrate safely. If a place does not provide the right food, water, space, and cover in a suitable amount, a plant or animal cannot live there.
Talk about this with your kids and then go outside to investigate your habitat using the Habitat Scavenger Hunt cards. Instead of collecting the items on the list, this is an observation scavenger hunt. Have your child or children 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 where they were located. Were any difficult or impossible to find? Why do you think that was? For example, it might be impossible to find animal tracks when it is very dry, or certain animals depending on the time of year.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Puerto Rican Woodpecker
The Puerto Rican Woodpecker (Carpintero de Puerto Rico in Spanish) is one of the eight endemic bird species of the family Picidae in the Caribbean region, and one of the 17 endemic species of Puerto Rico. It is abundant and widely distributed in forest reserves throughout the island, but can also be found in woodlots, gardens, and parks in urban areas. The bright red throat and breast, contrasting with solid black upperparts and a white forehead, make this bird easy to identify. It is possible to tell the sexes apart because females have less red on their underparts than males.
The Puerto Rican Woodpecker is frequently found in pairs or groups of five or more birds, which are easily heard from a distance. Its common call is a series of wek-wek-wek or wicka-wicka-wicka notes, that get louder and faster.
Woodpeckers have a powerful bill that they use to probe insects (larvae and adults) from under the bark of trees, and to carve nest cavities in dead trunks or utility poles. Unlike many woodpeckers this is an omnivorous species, eating a wide variety of animals including insects, worms, spiders, and frogs. Fruits are eaten and fed to the young.
Old woodpecker nests can later be used by other nesting birds like Puerto Rican Flycatchers or Pearly-eyed Thrashers.For its beauty, gregarious habits, and wood-working skills this endemic species has been proposed as a national bird for Puerto Rico. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Puerto Rican Woodpecker!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Puerto Rican Woodpecker
While the Puerto Rican Woodpecker has a variety of calls, it most commonly says a fast and loud wek, wek, wek-wek-wek-wek-wek.
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!
Puerto Rican Woodpecker (Photo by Alfredo Irizarry)Puerto Rican Woodpecker (Photo by Wilfred Marissen)
FOR ADULTS: Learn all about the endemic birds of Puerto Rico through a presentation by Adrianne Tossas, Ph.D. a Professor at the University of Puerto Rico, Aguadilla, and Board member of BirdsCaribbean. You can view the presentation here for now in Spanish. We will be adding closed caption/ subtitles in English and posting to our YouTube channel as well. Thank you to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in Puerto Rico for sharing this poster and co-hosting the webinar!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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 Lizard-Cuckoo
The Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo is true to its common name: it is found nowhere else in the world but the island of Hispaniola, its diet includes lizards (as well as many different insects), and it belongs to the Cuculidae family. On the Dominican side of the island, this cuckoo is known as Pájaro Bobo (“Silly Bird”), while on the Haitian side it goes by the name, Tako.
Cuckoos are always a delight to see while birdwatching because they are both fun to watch and listen to. They are a little like squirrels—despite their size (~100g and 45cm in length) they are able to swiftly hop, run, creep, and crawl through dense highways of understory branches—sometimes without making a sound. But when they do decide to make themselves known, their long and drawn-out rattling call will get your attention right away. You may not think at first that the rattling sound belongs to a bird, but rather an insect or frog!
Any birdwatcher will tell you that cuckoos are all about the tail—it’s downright impressive. Not only does it double the length of the bird, the pattern of white spots checkered over a black base is mesmerizing. The Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo’s striking tail pattern is complemented by a rufous belly and throat, offset by a smooth grey chest. Add in the long, dual-colored, hooked bill, and you’ve got yourself a very sleek looking bird.
Look for this cuckoo almost anywhere in Hispaniola, from the high mountain broadleaf forests down to suburban gardens. Once you catch sight of one, you’ll certainly want to get closer. While doing so you might be rewarded by this species’ inquisitive behavior, as it hops into a better position to look right back at you. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo
The call of the Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo is a throaty descending ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-kau-kau-ko-ko.
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!
Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo are always a delight to see while birdwatching because they are both fun to watch and listen to. (Photo by Guillermo Armenteros)
FOR ADULTS: There’s no question that birds have a special place in the hearts of Caribbean people. The intimate cultural connection between people and birds is reflected in the local names for birds that vary from island to island. They are celebrated in art and literature from the region as well, receiving praise from Bob Marley for “singin’ sweet songs,” and representing the Caribbean spirit in the poems of Derek Walcott.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Red-billed Streamertail
For a long time there has been much controversy about the taxonomy of Jamaica’s two endemic Streamertail hummingbirds, the Red-billed and the Black-billed; in other words, how closely related were they, and were they one species or two? These two similar hummingbirds were at first considered separate species, but were later lumped into one species: the Streamertail. More recent scientific evidence, however, has suggested that they are indeed two separate species after all—leading them to be split again! Thus, Jamaica hosts two species of this stunningly beautiful bird—the Red-billed Streamertail has a much wider range, covering most of the island, while the Black-Billed Streamertail is restricted to just a small area in the east.
Males of both species have two long, thin, fluted tail feathers that flow out behind them when they fly. Their bodies are iridescent, their emerald green breasts contrasting with their black heads with two little tufts at the back of their necks and dark wing feathers. The males of the two species differ, however, in the colours of their bills, their body size, and mating behaviour. The two species interbreed to some extent in the John Crow Mountains where their ranges overlap, providing a rare example of ‘within island speciation,’ where one species divides into two on a small island ecosystem.
Confusingly, the females of both species look very similar to each other but completely different from the males. Females have dark bills, white bellies, greenish backs—and no streamers.
Some people say that the males look like old-fashioned doctors, in their top hats and tailcoats, paying house calls to the flowers to give them injections with their long sharp bills. Perhaps this is why the local name is Doctor Bird. Or maybe it is because the original inhabitants of Jamaica, the Tainos, believed the birds had spiritual or healing powers. The world may never know how these birds got their name! Regardless, everyone agrees that they are vitally important, both ecologically and economically. This is because of the role they play in fertilizing flowers and fruits in the forests, gardens and orchards, from sea level to the mountain tops, as they fly from flower to flower, feeding on nectar and small insects. That is why they are Jamaica’s national bird. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Red-billed Streamertail!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Red-billed Streamertail
The call of the Red-billed Streamertail is sharp, high-pitched, metallic tseet, tseet, tseet, tseet. The wings of the male also produce a low-pitched whrrrrrr sound in flight.
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 Red-billed Streamertail is a common and widespread bird in Jamaica found wherever there are flowers, regardless of altitude. It’s range is western and central Jamaica. It is the national bird of Jamaica. (photo by Ann Sutton)The Black-billed Streamertail (close relative of the Red-billed Streamer) is found only in northeastern Jamaica. (Photo by Rey Millet)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Try your hand at writing some bird-themed poetry! Haiku is a form of poetry written in only three lines, each with their own set number of syllables. Windsparks is another form of poetry with 5 lines. Chose your favorite endemic bird, create a Haiku or Windsparks poem, and then post it to us on social media (Facebook or twitter) by tagging us @BirdsCaribbean and/or use hashtag #CEBFFromtheNest. Or, send your poem to us via email (info@BirdsCaribbean.org). We’d love to see what everyone comes up with!
Female Red-billed Streamertail – females of both Red-billed and Black-billed Streamertail look similar with a greenish back and head, white underparts, and no streamer. (photo by Paul Jones)
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Imperial Parrot
The Imperial Parrot is only found on the island of Dominica, where it is the national bird. It is the largest of the 32 species of Amazon parrots in the world. Locally, it’s called the Sisserou.
This stunning bird is Critically Endangered—it was estimated at 300-400 birds in 2017, having recovered from a low of 50-100 birds following Hurricane David in 1979. Category 5 Hurricane Maria smashed Dominica and badly damaged the bird’s forest habitat in September 2017. Once again parrot numbers were reduced, perhaps to a similar low as in 1979. The birds that remain persist in wet, high-mountain forests where they feed on fruits, seeds, and shoots. As the habitat recovers, we hope that the parrot population is again making a steady recovery. Major threats to this species include illegal poaching for the international caged-bird trade (more info here and here) and habitat loss from hurricanes and development (e.g, conversion to agriculture).
Male and female Imperial Parrots look the same. The head and underparts of this bird are dark and beautiful: the chest is an iridescent deep purple, the head is a shimmering mix of dark blues and greens, while the cheeks and forehead are purple/brown. These features are in stark contrast with the bird’s vivid green wings and back. The Imperial Parrot nests in tree cavities of old-growth rainforest trees and the female typically lays just one egg, every other year. It is critical to protect mountain forests so this bird has all the resources it needs for nesting and foraging.
BirdsCaribbean and Rare Species Conservatory Foundation are helping to fund conservation work by the Forestry Department in Dominica to survey the population after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017, and restore the habitat of this rare and magnificent parrot. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Imperial Parrot eating the Native Rain Forest Palm locally referred to as Palmiste (Euterpe dominicana) after Hurricane Maria in September 2017. (photo by Stephen Durand)
Colour in the Imperial Parrot!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Imperial Parrot
The call of the Imperial Parrot is a trumpeting and metallic-sounding eeee-er that descends in pitch at the end. When it’s perched, it squawks, shrieks, and even whistles in a bubbly trill.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the images below to do the puzzles. You can make the puzzles 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!
Imperial Parrots live mainly in the Morne Diablotin area and Northern and Central Forest Reserves in Dominica (Photo by Paul Reillo)Imperial Parrots (Painting by Christopher Cox)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Complete our All about the Sisserou Crossword Puzzle! How many words do you know? Be sure to read about the Sisserou, our Endemic Bird of the Day, for clues to the puzzle. If you need help, also check out our Glossary for some definitions that will help you complete this puzzle. And here is a the Answer Key to the puzzle. (thanks to Stephen Durand, Dominica Forestry Dept. for help creating this puzzle!)
FOR ADULTS: Learn more about the Imperial Parrot—including threats to its survival and recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria in 2017 in these articles:
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Western Spindalis
The Western Spindalis is a colorful songbird that lives year-round in The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and Mexico. Males have a bold black and white striped head, burnt orange neck, breast and rump, a black or olive back, and black and white wings. Females are much less colourful—grayish olive above and whitish below. Both sexes have short, thick bills. Plumage color varies throughout its range (there are 5 subspecies).
The Western Spindalis feeds mainly on fruits and berries, but it will also eat other plant parts as well as snails. It can live in many different habitats where it is often found in the tree canopy. This species was formerly called the Stripe-headed Tanager with eight recognized subspecies that included birds in Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and Jamaica. Based on differences in coloration, vocal behavior, nesting, and size, ornithologists split the species into four Spindalis species in 2000. In addition to the Western Spindalis, we now have the Hispaniolan Spindalis, Puerto Rican Spindalis, and Jamaica Spindalis. They are all strikingly beautiful! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Western Spindalis!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Western Spindalis
The call of the Western Spindalis is a variable thin and high-pitched trill.
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!
Western Spindalis (Photo by Susan Jacobson)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Test your Caribbean geography skills: Can you name all of the islands and island groups in the Caribbean? Here’s your chance to try! Fill out each of the names on the Caribbean Map from the Endemic Colouring Book and, if you can’t remember a few, use our Map Activity Key to refresh your memory and learn some new islands. You can colour in the drawings on these pages too!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Cuban Tody
The Cuban Tody (called Cartacuba or Pedorrera in Cuba) belongs to an endemic family from the Caribbean, the Todidae Family. The five species of this family are confined to the Greater Antilles—one species each in Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico, and two species in Hispaniola. They are among the most remarkable and beautiful birds of these islands. The Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor) is the most colorful of all, and the only one with blue feathers on the sides of the neck. It is a small chubby bird with vivid green upperparts, red throat, mostly white underparts, and pink flanks. The bill is long and flat, red below and dark brown above.
Todies mainly eat insects. They feed by sitting on exposed perches from which they dart out to capture their prey, similar to flycatchers. During flight, a curious whirring rattle may be heard, a sound made with their wings. They are common in forests, woodlands and borders of rivers and streams in the Cuban mainland, Isle of Youth, and several north cays. Their small size and green coloration makes it difficult to see them when perched in vegetation. But they call frequently with a strong repeating chatter, and this makes it easier to find them. Todies have a voracious appetite and can eat almost 40% of their own weight in insects each day! In spring, they build a nest in a tunnel-like hole in banks on the sides of roads, mounds of earth, or natural cavities. The rate at which they feed their chicks is the highest of any recorded insectivorous bird. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Cuban Tody!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Cuban Tody
The call of the Cuban Tody is a strong, fast and sustained tot-tot-tot-tot tottottottottot tot-tot-tot-tot tottottottottot tot tot ppreeee.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Cuban Tody (Photo by Aslam Castellon)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Do you know what the different parts of a bird are called? Knowing them can help you to learn how to describe and identify birds, as well as colour them in. Learn the names for the parts of a bird by checking out the diagram in this page. Then test your knowledge by filling in the parts on this sheet.. You can colour in the drawings on these pages too!
FOR ADULTS: Take a virtual trip to Cuba and enjoy some of the birds, scenery and culture of this marvelous country with this short video on the Birds and Natural Life of Cuba. Thanks to Suzanne Abruzzo, participant in our January 2019 Cuba Bird Tour, for creating and sharing this wonderful video!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition! 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: Ridgway’s Hawk
The Ridgway’s Hawk is found only on the island of Hispaniola, which is shared by the nations of Haiti and Dominican Republic. It is one of the most Critically Endangered raptors in the world, with fewer than 500 birds remaining. It hunts by maneuvering through the thick forest with the help of its broad wings and long tail, or by perching low to the ground in open areas scanning for prey. It feeds on snakes, as well as lizards and skinks, frogs and toads, small rodents, bats, and birds.
This hawk often builds its nest right on top of an active nest of the Palmchat, the national bird of the Dominican Republic. The hawks add larger twigs on top of the existing Palmchat nest, without causing any harm to the smaller birds nesting below. It’s like a two-story building for birds! The Ridgway’s Hawk is not shy around people and will even nest close to settlements and roads. However, nesting pairs are quick to defend their territory against humans or any other predator—they will vocalize loudly and chase off the intruders.
Since the late 19th century, the Ridgway’s Hawk population has been in steep decline. Much of their native habitat is disappearing through clear-cutting of forests and wildfires. Birds are also shot or chicks taken from the nest and killed as people fear these beautiful hawks will prey on their chickens. Fortunately conservationists at The Peregrine Fund, working in partnership with local communities, are making great progress in saving this species from extinction. BirdsCaribbean is supporting on-the-ground conservation work for this species through its Betty Petersen Conservation Fund. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Ridgway’s Hawk!
Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Ridgway’s Hawk
The Ridgway’s Hawk call, is a loud, shrill repeated wee-uh.
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!
Adult Ridgway’s Hawk (Photo by Pedro Genaro)Immature Ridgway’s Hawk (Photo by Guillermo Armenteros)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Complete our Ridgway’s Hawk Word Scramble! How many words do you know? If you need help, check out our Glossary for some definitions that will help you figure out this word scramble. And here is a the Answer Key to the puzzle.
FOR ADULTS: Learn more about what is threatening the Ridgway’s Hawk survival and how conservationist Marta Curti and communities in the DR are working to save it, thanks to the Betty Petersen Conservation Fund and The Peregrine Fund. Donate here to support this project and save the hawk for future generations to enjoy!
Members of the community of Los Brazos create a home-made sign that reads “Welcome to Los Brazos. This community protects the Ridgway’s Hawk” to show their support of the conservation projectOur field crew in Los Limones organized the painting of a beautiful mural at the entrance to the community to highlight the importance of conserving Ridgway’s Hawk in the area (Photo by The Peregrine Fund)
If you ever get the chance to go birding in the mountains of the Dominican Republic (DR) or Haiti, you’ll want to add Golden Swallows to your list of birds to see. It’s not uncommon for people to spend hours watching these amazing birds fly around open meadows where they feed. They twist, turn, and dive through the air with incredible grace and precision as they hunt for airborne insects—their primary food source. These little aerial acrobats weigh only 13 grams—the same as a AAA battery—which allows them to maintain flight for a long time with limited effort! 
FOR KIDS: Insects are an important food resource for many species of birds. Can you match the pictures of 8 insects with the name of the insect? How many types of insects can you find in your backyard or neighborhood? Do our Insect Matching Activity and then check your answers with the Answer Key.
Complete our 
The Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo is true to its common name: it is found nowhere else in the world but the island of Hispaniola, its diet includes lizards (as well as many different insects), and it belongs to the Cuculidae family. On the Dominican side of the island, this cuckoo is known as Pájaro Bobo (“Silly Bird”), while on the Haitian side it goes by the name, Tako. 
FOR KIDS: Complete our 
