A yellow warbler on a small island in the Portland Bight Protected Area, Jamaica. (Photo: Robin Moore)Wonderful prizes await participants in the 2015 Digital Photo Contest at BirdsCaribbean’s 20th International Meeting, to take place at the Knutsford Court Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica from July 25 – 29 (Haven’t you registered yet? Well, now is the time!) The contest is open to all photographers (aged 18 years and over), except board members of BirdsCaribbean, the judges of the contest and their immediate families. The contest is open to all participants of the conference regardless of residence or citizenship, so long as the laws of their jurisdiction allow participation.
Contestants will need to take the photographs (and date them!) between the dates of July 18 and August 5, 2015 and during the conference. A range of field trips and early morning bird-watching sessions will provide ample opportunity to see and photograph the diversity of Jamaican birds. Participants should sign up now for mid-conference field trips (on July 27) to the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park (where almost all Jamaica’s endemic bird species live); to the Ramsar Site and Protected Areas of the Port Royal Wetlands and Cays; or to the Portland Bight Protected Area, including Goat Islands and neighboring cays (designated an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International). There will also be pre- and post-conference trips on offer, showcasing Jamaica’s incredible variety of landscapes, flora and fauna as well as giving a taste of the island’s vibrant culture.
First Institutional Member in the French Caribbean
Les Fruits de Mer recently became the first institution in the French Caribbean to join BirdsCaribbean.St. Martin’s connection to the regional conservation community just grew a little bit closer. Local non-profit association Les Fruits de Mer recently became the first institutional member of BirdsCaribbean in the French Caribbean. BirdsCaribbean is the largest regional organization devoted to wildlife conservation in the Caribbean. Although the two organizations have been working together for almost two years, joining helps integrate Les Fruits de Mer, St. Martin and the French Caribbean into the regional bird education and conservation community.
“Working with BirdsCaribbean has really helped us have a big impact quickly, even though we’re a young association,” explained Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes. “They’ve provided training and materials developed for the Caribbean that have really enhanced many of our events and educational workshops. Simply being part of something bigger also makes an event more meaningful and interesting to our members and the public.”
Visitors learn about birds with the help of bird study skins at the the Bahamas National Trust CEBF exhibit at the Mall at Marathon in Nassau, Bahamas.From the grand opening of an ornithological center in Puerto Rico to birding by boat at remote cays in the Grenadines, Caribbean birds were celebrated in more ways than ever during the past month. The 14th annual Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) included dozens of events on over 20 Caribbean islands. This unique festival focuses on the bird species that are endemic to—found only in—the Caribbean. Each year, events organized as a part of this festival reach more than 80,000 participants throughout the region.
This year, the theme of “Restore Habitat, Restore Birds” inspired new activities and direct action to restore habitat on many islands. In St. Martin, over 100 seedlings of the native, but endangered, lignum vitae tree were distributed as part of a heritage tree habitat restoration project. At many events, attendees learned about the special relationships between endemic birds and native plants and trees.
Jamaican Tody by Wendy LeeJoin us for BirdsCaribbean’s 20th International Meeting in Jamaica, home of reggae, amazing birds and biodiversity, from Saturday, July 25th to Wednesday, July 29th (inclusive). The purpose of the meeting is to bring together Caribbean and international wildlife professionals, ornithologists, educators, decision makers, tourism interests, community leaders, students and others to share information and learn about the latest avian research and initiatives to conserve Caribbean birds and their habitats. The meeting will feature exciting keynote speakers, symposia and paper sessions as well as training workshops, round-table discussions, and working group meetings that promote applied conservation and collaboration to solve our shared environmental challenges.
The meeting will be held at the Knutsford Court Hotel in New Kingston, Jamaica. We have arranged for discounted rooms at the conference hotel; restaurants, shopping and more are located within walking distance. Members of the Local Organizing Committee include the Forestry Department, Hope Gardens, Jamaica Conservation Development Trust, Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation, University of the West Indies, Windsor Research Centre and others.
The theme of the meeting is “Birds—Connecting Communities and Conservation.” In addition to the 5 days of the main conference, there will be wonderful pre- and post conference workshops and field trips (a chance to see all 29 of Jamaica’s endemic birds!), so be sure to save dates on your calendar for several days before and after the conference to participate in some of these events.
Be sure to mark your calendars and plan to attend! Jamaica is an incredibly beautiful country with a wealth of birds, biodiversity and stunning landscapes. You will definitely want to spend time exploring the country and should plan some extra time for this. Plan a holiday with your family or friends before or after the meeting!
20th International Meeting of BirdsCaribbean
New Kingston, Jamaica
25-29 July 2015
Birds—Connecting Communities and Conservation
Read more about the meeting agenda, programs, field trips, and how to register at the meeting web site.
Find the meeting report and other information from BirdsCaribbean’s previous meeting on the Grenada 2013 web site.
How do you CEBF? In The Bahamas, they mounted a Caribbean Endemic Bird Exhibit in a local shopping mall to celebrate and share the five Bahamian endemic bird species, teach about bird conservation and showcase their current bird-related projects: Birdsleuth Caribbean Program, Audubon Bird Tourism Project, TNC Kirtland’s Warbler Project and Discovery Club. Spearheaded by the Bahamas National Trust, they had volunters from the Bird Club of New Providence, Royal Bank Canada, students from Queen College, College of BahamasNassau Christian Academy and CR Walker High Schools and the Proprietor and an employee from Ebiz, a local tech company.
The exhibit directly engaged 1200 people in just one day, and the Bahamas National Trust will be following up this week with those who wanted to learn more about these programs.
The Green-throated Carib hummingbird depends on a steady source of flower nectar to feed herself and her chicks. (Photo by Mark Yokoyama)“Restore Habitats, Restore Birds” is the theme for this year’s Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF). At dozens of events throughout the region, participants of all ages will learn how restoring local habitats can benefit the unique birds found only in the Caribbean. Events on many islands will include habitat restoration activities like clean ups and distribution of native tree seedlings for planting.
The festival, now in its 14th year, is led by BirdsCaribbean, the largest organization devoted to wildlife conservation in the Caribbean. The month-long festival includes Caribbean-wide activities beginning today – Earth Day (April 22), through to International Biodiversity Day (May 22), in more than twenty countries. The event celebrates the 150 bird species that are found only in the Caribbean, known as endemics. The highly successful program attracts over 80,000 participants and volunteers each year.
BirdsCaribbean President Leo Douglas.Welcome to the new BirdsCaribbean website!
Twenty years ago, when I became a member of BirdsCaribbean I did not imagine that one day I would be president. However, the things that attracted me to the organization then are very much a part of why I am even more committed to the organization now – BirdsCaribbean is a vibrant international network of members and partners deeply committed to conserving wild birds of the Caribbean and their habitats. My first BirdsCaribbean conference was nothing but life altering. Never had I been surrounded by such a diverse gathering of cultures, languages, academics and non-academics all vested in sound science, education, and capacity building towards creating a region where people appreciate, conserve and benefit from thriving bird populations and ecosystems.
Our programs, such as the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival, Caribbean Waterbird Census, West Indian Whistling Duck and Wetlands Program, and International Migratory Bird Day reach more than 100,000 people each year; positively influencing attitudes to conservation, changing people’s lives and contributing to our knowledge of Caribbean birds. We have trained partners from over 30 countries in outreach and education, research and monitoring techniques, sustainable tourism, and habitat conservation. We have raised funds to conserve some of the region’s most threatened species, such as the Grenada Dove, and successfully advocated for greater protection of the region’s birds, such as the West Indian Whistling-Duck and migratory shorebirds.
BirdsCaribbean is proud to be part of a fantastic new transboundary bird conservation project in the Grenadines aiming to document local knowledge. Please support this outstanding project that will enhance appreciation of birds in the Grenadines, every little bit helps. We are very close our goal!
“Who pays the birds?” is the theme for the 2014 Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF). At dozens of events throughout the region, participants will learn about the many beneficial services provided by birds, from pollination and pest control to leading fishermen to fish and attracting tourists. Although these services often go unnoticed and unappreciated, they are very important to both the ecology and economic prosperity of the Caribbean.
The festival, now in its 13th year, is led by BirdsCaribbean, the largest organization devoted to wildlife conservation in the Caribbean. The month-long festival includes Caribbean-wide activities beginning today – Earth Day (April 22), through to International Biodiversity Day (May 22), in more than twenty countries. The event celebrates the 150 bird species that are found only in the Caribbean, known as endemics. The highly successful program attracts over 80,000 participants and volunteers each year.
Caribbean Birdwatch is featured in every issue of Zing magazine.
Our latest Caribbean BirdWatch page in ZiNG magazine – Spring 2014 issue. Read about the fascinating and elusive Masked Duck and birds and birding in beautiful Barbados! Download the PDF.
ZiNG is the complementary magazine from LIAT, the Caribbean Airline.
BirdsCaribbean’s new logo.On October 23, 2013 the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB), the largest single organization devoted to wildlife conservation in the Caribbean, announced the renaming of the organization to “BirdsCaribbean.” The name change reflects the proactive, multi-faceted, and inclusive nature of the organization, which continues in its role of assisting wildlife professionals, educators, and community members throughout the Caribbean in their efforts to understand and conserve birds and their habitats.
The organization also launched a new logo featuring the Bananaquit, a conspicuous and well-known bird common on most islands. “The shorter new name and lively logo reflect our interest in making our organization more accessible and well-known in wider Caribbean society,” commented Lisa Sorenson, Executive Director of BirdsCaribbean. “We need to reach more people and engage them in the wonderful world of birds and our mission to conserve the Caribbean’s rich but threatened natural heritage.” said Sorenson.
