Category: La Soufriere Volcano

I wanted to get to know the elusive Whistling Warbler on the island of Saint Vincent — which meant that we needed to go up. Straight up some very steep slopes!

Whistling Warbler perched on a branch. — Whistling Warbler spotted on La Soufriere Windward Trail. (Photo by Jonathan Slifkin ML621602299)

The Whistling Warbler (Cathoropeza bishopi) is an endangered, endemic species of bird that lives on the Lesser Antillean island of Saint Vincent. When we say a species is endemic, it means that the species exists nowhere else on the planet other than at a discrete location. This is a common designation for many island species. When a species is endemic and endangered, that can be a ‘code red’ for conservationists — because the species has nowhere else to go to disperse from threats! In the case of the Whistling Warbler, those threats come mainly from deforestation, land use change, hurricanes (exacerbated by climate-change), and the recent explosive eruption of Saint Vincent’s La Soufrière volcano in 2021, the largest to occur in the Caribbean in the last 250 years.

Figure 1. Map of St Vincent showing locations of our PROALAS Point Counts without Whistling Warbler (WHWA) sightings, with warbler sightings, and eBird Caribbean sightings prior to the April 2021 eruption of La Soufriére Volcano.

So where is the Whistling Warbler to be found? Well, this charming bird (whose plumage delightfully brings to mind an Oreo cookie!) appears to require a specific kind of natural forest for habitat: forests growing in steep, wet, montane environments. These mostly grow on the windward (east) side of the island. However, these forests have been experiencing a great deal of “wear and tear” in recent years. Some have been cut to grow non-native tree plantations, or terraced to provide farmland, in some cases for the illegal cultivation of Cannabis. Many of the northern areas were decimated by wind and volcanic ash from the 2021 volcanic eruption. The windward forests also take the brunt of hurricanes moving west across the Atlantic, which can wreak havoc on the essential habitat of the warbler. Hurricane Beryl just recently tore through St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG); the extent of the damage to the mainland forests (and the warbler) is currently unknown, though nearby Union Island has been devastated. These growing and more frequent impacts of climate change cannot be overlooked.

And yet, the Whistling Warbler has so far been able to hold on in small numbers, in the face of these daunting challenges to its habitat. Much of its success is thanks to conservation efforts that protect and restore their habitat. Now, it is absolutely vital that the warbler population is actively monitored to ensure its survival, and to inform future conservation efforts aimed at protecting its habitat. Part of the challenge here is that there is still so little known about this bird. We don’t know much about their habitat requirements; their nest construction; and when and where they breed. It is critical to understand these aspects of the warbler’s life cycle to make effective management decisions. We can only find this information by getting people out into the forest to make these discoveries and to monitor the population.

Preparing for the trip: some homework required

I am a graduate student at Antioch University New England studying Conservation Biology. Antioch Professor Dr. Mike Akresh has been working with Caribbean birds for over a decade, and when he asked if I would like to accompany him on a two-week field study trip in March 2024 to Saint Vincent, I was initially apprehensive. Leaving my young child and a pile of school work at home for two weeks sounded daunting, but I knew there was important work to be done on Saint Vincent as there is not an overabundance of researchers working on the Whistling Warbler. I made the decision to go.

The Vulnerable St Vincent Parrot. (Photo by Mike Akresh)

A pair of Rufous-throated Solitaire in St. Vincent (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)

Lesser Antillean Tanager on St. Vincent. (Photo by Steven Hunter ML200625941)

Firstly, I went into an intense learning period focussed on the birds of Saint Vincent; it was especially important to learn their calls. With the help of eBird, the Merlin App, and a handy field guide to the “Birds of the West Indies,” I familiarized myself with most of the birds we could expect to encounter on the trip. How were we going to monitor for the Whistling Warbler? Well, we were planning to work with the PROALAS landbird monitoring protocol, which requires us to document every bird seen and heard during a specific period of time at a point or transect. Every bird has a story to tell about the environment; birds are regarded as indicator species. This means that the presence of certain species or lack thereof provides critical insights about the impacts of land use change, climate change, and volcanic activity; in other words, the obstacles and challenges that the Whistling Warbler faces.

The song of the Whistling Warbler consists of an ascending trill of loudly whistled notes.

Our enthusiastic team on Saint Vincent

Our collaborators on the island were the talented and professional members of the SVG Forestry Department. Our point of contact and monitoring collaborator was the energetic Glenroy Gaymes, who has been working closely with the Whistling Warbler conservation efforts. Glenroy is an expert birder and naturalist, whose passion for conservation on Saint Vincent is infectious. With invaluable help from Glenroy and other Forestry staff such as Felicia Baptiste, Romano Pierre, Caswin Caine, and Kishbert Richards, we reached the steep and remote areas where the warbler lives. Glenroy and the Forestry Department have also been monitoring the endemic and endangered Saint Vincent Parrot (Amazona guildingii) and many other non-bird species.

Photo of three men standing in a field. — Mike Akresh, Glenroy Gaymes and Christian Carson in Kingstown, St. Vincent.

Our days on Saint Vincent were demanding, but rewarding. We did find the Whistling Warbler!

Man hiking up a steep mountain in St. Vincent.

Mike hiking nearly straight uphill. Accessing the Whistling Warbler’s habitat is not easy. (Photo by Christian Carson)

Primary Forest in St. Vincent. (Photo by Christian Carson)

Every morning we would wake up before sunrise, and head up into the sawtooth-like mountains, shrouded in mist. You may have seen these impressive mountains before if you have seen the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, which were largely filmed on Saint Vincent. Fortunately, we encountered the Whistling Warbler several times at various locations. In keeping with previous observations, most or all of our encounters with the Whistling Warbler took place over 300 meters and in steep, wet forests. Did I mention that we had to go up high? The slopes of the misty mountains of Saint Vincent were steep and slippery.

Notes from the field

When studying where Whistling Warblers like to live, we found that they prefer primary forests with lots of moss. Younger and older secondary forests had fewer warblers. Interestingly, palm brakes were about the same as primary forests for warbler sightings, especially near certain trails. Detection was low in elfin woods, which seem to be unsuitable habitat for them. The drier, western side of the island has less of the wet montane forest they prefer.

We noticed that Whistling Warblers really like wetter forests, especially where there’s a lot of moss. For example, at one site – Silver Spoon, where the forest is very wet, we found lots of warblers. However, on the leeward side of the island, the forests were dry and grassy, and we didn’t find any warblers there.

We didn’t look for warblers in the northern part of the island because it’s too dry and no warblers have ever been found there. Tree plantations were the least likely place to find Whistling Warblers because these areas have trees, like Blue Mahoe and Big-leaf Mahogany, that are all the same age and don’t provide enough food or shelter for the birds. Overall, we also noticed that there were fewer other forest birds around areas affected by the volcano. Birds like Bananaquits and House Wrens were common near the volcano, but other species like Cocoa Thrush and Ruddy Quail-Doves were missing. The ash from the volcano may have made it harder for some birds to find food. However, some of these birds are starting to come back now, so we’ll keep studying and monitoring the area to learn more.

Two men walking on a mountain trail. In the background is the Atlantic Ocean. — Christian and Kishbert surveying for the Whistling Warbler on La Soufrière. (Photo by Mike Akresh)

We still need more information on the mysterious Whistling Warbler!

Over the past few years and during this current trip, we have come across several nests that might possibly be those of the Whistling Warbler, but without a positive ID of a warbler using the nest, we cannot say for sure. Finding a nest is particularly important for conservation efforts because it allows us to better understand the warbler’s breeding ecology and habitat requirements. We also do not know how successful the warbler is in breeding; invasive mongoose or black rat populations may prey on eggs or fledglings. But it must be acknowledged that without more research, we cannot know for sure. There are limited resources available to protect the Whistling Warbler, so the more specifics we have about this species, the better those resources can be utilized to have the greatest conservation impact. We need to know more, so that we can do a better job at protecting this species, which is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

With the data we have been able to collect while on Saint Vincent, we aim to create a conservation action plan (CAP) specifically for the Whistling Warbler. Without the dedicated work of the Saint Vincent Forestry Department, BirdsCaribbean, and donors small and large, this work would not be possible, and the Whistling Warbler would likely be added to the alarming (and growing) number of species lost forever.

We owe it to the Whistling Warbler, up there in the remote rainforest and beautiful mountains of Saint Vincent.

Christian holding a Sphinx Moth. (Photo by Mike Akresh)

Christian Carson is a graduate student at Antioch University New England studying conservation biology. He is interested in ways people seek and find meaning in the living world, and how this meaning (or lack thereof) shapes global environmental issues. He lives with his partner and three-year-old son in Western Massachusetts. He enjoys quiet walks in the woods, flying kites, and sitting zazen. You can reach him at ccarson@antioch.edu.

Acknowledgements: BirdsCaribbean is grateful to the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for funding our Conservation of the Endangered Whistling Warbler Project, launched in 2022. We are also deeply grateful to Mr. Fitzgerald Providence and his staff at the St. Vincent Forestry Department for their help and support. Special thanks Glenroy Gaymes, who has been working closely with us on the warbler project. Finally, we thank BirdsCaribbean members, partners, and donors for your support, which made this work possible.

Rising from the Ashes: Building Capacity to Monitor St. Vincent’s Endangered Whistling Warbler and Forest Birds in the Wake of La Soufrière

From Ashes to Opportunity: Volcano Sparks Efforts to Understand and Conserve the Endangered Whistling Warbler

Resilience and Hope: One Year After the La Soufrière Volcanic Eruptions on St. Vincent

July 14, 2023

Rising from the Ashes: Building Capacity to Monitor St. Vincent’s Endangered Whistling Warbler and Forest Birds in the Wake of La Soufrière

April 10, 2022

Resilience and Hope: One Year After the La Soufrière Volcanic Eruptions on St. Vincent

January 7, 2022

2021: A Year of Unexpected Drama and Surprising Successes

It was an extraordinary year. But then, so was 2020! Despite the ongoing roller coaster ride that was the COVID-19 pandemic, BirdsCaribbean pressed on. While some activities were necessarily curtailed, with our ever-enthusiastic partners we “pivoted,” adapted to the changing circumstances, and overcame obstacles. We had some great successes. We also turned to highlighting some pressing issues impacting our Caribbean birds. Now, we are looking forward to an exciting 2022, full of potential and possibilities!

We are feeling very positive about this new year. The theme of our upcoming conference in Puerto Rico (June 27 to July 2), which we are co-hosting for the first time with the American Ornithological Society (AOS), is “On the Wings of Recovery: Resilience and Action.”

This theme reflects the focus of our activities in the past year, supporting our partners as they work on solutions to the many challenges facing the region’s birds. We are also looking forward to hosting workshops in the Dominican Republic and The Bahamas, on Landbird Monitoring and Bird Banding, respectively.

In case you missed it, here’s an overview of BirdsCaribbean happenings in 2021:

It was a “quiet” year, but…

Ash plume from the La Soufriere volcanic eruptions in St. Vincent and the Grenadines — Ash plume on April 9th at 4 PM, the first day of eruptions (photo by Richard Robertson, UWI Seismic Research Centre)

Thankfully for the islands, the hurricane season was not as devastating as in previous years, although climate change is still with us. Year after year, the region continues to suffer from droughts, coastal erosion, and floods after heavy rains, damaging habitats and creating havoc in communities. However, there was still some unexpected drama this year.

The explosive eruptions of La Soufrière, a volcano in St. Vincent, began on April 9th, 2021, and continued spewing volcanic ash and debris into the atmosphere for weeks – displacing thousands and blanketing forests and towns in many inches of volcanic ash. Although it has now quietened down (its eruptive phase was declared over at the end of November, 2021) there was considerable damage to trees and river valleys from pyroclastic material, rocky debris and mudflows.

In the wake of the destruction, concerns for the St. Vincent Parrot and several other endemic bird species rose and we were thankful for the valiant efforts of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Forestry Department. With generous donations from friends and donors to the BirdsCaribbean fundraising site, we were able to ship a range of supplies to the Department, including field equipment, food, veterinary supplies, and much more. We also supported intensive surveys of the St. Vincent Parrot by Forestry staff in December, 2021 – more news on their status soon!

A Turkey Vulture costume, the biggest Big Day, and CWC was busy too

As usual, bird festivals were important days in our calendar. Island residents hosted at least scaled-down activities – whether virtual, in person, or a “hybrid” mixture, since COVID regulations varied from time to time.

Cuban boy wearing Turkey Vulture costume for WMBD 2021 — Héctor Fidel Ravelo Romanguera wins first prize in the WMBD costume competition for his amazing Turkey Vulture costume. (Photo by Ines Lourdes Fernandez)

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) in Fall, when our beautiful “winter visitors” start to appear in gardens, fields and forests across the Caribbean, is always an opportunity for fun activities, especially with young people. This year’s theme, “Sing, Fly, Soar Like a Bird” inspired bird walks, field trips and an exciting Bird Costume Party, won by creative schoolchildren in Cuba. The winning Turkey Vulture costume was stunning! Many thanks to Environment for the Americas for assisting with educational materials.

Our Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF), which we have hosted for the past twenty years, is always a delight. 2021 did not disappoint. After all, we have no less than 171 endemic species to choose from! The theme “Sing, Fly, Soar Like a Bird” provided ample opportunities for fun activities and important learning through webinars, birding field trips, and activities and online resources for families and youth to celebrate. Check out the exciting webinars here! Our partners shared what the theme meant to them in short inspiring videos – these can be viewed here.

The 12th annual Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) was another important activity, which was highly successful. From mid January to early February, birders fanned out across wetlands and beaches to record their sightings on eBird Caribbean. From the offshore islands of Venezuela to the wetlands of Kingston Harbour, Jamaica, there was a great turnout of birders. Anguillan partners were excited to spot Piping Plovers, while in Antigua, a young birding group participated in a “Mask-erade.”

We did mention successes, didn’t we? Global Big Day 2021 (Saturday, May 8) was – well, big! Close to 2,000 checklists were submitted from the Caribbean – a big jump in participation. 364 species were spotted, beating last year’s record. Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas were stars, and fifteen teams participated, raising funds for Motus bird monitoring stations. Some wonderful photos were taken of birds and people, enjoying the day; take a look here at the winners of our Photography Awards.

An exciting project is about to unfold…

Earlier this year, we announced our plans for a new bird monitoring initiative, the Caribbean Motus Collaboration, to set up a Motus Wildlife Trafficking System that will use nano-tags tracked by receivers to gain valuable data on the movement of birds across our region. We are grateful to Birds Canada and the Northeast Motus Collaboration for their support. For full details and if you are interested in contributing in any way, please complete a short survey or make a contribution here.

A wealth of online material – yes, we went virtual again

Image of Arnaldo Toledo's amazing Grand Prize winning bird Zine — Cover of Arnaldo Toledo’s amazing Grand Prize winning bird Zine

To enhance these programs and special calendar events, and also to boost our advocacy for birds, we were very busy throughout the year designing and producing a whole range of online products. In 2021, we again broadcast virtually “From the Nest” with an Endemic Bird of the Day for the CEBF, accompanied by related puzzles, games and coloring pages. Our very first “Bird Zine” contest garnered some beautiful, artistic products from contestants in various age groups, with winners from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad and Tobago. For the Caribbean Waterbird Census we started off with no less than three webinars, helping us to identify tricky species and with an additional webinar on Puerto Rican waterbird species.

For the 2021 Caribbean Waterbird Census, we gave webinars on how to participate in the CWC, including presentations on using eBird Caribbean and Merlin, how to do a CWC count, and how to identify waterbirds and shorebirds – always challenging! Check out our helpful webinars on our Youtube channel CWC playlist.

For World Migratory Bird Day, we produced a series of four videos highlighting our migratory shorebirds, many of which are endangered. One species, the Lesser Yellowlegs, is in particular trouble, with a drastic decline in numbers since the 1970s. At a free webinar on October 8, wildlife biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Management Program Laura McDuffie explained the work she and colleagues are doing to track, monitor and gain more information on these vulnerable birds.

All our videos may be viewed on our YouTube channel. Take a browse through!

And we met online, too…

A major highlight of our year was the opportunity to present at the 2021 AOS Virtual Meeting, from August 9 – 13. BirdsCaribbean was thrilled to present a three-part symposium entitled “Resilient Caribbean Birds – Surviving and Thriving in a Challenging World,” in which we highlighted recent avian research and conservation projects in the region, on August 11 and 12. Our presentations were well attended and online networking and information sharing took place.

And then, to business. Our General Business Meeting on October 28 had over 80 participants and lasted for over two hours (there was a lot to tell our members and supporters about!) providing a comprehensive update on BirdsCaribbean’s activities.

Group photo of BirdsCaribbean General Business Meeting 2021 participants — General Business Meeting 2021 Group Photo on Zoom 1

One memorable online event was the Seabird Fest on December 2, organized by our dynamic Seabird Working Group. The meeting provided a thorough update on the group’s impressive activities, from the Isla Contoy National Park (Island of Birds) off the Yucatan peninsula to Bermuda and the Cayman Islands – and all islands in between. There are 20 resident seabird species in the Caribbean, not all regularly monitored. The hope is to organize a big seabird monitoring effort in 2023. While it faces challenges, we applaud this group’s work. If you would like to know more, sign up for their recently launched newsletter!

Our advocacy for birds continues…

Our focus on shorebirds tied in with ongoing concerns among ornithologists and bird lovers regarding the hunting of these migratory gems on the islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique, and to a lesser extent Barbados. In a short video “Caribbean Shorebirds Under Fire” (available in English, French and Spanish here) that is at times distressing to watch we sought to explain this complex issue. We continued to support our partners’ efforts to have as many species as possible protected and to reduce this devastating harvest of endangered birds, through email petitions to the French authorities.

Photo collage shows images of wild bird trafficking in Cuba — Images of wild bird trafficking in Cuba.

Many migratory species are also under threat on the island of Cuba, due to the illegal capture and sale of wild birds as they arrive on the island in the autumn months. Endemic and resident species are also targeted by trappers. BirdsCaribbean is extremely concerned at the dramatic increase in the trafficking of a range of species, both at home and extending overseas. We highlighted this growing concern recently in our investigative report, urging Cuban authorities to enforce wildlife protection laws. We are raising funds to help our colleagues combat this problem and we need your support! We will continue to shine the spotlight on these and other issues that are affecting our birds negatively.

We have had a frantically busy year, as you can see. Despite the difficulties of the pandemic, with the support of our wonderful donors and the boundless enthusiasm, dedication, and hard work of our partners on the ground, we feel a sense of achievement, and look forward to what 2022 will bring.

Wishing you all a happy, peaceful and prosperous New Year!

January 5, 2022

12 Days of Christmas – BirdsCaribbean Remix

This festive season we introduced 12 fascinating Caribbean birds in our twist on the classic carol The Twelve Days of Christmas. This English Christmas carol was first published in 1780, and presented without accompanying music, in a children’s book of poems and stories Mirth Without Mischief.

It is believed that The Twelve Days of Christmas was intended to help young Catholics learn the tenets of their faith. However, this theory has been widely contested. The origins of the carol are unknown but perhaps it was written as a memory game.

We are certain, however, that no other Christmas carol features birds quite as prominently as The Twelve Days of Christmas. The lyrics are from old Europe with birds that are not found in the Caribbean. We thought it was time for an upbeat version so we put the spotlight on some magnificent migratory and endemic birds of the Caribbean!

If you follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn), we shared a new bird every day or two for the last several weeks. (#12CaribBirdsOfChristmas) Here, we compile all the bird profiles into one blog in case you are not on social media, missed any, or would like to learn more about these amazing birds.

We really enjoyed curating posts for this series and had the pleasure of reading your lovely comments. Thank you for following along, bird after bird, with us. Let us know which bird was your favorite and why in the comments below .

And do sing along with us on our remix of this classic song! Any singers/ musicians out there—we would love to hear your recorded rendition of the song!!!

Photo credits: West Indian Whistling Duck by Ray Robles, Fernandina’s Flicker by Ken Pinnow, White-breasted Thrasher by Hank Tseng and Adams Toussaint, St Vincent Parrot by Nandani Bridglal , Golden Swallow by Francisco Alba, Jamaican Blackbird by Tom Johnson (ML890623210), Guadeloupe Woodpecker by Frantz Delcroix, Grenada Dove by Greg Homel, Bahama Oriole by Dan Stonko

Twelve Birds of Christmas – BirdsCaribbean Remix

An Oriole in a Pine Tree – Bahama Oriole

🎄On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, A Partridge in a Pear Tree.🎶 But wait, that doesn’t seem quite right for the Caribbean 🤔, so let’s turn up the heat ☀️, amp up the vibrancy, migrate south 🌎, and what do we get…. An oriole in a pine tree 🌲 . That is, of course, the Bahama Oriole. This striking bird stands bright at the tree tops boasting shiny black ⚫️ plumage on its head, back and chest, and bright yellow 🟡 plumage on its shoulders, belly, and rump. It can only be found on Andros Island in the Bahamas 🇧🇸 , where it nests in native pine forests. ⁠
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Unfortunately, this bird faces multiple threats, including brood parasitism from the Shiny Cowbird, depredation by free-ranging domestic cats 🐈 , and habitat loss due to logging and residential development 🏘. There’s also the looming threat of increasingly frequent and severe hurricanes that could easily wipe out the Bahama Oriole’s entire small population 📉. ⁠
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However, all hope is not lost! ✨ Our partners at the Bahamas National Trust and University of Maryland, Baltimore Maryland are doing exciting research to learn more about this species 🤓 and educating local communities on Andros about the importance of its pine forests. Click here for more facts ℹ️, to listen to its song 🎵, and free Bahama Oriole themed activities 🧩 for adults and children! ⁠

Two Grenada Doves

🎄The second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, Two Turtle Doves 🎶. Those turtle doves are adorable ☺️, but come on down to the southern Caribbean 🌎 and we can do you one better – two Grenada Doves! ⁠
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As their name implies, these shy and elusive birds live only on the island of Grenada 🇬🇩. This somewhat plump dove has brown 🟤 upperparts, buffy cinnamon-colored chest and neck, and grayish forehead, face and crown, with bright pinkish-red 🔴 statement legs and feet. How can you tell you’re looking at the ultra-rare Grenada Dove and not another dove 🧐? Be sure to take a look at its belly where you’ll find a strip of white ⚪️ feathers that extends from its side up around the bend of the wing! ⁠
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The Grenada Dove prefers the coastal dry forests of deciduous thorn-scrub thickets and some emergent trees 🌳. Watch your step 👣 as these doves are typically found on the ground, searching for food; small seeds, fruits 🫐 and insects 🪱. IBut if you aren’t lucky enough to see this dove, keep an ear 👂 out for its characteristic call 🎶 which is a single descending note hooooooo that is repeated every 7-8 seconds. ⁠
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Two Protected Areas have been established for the conservation of the Grenada Dove, but habitat loss remains a major threat. Its coastal habitats are unfortunately prime areas for development by the tourism 🏝 and industry sectors 🏭. We have been working with our partners in Grenada to try and halt 🛑 these unsustainable developments as well as remove mongoose, invasive predators of the Grenada Dove. ⁠Click here to learn more about the Grenada Dove, listen to its song, and access free activities.
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With your support 🙌🏽, we can continue to protect the Critically Endangered Grenada Dove as we work to reverse the trend of habitat loss for this beautiful species. ✨Please consider making a donation.

Three French Peckers – Guadeloupe Woodpecker

🎄On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, Three French hens 🎶. To be honest, that’s not a bad gift 🎁 at all, especially if those hens are good layers 🥚. But domestic fowl 🐓 pale in comparison to some of the wild French birds you can find in the Caribbean 😎, including the Trois Toto bwa —un oiseau magnifique found only in Guadeloupe 🇬🇵! In local French Creole the Guadeloupe Woodpecker is called Toto bwa for the tapping noise it makes.

It appears to be an all black bird ⚫️ however its head and upperparts actually have a blue glossy sheen. Their underparts are a sooty black except for a reddish 🔴 hue on the chest and their tail feathers are brownish-black with blue-black legs. Females look like the male, but are smaller 📏. Interestingly, there are size differences within the island—woodpeckers found on the peaks of Basse-Terre are slightly bigger than those of Grande-Terre!

These fine French birds inhabit all different forest types, including swamp forests and mangroves, but they rely on dead coconut palm trees 🌴 for nesting. They are monogamous and pairs remain in their territory throughout the year. Young woodpeckers will take about a month 📆 to fledge and afterwards juveniles spend several months with their parents. They might even hang around until the next breeding season.

Although considered a Least Concern species, this handsome woodpecker is restricted to the island of Guadeloupe and is threatened by hurricanes 🌀, habitat conversion 🏘 and the removal of dead trees which they depend upon for nesting. Continued protection of this species and conservation of its habitats will help ensure that this beautiful species survives for future generations to enjoy! ✨

For more fun facts about this endemic woodpecker click here!

Four Blackbirds – Jamaican Blackbird

🎄The fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, Four colly birds 🎶. But you had no idea what those were 💬. Did you say “colly birds” or “calling birds”? Our basic research 💻 suggests both phrases are correct, though “colly” is the Old English word for coal while “calling” refers to birds that “call out” in song, or songbirds. Either way, it’s an odd gift, so today we’re featuring a Jamaican endemic that fits both versions; the Jamaican Blackbird 🇯🇲. ⁠
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High up in Cockpit Country and the Blue and John Crow Mountains ⛰ National Park lives the Jamaican Blackbird. It is Endangered, with the greatest threat to its populations stemming from Bauxite mining, agriculture 🌾 and human developments 🏘. This taxonomically and ecologically distinct bird is all black with a slight blue gloss, short bill, legs and tails. Unlike other blackbirds it is mostly found feeding high in the trees 🌳 in montane forest. It feeds by pecking, like a woodpecker, in bromeliads, lichens and mosses, but will also probe tree bark and cavities for beetles 🪲 and caterpillars 🐛 . This bird is more likely to be heard than seen. Its song is a wheezy whee-whee-oooo; common call is a squeaky wheet. 🎶⁠
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Learn more about this fascinating bird here. This species was also an inspiration for an amazing bird song album by our partner Shika Shika, undertaken to raise funds to protect endangered birds in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean – check out the project and songs here.

✨Together with our on-the-ground partners we work to protect incredibly unique birds like the Jamaican Blackbird that are threatened by habitat loss. Please consider making a contribution and give the gift 🎁 of birds to future generations. ⁠

Five Golden Swallows

🎄The fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me…Five gold rings 🎶. But you’re not a materialistic person, nor can you tolerate the environmental impact that comes with the extraction of precious metals 💍, so you looked your lover 💞 in the eye and said “Honey, I’d rather see gold in its natural form – take me birding for Golden Swallows!” ⁠
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The upperparts of male Golden Swallows often appear golden ✨ but 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 🟢! Their underparts are white with dusky bronze-green wings and tail. The female on the other hand, is duller, with some gray-brown mottling on the chest. ⁠
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One can spend hours ⏳ watching and being entertained by these amazing birds as they twist 🔀, turn ⤴️ , and dive ⤵️ through the air with incredible grace and precision. They feed on airborne insects like beetles 🪲 and wasps. ⁠
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The Golden Swallow has disappeared from the island of Jamaica 🇯🇲 and is restricted to patches of montane pine forest🌲in Hispaniola. They have possibly disappeared from Jamaica due to lack of food. Insect populations have been steadily decreasing 📉 due to destruction of native habitats as well as the widespread use of chemicals to kill insects ☠️. The good news is that everyone can help by planting native plants 🌱 at home. Native plants attract native insects, and these insects provide lots of food for MANY different bird species 😃. ⁠
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Learn more about the Golden Swallow and access free activities and resources here. Read about our VP 👨🏻‍💼 Justin Procter’s quest to find the Golden Swallow in Jamaica’s Ram Goat Cave.

Six Songbirds Singing – Summer Tanager

🎄The sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, Six Geese-a-laying🎶. While we often think of egg-laying as a beautiful, miraculous event (and it is), have you given any thought to the size of those eggs and the mechanics involved🤔? Needless to say, six geese-a-laying won’t be a peaceful scene, but rather a headache of hissing and honking 📣. Let’s reduce holiday stress where we can and consider down-sizing to six songbirds singing 🎶 instead.

‘Songbirds’ are beautiful passerine birds with melodious songs, a great example is the Summer Tanager. This neotropical migrant has strawberry 🍓 coloured plumage and is quite vocal. Its call is described as pi-tuck or pi-ti-tuck or ki-ti-tuck while its song is similar to that of an American Robin with a series of warbling phrases.

The Summer Tanager is one of many songbirds illegally captured 📦 in Cuba for the pet trade. Although it has a beautiful song, this bird is mainly captured for its ornamental beauty. Sadly, many migratory songbirds like the Indigo Bunting and Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and resident/ endemic birds like the Cuban Bullfinch and Cuban Grassquit, are targeted by trappers for their singing abilities.

Songbird competitions are very popular in Cuba 🇨🇺, Trinidad 🇹🇹, and Venezuela 🇻🇪 , with betting and cash prizes 💰 for the best singer. These birds are inhumanely trapped using cages with lures, perches covered with glue, and nets. Many die from the process or soon after due to improper care. The surviving birds are readily offered for sale on social media 📲 platforms reaching more potential buyers. The songbird trade is rampant in the Caribbean and is emptying our forests of both song and life 😞.

ℹ️ For more information about the alarming numbers of birds illegally captured in Cuba and our proposed strategies to combat this unsustainable and cruel trade please read our investigative report.

This crisis can end with your support 🙌🏽! Please consider making a contribution here. Your gift will help us in our appeals to local governments to enforce the laws mandated to protect birds, help our partners develop a national media campaign, and create other livelihoods like eco-tourism 🏞.

Seven Parrots Squawking – St. Vincent Parrot

🎄The seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Seven Swans a-Swimming🎶. Swans 🦢 are the universal symbol of grace and beauty🪞. But here in the Caribbean, Christmas is a time for noisy merriment and flocking together 🎊 so we present you with Seven Parrots Squawking! ⁠
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The striking Saint Vincent Parrot 🦜 is the national bird of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 🇻🇨 and is endemic to the island. If you look carefully, it has the yellow 🟡, blue 🔵 and green 🟢 colours of the national flag, making it extra special to Vincentians! ⁠
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There are two colour morphs for this uniquely coloured parrot: 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. ⁠
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The Saint Vincent Parrot can be found in mature rainforest 🏞 along western and eastern slopes of the island’s central mountain range and, occasionally, in nearby cultivated lands. They are loud birds with an impressive vocal repertoire, so listen for their call 🎶 in the early morning ☀️ or late afternoon when they are most active! Males and females look similar and are usually seen flying in pairs but have been observed in flocks foraging on fruits 🥭, seeds, flowers 🌺 and leaves. ⁠
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Its small population of around 850 birds has been slowly increasing however, this vulnerable parrot suffered devastating habitat loss and food scarcity after the La Soufriere volcanic eruptions 🌋 earlier this year. With assistance from BirdsCaribbean donors and other partners, the St Vincent Forestry Dept has been working hard to assess the status of the parrot and restore habitat. You can help to save this iconic bird from extinction. ✨.⁠
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Click here for more facts, to listen to its call, and free Saint Vincent Parrot themed activities 🧩 for adults and children! ⁠

Eight Thrashers Thrashing – White-breasted Thrasher

🎄The eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, Eight Maids-a-Milking🎶. In 15th and 16th century England, the phrase “let’s go-a-milking” was a euphemism for “let’s get married.” 💍 We’re going to update this to the 21st century with a spunky yet elegant Caribbean bird and give you Eight Thrashers Thrashing! While you may not want these birds in your house at Christmas time, they certainly are dashing 🎩! ⁠
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The White-breasted Thrasher, with a chocolate brown 🟤 back, striking white chest, and piercing red 🔴 eye, was described by James Bond as “one of the rarest birds in the West Indies.” Not surprisingly, Bond was onto something! Found only in Saint Lucia 🇱🇨 and Martinique 🇲🇶, where it is known as Gòj Blan and Moqueur Gorge Blanche, respectively, there are fewer than 2,000 thrashers left. White-breasted Thrashers also display a unique behavior called cooperative breeding, where they delay independent breeding, and instead help their parents in raising their siblings – how lucky for Mom and Dad 😊!⁠
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The White-breasted Thrasher population is thought to be declining 📉 due to increased predation by non-native invasive species, such as rats 🐀 , domestic cats 🐈 , and mongoose. Our incredible partners in Saint Lucia safely continued their critical work throughout the pandemic and recorded a total of 19 White-breasted Thrasher nests in 2020 🏆⁠
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✨Learn more about this unique and endangered species here.
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For more information on the White-breasted Thrasher Species Recovery Plan and field work by our partners 📑, supported in part by BirdsCaribbean donors , click here.⁠

Nine Flickers Flicking – Fernandina’s Flicker

🎄On the 9th day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, nine drummers drumming🎶. But of course no drum sticks or snare drums 🥁 showed up, because your true love has style 😎, and appreciates nature’s real drummers – the woodpeckers! So pop some aspirin 💊 and get ready for the ensuing explosive sound of nine Fernandina’s Flickers tearing apart your house’s 🏠 new cedar wood siding.

The island of Cuba 🇨🇺 is home to one of the world’s most threatened flickers – the Fernandina’s Flicker. The male has a buff-cinnamon head with fine black ⚫️ streaking. It has a distinct black malar stripe, sometimes with a red tinge. This mark is absent ❌ in the female. Chin and throat are heavily but finely streaked black. Its bill is black, long, pointed and curved. Its body and tail are largely barred mustard yellow 🟡 and black.

Interestingly you’re likely to see this woodpecker foraging on the ground, in open woodlands and savanna-palm 🌴 habitats, for insects 🕷 , seeds, and worms 🪱 . Pairs nest in both live and old hollowed-out palms and share these breeding trees with other secondary cavity nesting birds such as the American Kestrel, and fellow-endemics the Bare-legged Owl 🦉 and Cuban Parakeet 🦜. During the breeding season, however, the West Indian Woodpecker and Fernandina’s Flicker fight for nesting sites 😠, even though the nesting holes were most likely excavated by the West Indian Woodpecker! The West Indian Woodpecker is very territorial, they will even destroy eggs 🥚 and remove chicks 🐣 of other secondary nesting birds, including those of the Fernandina’s Flicker!

Its population is estimated at no more than 400 pairs with the largest occurring in the Zapata Swamp. It was once common across Cuba but habitat loss due to logging and conversion for agriculture 🌱 have resulted in its patchy distribution. Another major driver is loss of prime nesting sites when dead palms are cut down to illegally collect parrots and parakeets for the pet trade 😞. Learn more about this Cuban endemic here.

Ten Plovers Piping – Piping Plover

🎄On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, Ten Pipers Piping🎶. But we’re still in a pandemic 😷 and, where you are, gatherings might be restricted 🚫. Instead we present you with 10 Plovers Piping 😀. ⁠
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Small, chubby, and adorable ☺️, the Piping Plover is a sand-coloured shorebird with white underparts, a black ⚫️ neck band, orange 🟠 legs, and a short stubby beak. Most striking of all, its dark round eyes that give it that “I’m a good cuddler” look. They have a two-part piping whistle 🎵 that drops in pitch, pwee-doo.”
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The Piping Plover breeds in North America but heads south for the winter 🌎. They do not go as far south as other shorebirds, instead they stop off in The Bahamas 🇧🇸 , Turks and Caicos Islands 🇹🇨 and Cuba 🇨🇺 . You are most likely to find them on open sandy beaches, wetlands, and mudflats feeding on small invertebrates. It is also a pretty clever feeder. On the beach 🏝 , after a wave 🌊 rolls up and leaves a glassy film, the Piping Plover will extend one foot slightly forward and vibrate it against water-saturated sand bringing invertebrates in the sand to the surface before pecking 🍽. ⁠
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Developments on beaches 🏙 and lake shores mean Piping Plovers have lost some of their breeding habitats and are now far less common than they used to be 😔. Nesting areas on beaches are now often protected ⚠️ from disturbance to try to help the population grow.⁠
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Making sure they have safe places to feed and rest 💤 in the Caribbean during the winter is also important. Click here for some tips on how you can #ShareTheShore with these lovable little shorebirds. ⁠ And learn more about the Piping Plover and access free activities and resources here.

Eleven egrets dancing – Reddish Egret

🎄The eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, eleven ladies dancing 💃🏻. Your true love 💗 may have been trying to pull a fast one, knowing all too well that the men usually dance to get the ladies’ attention in the animal kingdom! In the spirit of gender equality, you both get in on the dancing 💃🏻🕺🏻, showing off snazzy moves inspired by Eleven Egrets Dancing. ⁠
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The Reddish Egret is a relatively large and elegant 🪞 bird known for its entertaining feeding behavior – often described as a ‘drunken dance’ 🍻 – running through shallow water with long strides, staggering sideways, leaping in the air ⬆️, raising one or both wings, and abruptly stabbing at fish 🐠 . Holding its wings over the water while hunting is thought to reduce glare and help the egret more accurately sight 👀 and spear its prey – or maybe it’s to regain its balance, we’re not sure! 🤔 ⁠
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During the 1800s this egret and others were hunted almost to extinction for their beautiful feathers 🪶, used to adorn ladies’ hats and other apparel! Thankfully, two women jump started a conservation movement which put an end to the slaughter. You can learn all about this fascinating history in our webinar: https://bit.ly/Killer-Fashion⁠
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Reddish Egrets come in two morphs: the dark morph, with shaggy reddish head 🔴 and neck and slate gray body (more common in the southern U.S. and Mexico); and the more rare white morph, with entirely white plumage ⚪️ (more common in the Bahamas 🇧🇸 and Greater Antilles). Breeding adults of both morphs have a two-toned bill, pinkish at the base and black at the tip.⁠
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The Reddish Egret is our rarest and least-studied Ardeid (Family of herons, egrets, and bitterns) – the total population is estimated at only 7,000 to 11,000 birds. It is a Species of Conservation Concern. ⁠
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✨ Learn more about the Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) here and show your support for our citizen science programs like the annual CWC, which gathers critical data to conserve the Reddish Egret and many other threatened birds. ⁠

Twelve Whistlers Whistling – West Indian Whistling-Duck

🎄On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, twelve fiddlers fiddling🎶. A kind gesture, but you’d think that after all this time your true love would have recognized your greater appreciation for acapella-style whistling. It’s an acquired taste that only a refined individual like yourself 😎 could truly appreciate. So redirect those fiddlers to the neighbor’s house 🏡 , and head over to a nearby pond to enjoy a musical production 🎭 of Twelve Whistlers Whistling! ⁠
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We thought it fitting to bring our 12 Birds of Christmas to a close with the grace of the West Indian Whistling-Duck 🦆 . You can only hear the hauntingly beautiful calls of this Caribbean bird at twilight 🌅, when the sun begins to dip toward the horizon. West Indian Whistling-Ducks often remain hidden during the day, roosting in mangrove trees 🌳 or other vegetation, and become active at sunset when they feed.⁠
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This gorgeous mostly-brown duck was once common, but populations are now very small 📉 and isolated on each island. Destruction of wetland habitats, illegal hunting, and invasive predators (like mongoose) have all contributed to the decline of this species. ⁠
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The West Indian Whistling-Duck is our flagship species for the conservation of mangroves and wetlands throughout the West Indies! We have a fun curriculum, “Wondrous West Indian Wetlands—Teachers’ Resource Book,” 📖with many hands-on activities 🧩 to learn 🧠 about wetlands and birds, and other resources available on our website. 😉⁠
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You can also visit our webpage for more facts, to listen to its song, and free West Indian Whistling-Duck themed activities for adults and children! 😃⁠

And now our 12 Caribbean Birds of Christmas Advent calendar is complete!

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May 1, 2021

As the Volcano Simmers, Help Is On the Way for the St. Vincent Parrot

St. Vincent’s iconic Parrot still faces challenges from the La Soufrière eruption, but work is being done to help the parrot and relief supplies are on the way (thanks to many generous donors who responded to our emergency appeal)! As the dramatic month of April draws to a close, it is still a mixed picture for the island of St. Vincent, its wonderful parrots and other wildlife, and its people. This level of uncertainty is likely to persist for the foreseeable future, according to scientists, who are monitoring La Soufrière on a daily basis. Their message is that the smoldering, steaming volcano, which is fairly quiet for now, is “still dangerous.” As we have learned, the situation can change rapidly.

La-Soufriere-28-April-2021 — Remobilization of ash at surrounding areas of La Soufriere, St. Vincent (Photo by Ilias Papadopoulos, UWI-SRC)

La Soufrière’s destructive path

Since we wrote about the volcano’s first eruption on April 9th, the volcano erupted again on the morning of Earth Day (April 22), with the plume of ash reaching as high as eight kilometers. This created some pyroclastic flows – a mixture of extremely hot volcanic ash and rocks that burns everything in its path. Since then, there have been flows of lahars (these are very fast-moving, dense mudflows or debris flows consisting of pyroclastic material, rocky debris, ash and water) along river valleys and gullies. To make matters worse, torrential rains on April 28 and 29 have created floods and landslides in several parts of the island (including the capital, Kingstown) exacerbating the flow of lahars through valleys. Residents are being advised not to go near rivers or streams, especially in the dangerous Red Zone in the north.

Lahars observed in the Wallibou River (Red Zone, Leeward side of the island) on the morning of 29 April, 2021. The rainfall overnight generated lahars (mudflows) in the red and orange zones. (photo by Richard Robertson, UWI Seismic Research Centre)

Lahars are fast moving, dense mixture of rocks, ash and vegetation and water originating from a volcano. It has the consistency of wet concrete and can cause severe damage to rivers and valleys around the volcano. (photo by Richard Robertson, UWI Seismic Research Centre)

As of the evening of Thursday, April 29, the University of the West Indies (UWI) Seismic Centre reported that the volcano’s activity remained low. However, the lahars (some extremely hot) have caused considerable erosion and damage in all valleys that drain the volcano, bringing down many trees that have been carried into the ocean and are creating a hazard for shipping. In several parts of the island, damage to the forest has been quite extensive and rivers are filled with sediment. Earth tremors have been frequent. A recent survey noted many broken trees, weighed down by the heavy ash falls – even in the southern Green Zone where the danger is less. In some areas (for example, Jennings, Tiberoux, and Perseverance) trees have lost their tops and there was little sign of life in the forest. This is not good news for birds, including not only the St. Vincent Parrot but species such as the endangered Whistling Warbler and twelve other restricted-range endemic species, including the Grenada Flycatcher, Rufous-throated Solitaire, Purple-throated Carib, Brown Trembler, Lesser Antillean Tanager, Antillean Euphonia, and others.

Valley on the Leeward side of St. Vincent showing severe damage to trees and vegetation. (photo by Richard Robertson, UWI Seismic Research Centre)

Vincentians working hard for the birds

However, there is good news! Our partners on the ground at the Forestry Department of St. Vincent and the Grenadines are still seeing and hearing parrots. Local foresters are working hard for the birds; take a look at the photos and great videos below and on their Facebook page, where you will see them preparing and resupplying fresh fruit to the tall, spindly, but sturdy feeding platform stations that they constructed in the island’s Orange Zone (the central area where many of the parrots are located). Forestry staff have been clearing paths through the damaged forest, looking for stressed parrots and where they are concentrating, clearing waterways of fallen trees and branches in order to restore water supply in several areas, and at the same time doing humanitarian work – helping out their fellow Vincentians with supplies for shelters. Kudos to these brave and hard-working foresters!!! Forestry reports that they have a number of farmers that work with them and they are sympathetic to the plight of the parrots and putting our fresh fruit for them. Forestry is helping to supply this fruit. Members of the public are also calling in to Forestry to report that parrots, hummingbirds and other birds are showing up in areas where they do not normally occur. This shows that parrots are moving around searching for food – thank goodness they have wings! Hopefully, much of the population has been able to escape the eruptions and most damaged areas – time will tell as surveys continue in the coming weeks and months.

Help is on the way!

Thanks to the generous donations from friends and donors to the BirdsCaribbean fundraising effort, and the great support of international partners, we have shipped off supplies for the Forestry Department: a range of field equipment, including binoculars, respirators, backpacks, machetes, GPS units, walkie-talkies, cameras, and head-lamp flashlights; also tools and supplies such as hand drills, aviary wire, tarps, and hardware to repair and enhance the Forestry Department’s facilities for breeding captive parrots at the Botanical Gardens. The shipment also includes supplies to treat and care for rescued parrots—two veterinary “go-bags” (field kits containing all the critical care supplies needed to treat parrots in the field), Vita Seed Top Parrot Mix (300 pounds), hand-feeding formula and medicines to treat rescued parrots, and a portable oxygen generator and St Vincent Parrot-sized mask to help parrots in respiratory distress. The first shipment including all of the above items (1,625 pounds) is now en route to St. Vincent via Tropical Shipping sea freight – it will arrive on May 5th! Additional items still to be sent include nectar feeders for hummingbirds (many flowering plants have been badly damaged), seed feeders for other birds, and camping supplies to allow Forestry to spend the night in the field during parrot survey watches.

Recovery and relief supplies in the first shipment to St. Vincent include field equipment, supplies to care for rescued parrots, and hardware to repair and enhance the St. Vincent Parrot Aviary at the Botanical Gardens. (photos by Paul and Karen Reillo).

In these uncertain times, our caring local partners will continue to need our support. They are working hard in very challenging, often dangerous conditions to ensure that some of our most vulnerable Caribbean birds are assured of a safe and secure future. Later on, there will be a great deal of restoration work to do. At the moment, the volcano remains “in a state of unrest,” according to the UWI.

Jan 2022 Update

Our crowdfunding platform for this appeal, GoFundMe Charity, a separate arm of GoFundMe, unfortunately closed down this site, with a plan for all charities to operate fundraising pages on their main site, thus our crowdfunding page for this fundraiser is no longer available. However, you can donate here and designate your donation in the comments to help with the continued recovery of the St Vincent Parrot, Whistling Warbler, and other wildlife in St Vincent. We owe it to the gorgeous St. Vincent Parrots and their beautiful island home!

Thank you to all of the incredibly generous donors to our fundraising campaign for your support. This has been critical to allow us to purchase and ship relief supplies as well as send funds to our local partners in St. Vincent. A huge thank you also to our international partners who are supporting this relief effort, including Rare Species Conservatory Foundation, Caribaea Initiative, Fauna & Flora International, Vortex Optics, and the Farallon Islands Foundation. We thank our amazing local partners SCIENCE Initiative, the St. Vincent & the Grenadines Environment Fund, and the Forestry Dept for your support and hard work.