World Shorebirds Day, on Monday, September 6, is just around the bend. In honor of this annual global event, BirdsCaribbean created a new video to celebrate Caribbean shorebirds. From plump plovers to wave-catching Sanderlings to stately Stilt Sandpipers, shorebirds are delightful birds to get to know and love. Enjoy our short video and learn more about how you can help to conserve these treasures of our beaches and wetlands.
It is prime time to learn about and celebrate the diversity of shorebirds in the Caribbean. During late summer and early fall, our resident shorebirds, like the Killdeer and Wilson’s Plover, are joined by long-distance migrants, such as the Lesser Yellowlegs, Willet, Spotted Sandpiper, and many more. These migratory birds have just completed their breeding seasons, hopefully with much success, in the northern U.S. and Canada. Now, many are passing through the Caribbean, stopping to rest and feed as they travel to wintering areas further south. Other bird arrivals may stay with us for the entire winter.
Shorebirds are a diverse group of wading birds that live close to water—you can find them on our beaches, mangroves, marshes, salt ponds, and mudflats. Many can be easily identified by their long legs or unique bills, which are especially adapted to their diet and habitat. For example, the long, thin, probing bill of the Black-necked Stilt is ideal for plucking worms and crabs from sticky mud; while the Ruddy Turnstone, with his short, stubby bill, is adept at flipping over stones and shells to find tasty insects on the beach.
Hover over each image to see the caption; click on each photo to see it larger and to view images as a gallery
A Ruddy Turnstone in winter plumage. This shorebird is easy to identify from its short bright orange legs and stout ‘triangular’ bill. (Photo By Charles Sharp).
The Killdeer is one of our Caribbean residents, and can be found here year-round. (Photo By Lorie Shaull).
The striking Black-necked Stilt has long legs for wading into deep water to find food. (Photo by Dan Pancamo)
Migratory shorebirds make amazing journeys of thousands of kilometres! Beforehand, they need to store enough energy in the form of fat reserves to migrate. These small birds will eat until they are about double their normal weight. You may think that flying at their top weight would slow shorebirds down, but they are the marathon-winners of flight. Incredibly, this group of birds does not do any soaring, they are physically flapping the entire way!
Sadly, shorebird numbers have declined by roughly forty percent over the last 50 years, due to a number of threats. An increase in developments and various types of pollution have resulted in their habitats being degraded or even lost altogether. Human disturbance, hunting, and climate change…All these factors threaten shorebirds. Please join us this World Shorebirds Day to learn more about these fascinating birds and what you can do to help protect them.
Join the Global Shorebird Count, September 1 to 7 – every shorebird counts!
One of the main activities of World Shorebirds Day is the Global Shorebird Count. We encourage bird enthusiasts in the region to go out and count shorebirds from the 1st to 7th September 2021.
Spot the difference! A leucistic Willet seen in Zapata Swamp, Cuba. (Photo By Ernesto Reyes).
Your counts will help us to understand which species (and how many) are stopping to rest and feed in the Caribbean. This allows us to assess the health of populations and to determine whether they are increasing, decreasing, or stable. The data you collect will also help scientists to coordinate follow-up research and conservation actions, such as protecting important sites – or even taking immediate action to reduce threats to shorebirds and their environments, if necessary.
So, grab your binoculars, hat, waterboots, and field guide and head to your favorite muddy, sandy, or watery birding spot! Yes, it might get messy. You never know what new birds you might see, and there have been some remarkable discoveries over the years. Since the beginning of the Global Shorebird Count and the Caribbean Waterbird Census, new species have been recorded in the Caribbean. For example, in 2016 Ann Sutton spotted the first Piping Plover ever seen in Jamaica on Pedro Pond, and in 2018 a BirdsCaribbean birding tour in Cuba came across a leucistic (white) Willet in the Zapata Swamp. In addition, we have also greatly expanded our knowledge and conservation of the habitats and sites that shorebirds use across the region, thanks to our many citizen science shorebirders.
We hope that you will be able to visit many areas across your island and invite local birders and/or birding groups to get involved. Note that shorebirds are a type of waterbird; any tallies you do, whether it is at wetlands, mangroves, mud flats, coastal areas or beaches, are also considered as Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) counts. To increase the value of your count to science, be sure to count ALL birds at your site, including seabirds, herons and egrets, land birds, and so on.
Complete instructions on how to do a Global Shorebird Count/ Caribbean Waterbird Census count are available here and here; Shorebird ID resources are available here. Before you head out, it might well be helpful to watch our webinars on Waterbird ID and Shorebird ID to bone up on your ID skills!
Be sure to follow your country’s COVID-19 safety guidelines, have fun and definitely tag us, @birdscaribbean, in your photos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We look forward to seeing your amazing photos and reading your stories!
Please enjoy and share our video!
Many thanks to Environment and Climate Change Canada, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Atlantic Flyways Shorebird Initiative, US Forest Service International Programs, film maker Esther Figueroa, talented photographers and videographers, and our partners, members, and donors for your generous support to create this video (first in a series!) and carry out Caribbean shorebird and waterbird conservation initiatives.
BirdsCaribbean extends heartfelt congratulations to our dedicated partners from the Bird Ecology Group (BEG) in Cuba, led by Dr. Martin Acosta Cruz. The group has received the American Ornithological Society’s (AOS) Ralph W. Schreiber Conservation Award. We applaud BEG members: Lourdes M. Mugica Valdés, Alieny González Alfonso, Ianela García Lau, Alejandro Rodriguez Ochoa, Daniela Ventura del Puerto, and Elio A. Fontes Otero; and former BEG members Orlando Torres Fundora, Dennis Denis Ávila, Ariam Jiménez Reyes Antonio, Rodríguez Suarez, and Jose L. Ponce de León García. Hats off to you all, we are so proud!
Part of the current Bird Ecology Group at the University of Havana, Cuba. Left to right: Elio Fontes, Ianela Garcia, Martín Acosta, Alieny González Alfonso, Lourdes Mugica, Daniela Ventura y Alejandro Rodriguez
Who was Dr. Schreiber?
The annual AOS award, named for Dr. Ralph Schreiber, honors extraordinary conservation-related scientific contributions by an individual or small team. Dr. Schreiber was an ornithologist and curator of birds and mammals at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. He is well known for his studies of Pacific seabirds, including the Brown Pelican, and the effects of El Niño on bird and mammal populations. The El Niño phenomenon occurs when the surface of the tropical Pacific Ocean becomes unusually warm, especially at the equator and along the coasts of South and Central America, disrupting the availability of fish populations that these birds feed on.
All about the Bird Ecology Group (BEG)
Drs. Martin Acosta and Lourdes Mugica in the field in Cuba.
Since 1978, the BEG has dedicated its research work to Cuban bird ecology. Motivated by their unwavering fascination for birds, its members have worked hard, overcoming many financial and logistic al obstacles. The BEG has combined university teaching with research, capacity building, and environmental education, to contribute significantly to the knowledge and conservation of Cuban birds.
The group’s research has led to the publication of 128 peer-reviewed papers and 18 books. The most recently published book, Ecología de las aves acuáticas en las arroceras de Cuba (Ecology of Waterbirds in the Rice Fields in Cuba), describes research on the birds that are connected with the second most important agricultural crop in the country, and the importance of the rice paddies for their conservation.
The BEG has proposed two new protected areas in two important coastal wetlands: those south of Los Palacios, and the Delta del Agabama. It has supported the proposal for five Cuban Important Bird Areas (IBAs): CU003 Humedal Sur de Pinar del Río; CU006 Ciénaga de Zapata; CU009 Humedal Sur de Sancti Spiritus; CU014 Río Máximo-Cayo Guajaba, and CU020 Delta del Cauto. The group also recommended the inclusion of the West Indian Whistling-Duck and the Masked Duck in the Red Book of Threatened Species of Cuba and the Birdlife Red Data Bird List. BEG members are engaged in the study of waterbird species; the structure of bird communities in coastal ecosystems; the ecology of birds using rice paddies and shrimp farms; and birds using Havana city ecosystems (mangroves, parks, and botanical gardens).
The BEG: Busy with Piping Plovers
Since 2016, the BEG has annually surveyed between 68 to 180 km of coastline to assess the conservation status of wintering Piping Plovers frequenting the Cuban archipelago. In this same year they reported the highest number of individuals for Cuba:104 plovers! Through many hours of dedicated band resighting (finding and reporting band numbers of plovers that have come to Cuba for the winter) they have also helped to identify the breeding origin of wintering Piping Plovers on Cuban coastlines. And while other islands continue to battle with hunting quotas and regulations, the BEG has successfully banned the hunting of two historical game species in Cuba: the endemic and threatened West Indian Whistling-Duck and White-Crowned Pigeon. The group has also carried out years of vital Caribbean Waterbird Census counts at Cuba’s many important wetlands to learn more about numbers and trends of resident and migratory waterbirds and shorebirds.
A group of Piping Plovers foraging in Cayo Paredon Grande, Cuba. (Photo by Martin Acosta)A banded Piping Plover sighted by the Bird Ecology Group at Guanabo Beach, Cuba, east of Havana City (photo by Karen-Aguilar)
BEG has received many awards and plaudits!
Both internationally and locally, the BEG has received significant commendations for its efforts to protect Cuban birds and expand our understanding of bird ecology. In the past 42 years the small team has accepted 48 prestigious awards. Internationally, the BEG received the Whitley Award for Birdlife Conservation in 2002 and the Continuation Award; and the Silver Award from BP Conservation Award in 2002. Dr. Martin Acosta Cruz and Lourdes M. Mugica Valdés have received Lifetime Achievement Awards in 2001 and 2017, respectively, from BirdsCaribbean. Ianela García Lau received the Founders Award from BirdsCaribbean for outstanding student research, while she and Alieny González Alfonso received the Educators Award for their leadership in organizing bird festivals and bird education projects in Cuba. Lourdes was honored with an Honorary Fellowship from AOS in 2020.
The Bird Ecology Group after receiving the National Environment Award from the Cuban government in 2008. From left to right: Antonio Rodriguez, Alieny Gonzalez, Martin Acosta, Lourdes Mugica, José Luis Ponce.
The local scientific community has also recognized their invaluable contributions. Two members have received the Carlos J. Finlay Order (the highest recognition given by the Cuban government for personal outstanding contributions to science). Martin and Lourdes have each received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Havana University President. The BEG remains the only research group to have won the National Environmental Award, given by the Cuban Government. They have also won five Academy Awards from the Cuban Academy of Sciences.
Nurturing the ornithologists and educators of the future
The BEG also places emphasis on training and supporting the future ornithologists of Cuba and beyond. So far, nine PhD theses, 14 Masters theses. and 46 undergraduate theses have been supervised by BEG ornithologists. Three more PhD theses and 2 Master theses are in progress.
In addition to providing quality tertiary education to students, the BEG extends its capacity building to staff from Cuban protected areas and other conservation institutions. Over 127 participants have benefited from these workshops. The group has also provided teacher-training workshops for primary and secondary school teachers – a total of 120 participants, in both urban and rural regions of the island. These workshops have enabled teachers to encourage student enquiry, feed their curiosity, and deepen their understanding of ornithological concepts.
Dr. Lourdes Mugica and the Bird Ecology Group share educational materials on birds with the local community and children, Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival.
The thriving Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival in Cuba
For the past 15 years, the BEG has been the Cuban organizers of the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival, a month-long festival to celebrate birds only found within the region. BEG members have worked to promote the value of and foster respect for Cuban birds and ecosystems among the public, using a mix of traditional (TV, radio, print) and new media (social media and apps). An astonishing 3,622 activities have taken place in the 15 Cuban provinces, with the participation of about 166,000 people, mainly children.
We are extremely proud to support and work alongside the Bird Ecology Group to study, conserve, and educate about Cuban birds and look forward to continuing our vibrant partnership. We wish the team many more years of success!
Alieny Gonzalez shows a young child how to use binoculars to see a bird for the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival in Cuba. (photo by Lourdes Mugica)Ianela Garcia (left) and Alieny González (right) during a shorebirds habitat use study in Rïo Máximo Fauna Refuge. (photo by Lourdes Mugica)
Male Hispaniolan Crossbill, one of our featured endemic birds during CEBF 2021. (Photo by Dax Roman)
Over 45 days, the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) 2021 explored the theme of Sing, Fly, Soar – Like A Bird! The festival celebrates the birds found only in the region, highlights the threats to their survival and demonstrates how we can protect them for generations to come. We extend a massive “thank you” to our donors, supporters, and partners for helping us put on another successful Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival!
With many of the 171 endemic birds living only on a single island and being elusive, the events celebrating these one-of-a-kind birds are also unique. In spite of COVID-19 restrictions continuing across parts of the region, our partners and supporters found different ways to carry on with the festivities on their respective islands.
“Birding Bundles” on your doorstep, and learning with a past president!
We recognize and applaud the CEBF organizers on each island, who adapted their events to make them educational, safe, and enjoyable for children and adults. The Environmental Awareness Group on Antigua supplied their participants with ‘The Birding Bundle’– a kit with all the essentials for birdwatching in their backyards. The Natural History Museum of Jamaica created videos of the island’s endemic birds and hosted a bird-themed ‘An Afternoon With a Scientist’ session for students with past BirdsCaribbean president Dr. Leo Douglas. In Venezuela, Ave Zona hosted an art contest focused on birds of the Venezuelan Caribbean (view the gallery here).
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The EAG Birding Bundle
Screen shot from the “Afternoon with a Scientist” webinar
Art by Estefani Romero from the Ave Zona art event
Students in Cuba kept busy with birds
The CEBF event organizers in Cuba held workshops at schools to teach students about Cuba’s endemic birds through art and poetry competitions, games, and bird identification activities. Similar to The Birding Bundle, games and infographics were also delivered to homes for parents and children to learn about Cuban birds. Some participants also gathered for a beach clean-up titled “Cleaning for the Birds.” They expanded their outreach through the use of traditional media, specifically radio, to introduce the book “Endemic Birds of Cuba” and the annotated checklist of Cuban birds. Online activity was non-stop as well. Each day an infographic of a selected Cuban bird was shared and discussions with local researchers were held using the Telegram app.
CEBF games in Cuba, prepared by La Empresa Flora y Fauna Santiago.
Some even burst into song!
Grupo Acción Ecológica celebrating the start of CEBF
In the Dominican Republic, Grupo Jaragua asked members to record themselves singing like a bird, with sometimes hilarious results! The videos were then compiled and shared on Facebook. On the same island, Grupo Acción Ecológica started with a tree planting event. Afterwards, they took small groups of participants on short birdwatching trips to both urban and forested areas, and followed up with conversations on bird biology and habitat protection.
Endemic birds went virtual…
The St. Lucia Parrot, one of the “Endemic Birds of the Day” during CEBF 2021. A beautiful illustration by Josmar Marquez.
Because many islands were still restricted in terms of gatherings and movements, the CEBF team at BirdsCaribbean worked with well-known birders, researchers, photographers, writers, and artists from the region to present a diverse virtual festival program.
Each day we featured an endemic bird on our website and across the BirdsCaribbean socials. The list of endemic birds was carefully curated to include popular species like the St Lucia Parrot and Green-throated Carib, those with amazing bill adaptations like the Hispaniolan Crossbill and Lesser Antillean Flycatcher, revered species like the Gundlach’s Hawk, and clever birds like the Cuban Crow. You can find the complete list of birds here.
Each endemic bird profile was accompanied by a beautifully drawn image by Josmar Marquez of Ave Zona, stunning high quality photos and videos, online puzzles tailored for different levels (between six and 1,024 pieces), and bird calls. Fun and engaging activities were also provided for both kids and adults, including trivia quizzes (How Well Do You Know Caribbean Birds Pt. 1 and Pt. 2); outdoor games for the entire family; scavenger hunts, bug hunt and Operation Food Drop; crafts (Hummingbird Button Art and Jamaica Rainforest Collage); and cryptograms.
…and weekly webinars were a hit
The CEBF 2021 also boasted a fascinating series of weekly webinars on a range of topics with presenters from The Bahamas National Trust, Rainforest Connection, The Puerto Rican Parrot Recovery Project, the University of the West Indies, Science and Perspective, and the University of Maryland. Every Thursday promptly at 4pm, BirdsCaribbean donors, members, and supporters from around the globe listened as our guest presenters shared enlightening information on birds, including recent advances in bird acoustic monitoring technology and its applications to bird conservation; the importance of community engagement in conservation; and how a Critically Endangered raptor in the Dominican Republic transformed the lives of the local team.
Scroll through to see some of the CEFB 2021 webinar topics
Ann Maddock offered a photographic narrative, encompassing behaviors and molting sequences of hummingbirds with a focus on species in the Bahamas, and explaining how to turn your yard into a hummingbird haven, using plant species that are easy to source and care for. The most anticipated was a webinar on bird flight – still the most admired “superpower” of birds. World-renowned author David Sibley used illustrations and information from his latest book “What It’s Like to be a Bird” to explain how nearly every aspect of a bird’s anatomy, physiology, and behavior has been shaped in some way by the requirements of flight. If you missed any of the webinars or just want to re-watch, be sure to head on over to our Youtube channel or check out our Facebook Page.
Zines, videos, social media…Oh my!
We received 33 amazing entries during the CEBF 2021 Bird Zine competition. All are now available for viewing in our BirdsCaribbean Zine Library.
This year we introduced a new activity, a Bird Zine Contest. We received zines from children, teenagers, artists, educators, tour guides, photographers, bloggers and biological illustrators from the Caribbean. The winning zines and all others are now stored in the virtual Caribbean Bird Zine Library. It is the first zine library in the region! We invite you to visit our Caribbean Bird Zine Library to explore and enjoy the amazing bird zines we received. We would love to see this collection of bird zines grow! Please contact info@birdscaribbean.org and Aliya.Hosein@birdscaribbean.org if you would like to contribute a zine – or two – to our library.
We also invited everyone to answer the question “’What does Sing, Fly, Soar – Like a Bird!’ mean to you?” We are still in the process of reviewing and editing the lovely video submissions, but we assure you they are truly inspirational, reflecting the diversity of language and culture in the region. These videos will be shared across our social media platforms. Stay tuned!
We may ask for your help…
This year’s CEBF is over – but don’t worry. We still have plenty of bird content for you to enjoy! Make sure you are following us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, and have joined the BirdsCaribbean mailing list, to ensure you are kept up to date with our latest news via our monthly newsletter.
The Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival will return next April 2022 – but we need help coming up with a theme. We would love to hear your ideas for next year’s theme, which should allow us to highlight a critical problem that affects birds throughout the region. Please email your theme and a brief explanation (1-3 sentences) of why it should be the 2022 CEBF theme to CEBF@birdscaribbean.org, info@birdscaribbean.org and Aliya.Hosein@birdscaribbean.org
Thank you to all of our partners and friends across the region for participating so enthusiastically and making this another memorable CEBF. Enjoy the gallery below!
Hover over each image to see the caption; click on each photo to see it larger and to view images as a gallery
Webinar about endemic birds of Puerto Rico. (Photo by DRNA Puerto Rico)
Tropical Screech Owl artwork from Victor Moreno. (Photo by Ave-Zona)
Students participate in CEBF activities in Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo Food Drop Game, one of our BirdsCaribbean activities for CEBF.
Observing a parakeet nest on a birding walk for CEBF in the Dominica Republic. (Photo by Grupo Accion Ecologia)
Screen shot from Leo Douglas’ BirdLife Jamaica webinar.
Screen shot from Leo Douglas’ BirdLife Jamaica webinar
Screen shot from Leo Douglas’ BirdLife Jamaica webinar.
Hummingbird art by Izza Huerta. (Photo by Ave Zona)
Male Hispaniolan Crossbill, one of our featured birds during CEBF2021. (Photo by Dax Roman)
Green-throated Carib tweet from Martin Lambdon.
Facebook post about the Purple-throated Carib by Natalya Lawrence.
Facebook post celebrating endemic birds by DRNA Puerto Rico.
The cover of Dayami Rovelo’s Grand Prize winning Zine, in the under 16s category.
Beautiful illustration by Josmar Marquez, featuring one of our ‘Endemic Birds of the Day’
Cuban Grassquit Infographic by CEBF organizers in CUBA
Children speaking about the Hispaniolan Parakeet during CEBF in the Dominican Republic. (Photo by Grupo Accion Ecologia)
Children playing a bird ID game in Cuba (Photo by Zaimiurys Hernandez)
Children and parents play games prepared by La Empresa Flora y Fauna Santiago, Cuba.
Children flying their bird kites in Cuba (Photo by Kenia Mestril Cosme)
Children making bird kites in Cuba (Photo by Kenia Mestril Cosme)
Best nest contest rub by EAG. (Photo by Ms Derrick).
Cover of Arnaldo Toledo’s amazing Grand Prize winning bird Zine
We rounded off the BirdsCarbbean daily online activities with a two part endemic bird quiz
The poster entitled “The Endemic Birds of Jamaica – 31 More Reasons to be Proud of Jamaica” will be distributed island wide, free of cost to all public education institutions. National school distribution efforts will commence on September 1st. The artwork is from “A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies” by Herb Raffaele et al., illustrations by Tracy Pedersen and Kristin Williams.
It was October 2001, a few weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when BirdLife Jamaica launched the first ever poster to illustrate all of Jamaica’s endemic birds at the Public Affairs Auditorium of the United States Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica. The newly minted U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica, Sue McCourt Cobb, attended the launch.
Dr. Herbert A. Raffaele, then Chief of Division of International Conservation at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was scheduled to be the keynote presenter at that event, but was unfortunately not able to attend. All senior-level U.S. federal government employees were on high alert and non-essential international travel had been banned. Despite the stress-filled and unusual atmosphere, the launch of Birdlife Jamaica’s poster and associated booklet, entitled “Birds of Jamaica — A Celebration,” to illustrate all of Jamaica’s endemic birds proceeded and was an immediate success. The 2001 poster, along with copies of the Teacher’s Guide to the Birds of Jamaica and the book “Birds of Jamaica” by Downer & Sutton – which provided full photographic coverage of every resident bird species in Jamaica – was distributed free of cost to almost 600 primary, all-age and secondary schools across the island.
Twenty years later, Dr. Raffaele was again guest speaker on July 25, 2021, when BirdLife Jamaica launched a new, updated poster to illustrate Jamaica’s endemic birds. This time he was able to attend the launch, albeit on Zoom, due to the pandemic. Raffaele applauded BirdLife Jamaica for the organization’s leadership in shedding light on the island’s commonly marginalized natural history. He emphasized that today there was more interest, and greater opportunities to bring Jamaicans face-to-face with the island’s biodiversity and to magnify the local eco-culture. Raffaele said, “This is what conservation is all about! Working with local people to develop respect and pride in THEIR biodiversity.”
He added, “Your success at this will ultimately be reflected in the extent to which future generations of Jamaicans will have prospering populations of local birds to enjoy. This poster can prove a valuable tool in such a process. I and the Cape Cod Bird Club congratulate you on this especially important accomplishment.”
This new poster features thirty one species of birds (download the PDF here). The 2001 edition featured 30 species. So why thirty-one? On the new poster, the Olive-throated Parakeet (Eupsittula nana) which has one subspecies in Jamaica (E.n. nana) and one in Central America (E.n. astec), is now considered by some taxonomists as two full species—the Jamaican Parakeet (Eupsittula nana) and Aztec Parakeet (Eupsittula astec). BirdLife Jamaica President Damany Calder explained:
“As with a number of other birds, whether the Jamaican Parakeet (or Olive-throated Parakeet) is considered an endemic species or not depends on which classification system is used.
During the launch webinar event, BirdLife Jamaica also unveiled their new logo. It pays homage to the original logo but has a new modern look to it.
“The American Ornithological Society, which publishes the AOS Checklist of North and Middle American Birds* does not consider the bird endemic at the species level. It is lumped together with the Central American bird. However, AOS did change the scientific names of a number of parakeets, including Jamaica’s. The Jamaican and Central American population are now Eupsittula nana and the Jamaican subspecies is E.n. nana. In the UK, however, they use a different taxonomy. By the closest of votes, the British Ornithologists’ Union adopted the International Ornithological Council’s World Bird List as its favored taxonomy. So that list too classifies the Jamaican parakeet as a subspecies. A third classification system is that of Birdlife International, which compiled the Handbook of Birds of the World. That is the system used in the recent “Birds of the West Indies” (Lynx and BirdLife International Field Guides) written by Kirwan et al. That system splits many more species, including the Jamaican Parakeet as a distinct species, using the same scientific name as above – that is, Eupsittula nana.
“So, it comes down to preferences. The two primary ornithological societies lump the Jamaican population with the Central American population; the UK’s top bird non-profit organization splits it. A paper in Zootaxa by Remsen et al. reviews the genetics of these birds and led to the change in the genus name. For us working in Jamaica, we are inclined to split the bird into a distinct species, because it can be justified by a solid source and it gives us another important selling point to push for the conservation of this widely persecuted Jamaican species, which is perceived as a pest.”
The first poster of the Endemic Birds of Jamaica, published in 2001.
The production of the first poster and informational booklet in 2001 received broad corporate sponsorship and support (from Shell Jamaica Ltd, The Caribbean Cement Company, The Hilton Hotel, and the Jamaica Gleaner Company, among others). The poster quickly became a fixture at major hotels across the island. On this occasion, BirdLife Jamaica took the position not to solicit sponsorship directly from corporations whose values and goals directly conflicted with the conservation of birds and their habitats. BirdLife Jamaica believes this to be a critical issue. Calder noted: “We felt it might be confusing and even counterproductive to add the names and logos of businesses whose existence depended on the continued degradation, pollution and marginalization of the natural world.”
This time around, the Cape Cod Bird Club in Massachusetts is a major sponsor of the new poster. BirdLife Jamaica provided a 100% match to the Cape Cod Bird Club grant through donations from its Board. The Club provides small grants of up to US$1,000 to the Caribbean for projects relating directly or indirectly to the well-being and protection of birds.
In launching this long-anticipated public educational resource, BirdLife Jamaica Calder described the poster as invaluable for school education programs. He believes it will help all Jamaicans learn about the island’s rich and globally significant natural heritage, encouraging Jamaicans to value nature and to acknowledge the public’s right to a clean, healthy environment.
BirdLife Jamaica is the only organization on the island specifically concerned with the conservation of birds and their habitats. Ten species of Jamaican birds are considered globally threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), that is, at risk of becoming globally extinct, and at least two Jamaican species have become extinct since the 1800s. Field-based efforts are ongoing to determine whether the latter two species, namely the Jamaican Petrel and the Jamaican Pauraque, may yet survive in remnant populations within the most inaccessible areas of the island, such as the Cockpit Country and Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park.
The poster is perfect for schools, libraries, and anyone who loves birds. It will be officially available from September 1st, 2021 but you can pre-order yours using this form.
*The AOS Checklist is considered the official source on the taxonomy of birds in North and Middle America, including adjacent islands. It is the checklist used by Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s popular eBird program and Birds of the World – the new comprehensive website on all of the world’s birds, bringing together content from 4 different resources (a subscription to this website is included in BirdsCaribbean membership). Hence, if you are entering your sightings of the Jamaican Parakeet in eBird Caribbean you will not find Jamaican Parakeet, you need to search for Olive-throated Parakeet and enter it as such in your eBird checklists. If, in the future, the species is deemed to merit full species status by the AOS Checklist Committee, then your sightings will be updated to the new name, Jamaican Parakeet. Similarly, note that the Red-billed Streamertail and Black-billed Streamertail are no longer considered two distinct species by the AOS. They are now lumped into one species “Streamertail” (Trochilus polytmus) with two subspecies: Streamertail (Red-billed) – T.p. polytmus and Streamertail (Black-billed) – T.p. scitulus). In ebird you have the option to enter your sighting as Streamertail or Streamertail (Red-billed).
Enjoy the Gallery of Photos below showing presentations of the poster to different agencies and organizations in Jamaica and also a few screen shots from the July 25th poster launch event on zoom. Click on each photo to see it larger and to view as a slide show.
Poster presentation to Mr. Ainsley Henry, CEO & Conservator of Forests at the Jamaican Forestry Dept, by Ricardo Miller, BirdLife Jamaica.
During the webinar launch on zoom, Ricardo Miller explained why the new poster has 31 species.
Poster presentation to Gary Allen, RGR Gleaner Communications Group by Damion Whyte, BirdLife Jamaica.
Birding legend John Fletcher is interviewed by Damion Whyte about his life as a birder and how ornithology and birding has developed in Jamaica over the years.
Poster presentation to Heather Pinnock, Urban Development Corporation, by Damion Whyte, BirdLife Jamaica
Herb Raffaele, keynote speaker, at the poster launch event on Zoom.
Poster presentation to Mrs. Helen Austin, Vice Principal of Charlie Smith High School, by Damion Whyte, BirdLife Jamaica.
Poster presentation to Dr. Tracy Commock, The Director, Natural History Museum of Jamica, Institute of Jamaica by Ricardo Miller, BirdLife Jamaica
Poster presentation to Dr. Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, CEO, Jamaica Environment Trust by Damany Calder, BirdLife Jamaica President.
Poster presentation to Dr. Dwight Robinson, Head of the Dept of Life Sciences, University of the West Indies, by Ricardo Miller, BirdLife Jamaica & NEPA (National Environment and Planning Agency).
Damany Calder, BirdLife Jamaica President, welcomes viewers at launch webinar on Zoom.
Poster presentation to Ms. Shanique Hamilton, Senior Teacher at Denham Town High School, by Damion Whyte, BirdLife Jamaica.
The Bahama Nuthatch is finally declared a full species. Sadly, due to recent hurricanes, it may now be extinct. (photo by Bill Hayes)
The Bahama Nuthatch (Sitta insularis), formerly considered a subspecies of the Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla), has finally been split from the Brown-headed Nuthatch. This elevates the Bahama Nuthatch to a full species, meaning we now have a new Caribbean and Bahamas endemic!
The Bahama Nuthatch was split from the Brown-headed Nuthatch due to research showing differences in vocalizations. The calls of the Bahama Nuthatch are strikingly different from those of the Brown-headed Nuthatch, including a unique, rapid, high “warble.” In addition, there is a weak response of each species to playback of vocalizations of the other species. In other words, each species does not recognize the other as members of the same species. Additionally, there are some physical differences that distinguish the Bahama Nuthatch such as a much darker brown facial stripe, much longer bill, and considerably shorter wings.
Bahamian Biologist, Scott Johnson commented, “After many years and a lot of research, the Bahama Nuthatch has been elevated to full species status (although many of us knew and recognized it as such for a while now). Sadly, we are not sure if it is still alive. Hurricane Dorian destroyed the only place on Grand Bahama where it was found. I will be keeping an eye and ear out for this species during my next trip to GB.”
More surveys are urgently needed. We hope we can still find this incredibly special bird and find a way to bring it back. In the meantime, conserving its pine forest habitat is paramount!
St. Kitts Bullfinch granted full species status
Since it was first described by George Lawrence in 1881, the St. Kitts Bullfinch was considered a sub-species of the Puerto Rican Bullfinch (Milopyrrha portorinsis). This bird, locally known as the St. Kitts Bullfinch (Melopyrrha portoricensis grandis), was living in St. Kitts with a restricted distribution on the upper slopes of Mt. Misery.
However, the AOS have formally amended the status of the St. Kitts bird from a subspecies to a distinct full species, now officially named the St. Kitts Bullfinch (Milopyrrha grandis). This gives St. Kitts its first and only endemic bird! The catch – this bird has been extinct for almost 100 years!
Thanks to a few specimens and a PhD study on this unique bullfinch, the St. Kitt’s Bullfinch was differentiated from the Puerto Rican Bullfinch by a larger size of about 25%, bigger and heavier beak, and differences in coloration. The St. Kitts Bullfinch has consistent black markings on the undertail coverts that the Puerto Rico birds do not have. In addition, the plumage of St. Kitts birds is more glossy black and the throat and upper breast patch is more extended and darker reddish-brown.
What caused the extinction of this species? It’s hypothesized that the St. Kitt’s Bullfinch likely existed with a very restricted range on Mt. Liamuiga. It was thought to be common in the 1890s but when two large hurricanes struck in 1899, the bullfinch disappeared. You can read more about the St. Kitt’s Bullfinch here and here.
Museum specimens showing the marked difference in size between a male St. Kitts Bullfinch (upper) and male Puerto Rican Bullfinch (lower). (photo by Douglas Wechsler)
Mounted specimen of a St. Kitts Bullfinch. (Naturalis Zoology andGeology catalogues)
Other Caribbean taxonomic updates
Additionally, there were a few interesting broader reclassifications published in the AOS Supplement. The Antillean Piculet (Nesoctites micromegas) is reclassified as no longer belonging to the Piculet subfamily. Recent genetic evidence shows that these unique Caribbean picids are more closely related to woodpeckers (subfamily Picinae) than to the smaller South American piculets. However, the Antillean Piculet still lacks some classic woodpecker features such as stiffened rectrices (tail feathers) and adaptations for drilling, making it unique among both piculets and woodpeckers.
Antillean Euphonia, Puerto Rican Subspecies (Photo by Aldredo Irizarry)
Another Caribbean classic, the Antillean Euphonia (Euphonia musica), has been reclassified with the genus name—Chlorophonia musica. Recent genetic analyses have distinguished Antillean Euphonia as well as its cousin, the Elegant Euphonia, as more closely related to the Chlorophonia finches than the Euphonias (all within Family Fringillidae).
Another generic change—Jamaican Owl has been moved from Pseudoscops grammicus to Asio grammicus.
Finally, Crested Caracara (Caracara cherway) and Southern Caracara (Caracara plancus) have been lumped into a single species Caracara plancus.
We are excited to welcome the two new species of endemics to the BirdsCaribbean family, and hope beyond hope that they somehow still survive. Caribbean birds remain understudied and we hope future research will help us solve some other taxonomic mysteries in the Caribbean.
BirdsCaribbean hosted its first Bird Zine (pronounced zeen) Contest during the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival. Now, what is a Zine, you may ask?
A zine is a self-published booklet. Zines tend to be a collage of different images, text, and messages put together by writing, drawing, and/or cutting and gluing content into a booklet. In other words, it’s a hands-on creation utilizing various techniques that showcase informational content. We recognize the value of encouraging this form of expression and acknowledging the talent and knowledge of both novice and experienced birders.
The contest was presented as an opportunity for anyone with a love for birds to dig deep into one of the following topics that fascinates them: Bird Sounds; Bird Flight; Caribbean Endemic Bird Species Spotlight; and Why Caribbean Birds Matter.
We received 33 zines (22 in Spanish and 11 in English) from Barbados, Bonaire, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Trinidad and Tobago. Some zines were handmade while others – like Allison Perkins’ zine about the Blue-headed Quail Dove and Alondra Del Mar Norat Pérez’s zine ‘Get to Know Me – the Puerto Rican Emerald’ – were beautifully made using free online design software.
All zines submitted are worthy of celebration! The unique quality of a zine is how its ability to share an idea/s will differ depending on the context and reader. We honour the work of all the zine creators. They were artistically unique and effective at expanding our knowledge of the bird and topic.
Grand Prize Winners
Adults (16 and older)
Arnaldo Toledo, Cuba, was the winner of our Grand Prize for adults (ages 16 and older). Arnaldo Toledo, Cuba- “Apuntes de campo Carpintero Churroso” (Field Notes Fernandina’s Flicker). Arnaldo’s zine explores the amazing adaptations of a Cuban endemic bird, the Fernandina’s Flicker. He beautifully combines art & science with his exquisite drawings and his deep knowledge of the species. One judge commented, “This zine is beautifully designed and packed with information. It reminds me of artwork I would find in The Naturalist’s Library by Sir Jardine Williams (published in the 19th Century).”
We asked Arnaldo what inspired him to create his zine. He replied, “Woodpeckers are among my favorite birds, they are so active and full of cool adaptations. The Fernandina’s Flicker is special for me, I have spent a lot of time observing it and studying its life. It is a Threatened species that needs all the help we can give it. I had a lot of fun creating the Zine. I was able to draw freely about a topic I love, mixing a lot of art techniques and ideas. My hope was to make anyone who opens my zine interested in our beautiful flicker.”
Children (15 and under)
Dayami Ravelo, Cuba, age 9, created a lovely zine on the topic of Why Caribbean Birds Matter. Dayami Ravelo, Cuba- “Por qué importan las aves del Caribe” (Why Caribbean Birds Matter). Dayami’s zine showcases many Cuban endemic birds and why they are important. It is inspirational to both children and adults. Dayami’s zine received great reviews from the judges. One judge commented, “It is visually appealing with the hand drawn photos of all the birds and landscapes. A lot of effort was put into creating this zine and I am curious to learn more about Cuba’s endemic birds.”
Prizes for Each Age Category
After much deliberation, the judges made their selections in the following age group categories:
Adults (ages 16+)
First Place:1st Beatriz Hernandez, Puerto Rico – “Why Caribbean Birds Matter” Beatriz’ lovely sketches and handwritten information on Todies makes this zine an absolute delight to read. Beatriz was delighted to hear that she was a winner and commented, “I was not only making something, I was learning along the way! Creating the zine was an incredible opportunity to think about how to combine art and words to talk about Why Caribbean Birds Matter. By using the iconic todies, endemic and well represented in the Caribbean, I hope to engage others to learn about the importance of birds in our region as well as ways to protect them and their habitats.”
Winner: 13 to 15 years old: Miguel Alejandro, 13, Cuba – “Por qué importan las aves del Caribe” (Why Caribbean Birds Matter)
Winner: 10 to 12 years old: Luis Yaniel, 10, Cuba – “Vuelos de aves” (Bird flight)
Winner: 7 to 9 years old: Iris Garrido, 9, Cuba – “Tesoro de mi país” (Treasure of My Country)
We would like to express our deepest thanks to everyone who entered their zine; and to the judges, who had the undoubtedly difficult task of reviewing all the zines and selecting the winners.
We invite you to visit our Caribbean Bird Zine Library at this link and below to explore and enjoy the amazing bird zines we received. We would love to see this collection of bird zines grow! Please contact Aliya.Hosein@birdscaribbean.org and info@birdscaribbean.org if you would like to contribute a zine – or two – to our library.
Scott Johnson of the Bahamas National Trust bands a Black-and-white Warbler. Banding birds gives us a picture of what condition birds are in. Together with surveys and tracking birds, these monitoring tools can help fill the knowledge gaps we have about landbirds in the Caribbean. (photo by Giselle Dean)
BirdsCaribbean is excited to announce that we were recently awarded a Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) Grant! With the help of matching funds from our partners, we were awarded US$200,000 to implement a project that will increase capacity to monitor landbirds in the Caribbean!
So the next step, of course, is landbirds! Landbirds spend the majority of their lives over land, and include birds like parrots, hummingbirds, songbirds, woodpeckers, todies, and raptors. Many landbird species are declining, including our resident and endemic birds, as well as over 100 migratory species. Monitoring is essential to filling gaps in our knowledge about the status, trends, and habitat use of their populations.
Our new Landbird Monitoring project will increase capacity to monitor landbirds in the Caribbean using three different, yet complementary, monitoring tools: standardized surveys, bird banding, and the Motus Wildlife Tracking System.
Caribbean Landbird Monitoring (CLM) Network
A group carries out a bird survey in Adelaide, The Bahamas, at a past BirdsCaribbean Workshop. Using standardized monitoring protocols means we can compare data from different places and observers and helps build a better picture of how birds are doing. (Photo by Deb Reynolds)
Currently, there is not a standardized set of protocols for observing and recording landbirds in the Caribbean. The Programa de América Latina para las Aves Silvestres (PROALAS) Manual was developed in Latin America, and was designed specifically with the tropics in mind. We plan to further adapt these protocols to fit our unique Caribbean ecosystems. The multi-level survey protocols in the manual also incorporate the use of eBird, which will help us get a more complete picture of how our Caribbean birds are faring! Standardized surveys are one of the best ways to monitor landbirds, and entering survey data into eBird ensures its longevity.
These standard protocols will be made available as soon as they are ready, and we will be offering several training workshops to our Caribbean colleagues to get hands-on experience using them.
Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) Network
Carefully measuring and banding a Broad-billed Tody in the Dominican Republic. Bird banding can provide extra information about birds, like body condition and survival rates, that surveys cannot provide. (Photo by Holly Garrod)
Bird banding is a monitoring technique used throughout the world to gain valuable demographic and health information from birds in the hand. While surveys give us a broader picture of landbird communities, banding gives us deeper insights into how these birds are doing, allowing for assessments of body condition, survival, and more. Birds are captured and given bands with unique identifying numbers so they’ll be recognized if they are captured again, no matter where they travel to. There are several ongoing and pending bird banding operations in the Caribbean, and we are hoping to unite them under the Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) Network!
As part of the CBB Network, we will create Caribbean bird bands and distribute them to permitted and qualified banders in the region. Our system will be similar to the USGS system, which no longer distributes bands outside of the U.S. Our bands will be stamped with contact information so that anyone can report a bird band or banded bird they find. The banding network will also include a database so that banding data can be collected consistently across the islands, and compiled to easily find recaptured birds.
Joining the network will connect banders to the other banding operations throughout the Caribbean, enabling them to discuss, share information, and learn about topics like banding techniques and molt patterns. NMBCA funding will allow us to develop the CBB Network and also offer training workshops and internships so people can learn how to band birds and improve their banding techniques.
CLICK ON EACH PHOTO BELOW TO VIEW LARGER.
A Bahama Warbler in the hand during banding. (Photo by Scott Johnson)
Banding a Broad-billed Tody in the Dominican Republic.
Black-throated Blue Warbler during banding in the Dominican Republic (Photo by Holly Garrod).
Motus Wildlife Tracking in the Caribbean
The Cape May Warbler is a declining landbird that winters in the Caribbean; increased monitoring will help fill gaps in knowledge of the species. (Photo by Hemant Kishan)
Motus (Latin for movement) is a collaborative research network managed by Birds Canada that allows us to better understand bird migration patterns. The powerful tracking technology uses automated radio telemetry stations to detect tagged birds (and other small flying animals like bats and insects) as they move across the landscape.
Motus stations have been popping up all over the Eastern U.S. and Canada, and the network is starting to expand in Central and South America. The Caribbean is one of the remaining empty gaps in the network – but that’s soon to change! Thanks to NMBCA, we now have enough funding to put Motus stations on multiple Caribbean islands and train local conservation groups to help maintain them! We’re also going to tag some of our shared migratory birds on their Caribbean wintering grounds to get a better sense of where exactly they migrate to.
In addition to the Motus component of our Landbird Monitoring project, we’ve accelerated our efforts to expand the network in the Caribbean through our Caribbean Motus Collaboration. Special thanks to everyone who participated and donated to this initiative during our Global Big Day campaign!
Thank you!
We are very excited to officially launch our Caribbean Landbird Monitoring project in partnership with our widespread collaborators! We look forward to working with you!
If you are interested in getting involved, be sure to join our BirdsCaribbean Monitoring Working Group listserv to receive updates and learn about upcoming training workshops and other opportunities. Simply send an email to MonitoringWG+subscribe@BirdsCaribbean.groups.io (Note: this will also subscribe your email address to our main BirdsCaribbean listserv).
Binkie takes kids birding at a nearby sports field. It did not long for the kids to become hooked on birds!
Binkie van Es shares his experience of working with disadvantaged youth in Sint Maarten—introducing them to birds and science through the BirdSleuth Caribbean education program. Was he successful in getting kids interested in birds? Read on to find out!
In 2014 BirdsCaribbean provided me with training to their BirdSleuth Caribbean Education Program. The training venue for the 3-day workshop was in the beautiful Retreat Garden at the Bahamas National Trust in Nassau. I will never forget how I was introduced into a wonderful new world that will be with me the rest of my life. Birding has never been the same since that week.
From the very first training day I was hooked on the program. I enjoyed every aspect of it.
For those of you that are not familiar with BirdSleuth, it is a program geared to young people. It teaches the life cycle of birds, the challenges birds face, their importance for us, and human influences (both positive and negative) on birds. The goal is to reconnect children with nature – and birds.
The program is set up as a classroom curriculum, but is extremely easy to adapt to other settings. Separate sections can be taught outdoors and during daytime events. With a bit of creativity, “birdsleuthing” can take place off grid. Over the years, I have used BirdSleuth in different ways – whether it is training educators, or teaching children in class myself.
How is the BirdSleuth program received? This varies, depending on the group. The greatest challenge is to get it introduced into school curriculums. The teachers are willing, but school boards are not so keen. The best memories, and greatest successes, have been working with children directly.
Bird feeders in the outdoor classroom in Sint Maarten, part of the Player Development Foundation’s afterschool program for youth that now includes bird watching!
In the summer of 2020, I started working with an afterschool program in Sint Maarten, called Player Development Foundation. This foundation had evolved from a sports activity/ baseball little league to after-school experience-based education. The ages of the children range from 6 – 14 years; they come from difficult backgrounds, many with broken families and living in poverty.
I started visiting them one afternoon per week to teach them about birds. Using BirdSleuth Caribbean, they learn about nature, how to help keep our environment healthy, and how they can learn from bird behavior.
In the first lesson I introduced myself and started talking with them about birds, to find out what they already knew. Importantly, I made them realize that they knew more than they thought they did.
Over the course of several weeks, I taught these children how to use binoculars. They got to see birds close up for the first time in their lives and they were mesmerized.
We also made their location more bird-friendly, installing bird feeders (including feeders the kids made themselves), and attracting an ever-growing variety of birds into their outdoor classroom. Now, they get to see Bananaquits, Black-Faced Grassquits, Bullfinches, Carib Grackles, Pearly-Eyed Thrashers, and Zenaida Doves on a daily basis.
Then the community where they all live became a COVID hotspot, and their coach advised me to stay away until the risk was manageable again. They had to shut down twice for a fortnight because of exposure to the virus.
Nevertheless, the children had become thoroughly hooked on bird watching by that time. They continued to observe the feeders and study the bird’s behavior. Whenever they spotted a bird that they could not name, they would send me a picture for identification. On a weekly basis, the coach would post pictures of their bird adventures on Facebook.
Then the most amazing thing happened. The children were asked by the local newspaper if they were willing to write about the birds in their classroom, and willing they were!!!
A bully bird at the feeders – Find out what happened to the quesadilla!
So far, they have published three newspaper articles. Each story covers one bird species—the first one was on Bananaquits, the second on Carib Grackles, and third about Pearly-Eyed Thrashers.
The children are amazing. They observe carefully and they work hard on their research, although they only have access to one laptop with internet access. They observed, for example, the pecking order between the various species and between male and female birds.
I must admit that the children are better story tellers than I am, and the only help they got from their teacher was with grammar.
If you work with children or are planning to work with them, please consider the BirdSleuth Caribbean program if you are not using it already. It will open up a wonderful new world for you also.
A week after writing this blog post, I will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and am already planning my return to the children, who in turn, are also excited to hear that I am coming back to them to continue their bird education.
I extend gratitude to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for developing BirdSleuth and would like to thank BirdsCaribbean for adapting the program for the Caribbean, for introducing me to it and providing all the teaching materials and binoculars. I appreciate all the children and adults who have so far been willing to be taught by me. Most of all, I extend my appreciation to Lisa Sorensen at BirdsCaribbean, who kept me motivated with her boundless energy, and who gave me this new, very rewarding, purpose in life.
By Cornelis “Binkie” van Es is retired from his career in sales and now working full-time on his second “career” as a bird educator, volunteer for several environmental non-profits, and bird tour guide on Sint Maarten/ St. Martin. He is a certified Bird Guide with BirdsCaribbean’s Caribbean Birding Trail program. Do visit this wonderful island – you’ll have the best time birding with Binkie!
BirdsCaribbean thanks the US Fish and Wildlife Service, NMBCA (Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act) Program, and our members and generous donors for funding support for our BirdSleuth Caribbean program. We also thank Jennifer Fee and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology for their partnership and assistance.
Happy World Rainforest Day! We want to take today to appreciate some of the Caribbean’s beautiful tropical forests and the unique birds residing within them, as well as provide you with some tips to help conserve the world’s rainforests.
Did you know that the poop of these birds helps keeps these forests growing? Birds are some of the most important seed dispersers, especially in the Caribbean where many of the typical tropical mammals such as monkeys and peccaries are lacking. As birds fly around the forest eating many a tropical fruit, they poop out the seeds, planting many future plants. Some studies have even used birds to help reforest areas using perches and feeders to encourage extra pooping!
The biggest rainforest in the Caribbean is the El Yunque Forest in Puerto Rico. Several years ago this forest took a hard hit during Hurricane Maria. Many of the Caribbean rainforests are actually adapted to the annual hurricane season, tropical plants such as Cecropias are some of the first recolonizers. But climate change has made recent hurricanes far more destructive than many rainforests are accustomed to.
Only 25% of the rainforest remains in the Caribbean. And with continuous destruction for agriculture and growing development we might continue to lose the lush, tropical hills of the Caribbean.
Take a look at our infographic for some ideas on how you can make some of your daily habits more rainforest friendly. Feel free to download and share with others!
Are you an experienced marketing and communications professional? Do you want to help us tell the world how amazing Caribbean birds are and why we should protect them? Then consider joining our team!
Position Overview: The Communications Manager oversees communications, marketing, and public relations efforts to raise awareness and support for BirdsCaribbean’s mission, projects, and programs. This role will provide strategic and tactical guidance to BirdsCaribbean to help our organization communicate effectively with our partners, members, and donors, and build awareness and engagement around our various programs. This position will work in close collaboration with the Executive Director of BirdsCaribbean and other staff, including members of our Fundraising, Media, Education, and Program Committees. This is a full-time employee or contractor position with benefits and can be worked remotely from any location. Caribbean nationals residing within the Caribbean are strongly encouraged to apply.
Key Responsibilities:
Overseeing BirdsCaribbean’s external communications with members, partners, donors, the public, and media sources
Overseeing all content creation and messaging, as well as online engagement growth, including:
Overseeing and developing materials to convey the organization’s mission and work
Keeping our website up-to-date with organizational news, events, and educational resources for our partners and members/followers
Managing and helping to create content for our social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube) together with our small team
Producing and overseeing all printed and digital marketing, promotional, and educational materials (e.g., one pagers, brochures, reports, promotional graphics for upcoming events, e.g., bird festivals, conferences, training workshops, webinars, contests, etc.), including graphic design needs
Executing clear and engaging copywriting for emails, blogs, press releases, and other promotional materials; coordinating and editing the work of other authors on our team
Drafting and sending out our monthly newsletter, and other email communications with members, donors, partners, etc.
Editing and approving press releases, articles, graphics, announcements, etc.
Helping to develop and manage fundraising and membership campaigns
Analyzing and documenting the effectiveness of all executed marketing and communications
Managing a calendar of organizational priorities and weekly tasks for internal coordination with the team
Managing photography and videography needs for events (e.g., conferences), activities, online, and print publications, as well as social media
Ensuring consistency of messaging across all marketing and communications channels to convey the organization’s brand, mission, vision, and values
Working in partnership with the Executive Director, and Fundraising, Media, Education, and Program Committees
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in marketing, communications, public relations, journalism, or a related field strongly preferred
Qualifications:
Minimum of 5 to 7 years of demonstrated experience in marketing/communications/public relations, including marketing and managing communications across a diverse set of platforms
Outstanding writing, editing, and proofreading skills; understanding of science grammar is a plus
Graphic design skills – Adobe Creative Suite and Canva strongly preferred
High proficiency with MS Office and WordPress strongly preferred
Advanced proficiency with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube
Ability to prepare and edit audiovisual materials (including videos) for social media posts or brand content
Knowledge of the media industry and ability to stay on top of market changes and relevant media opportunities
A passion and curiosity for environmental science and conservation in the Caribbean; strong interest and/or experience with Caribbean birds or ornithology/ecology is a plus
Strong attention to detail and the desire to deliver high-quality work without exceptions
Ability to prioritize tasks, simultaneously manage multiple projects, and set/meet deadlines
Capacity to oversee a small team that develops communications and educational content
Self-motivated, detail-oriented, focused, and ambitious; creative and innovative thinking
Professional demeanor, team player, and a consistent positive attitude
A reliable internet connection that supports Zoom video meetings without a problem
Ability to communicate professionally and respectfully with a highly diverse audience
Desired Knowledge and Experience:
Experience or working knowledge of Caribbean birds and environmental conservation issues
Experience with non-profit communications, marketing, and fundraising strongly preferred
Excellent oral communications skills
Professional working proficiency in Spanish and/or French language
Familiarity with Mailchimp
This is a full-time (40 hours/week) position that will require the flexibility to be available outside of normal working hours (i.e., 9am – 5pm) in certain cases, depending on the timing of specific deliverables and project deadlines. Pay will be commensurate with experience and local wage/cost-of-living considerations, and a benefits package will be developed in consultation with the candidate.
Interested applicants should send an email to Lisa Sorenson (Lisa.Sorenson@BirdsCaribbean.org) and Adrianne Tossas (Adrianne.Tossas@BirdsCaribbean.org) with the subject line reading “Communications Manager Application.” Within the email, please include the following:
– Briefly introduce yourself
– Attach a cover letter (1 page or less) that expresses why you are interested in this position and summarizes your qualifications and experience
– Attach a current copy of your resume
– Include a compilation of any of the following of your work: newsletter or blog articles, public relations or promotional materials, and/or social media posts that you have written
Application period: June 21, 2021 to July 31, 2021
About Us: BirdsCaribbean (BC) is a vibrant international network of members and partners committed to conserving Caribbean birds and their habitats in the insular Caribbean (including Bermuda, the Bahamas, and all islands within the Caribbean basin). Our mission is to raise awareness, promote sound science, and empower local partners to build a region where people appreciate, conserve, and benefit from thriving bird populations and ecosystems. We are a non-profit membership organization based in the U.S. With 33 years of experience, BirdsCaribbean has built an extensive and active network of more than 60 partners across 31 countries, which include environmental organizations, government agencies, institutions, businesses, tour guides, educators, and individuals.
BirdsCaribbean is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. BirdsCaribbean makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.
Wilson’s Plover parent and two downy chicks. This species breeds on beaches and in mangrove areas in the Caribbean. (photo by R. J. Wiley)
It’s beach season! That means vacationers, boaters, photographers, and beach-lovers will be heading to the seashore to enjoy the water and beat the heat. But remember this is also the time when shorebirds are nesting and raising their adorably fluffy chicks. These shorebirds have travelled very long distances and we want to reduce the additional challenges that they face upon reaching our shores.
Eggs and chicks are at risk of being crushed or trampled over because these fluffy little beach bumblers have a knack for blending in. You will definitely want to double or even triple check where you set down your beach chairs, umbrellas, bags, and coolers. Vulnerable young birds and adults can be stressed or killed by predators when they are flushed from their areas. Some adult birds may abandon their nests altogether!
Here are some easy tips for sharing the shore with shorebirds this summer and making your trip more enjoyable:
Watch your distance. Sure these birds know how to camouflage but if you do find a nest, give them space, at least 100 feet. Getting too close can alarm the parents causing them to use precious energy in nest defense behavior that would have been used to forage for food. Some parents will do a broken wing display – where they may appear injured by dragging their wing along the ground. If you see this, the bird is likely fine and just trying to distract you from a nearby nest! Walk away and give these birds space.
Respect posted areas. Do not wander into roped-off or fenced-in areas where birds are nesting.
Never force birds to fly! These birds spent a lot of energy arriving here—shorebirds and seabirds make some of the most impressive migrations! Don’t chase these little beach runners.
Keep pets away from nesting areas. Even the most well trained dogs can be tempted to chase birds. They also do not know that these birds need space to comfortably nest. It is therefore always best to keep your pets on a leash near nesting sites.
Help keep the beach clean. Seabirds and shorebirds have some of the highest ingestion rates of plastic – help those little fluffs get the proper nutrition they need by using bins, if provided, or taking a garbage bag with you to the beach.
Do not feed the wildlife. Growing fluff balls have specific nutrition requirements that only parents can provide.
Spread the word! If you see people disturbing nesting shorebirds, gently remind them that shorebirds’ survival depends on our actions. Some areas even have hotlines to report offenders.
Together we can share the beach and give shorebirds and their adorable growing fluffs the best chance of survival!
Here is an infographic that you can use to encourage others to #ShareTheShore this beach season:
There will be many different species nesting on the shores, but they have similar behaviors and reactions to being disturbed. Here are some notable shore-nesting birds in the Caribbean and the US.
American Oystercatcher with two chicks (photo by J. Gray)
Black-necked Stilt with four chicks. (photo by Rick Evets)
Killdeer performing a broken wing act to lure potential predators away from its nest.
This young Killdeer chick is growing its characteristic black breast band. (photo by Dave Irving)
Piping Plover downy chick, vulnerable to predators and people as it blends in perfectly with its sandy environment. (photo by Dave Irving)
Respect posted protected areas for shorebird or seabird nesting. (photo by Erika Gates)
This Snowy Plover chick and egg blend in perfectly with the sandy beach substrate. (photo by Antonio Ros)
Snowy Plover chick running on the sand. Shorebird chicks are precocial, meaning they are born with downy feathers and can walk and feed themselves soon after they hatch. (photo by Hartmut Walter)
Wilson’s Plover nest in the Bahamas. Most shorebird species nests are a simple scrape in the ground, lined with a few shells and rocks. (photo by M. Zdravkovic)
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Hispaniolan Oriole
One of its Dominican names is “Platano Maduro.” In Haiti, people call it the “Bananann mí.” These local names for the Hispaniolan Oriole mean “Ripe Plantain” because of its black and yellow colors, as well as the mottled appearance of juveniles – and because it is quite long and slender, just like a plantain (20 to 22 cm). In the DR it is also called “Cigua Canaria.”
Indeed, this handsome, conspicuous jet-black bird with bright yellow shoulders, rump and lower belly is a real find! It is not a common bird, restricted to more remote areas. But when you see it, it really stands out, whether it is feeding on orange maguey (agave) flowers, flying across open fields, or perched on trees in open woodlands or treelines
The Hispaniolan Oriole mostly feeds on nectar, fruit, and other flowers, but it can also be found searching for insects under palm fronds. These fronds are also where it attaches its nest, a shallow basket woven of palm fibers. The oriole’s song is an jumble of squeaky and metallic notes and whistles. Its calls include a sharp “check” and scratchy sounding “jrrrt.”
The Hispaniolan Oriole is found in a variety of habitats island-wide: in highland forests of the Central Mountain range in the Dominican Republic, in shade coffee and fruit plantations in the foothills of San José de Ocoa, and also at sea level where there are palms including Las Dunas de Baní, the beaches of Miches and Punta Cana, Los Haitises National Park, and on offshore islands like Saona. It is regularly seen in the Puerto Escondido Valley on the north slope of the Sierra de Bahoruco, where abundant ficus trees and maguey provide food.
Although listed as “Least Concern” by the IUCN, the population may be declining due to loss of habitat caused by increased agricultural activities in its favored habitat. Another threat is the increasing numbers of the invasive Shiny Cowbirds, brood parasites who lay their eggs in the oriole’s nests, displacing the oriole’s eggs. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Hispaniolan Oriole
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Hispaniolan Oriole
The song of the Hispaniolan Oriole is a jumble of squeaky and metallic notes and whistles. Calls include a scratchy sounding “jrrrt” and metallic “zhwee.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
The Hispaniolan Oriole is scarce but found in a wide variety of habitats, from highland forests to coffee and fruit plantations to gardens, as well at beaches and on offshore islands. (Photo by Dax Roman)Hispaniolan Orioles are decreasing due to its preferred habitats being lost through increased agricultural activities and by increased numbers of Shiny Cowbirds who lay their eggs in the oriole’s nests, displacing the oriole’s eggs. (Photo by Jay McGowan)Hispaniolan Orioles mainly feed on nectar, fruit, and flowers, but also can be found searching for insects under palm fronds (Photo by Alberto Rojas)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: How much can you remember about the birds we have featured during the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival 2021? Test your memory of your newly gained knowledge of these wonderful birds with our 2021 Caribbean Endemic Bird Quiz! Today we have Part Two of a two-part bird trivia quiz. Try to answer all the questions without checking back to our posts or looking up the answers online or in your bird guides! But just in case you do get stuck you or if you want to do some studying before you try the quiz you can read about all our featured endemic birds here or take a browse on ebird. Did you miss Part One of our quiz? You can find it here.
There are two different ways for you to try tackling our bird-themed questions. You can download a fun and interactive version of the quiz as a PowerPoint file here. If you don’t have PowerPoint you can also open the quiz in google slides here. Read the instructions (given before the questions start) carefully and remember to view the quiz in presentation / slide show mode to play interactively! OR if want to, you can download a pdf version of the quiz here, as printable question sheets. An answer sheet to go with this is available here, but don’t look till you’ve tired to answer all the questions! This is a great activity to try by yourself or with a group of friends and family, either in person or online! If you play in a group remember to designate one person as the ‘host’ who will read the questions, keep score and give the correct answers (if you play with the printable version). Have fun!
Who remembered the most? Which team got highest score over the two parts of the quiz? Who can claim the title of Caribbean endemic bird expert 2021? !
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Green-throated Carib
A flash of emerald zips through the forest — could it be a Green-throated Carib (Eulampis holosericeus)? This is a large bird by hummingbird standards (10.5-12 cm, 4.9-7.8 g), characterized by its slightly down-curved bill, and bright green, iridescent head, back, and throat. As with other birds with iridescent feathers, its black belly and brilliant violet-blue breast band can be hard to see in poor light, and its dark blue tail may sometimes look black in color. Look for the “fan” created by its wide tail feathers. Males and females are similar, but the female’s bill is a little longer and more down-curved, and she is slightly less colorful.
The Green-throated Carib can be found in highlands and lowlands, in gardens, parks, and forests. Its entire range is in eastern Puerto Rico (primarily in coastal areas), the Virgin Islands, and the Lesser Antilles. Like other hummingbird species, it loves to feed on nectar, as well as small invertebrates like flies, small wasps, and beetles. Like the Purple-throated Carib, males and females of the Green-throated Carib may feed on different flowers, judging from the differences in their bill lengths. You may hear a sharp chewp and a short tsip, which it repeats rapidly when upset – and whirring wings!
This species nests from March to July, and both sexes aggressively defend their feeding territories. Hummingbirds are good home-builders, and the Green-throated Carib’s nest is cozy. The female – who does all of the work during breeding season – builds a cup-shaped nest lined with soft plant fibers, and camouflages it with tree bark and lichens to hide it from predators. She lays 2-3 tiny white eggs, which she incubates for 17-19 days. After feeding the nestlings for 20-22 days, they will follow her around for several weeks after fledging. A mother’s work is never done!
The Green-throated Carib is common through most of its range, and is considered “Least Concern” by the IUCN. It seems to adapt well to humans’ presence. However, we need to find out how its movements are affected by habitat fragmentation created by development. We still have a lot to learn about this bird in order to ensure it continues to thrive. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Green-throated Carib
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Green-throated Carib
The calls of the Green-throated Carib include a mix of twittering noises and a “chewp” 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!
The Green-throated Carib is characterized by its slightly down-curved bill, and bright green, iridescent head, back, and throat. Males and females may specialize in feeding on different flowers, due to the differences in their bill lengths (Photo by Dave Wendelken)Green-throated Carib. Like other hummingbird species, it loves to feed on nectar, as well as small invertebrates like flies, small wasps, and beetles. (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)Both male and female Green-throated Caribs will aggressively defend their feeding territories. But during the breeding season the female does all of the work, including building the lichen-covered cup-shaped nest in which she lays 2-3 tiny white eggs (Photo by Guillermo Plaza)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: How much can you remember about the birds we have featured during the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival 2021? Test your memory of your newly gained knowledge of these wonderful birds with our 2021 Caribbean Endemic Bird Quiz! Today we have Part One of a two-part bird trivia quiz. Try to answer all the questions without checking back to our posts or looking up the answers online or in your bird guides! But just in case you do get stuck you or if you want to do some studying before you try the quiz you can read about all our featured endemic birds here or take a browse on ebird.
There are two different ways for you to try tackling our bird-themed questions. You can download a fun and interactive version of the quiz as a PowerPoint file here. If you don’t have PowerPoint you can also open the quiz in google slides here. Read the instructions (given before the questions start) carefully and remember to view the quiz in presentation / slide show mode to play interactively! OR if want to, you can download a pdf version of the quiz here, as printable question sheets. An answer sheet to go with this is available here, but don’t look till you’ve tired to answer all the questions! This is a great activity to try by yourself or with a group of friends and family, either in person or online! If you play in a group remember to designate one person as the ‘host’ who will read the questions, keep score and give the correct answers (if you play with the printable version).
See how many you can get right and remember to have fun!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Greater Antillean Grackle
This noisy bird is quite an extrovert. Not at all shy, the Greater Antillean Grackle is a clever bird, quickly adapting and modifying its behavior based on the circumstances. It is quite comfortable in heavily disturbed habitats or areas with high human activity – such as outdoor restaurants – where it can become quite a nuisance, trying to steal humans’ food!
Did you know that there are seven sub-species of the Greater Antillean Grackle? Endemic to the Greater Antilles, this is a common bird found on Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, and adjacent offshore islands.
Ranging in size from 10-12 inches long, this raucous bird has glossy, metallic-blue to violet-black plumage over its entire body, a yellow iris, and an unusual keel-shaped tail which is often held fanned open in flight. Locally referred to as Chango, Cling-cling or variations of this name, it makes its presence known with a distinct 4-syllable song “cling cling clii-ing” that sounds like a rusty hinge. It also gives musical notes, a sharp “cluck,” and wheezy gasps. It has no difficulty expressing itself, in its vocalisations and flamboyant behavior.
The slightly smaller females lay 3-5 eggs, which are incubated for about two weeks. Juveniles fledge after 23-25 days and resemble the adult, except they have shorter tails and lack iridescent coloring. Nesting and roosting occurs in a colony in mangroves, trees, or reeds and often near a water source. For some reason, this bird also likes to roost on power plants. It truly loves water, and can often be seen splashing around in bird baths in the rain!
Using its strong pointed bill, it forages mostly on the ground, eating pretty much anything that they can fit into their beaks. This includes fruits, plants, small vertebrates, invertebrates, and human food scraps.
The Greater Antillean Grackle is classified as Least Concern. Common threats to this species would include deforestation of its nesting and roosting habitats due to the clearing of land for development. Designating specific areas as wildlife reserves would help to combat this issue .Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Greater Antillean Grackle
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Greater Antillean Grackle
The song of the Greater Antillean Grackle a metallic 4-syllable song “cling cling clii-ing” that sounds like a rusty hinge. It also gives musical notes, a sharp “cluck,” and wheezy gasps.
Puzzle of the Day
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!
Greater Antillean Grackle (Photo by Hartmut Walter)Greater Antillean Grackle (Photo by Alberto Estafanía)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Get out your colouring pencils, pens, or paints and get ready to be creative with our “My Caribbean Bird” art activity! Choose your favourite endemic Caribbean bird and draw or paint its portrait. You can download our colourful feather frame and get started. Not sure which bird you want to draw? Or want to check where your bird lives or what its call is? Check back to all our featured Caribbean endemic birds here. OR let you imagination run wild and create your very own imaginary endemic bird using other endemic Caribbean birds as your inspiration! Have fun making up a name for your ‘new’ Caribbean endemic bird! Where do you think your imaginary bird might live? And what sound does it make?
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: What does the Greater Antillean Grackle have to do with James Bond? Find out here in this blog post by Jim Wright – all about Bond, Fleming and Kling-klings! (the local name for Greater Antillean in Jamaica).
Enjoy these videos of Greater Antillean Grackles! The first video shows a handsome glossy blue-black adult bird, perched on a branch. In the second you can see another adult, filmed in a tree in the Dominican Republic. You can also hear this bird’s distinctive call in this video.
We are excited to announce that the David S. Lee Fund for the Conservation of Caribbean Birds will fund 9 projects in 2021! In the previous 4 years (2016-2020), the fund has provided assistance for 15 projects in 6 countries for work on dozens of species in the Caribbean.
This fund was created by generous donations from the family, friends, and collaborators of David S. Lee to continue his inspiring legacy of conservation in the Caribbean. You can help us to continue supporting these invaluable projects by making a donation here.
Congratulations to these exemplary researchers, and we look forward to hearing about your results in future blog articles and publications!
Investigating variation in cooperative breeding behavior between Puerto Rican Tody populations
Amber Wendler, Virginia Tech
Cooperative breeding occurs when some individuals, known as “helpers,” assist with raising their siblings, rather than reproducing themselves. This breeding strategy is used by many bird species, including the Puerto Rican Tody (Todus mexicanus). However, only some individuals of this species breed cooperatively, and differences are thought to be linked to habitat. Amber’s research will examine how the Tody’s cooperative breeding behavior differs in rainforest and dry forest habitats. By increasing our understanding of the Tody’s natural history, her work can help manage and conserve this endemic species.
Territory use of the Critically Endangered Bahama Oriole across the annual cycle
Michelle Moyer, University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)
The Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi) is a Critically Endangered species that is found only on Andros Island in The Bahamas. Thanks to recent work by the Bahama Oriole Project — a collaboration between UMBC and the Bahamas National Trust (BNT)— we have learned a lot about this species’ breeding habitat, including that it uses the native pine forest much more than previously thought. However, it is unknown how Orioles use the pine forest and other habitats outside of the breeding season. Using tiny, solar-powered transmitters (CTT Life Tags™ ), which will be attached to Orioles and detected by a central receiver (CTT Node), Michelle will track their movements throughout the full annual cycle. The results of her research will inform BNT’s conservation management strategies for the Oriole.
Caribbean psittacines as indirect controllers of ecosystem dynamics through commensal feeding associations and ecosystem engineering
Damion Whyte, University of the West Indies at Mona
Parrots and parakeets are notorious for not finishing the fruits that they open. As a result, they are often viewed as wasteful pests, and are feared by farmers. However, we do not have a great understanding of the impacts that this behavior can have on the local ecosystem, such as providing easier access to the fruit by other species and dispersing seeds. Damion’s research will quantify the ecosystem-wide effects of foraging by parrots and parakeets on the island of Curacao. Using observations and camera-traps, he will identify which species visit fruit that has been opened by, and how their behaviors vary. By providing insight into these species interactions, his work will support bird conservation and management in protected areas.
Pre-reproductive survival, movements, and habitat use of the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus) in Southwestern Puerto Rico
Jean P. Gonzalez Crespo, University of Wisconsin
The Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus) is an Endangered species that is endemic to Puerto Rico. Although conservation measures such as artificial nesting structures increased the reproductive success of this species, populations have continued to decline. Using CTT Life Tag™ transmitters Jean will track Blackbirds after they fledge from the nest and estimate their survival during this critical period. His work will help local and federal agencies determine whether survival rates before breeding are contributing to population declines, and identify the factors that influence survival.
Establishing a long-term banding program for migratory birds in Isla Contoy National Park, Mexico
Jonathan Nochebuena Jaramillo, Estación de Anillamiento Parque Nacional Isla Contoy
Isla Contoy National Park (PNIC) is a small Caribbean island (238 hectares) near the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The island is an important site for many migratory birds to rest and refuel on their long journeys between North, Central, and South America. In 2019, Jonathan personally initiated a banding program in PNIC. He will continue and expand this program to document and spread awareness of the importance of the island for a wide diversity of birds, and provide information to conserve birds and their habitats on the island.
Understanding nestling diet composition of Roseate Terns (Sterna dougallii) through fecal DNA Metabarcoding
Luis Ramos, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
Environmental changes such as rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification pose many threats to seabirds and the marine food sources that they depend on. The Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii ) is a species of conservation concern in the Caribbean, including in Puerto Rico. Yet we know little about foraging behavior, ecology, and population trends of this species. Luis’s research will use an advanced molecular method (DNA metabarcoding) to assess the diet composition of chicks in Tern populations on the southern and northern coasts of Puerto Rico. His work will identify the fish and other prey that are available to Terns in different colonies, and advance our understanding of DNA metabarcoding as an important biomonitoring tool.
Evaluating the effects of greening actions on avian diversity on tropical urban landscapes
Julissa Irizarry, Penn State University
Expansion of urban areas contributes to loss and fragmentation of habitats across the globe. These drastic landscape changes can negatively impact biodiversity, especially on islands. Large-scale tree planting efforts, such as those planned in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, have the potential to increase the suitability of urban areas for native wildlife. Julissa’s project will investigate the benefits of urban reforestation for resident and migratory birds. Using an experimental approach, she will compare how birds use newly planted trees—“functional” tree species that are known to be important for foraging and “structural” plants that are traditionally used for landscaping. Her work will inform best practices for implementing urban greening projects in order to maximize conservation benefits.
Current status of the breeding colonies of Red-footed Booby, Brown Booby, and Masked Booby in Los Roques Archipelago, Venezuela
Los Roques Archipelago National Park is in the Caribbean Sea 130 km north of Venezuela. It has 42 islets and 200 sandbanks arranged around an internal lagoon. It is home to all the typical ecosystems of tropical maritime and coastal areas: sandy beaches, coral formations, salt and brackish water lagoons, seagrass meadows, and mangroves. This archipelago was declared a National Park in 1972, and its Use Regulation and Management Plan was finalized in 1990. Los Roques is home to a great diversity of seabirds and is a priority area for conservation. Conserving seabirds in the Caribbean is essential, as their numbers have been decreasing over time. Documenting their status and trends is needed to develop conservation plans. Two species of boobies have breeding colonies in Los Roques: Red-footed Booby and Brown Booby. Masked Booby’s presence has been documented, but their reproduction has not been confirmed. 20 years have passed since the last assessment of the population of seabirds in the Los Roques Archipelago. Since then there have been many political, economic and environmental changes in Venezuela—changes that may put the Los Roques Archipelago and the booby colonies at risk. We propose to survey and evaluate the reproductive colonies of boobies in 4 keys of the archipelago. We will also explore other cays to look for confirmation of breeding activity. We will integrate the local “Roqueños” communities in the censuses and outreach activities.
Population dynamics, conservation and management of the American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) on Margarita Island, Venezuela
Anahy Marcano , INPARQUES / AveZona / PAAVe
Venezuela has about 38% of the total population of American Flamingos, Phoenicopterus ruber. It is considered a resident species on the Isla de Margarita in Venezuela. Although its population has shown variations in size and distribution, historically, American Flamingos have been observed on the Isla de Margarita since the beginning of the last century. Recently, a new flamingo nesting area has been identified on Margarita Island in the Laguna de las Marites Natural Monument. However, its population status is unknown and currently there is no plan for its conservation and management. As the first stage of this project we will estimate the size of the breeding population, the reproductive success, and the demographic parameters in two of the nine areas occupied by the American Flamingos on Margarita Island, las Marites Lake Natural Monument and La Restinga National Park. Visual observations will be conducted from a safe distance so as not to disturb the breeding areas. After the breeding season, the area used for the nests will be evaluated. As part of this project, we will involve local communities in the censuses and an educational campaign will be established.
The David S. Lee Fund for Conservation seeks to continue David’s passion for protecting wildlife. The fund supports direct, innovative conservation work in the Caribbean Region for birds and their habitats. The fund is managed by BirdsCaribbean and used for annual small grants. We are grateful to all those who have supported the fund, and also to our David S. Lee Fund Review Committee who carefully reviews proposals each year and makes recommendations on funding.
You can you help us to continue to fund invaluable research to conserve Caribbean birds by making a gift to the fund.
If you prefer to donate with a check, please make the check out to “BirdsCaribbean” and in the memo section, note that it is for the David S. Lee Fund. If you have questions or to make other arrangements for donating, please feel free to contact Jennifer Wheeler, BirdsCaribbean Financial Officer (jennifer.wheeler@birdscaribbean.org)
Checks can be mailed to: BirdsCaribbean, 841 Worcester St. #130, Natick, MA 01760-2076
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Bahama Warbler
Wandering through the pinelands of the northern Bahamas (specifically, the islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco), you might be lucky enough to come upon the charming Bahama Warbler (Setophaga flavescens). The male has a bright yellow throat, breast, and underparts with black stripes on his sides. His black face mask is broken up by a yellow lore (that’s the area between the eye and the upper base of his beak) and white stripes surround his eye. He also sports the longest bill of any wood-warbler species, which he uses to find tasty insects in the bark of pine trees. The grey on his crown and back are accented by two white wingbars. The female looks similar, but is not as bright.
How do you tell the Bahama Warbler apart from a Yellow-throated Warbler – which visits the Caribbean in winter? Well, it’s confusing. They are close relatives and look very much alike; however, the Yellow-throated Warbler’s breast and sides are white, and the forehead is blackish-grey.
These species also have different songs. From a perch in the canopy, the male Bahama Warbler sings sweetly: short, loud, and clear whistled notes that increase in pitch. The Yellow-throated Warbler, on the other hand, has a descending song.
This bright little warbler loves pine trees. Grand Bahama and Abaco include large areas of Caribbean pine forest – just perfect for the Bahama Warbler, which is often seen creeping up and down the tree trunks, feeding on insects. It also breeds in these forests in spring and summer, but its breeding behavior remains a mystery.
However, there is a sad story. The Bahama Warbler is now listed as Endangered. In 2019, Hurricane Dorian slammed into Abaco and Grand Bahama, causing massive destruction. Grand Bahama lost most of its pine forest habitat due to heavy winds, rain, and storm surges. No Bahama Warblers have been found there since then, despite intensive searches by researchers from the Bahamas National Trust and the American Bird Conservancy.
The island of Abaco is now perhaps the last refuge for this Bahamian endemic, and conservation is critical. Already hit by Hurricane Dorian, this lovely bird faces other threats, including habitat loss, predation by introduced feral cats and raccoons, and frequent fires. Let us hope this beautiful endemic survives these dangers, and thrives once again! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Bahama Warbler
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Bahama Warbler
The song of the Bahama Warbler is an ascending “chutty, chutty, chutty, swee, swee, tsoo, tsoo”
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 Bahama Warbler has recently be listed as Endangered by the IUCN. In 2019, Hurricane Dorian caused massive destruction to this species’ pineland habitat. Sadly, Grand Bahama lost most of its pine forest and the Bahama Warbler has not be found since on Grand Bahama despite intense searches. (Photo by Larry Therrien)The Bahama Warbler is a habitat specialist, being found only in the pinelands. It is often seen creeping up and down the trunks of Caribbean pine trees, where it feeds on insects. (Photo by Beth Hamel)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: What facts can you remember about todays endemic bird – the Bahama Warbler? Test your knowledge by filling in the missing words in each of our Bahama Warbler facts! We have given you the correct words but can you put them into the right fact? You can re-read the information all about this bird above, or search on the BirdsCaribbean webpages for lots more information about the Bahama Warbler! Then, when you have completed all the sentences, you can check your answers here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: There are 37 warbler species recorded on the island of Abaco in the Bahamas. You can find about more about them here, especially the five species that are resident in Abaco (live there all year round), including today’s endemic bird, the Bahama Warbler!
Enjoy the video below of a Bahama Warbler in the wild! This bird was filmed on Grand Bahama (before Hurricane Dorian); you can see it creeping up the trunk of a Caribbean pine tree, probably searching for food.
Learn how to draw and colour a Yellow-throated Warbler! Draw along with artist Josmar Esteban Marquez- who created all the pictures for the birds featured in our 2021 Endemic Bird Festival! The Yellow-throated Warbler is also found on the Bahamas and looks at lot like a Bahama Warbler. But the Bahama warbler has a yellow throat and belly, and shorter wings. The adult male Bahama Warbler also has a less black forehead than the Yellow-throated Warbler and its wingbars are shorter and thinner.
Did you ever wish you had an interactive bird guide in your pocket wherever you go? For smartphone users in Puerto Rico and the northern Lesser Antilles, your dream has come true. “All Birds Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands & northern Lesser Antilles” birding app has recently been released!
The new ALL BIRDS app covers Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Saint-Martin, Saint Eustatius, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saba, Montserrat, Antigua-Barbuda, and Anguilla! This unique app encompasses not only common birds but also all migrants, vagrants, and established introduced species.
This bilingual (English & Spanish) app features all 415 bird species found from Puerto Rico east to Antigua and Montserrat. The mobile app expands the previous version called “Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Birds in Photos and Audio.” It is the perfect companion in the field.
This user-friendly app lets you identify birds by browsing alphabetically or taxonomically, or selecting on individual islands or on specific features or colors. Beginning birders looking to identify the species in their backyards can filter listings to display only common species. Users can also use the app to record their own bird sightings and even export this information.
Listings for each bird include detailed species accounts and 2,570 outstanding photos showing distinct plumages, including variations and subspecies. Advanced birders will love the audio that is included for each species: over 670 bird songs and calls are just a touch away. The resource section includes information about Caribbean birds and introductions to key topics like biogeography, conservation and migratory birds.
You can download the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The Apple version is compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and Mac M1 chip. Once downloaded no internet connection is needed and all updates are free of charge.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Lesser Antillean Flycatcher
This chill bird gives off that famous, laid-back Caribbean vibe — a true Caribbean endemic. As you wander through woodlands or dry scrubland, the Lesser Antillean Flycatcher (Myiarchus oberi) peers down, thoughtfully, curiously, watching you. This medium-sized flycatcher (8.5 inches) is inconspicuous, blending in nicely with the vegetation just below the canopy.
Feeling at ease with your presence, it might hazard its distinctive call: a loud, whistling, peeeeeee, or pheeuuu song, or shorter bursts of oo-ee, oo-ee or e-oo-ee. Or maybe it gives away its location going after that delectable flying insect — its favorite food.
Once you spot it, you might second guess yourself. Could it be a Flycatcher after all, or a similar-looking family member, an Elaenia maybe? You replay the call in your mind as you focus on the characteristics that set this species apart. It has a distinctive pale gray chest, a yellow belly, rufous edges to the wings, and rufous-toned tail. The bill is slightly heavy and black. If your eyes are good, or you’ve brought your binoculars, you’d even notice the tiny hook at the tip of its bill. Its dusty gray-brown upper body is capped with an elegantly round head. When excited, individuals may erect the feathers on the crown of their head.
The Lesser Antillean Flycatcher breeds from March to July. It builds its nest using strips of leaves and sticks, usually in a tree cavity. It lays 3–4 eggs that are cream-colored, with heavy purplish-brown and violet-grey markings.
Although its conservation status is Least Concern, the Lesser Antillean Flycatcher is found in only a handful of Caribbean islands. It is common in Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique and Saint Lucia.
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Lesser Antillean Flycatcher
The song of the Lesser Antillean Flycatcher is a plaintive, drawn out “pheee” or “phee-u-uu.”
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 Lesser Antillean Flycatcher is similar to some other species of flycatchers but can be distinguished by the combination of pale grey chest, yellow belly, rufous edges to the wings, and rust-brown undertail. (Photo by Blake Matheson)Lesser Antillean Flycatcher typically perches below the canopy of the tree, keeping completely still before flying out in pursuit of prey. (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: The Lesser Antillean Flycatcher catches and insects to eat. It sometimes this bird will flit between plants searching for its next meal. At other times it will perch perfectly still on a twig or branch and wait to strike its prey- perhaps catching a moth, fly or spider! Imagine you are a Lesser Antillean Flycatcher and find out what bugs there are in your backyard in our fun bug hunt! Follow out instructions and see how many different types of bugs you can find! Perhaps you will spot a butterfly of a bee flitting past? Remember just to look at the bugs and not to touch or collect them. You can check the ones you see off on our list and perhaps take some photos of them?
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy the videos below of Lesser Antillean Flycatchers in the wild! In the first you can see a Lesser Antillean Flycatcher perched in the branches of a tree, filmed on Barbuda. You can tell the bird is excited because his the feathers on the top of his head are raised. In the second video you can see another perched Lesser Antillean Flycatcher, you will hear its distinctive, loud “oo-ee” calls.
Find out from Jean Gonzalez-Crespo, all about how a project aimed at restoring mangroves destroyed by Hurricanes Irma and Maria will help protect part of Puerto Rico’s coast-line and its wildlife, whilst also helping the people that live there.
Puerto Rico’s fragile coastline needs help, badly.
With the support of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, BirdsCaribbean, and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla’s Center for Coastal Restoration and Conservation, known locally as Vida Marina UPR, is about to start work on the restoration of four valuable mangrove forests in the Northwest region of Puerto Rico. These forests were destroyed after the two storms – Hurricanes Irma and Maria – hit the island in 2017, a “double whammy.” Critical infrastructure was left at the mercy of future storms, future hurricanes, and in danger of future destruction.
Secret Spot- Basin Mangrove in the Municipality of Isabela. This mangrove suffered close to 100% mortality due to the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. On its left is PR Road 466, an important evacuation route (Photo by Vida Marina UPR).
However, thanks to funding provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Coastal Resilience Grant, our center is now able to help in the recovery of these remarkable ecosystems—bulwarks against the impact of climate change. We are scheduled to start planting mangroves by the end of May 2021, but we already taking a look at the current conditions of our restoration sites, preparing for our work, and coordinating future activities that will integrate local communities into the restoration process.
What’s in it for humans?
Well, where do we start? There are actually so many important benefits. It’s a win for humans.
The restoration of these mangroves will reinstate the primary line of defense against storm surges for local communities, that increasingly threaten their livelihood and economies. Main access to roads and sanitary infrastructure, essential for those living on the coast, will be protected. The restored mangroves will also provide habitat for many species that, when carefully managed, will be sustainably harvested for local consumption or sale.
Also, thanks to the aid of UW-Madison’s Latino Earth Partnership’s training, we will get communities involved. Citizens on the ground will take “ownership” of the project, and the work will create a sense of stewardship that will result in stronger and more resilient coastal communities. The training will help create community groups that are empowered to identify and respond to threats to their homes and their livelihoods – swiftly and effectively.
Caño Madre Vieja Nature Reserve in the Municipality of Aguada. On the right is the Barrio Espinar community, which was heavily impacted by both storms in 2017. Many houses were flooded during these events as well as the only road that gives access to this community; something that left many families stranded and unable to be rescued (Photo by Vida Marina UPR)
Making life better for birds
It will take time, but the aim is to bring them back.
Our project will restore 59 hectares of severely degraded Basin Mangroves that serve as habitat for a wide range of species, including waterfowl. This should improve the diversity of waterfowl species, which appears to have decreased after the storms of 2017. We are currently carrying out periodic bird surveys, and will continue to do so throughout entire restoration process. If we are to be successful in this restoration, we should, among other things, be able to reach levels of waterfowl diversity like those before the hurricanes.
Efficient mangrove and wetland plant germination
It’s all about getting those seeds going. Now, we have the opportunity to grow and plant more trees, by improving our greenhouse arrangements.
A germination table installed inside Vida Marina UPR’s greenhouse in the University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla. This design adds to the integrity of the table and allows us to germinate multiple species without the risk of mixing them. Furthermore, these divisions also let us test different treatments that may increase seed germination rates (Photo by Vida Marina UPR).
We expect to plant at least 11,500 mangrove trees to be successful; it will take a great deal of time and effort. However, thanks to funding from BirdsCaribbean and ECCC, we were able to significantly increase the rate at which we can grow mangroves and other wetland plants in our greenhouse. With the construction of two seed germination tables, we will be able to grow mangroves more efficiently by maximizing our greenhouse’s limited space. Normally, we would have let all seeds germinate in flowerpots. Not all seeds planted will germinate, so this would result in unsuccessful pots occupying a space that a growing tree would have used. Our new germination tables will give a great boost to tree production. They will not only reduce the amount of time and effort invested in producing mangroves. They will also help us plant more trees in our sites than we initially planned.
Putting the green in greenhouse
Water is always a major concern.
Thanks to this funding, our greenhouse’s irrigation system is now able to run almost exclusively with stored rainwater. This “greener” alternative allows us to save a considerable amount of water each year. It’s a simple way in which we can help protect our country’s water supply and the environment. Additionally, this will give our plants enough water to survive through droughts that can result in the rationing of water.
Heriberto working on the installation of a water pump into the rainwater tank for the irrigation system. (Photo by Vida Marina UPR).
Training the next generation of ecologists and restoration practitioners
Young people will learn practical, hands-on techniques.
Under the mentorship of experienced researchers, undergraduate and high-school students involved in our project will be able to develop valuable research skills. Also, since they will take an active role in the monitoring of animal diversity, they will learn multiple survey techniques as well as the fundamentals of native plant and animal identification.
Our trainees will also have the opportunity to learn how to operate unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), as well as other types of technology, to solve different conservation issues. They will also learn how to interpret and analyze multiple types of data. Most importantly, they will be able to play a part in the planning and implementation process of wetland restoration. It will be a rich and rewarding learning experience for them.
Members of Vida Marina UPR’s taking a small break after finishing the construction of the large, germination table. In the picture, from left to right, are: Jean P. González Crespo, Heriberto Martir Vargas, and Jose J. Vera Rodriguez. Missing in this photo is Arianna Lopez Rodriguez, whose help was vital to the success of this project. (Photo by Vida Marina UPR)
It really does take a village to restore mangroves
Team work is everything. It is only through our partnerships with local communities, environmental groups and agencies, and both state and municipal governments that we will be able to achieve our restoration goals. Without their support, this project, like many others, would be close to impossible to complete. We are as excited as our partners as we get to work to bring back these wonderful forests, which make a tremendous difference to Puerto Rico’s coastal defenses. This is a project that will benefit both humans and wildlife in years to come.
Jean Gonzalez-Crespo is a PhD student from UW-Madison who works as a project assistant in this study. He has worked on multiple bird conservation projects in Puerto Rico since 2017. In addition to overseeing the anuran and avian monitoring of this project, Jean also works in the conservation of the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird—an endangered species unique to Puerto Rico.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Gundlach’s Hawk
The Caribbean has some handsome endemic hawks! One of them is Gundlach’s Hawk (Accipiter gundlachi) – an elegant, medium-sized forest hawk endemic to Cuba. Known locally as falcon or falconeta, this bird is easy to distinguish by its short, rounded wings and its long, narrow, banded tail, rounded at the tip. The steel-blue on its back becomes darker on the top of the head. Its grey throat fades to a reddish-brown breast and belly, with varying amounts of barring. Females are slightly larger than males, with a longer tail. Juveniles are dark brown above and streaked with brown below.
You are likely to hear its strong and strident kec-kec-kec-kec-kec-kec call in many forest types, wetlands, and on wooded coastlines in Cuba. This species is adapted to fly at high speed through the trees, although it can also be seen gliding across open spaces.
Gundlach’s Hawk perched. (photo by Michael J. Good)
The Gundlach’s Hawk breeds from January to June, building a platform nest with branches and twigs in a tall tree, and lays 2-4 eggs. It will aggressively defend its nest, even attacking humans who wander too close. Its fledglings will follow their parents around, constantly begging for food.
The Gundlach’s Hawk is a feared (and often hunted) predator that specializes in hunting birds. Medium-sized birds such as parrots, gallinules, pigeons, doves, crows, nighthawks, and thrushes are among its prey. Unfortunately, this highly efficient predator has gained a bad reputation: it is one of the few Cuban birds of prey known to hunt chickens. Hunting and the destruction of nests are major threats to the species. This species is one of the most sought after for use in falconry, which has become increasingly popular in recent years. It is often captured in the wild or taken from the nest.
Habitat loss remains the biggest threat to this Endangered species. The Gundlach’s Hawk was considered common in the 20th century, but its populations have declined considerably to an estimated 400 individuals. There is an urgent need to conserve this splendid hawk by protecting the places where it lives, feeds, and breeds. Raising public awareness about the extremely serious situation of this fascinating raptor would also help to discourage people from persecuting it. Let’s protect this superb Cuban endemic! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Gundlach’s Hawk
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Gundlach’s Hawk
The calls of the Gundlach’s Hawk are a loud repeated “eh-eh-eh-eh-eh…”
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!
Juvenile Gundlach’s Hawk – they are dark brown above and streaked with brown below. (Photo by Maikel Cañizares)Adult Gundlach’s Hawk. Note the steel-blue on its back that becomes darker on the top of the head, and the long banded tail. (Photo by Michael J. Good)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Can you find the words in our Gundlach’s Hawk word search? Remind yourself of some of the interesting facts about this endemic bird as you look for all 15 hidden words! Remember the words appear forwards and backwards, as are horizontal, vertical and diagonal! Need some help? Or want to check your answers? You can see where all the words were here.
Find out more about birds of prey! Hawks, like todays birds the Gundlach Hawk, falcons, kestrels, eagles, owls and others birds including vultures are all different types of a group of birds know as ‘birds of prey’; birds in this group are also also known as ‘raptors’. Find out more about this group of birds by reading all about raptors here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Gundlach’s Hawk in the Wild! The video shows a bird high up in the air in a soaring flight.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Jamaican Spindalis
When you set eyes on a male Jamaican Spindalis (Spindalis nigricephala), you cannot help but admire this spectacular endemic. The vivid black-and-white stripes on his head give him one of his local names — “Mark Head.” He has a brilliant yellowish-orange breast that becomes yellow on the belly, and a white lower belly and undertail. His yellow-olive back fades into yellowish-orange on the rump. The black feathers on his wings and tail are edged with white.
What’s the difference between male and female? This species is “sexually dimorphic,” meaning that males and females look different from each other. As is often the case, the female is less colorful – she is the dull one! She has an olive back, a greenish-yellow breast and belly that fades to pale yellow, and a grayish-olive head and throat. Like the male, she has a white undertail and white-edged wing feathers, but she lacks those bright stripes on her face.
The thin, high-pitched call “tsee” of the Jamaican Spindalis is a common sound in Jamaican forests, and might be your first (or only) hint that one is nearby. It also gives a soft, weak “seep” in flight. While foraging in groups, individuals may give a fast, high “chi-chi-chi-chi-chi.” From an exposed perch, a male will sing a song that consists of a long-sustained phrase repeated several times — “chu wheet, chee see whee see, chu wheet.” These distinct sounds have inspired another popular local name, “Champa Beeza.”
The Jamaican Spindalis roams through forests, woodlands, and brushy areas in the hills and mountains, searching for fruiting trees. Some of their favorites include ficus, pimentos (allspice), palms, cecropia, and oranges. They will also consume nectar, blossoms, leaves, and the occasional insect. You might meet them in pairs and family groups, but you can also find them in flocks with different species.
This agile bird is often seen hanging from twigs and leaves to take berries, or even using its bills to swing effortlessly between plants. Despite these impressive moves, it can only perform short-distance flights, which limits its habitat to forest and forest edges. To protect the Jamaican Spindalis, it is important to conserve and connect habitat, including the preservation of large canopy trees in an ever-changing urban landscape. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Jamaican Spindalis
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Jamaican Spindalis
The call of the Jamaican Spindalis is a high-pitched “tsee,” sometimes alone sometime repeated in quick succession.
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 male Jamaican Spindalis is a stunning bird. Note the black head with two bold white facial stripes which give him one of his local names — “Mark Head.” He also has a brilliant yellowish-orange breast that becomes yellow on the belly, and black wing and tail feathers edged with white.(Photo by Matt Grube)The female Jamaican Spindalis has a greenish-yellow breast, olive upperparts, and a greyish head. (Photo by Linda Bushman)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: The Jamaican Spindalis, along with many other Caribbean endemic birds found on Jamaica, like the Yellow-shouldered Grassquit, Vervain Hummingbird, Arrowhead Warbler, Jamaican Euphonia and Jamaican Vireo love to live in and around the forests of Jamaica’s hills and mountains. In fact birds across the Caribbean rely on forests as places to nest, feed, rest and shelter. Forests in the Caribbean contain many different types of plants such as, ferns, orchids, other flowering plants and canopy trees. Forests also provide homes for many other types of wildlife as well as birds and plants! Using a variety of textures and colours of paper create your own forest collage with some of Jamaica’s endemic birds! Download our instructions here including some helpful silhouettes and shapes to get you started. You can get an adult to help you with any cutting out.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Read all about how Goat Island, one of the homes of today’s featured bird, the Jamaican Spindalis, and many other Jamaican and Caribbean endemic birds was saved from what would have been a catastrophic development. Then read about the plans to make the same area a Wildlife Sanctuary!
Enjoy these videos below of Jamaican Spindalis in the wild! In the first video you can see a female Spindalis, filmed in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. The second video shows the more strikingly coloured male, feeding on some flowers.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Loggerhead Kingbird
What is that noisy bird? The boisterous, chattering call of the Loggerhead Kingbird (Tyrannus caudifasciatus) can be heard echoing throughout dense coppice forests, pine forests, gardens, settled areas, mangroves, and swamp edges in the Caribbean.
This chunky flycatcher (9.5 -10 inches) has a blackish head with a yellow-orange patch on the crown that only shows when it is excited. It has a dark gray back and wings, accented by whitish edges. The throat, breast, and belly are whitish, with varying amounts of yellow wash. Its square tail is also dark grey with a whitish tip. Juveniles have brownish edges on the wings and no crown patch.
You will always know when the Loggerhead Kingbird is around. It is often seen on exposed perches such as posts, tree branches, and telephone wires. From there, it forages by “sallying” forth – flying out to capture prey, and returning to the same or nearby perch. Its diet mostly consists of insects, berries, small lizards, and amphibians. It builds a cup-shaped, woven nest in the fork of horizontal branches of trees. It will lay 2-4 whitish or salmon-colored eggs, with markings that vary in color in different parts of its range.
The Loggerhead Kingbird is a year-round resident. Endemic to the West Indies, its range extends throughout the northern Bahamas, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico. There are seven recognized subspecies, characterized by the amount of yellow wash and the tail pattern. Two subspecies — Tyrannus caudifasciatus taylori of Puerto Rico and Tyrannus caudifasciatus gabbii of Hispaniola — are under consideration to be classified as new species!
At first glance, you might confuse a Loggerhead Kingbird with another Kingbird species. The Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus), a winter migrant to the region, has a bolder white tail band and smaller bill. The Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis), a summer migrant to The Bahamas, Cuba, Jamaica, and Cayman Islands, is much paler overall, with a dark face mask and a larger bill. Gray Kingbirds are also much more territorial and aggressive than the Loggerhead Kingbird. The Giant Kingbird (Tyrannus cubensis), which only occurs in Cuba, is a bigger bird with a massive bill and notched tail. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Loggerhead Kingbird
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Loggerhead Kingbird
The song of the Loggerhead Kingbird is a loud, emphatic trilling, “pit-pit-pit-pit-pit-tirrr-ri-ri-reeee.”
Puzzle of the Day
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!
Loggerhead Kingbird (Photo by Matt Grube)Loggerhead Kingbird (Photo by Sergey Uryadnikov)Loggerhead Kingbird (Photo by Dave Curtis)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Can you tell the difference between todays bird, the Loggerhead Kingbird and the other, very similar, types of kingbirds you might meet when out bird watching? Make sure to read our fascinating facts in this post and then test your memory skills in our kingbird matching game ! Be sure to look carefully at the colours, bill sizes, and also the tails of these birds to tell them apart!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy these videos below showing Loggerhead Kingbirds in their natural habitat! In the first you will see a bird giving the bubbling, chattering calls typical of this species, and you should spot the rarely seen orange-yellow patch on the crown of this bird. The second video shows a Loggerhead Kingbird from the Puerto Rico race, you can see that the tail lacks the white trailing edge seen on this species elsewhere.
On Saturday, May 8th, birders and BirdsCaribbean members around the world went outside birding to celebrate Global Big Day—the biggest birding day of the year which is timed to coincide with peak spring migration for many places in the USA. Approximately 53,000 participants joined in the fun—with 365 observers representing the West Indies and submitting 1,995 checklists—way to go!
This year, observers found 364 species in the West Indies—beating last year’s record by a whopping 19 species! (see Figure 1). Cuba clinched the lead for most species seen—161, followed by Puerto Rico at 139 species, The Bahamas coming in hot at 131 species, Dominican Republic close behind at 127 species, Jamaica swinging in at a nice 104, and Cayman islands finishing with a solid tally of 94 species.
And more Caribbean “eBirders” too…
The number of eBird observers in the West Indies—365—increased by 62 persons from 2020, and the total number of checklists submitted—1,670—increased by a colossal 619! (see Figure 1). This jump in participation helped fuel the increased number of species seen in every country/ island.
Figure 1. The top graph shows that the total number of eBird Observers in the West Indies, total species seen, and total number of eBird checklists submitted increased from 2020 to 2021. The bottom graph shows the number of species observed on Global Big Day for the top 6 West Indies countries increased from 2020 to 2021.
Inspired by last year, many of us continued to bird together from afar on teams that raised funds for bird conservation. This year, those funds will target new Motus bird monitoring stations in the Caribbean. Our Global Big Day was hugely successful on all fronts, with 15 teams participating, including 10national teams!!! (up from 7 teams in 2020). And we raised $19,113 USD, very close to our goal of $20,000 USD—congrats and thank you to everyone for your participation and support! Read on for all the exciting details and final team stats…
The Bee Hummers Mighty Achievements – Congratulations to our Cuban Friends!
How did our BirdsCaribbean teams fare? Once again, the indomitable, multinational Flying Pintails, led by Executive Director Lisa Sorenson, claimed the title for the most species observed: 714 (see Figure 2). President’s Perch, led by Past President Andrew Dobson, and the Bee Hummers Dream Team, the Cuban national team led by BC board member Maikel Cañizares, came in second and third with 597 and 465 species seen, respectively. The Bee Hummers swept three other categories, however, with the most eBird checklists (241), most eBird observers (65), and most West Indies endemics (48). Congrats to the team named after the smallest bird in the world for all of these great achievements!!!
Figure 2. Global Big Day results for our 15 BirdsCaribbean teams, which included 10 national teams. The numbers in red show which team had the highest number for each category. A total of 1,348 species and 136 West Indies endemics were observed by all 15 teams combined. ( a total of 147 West Indies endemics were seen by all eBirders, i.e., including those not on a team).
Tracking the Endemics on our GBD Teams
This year, with our 10 new national (Caribbean country or island) teams, we were excited to see which national team would see the highest proportion of their endemic birds on Global Big Day (a category created to control for differences in the number of endemic species on each island – see Figure 3). There were two winners for this title: the One Love Jamaica Birders, whose well-organized sub-teams and individuals fanned out over the entire island and managed to see all 28 Jamaican endemics, and the Bajan Birders who also worked hard and made sure to get their one endemic (Barbados Bullfinch) on their lists! 😉 The Peeping Cuckoos (Puerto Rico), Bee Hummers (Cuba), and Team Jaragua (Dominican Republic) also did well finding their island endemics.
Figure 3. The 7 teams who saw the highest proportion of their island endemics on Global Big Day 2021. The One Love Jamaica Birders managed to see all 28 of their endemics – congrats! And the Bajan Birders easily checked off their one endemic, the Barbados Bullfinch.
Small was Beautiful
Smaller and more local teams also had their advantages. When the total number of species seen was divided by the number of people on the team, Far Flung Flock came in first, with an average of 27 species observed per person (see Figure 4). The Statia Tropicbirders were a close second with 23 species per person, followed by the Flying Pintails (19), Abaco Island Big Day Birders (17), WANSIRI (16), and Turks and Caicos Island Blue Jays (14). The accomplishment of the Abaco Island Big Day Birders is especially impressive, since this was a small team of 5 persons birding on a relatively small island that had been largely decimated by a hurricane less than 2 years ago!
Figure 4. The average number of species observed per person for each of the 15 Global Big Day teams. Far Flung Flock of Friends was the winner in this category with an average of 27 species per person. Statia Tropicbirders came in 2nd with 23, followed by the Flying Pintails (19), Abaco Island Big Day Birders (17), WANSIRI (16), and the TCI Blue Jays (14).
Congratulations and thank you to all the teams for your enthusiastic participation. We will be sharing more about our experiences, including photos and prizes, in a second Global Big Day 2021 blog article.
Handing out Bouquets to these eBirders
The most distinguished eBirders from our Global Big Day campaign were Holly Garrod and Josh Covill (birding together in Costa Rica) of the Flying Pintails, who over 16 hours recorded an incredible 208 species! Richard Korpi and Phil Lehman, both on the Barefoot Bobwhites team, came in 2nd and 3rd with 138 and 136 species, respectively. Holly and Josh both win a year’s membership in BirdsCaribbean and some awesome BC swag!
Special commendations go out to the following birders who had 20 or more West Indies Endemics on their GBD checklist on May 8th:
Maria Paulino (gray shirt) leading a group of urban birders in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Global Big Day.
Maria Paulino (Dominican Republic) – 30
Lyndon Johnson (Jamaica) – 27
Wendy Lee (Jamaica) – 27
Adrian Cobas (Cuba) – 26
Ana M. Suárez (Cuba) – 25
Maikel Cañizares Morera (Cuba) – 24
Miguel Landestoy (Dominican Republic) – 23
Tania Piñeiro (Cuba) – 23
Alina Perez (Cuba) – 22
Wayne Arendt (Puerto Rico) – 22
Noelia Nieves (Puerto Rico) – 21
Robert Jovel (Cuba) – 21
Wisdenilde Navarro (Cuba) – 21
Alondra Medina Charriez (Cuba) – 21
Karlos Ross (Cuba) – 20
An Exciting Finish to our Fundraising, and Thank You!
After the success of last year’s fundraiser we have carried the tradition onward. This year’s donations will help fund our newly launched Caribbean Motus Collaboration, which is part of our Caribbean Landbird Monitoring network.
The final days of our fundraiser were incredible! We were still a ways out from our target goal of $20K when a most generous BirdsCaribbean member on the President’s Perch team stepped up and offered a $5K match. In other words, if the President’s Perch Team could raise $5K in 3 days, the donor would match it with a donation of $5K, giving us the opportunity to double the funds!
We quickly put out the call and many generous people answered it! With a few hours to spare before the deadline, we reached the $5K goal on President’s Perch team, which was then promptly doubled by our generous supporter! Thus, to date, thanks to your generous donations and support we have raised a total of $19,113, which will help to install at least 4 Motus stations in the islands!!! (note: it is not too late to donate if you want to help us reach our $20K goal).
2021 BirdsCaribbean Global Big Day Teams*
You can visit each birding team’s page profile on eBird to see maps of the team’s countries/ islands where birds were sighted and their checklists. You can also visit each team’s GoFundMe page and donate to specific teams to help them reach their fundraising goal, or donate to the general campaign.
Black-whiskered-Vireo spotted on Global Big Day in the Dominican Republic. (photo by Maria-Paulino)
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Key West Quail-Dove
Key West? Well, despite its name, you are very unlikely to see this bird in Key West. Although it was first discovered in the Florida Keys, it is now just an occasional vagrant there. It is a truly Caribbean island bird, endemic to The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico.
This is a great loss for Florida, because the Key West Quail-Dove, a chunky, round bird (170 g, 28-30 cm), is strikingly beautiful. The iridescent bluish-green and bronze head and neck of the adult male is accented by a broad white facial stripe. The purple and bronze iridescence on his back and wings contrast with his pale pinkish-grey breast that fades into whitish on the belly. The female looks similar, but her colors are generally more subtle and less iridescent. The plumage of a juvenile is duller, with whitish margins on the wing coverts.
This elegant bird is can be found in both arid and moist habitats: coastal thickets, swamp forest, semi-arid woodland, wet montane forest, semi-deciduous and evergreen woods. It favors the understory up to at least 500 m in elevation, but is found up to at least 1,000 m in Dominican Republic.
The Key West Quail-Dove is a secretive bird, difficult to detect on the forest floor. Listen for a rustling of leaves and you may be lucky to spot it as it quietly rummages around looking for fruit, seeds, insects, and small snails to eat. From the dense vegetation you might also hear its deep, mournful call, consisting of a single, repeated hoooooo. The call usually lasts about 1.4 seconds, increasing in volume and then fading and sliding slightly downward in pitch at the end.
This bird generally breeds from February to August. It builds a nest near the ground or low in trees, laying two buff-colored eggs. It is solitary outside the breeding season.
The Key West Quail-Dove is considered a common resident throughout most of its range, but is declining in some islands. Sadly, it is threatened by habitat fragmentation and hunting. You can help this beautiful bird and others to survive by supporting conservation of habitat on your island. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Key West Quail-Dove
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Key West Quail-Dove
The song of the Key West Quail-Dove is a soft, low-pitched, mournful “hooooooo.”
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 Key West Quail-Dove feeds on fruit, seeds, small snails. It will usually forage on ground but can also be seen perching on trees low to mid-level. (Photo by Doug Greenberg)Key West Quail-Dove. This species is declining in some islands, these declines are mainly cause by habitat fragmentation and hunting. (Photo by Alvaro Jaramillo)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Breeding season for the Key West Quail-Dove is between September and July. This Caribbean endemic dove builds its nests on the ground or sometime low-down in a tree. This makes their eggs vulnerable to predators, including the Indian Mongoose, which has been introduced to the Caribbean from Asia. Can you help the Key West Quail-Dove find her way through our maze and save here eggs from a hungry mongoose? You can find the correct route here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Key West Quail-Dove in the wild! This bird was seen in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. The video shows a Quail-Dove on the ground foraging. You can see the beautiful iridescent plumage on the birds head and neck.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Puerto Rican Vireo
It seems as if the Puerto Rican Vireo wants to challenge its local name, bien-te-veo, (“I see you well”). You will probably have some difficulty getting a full view of this active little bird as it flits around, tail cocked, searching for insects and the occasional berry. Looking for it is rather like a game of hide-and-seek!
Ah! There it is! When you finally spot it, you’ll see that this vireo has a brownish-gray head and olive-brown back, wings, and tail, a grayish-white throat and breast, and pale-yellow belly and sides. It also has brown eyes, surrounded by an incomplete whitish eye ring.
Luckily, this species is very vocal, and is usually heard before it is seen. Both sexes will sing a song consisting of 3-4 melodious notes. The species likes to scold intruders, especially near the nest, inspiring other species like Bananaquits to join in.
This vireo is endemic to Puerto Rico and can be found in a variety of forested habitats at all elevations, including wet and dry forest, mangroves, and shade coffee plantations. It avoids open areas. The species breeds from March to July, with males and females sharing parenting responsibilities. They build a tight hanging cup nest in the fork of a tree or shrub, beautifully created from thin vines, grasses, and dry leaves. The birds glue these building materials together with spider webs, adding a touch of moss for additional camouflage. The female lays 2-3 eggs, pale pink with reddish-brown spots, but the nest usually produces only one young.
Sadly, the vireo’s wonderfully camouflaged nest is often the target of an invasive species—the Shiny Cowbird. This species is a “brood parasite” – it lays its eggs in the nest of other bird species. The unsuspecting parents raise the cowbird nestling as their own – which means their own babies suffer. Shiny Cowbirds, as well as invasive mammals like rats, mongooses, and feral cats, threaten vireo populations. Habitat fragmentation and the removal of shade in favor of sun grown coffee are also factors posing a threat. To help this charming bird, be sure to purchase bird-friendly shade grown coffee! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Puerto Rican Vireo
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Puerto Rican Vireo
The song of the Puerto Rican Vireo is made up of variations of “chuwee-chuweech-you” and “chewee-wit-weee”
Puzzle of the Day
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 Vireos can be found in a variety of forested habitats at all elevations, including wet and dry forest, mangroves, and shade coffee plantations. (Photo by Beny Diaz)Puerto Rican Vireo. These active little birds can be hard to spot as they flit around in the vegetation, tail cocked, searching for insects. (Photo by Ken Pinnow)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: How much do you know now about the Puerto Rican Vireo? Test your knowledge with our crossword puzzle all about this little endemic bird! You’ll need to know about how this bird looks, where is lives, what it eats, and its behaviour as well as some facts about birds in general. Try to remember as much as you can, but if you are not sure of an answer you can check back to the text above or take a look at the Puerto Rican Vireo page on ebird! And you can find the answers here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Growing coffee under trees – a traditional practice called shade-grown coffee – can result in many benefits, both to people, habitats and wildlife. In fact shade-grown coffee is one of places where you might find the Puerto Rican Vireo, todays featured endemic bird! Find out more about how drinking shade-grown coffee can help save birds in the Caribbean any beyond!
Enjoy the videos below of Puerto Rican Vireos in the wild! In the first you will hear a bird singing, and see a bird at it’s mossy nest. The second video also shows some birds at a nest, in this one you can see the adults swapping places as they take turns incubating their eggs. The final video shows an adult bird feeding a fluffy little fledgling that has left the nest.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Yellow-shouldered Grassquit
This charming bird makes a nice fashion statement. The Yellow-shouldered Grassquit (Loxipasser anoxanthus), known locally as the “Yellow-backed Finch,” is an attractive, two-toned small bird endemic to Jamaica. Living up to both of these names, the adult male will catch your eye with his bright yellow “shoulders” and upper back, which contrast with his black head and breast. The yellow upper back fades to greenish-yellow on the rump, the lower belly and flanks are dark grey, and the under-tail is rusty-brown.
The female also sports a yellow shoulder patch, but her colors are more subtle. Her olive-gray head and breast fade into grey underparts, and her back and wings are a paler greenish-yellow.
This Grassquit is a fairly common sight in the hills and mountains of Jamaica, preferring the edges of forests and other vegetation. It also forages in gardens and roadsides. To find this species, look for plants with seeds and fruits that it loves to eat, such as the Prickly Yellow Tree, Maiden Plum, Fiddlewood, and Guinea Grass. It may announce its presence with a quick, high-pitched chi-chi-chi-chi-chi descending call, which sounds a bit like beads shaken in a jar – an echo effect. Like other Grassquits, it flies only short distances.
If you’re lucky, you might come across this bird’s bowl-shaped nest in tree canopies or garden shrubbery. This Grassquit is an excellent nest-builder, and both male and female birds take a lot of trouble to create a cozy home, usually made of finely-woven dried grass and twigs, and perhaps Spanish Moss (Tillandsia sp.). The species usually lays 3-4 eggs that are white with reddish or brown speckles. Rather unusually, the home-loving parents often make improvements to the outside of their nest, even after their young have hatched. The breeding season is between March and July.
This unique Grassquit is not threatened, but there is still so much we need to know about this species. It is noticeably absent from areas with minimal vegetation, which means that habitat loss and degradation could affect its population. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Yellow-shouldered Grassquit
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Yellow-shouldered Grassquit
The song of the Yellow-shouldered Grassquit is made up of four or five descending or ascending notes, that are high-pitched and ‘scratchy’.
Puzzle of the Day
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 male Yellow-shouldered Grassquit is a striking two-toned bird with bright yellow shoulders and upper back that contrasts with his black head and underside.(Photo by Sam Woods)The female Yellow-shouldered Grassquit also sports a yellow shoulder patch but her colors are more subdued—olive-gray head and breast, gray underparts, and greenish-yellow back and wings. This species can be seen in a wide range of habitats from mountains, hillsides and forest edges to lowland areas including gardens and roadsides. (Photo by Matt Grube)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Todays featured endemic bird, the Yellow-shouldered Grassquit, builds its rounded nest in tree canopies or garden shrubbery. These little birds will use dried grass and twigs, and sometimes moss, to make the perfect nest in which to lay their eggs and raise their chicks. You could give them and any other birds nesting near your house or in your garden a helping hand, with our nest-material activity. Put out some materials, selected especially to be suitable for bird nests, and see who arrives to make use of them! You can download full instructions here. Be sure to follow our suggestions for nest materials, as some things might be dangerous for birds and their chicks if they put them in their nests. You can keep note of who visits and which things they choose to include in their nests – do some birds have a favourite type of nest material?
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Yellow-shouldered Grassquit in the wild! Here you will see (and hear!) a Yellow-shouldered Grassquit amongst some vegetation, singing it’s buzzy descending song. You might hear this little birds song before you spot it!
BirdsCaribbean has celebrated the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) for the past 20 years with the encouragement and support of a diverse group of partners throughout the Caribbean. The festival highlights the region’s rich bird community, with special attention given to the 171 species found only in the Caribbean. Each year the CEBF activities are planned around a theme.
This year the theme is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Due to the coronavirus pandemic we are celebrating virtually again. Virtual events often leave little room for meaningful interaction. However, it is extremely important to us that we provide our members and partners with the opportunity to share their experiences with us.
Therefore we invite you to tell us, in your own words, what this year’s theme means to you! Whether you are camera shy or not, the guidelines below will help you capture a compelling video. All you will need is a smartphone, laptop, or camera capable of recording video. There will be no need for fancy equipment or spending long hours editing. We need less than a minute of your time!
All suitable submissions will be used to create a video collage which will be shared at the end of the CEBF 2021 on the BirdsCaribbean website and social media accounts.
Guidelines and Tips for Creating your Short Video
Instructions for the video content:
Have fun! Remember this is not a school project or work assignment.
Speak in your native language; if possible, please send us the English script if it is not English.
First introduce yourself: your name and where you’re from
Then let us know what our theme “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like A Bird!” means to you. Smile, speak naturally, from the heart, and feel free to be creative!Some ideas: You can talk about how birds inspire you, how you got into birding, what you love about birds, your birding activities, how birds changed your life, your “spark” bird, why birds matter, how birds unite us, how you relate to this theme personally, your work conserving, studying or educating about birds, etc. Do your best to relate it to the theme, and don’t be shy about conveying your enthusiasm!
Instructions for recording the video:
Videos should be up to one minute in length – two or three sentences is great (20-30 seconds). If you need a little longer to tell your story, that’s okay too!
If possible, shoot your video with a DSLR camera, iPhone, or smartphone at high resolution.
If you shoot the video from a phone, use landscape (horizontal), not portrait (vertical) mode. It’s best to place yourself in the left or right ⅓ of the image, rather than the center.
Shoot from about an arm’s distance from the phone so that the video covers till your stomach and make sure there is a little headspace on the top.
Check your lighting. Natural light outdoors in nature works best (the sun should be behind the camera). If using a lamp or other light source make sure it is in front of you- NOT behind, overhead, or to the side.
Check your sound. Make sure the audio is clear and there is minimal or no background noise.
Ask a friend or family member to handle the camera work while you focus on delivering your best performance.
Optional: If it’s helpful, feel free to check out some past video testimonials on our website or youtube channel.
Videos must NOT contain:
Copyrighted material (such as music tracks, photos) without necessary authorizations.
Material that is inappropriate, indecent, obscene or hateful
Instructions for sending us your video:
Email video, consent form (if needed), and English script (if needed) toAliya.Hosein@birdscaribbean.org. Note: the file may be too large to send via email; you may also send it via Dropbox, Google Drive, WeTransfer, OneDrive, etc. Please send reasonably high resolution, e.g., 1080 px).
For adults, by submitting your video you give BirdsCaribbean consent to use the video for purposes specified above.
For those under the adult age in your country, the minor’s video must be accompanied with a consent form signed by a parent or guardian – download the form here.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Cuban Parakeet
The Cuban Parakeet (Psittacara euops) is charismatic and easy to identify. It is quite a gorgeous bird—bright green with red feathers like spots scattered on the head, sides of the neck and chest. It has a white eye-ring, a long pointed tail, and a brilliant red patch under its wing can be seen when the bird is in flight. Males and females look alike but juvenile Cuban Parakeets lack the red spots on the body. It is 24–27 cm long.
This Parakeet’s beak is robust and downcurved – a useful tool for eating seeds, pods, green and ripe fruits, leaves, shoots, flowers and buds, pollen, and nectar. In fact, it feeds on over 50 species of plants.
Sadly, this striking bird is now listed as “Vulnerable.” Its numbers are declining, primarily because it is frequently caught for the caged bird trade. Farmers also still shoot them as agricultural pests. Its habitat is also threatened by extreme weather due to climate change. It was once common throughout Cuba, but now only fragmented populations exist in the Zapata Peninsula, Sierra de Najasa, and Guantánamo.
The Cuban Parakeet dwells in palm savannas; on forest edges; on tree stumps near swamps; and in some degraded forest areas, as well as undisturbed forests.
This lively parrot can express itself well. When flying, you may hear a loud, repeated crick-crick-crick. A high pitched kkkkeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrr can often be heard when a flock is feeding in the canopy and looking out for predators. The warning calls, increasing if there is a nearby threat, are repetitive metallic sounds of erh, erh, erh, erh. When socializing, it emits a keirp-keirp-keirp. You may hear an interesting buzzing sound made with its tail and wing feathers during rapid take off or landing.
Living in flocks of six to 50 parakeets, pairs usually mate for life. Nesting parakeets compete aggressively for the best sites: woodpecker holes in dry palm trunks, and occasionally cavities in cliffs and caves. Females lay two to five eggs between March and August.
Trapping for the pet trade remains a serious issue. Cuban Parakeets are beloved household pets. But let us remember that these are wild birds. Let’s allow them to fly free and thrive in the beautiful savannas and forests of Cuba! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Cuban Parakeet
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the calls of the Cuban Parakeet
The Cuban Parakeet has many different calls to communicate with members of its flock. A shrill and squeaky call is often heard when this bird is in flight.
Puzzle of the Day
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 Parakeet. Here you can see the scattered red feathers on the head, sides of the neck and chest. This parrot is eating West Indian elm (guásima). (Photo by Aslam Castellón Maure)Cuban Parakeets feed on seeds, pods, green and ripe fruits, leaves, shoots, flowers and buds, pollen, and nectar. In fact, they feed on over 50 species of plants! (Photo by Jean Sébastion Guénette)Cuban Parakeets pairs usually mate for life and are considered monogamous. Nesting parakeets compete for prime nest sites in woodpecker holes, cavities in trees, and occasionally in cavities in cliffs and caves. (Photo by Sergey Uryadnikov).
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS:Use our template to write a poem about Parakeets! Each line of your poem should start with the letters of this birds name. This type of poem is called an ‘acrostic’. You can use words and ideas from the description and information about Cuban Parakeets above. Think about how this bird looks, its colours, the way it flies, how it behaves, where is lives and what it likes to eat. If you feel inspired you could write some more bird-themed poems! Just choose your favourite endemic bird, write it’s name vertically to get started. You can look at the birds we’ve featured so far for inspiration here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy these videos of Cuban Parakeets in the wild! The first video shows a small group of Cuban Parakeets foraging, as they flit around in the bush you can see the bright red patches under their wings. The second shows some Parakeets preening and in the final video you can see some a bird feeding on West Indian elm (guásima).
Kristy Shortte, a Program Officer at the NGO Sustainable Grenadines, Inc.
A local community that understands the value of natural habitats and the wildlife that lives there is key to successful long-term conservation. Find out how this happens from Kristy Shortte, a Program Officer at the NGO ‘Sustainable Grenadines,’ on Union Island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. From building observation platforms at vital wetlands, to garbage clean-ups and installing information signs, to training locals to identify and help monitor birds, Kristy describes the amazing and inspiring range of work carried out by her organization, local partners – and of course, the local community!
At the trans-boundary NGO Sustainable Grenadines Inc (SusGren) we know that conserving the places where birds live is key to their survival. But how do we achieve this? So many of our habitats are under threat—from pollution and degradation by human activities, to outright destruction for development. When there are competing demands on the use of our natural resources, we need to make wise decisions. Sometimes we need to educate our local citizens about the immense value of these areas to people and wildlife, and to get them actively involved in their conservation. It’s a hands-on approach with community partners. Showing people the benefits of managing and protecting habitats is the best way to ensure the long-term health of bird populations and the habitats on which they depend.
Finding the best ways to protect birds and their habitats
Residents of Union island, harvesting salt at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Radio Grenadines).
Here at SusGren, we have taken the initiative to support birds and protect the places they live through two projects – both completed during the pandemic of 2020! SusGren believes that some areas are so special that they need to be protected – no ifs, ands, or buts!!!!
After many years of hard work to restore Ashton Lagoon and develop it as a bird and nature sanctuary for enjoyment by all, we turned our attention to Belmont Salt Pond. This is the second largest ecosystem on the island of Union and one of the last two remaining salt ponds in the entire St. Vincent and the Grenadines (he other salt pond is on Mayreau). Salt picking is still practiced at Belmont, providing economic benefits to locals.
So…what’s so special about Belmont Salt Pond?
The Belmont Salt Pond area is significant, in that it provides habitat to many species of resident and migratory birds. Here you can see Whimbrels, Willets, Blue-winged Teal, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Mangrove Cuckoo, and even the American Flamingo on occasion. Migratory birds use Belmont as a place to rest and feed. This can be for a few days or weeks, before they continue with their migration, while others stay from fall to spring. For other birds, the Salt Pond is ‘home’ all year round.
Blue-winged Teal female spotted at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
American Flamingo Spotted at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
With this rich history and biodiversity and the salt pond threatened by human activities, SusGren decided to enhance the area for enjoyment by locals and visitors alike. This would help ensure the protection of the area’s biodiversity and would increase ecotourism opportunities in Union Island, following our successful restoration of nearby Ashton Lagoon 2 years ago. The platform would also help us to continue the long-term bird monitoring of our wetlands through participation in the Caribbean Waterbird Census.
Taking a community-based approach
The ‘’Clean up Squad’’ at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Zoe Jennett)
Due to a lack of community knowledge of the importance of the area, it was being used for the burning of charcoal and dumping garbage. We knew that over time these activities would damage Belmont Salt Pond and biodiversity would be negatively impacted. So at Susgren we decided to carry out a project in partnership with members of the community, to ensure that such behavior is reduced and eventually eliminated.
As part of this approach, SusGren contributed towards a cleanup organized by a local group of 10 people called “Union Island Cleanup Squad.” They held massive cleaning up sessions at the Belmont Salt Pond on May 7th and May 13th, 2020. A total of 30 bags of trash was collected during the first session, and 40 additional bags of trash were picked up at the second cleanup around the edges of the pond. It was great to see local community groups actively taking up the stewardship mantle of their island!
Follow the signs!
Interpretive sign at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Our project also involved the construction of viewing platforms at Belmont Salt Pond, designed to provide people with a fantastic overview of the wetland and the birds living there. At each of the Belmont Salt Pond platforms – and at the Ashton Lagoon Eco Trail – we installed interpretive signs displaying resident and migratory birds. We worked with BirdsCaribbean to design signs that included land birds, wetland birds, and shorebirds likely to be seen at each of the sites. At Ashton Lagoon, one sign also provides visitors with knowledge about the marine and terrestrial species of animals found in the area.
Our interpretive signs include features on bird identification. Thus, someone using the platforms at Belmont Salt Pond or our bird towers at Ashton Lagoon can receive a “self-crash-course” in basic bird identification. Moreover, there are now three 4 x 6 billboard signs installed at Belmont Salt Pond that explain the history of the area and its cultural and environmental importance. Two ‘rules’ signs also notify visitors about appropriate behavior in the area.
Keeping the trash at bay
“Bird branded” garbage bins and signs at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
To reduce the problem of litter, we installed attractive garbage receptacles at both Belmont Salt Pond and Ashton Lagoon. The bright green receptacles are adorned with images of the various birds one can see in the area. Our hope is that this will help build local pride and community ownership and encourage people to dispose of their garbage in a responsible way.
Since the installation of 4 bins at each location, we are gratified to see that people are using them. The local solid waste management company ‘’Uni Clean’ assists with the weekly disposal of trash from these areas.
Reaching out in different ways
We found different ways of reaching out to our stakeholders and the general public. Normally, we would have been hosting lots of in-person outreach and birding activities and events with the community and schools during the last year. But due to the pandemic and schools closing, we used radio and social media platforms to engage the community and key stakeholders. We made phone calls and delivered letters with updates on our projects. We also sent out a media blast with the local telecommunications company on the island, so that recipients could obtain a poster of the activities being undertaken at Belmont Salt Pond on their phones.
Finally, we had a hugely successful radio interview and webinar with the show, “Conversation Tree” on Radio Grenadines. SusGren’s Program Director, Orisha Joseph and I gave a presentation and discussed our activities with the radio host. This was seen by over 2,000 people and was very well-received.
World Shorebirds Day
Kristy Shortte pointing out and identifying birds on a guided birding walk. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc).
To further community involvement in our work and help people develop a love for the environment and birds, we collaborated with Katrina Collins-Coy, Union Island Environmental Attackers, and celebrated World Shorebirds Day in September, 2020. Eleven students and two teachers from the Stephanie Browne Primary School participated.
The celebration involved a birding walk with Bird Bingo and a Bird Identification tour along the Ashton Lagoon Trail. The children also enjoyed activities in the classroom, such as learning about the Parts of a Bird, bird games, and bird arts and crafts. We were elated to see the enthusiastic students and teachers come out as early as 5:30 am to be a part of the session!
Birds of Belmont Salt Pond – A New Resource!
Through this project (with matched funding from the SVG Conservation Fund) we also developed a booklet entitled “Birds of Belmont Salt Pond.” The booklet includes notes from SusGren’s directors, information on the project’s team, a brief history of the Belmont Salt Pond, photographs of resident and migratory birds found there, and a full checklist and space for taking notes while bird watching and monitoring. Thirty copies were printed and distributed to key stakeholders in the community and other organizations in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. We hope this will be a great resource for visitors.
Belmont Salt Point. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Bird Identification Training Workshop—“Conserving Caribbean Shorebirds and their Habitats”
Participants taking part in a Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) Basic Bird ID Training Workshop. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
We weren’t finished yet! We also held a five-day bird identification training workshop as part of the project, during October 2020. The workshop was facilitated by Lystra Culzac, who is the Founder and Manager of Science Initiative for Environmental Conservation and Education (SCIENCE) and graduate of our Conserving Caribbean Shorebirds and their Habitats Training Workshop in 2019 (as is Kristy!). Those taking part represented a wide range of professions, from Park Rangers, Tourism Division, Environmental Groups, and regular community members. As part of the training, a bird monitoring trip took place at the newly installed platforms, making good use of our new booklet “Birds of Belmont Salt Pond.”
We included training in seabird monitoring as part of the workshop and participants took a trip to Catholic Island and Tobago Cays Marine Park. Here they got the opportunity to learn firsthand how to identify a wider variety of the seabird species in their natural habitats. Following the bird watching trip in the Tobago Cays, SusGren, in partnership with SCIENCE, collaborated on a clean-up effort at Petit Bateau, one of the cays in the Marine Park and a known seabird habitat. A total of 6 bags of trash was collected.
Continued CWC Monitoring
At both Ashton Lagoon and Belmont Salt Pond we have been carrying out Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) surveys for many years. These surveys help us to keep track of which birds are using these sites, while keeping an eye out for any changes or threats to the habitats. During the project we carried out 9 CWC surveys across Ashton Lagoon and Belmont Salt Pond, making visits twice a month. Now that the project is over we plan to continue to monitor the birds at both sites using CWC surveys. With all our newly trained birders on Union island, equipped with binoculars and copies of the ‘Birds of Belmont Salt Point,’ we should have plenty of support to do this!
How did the community respond to our work?
During an Attitude and Perception survey interview done with residents on the island, persons expressed excitement and satisfaction with the new development. One noted interviewee was Benjamin Wilson, a Tobago Cays Park Ranger. Wilson said, “Before the enhancement, I would have passed the salt pond straight – but now I have to gaze at the work that was done.’’ SusGren believes that this project was the first step towards having a local community that value ‘their’ wetland. The wildlife viewing platform is now being regularly used by locals and tourists alike!
Mission accomplished? Yes, for that phase, which is a first step in the right direction towards bird and habitat conservation.
This project was made possible with funding and support from BirdsCaribbean via the US Fish and Wildlife Service NMBCA program and BirdsCaribbean members and donors, with matching funds from the SVG Conservation Fund.
Kristy Shortte has worked with Sustainable Grenadines Inc since 2013, starting out as an Administrative and Research Assistant. Since 2017 she has served as a Program Officer. Kristy has qualifications in Business Studies, and since working at Sustainable Grenadines, she has been dedicated to using her business knowledge and environmental training and experience to empower her community in the Grenadines to protect and develop their resources sustainably. She has grown to love and be inspired by nature and birds since working for SusGren. She comments, “A lot of times I would look at birds and observe how they are so fearless and free in the sky and by looking at these creatures you learn from them about how to create a beautiful life.”
Salt being produced at Belmont. (Photo by Radio Grenadines)
One of the new signs showing the bird of Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
The new platform at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Lesser Yellowlegs at Belmont Salt Pond. (photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Kids with BirdSleuth Caribbean Bird Bingo-cards. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Kids learning about birds with BirdSleuth Caribbean and World Migratory Bird Day materials. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Viewing Platform at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Viewing Platform at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
American Flamingo Spotted at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Brown Trembler
The Brown Trembler (Cinclocerthia ruficauda) is a plump, rufous-brown bird, 23–26 cm long. It has a long black beak, slightly decurved at the tip, and a long tail, often cocked over its back. Its flat head is grayish with a faint black eye mask, and it has bright yellow eyes. Males and females look alike but females have longer beaks.
Brown Tremblers live up to their name! They are best known for their curious habit of drooping their wings and trembling (fluttering) them, a behavior that helps you quickly identify this species. They tremble most often when meeting other tremblers, suggesting that the trembling may be a threat signal. They can also be identified by their distinctive warbling songs and calls. These range from one to three syllable phrases (pio-tareeu-tsee) to squeaky musical notes to a nasal rasping yeeeah call, often repeated many times. Brown Tremblers may not win a singing contest, but they have lots of personality.
Brown Tremblers can only be found in the Lesser Antilles; they are most common on Saba, St. Kitts, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Dominica, and St. Vincent; uncommon in Nevis, and rare in St. Eustatius, St. Lucia, Martinique, and Antigua. They live in humid forests and sometimes may be found in secondary forests and plantations, as well as drier woodlands. They are smart foragers – on the ground, where they toss leaves in their beaks to find insects underneath, and in the trees. Their long, strong beaks come in handy as they stick them into spaces between vines, epiphytes, and tree trunks, or pull on leaves trapped in vegetation, in the forest’s understory and mid-story. Snails, scorpions, spiders, beetles, cockroaches, fruit, and even small lizards and frogs – all make tasty meals for the Brown Trembler.
Brown Tremblers are similar to the closely-related Gray Trembler (Cinclocerthia gutturalis) which has pale gray plumage above, more grayish-white underparts, a broader and dark black eye mask, and a longer bill. The Gray Trembler is found only in St. Lucia and Martinique.
Because this bird prefers humid forests, the conversion of forests to plantations or other human settlements could cause the population to decrease. You can help save this species by teaching others about this bird, and supporting forest conservation on your island. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Brown Trembler
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Brown Trembler
The song of the Brown Trembler is very variable, with a jumble of whistles and high-pitched notes.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Brown Tremblers live up to their name! They are best known for their curious habit of drooping their wings and trembling (fluttering) them, a behavior that helps you quickly identify this species. (Photo by Anna Goshawk)The Brown Trembler lives in humid primary forests, but is sometimes also found in secondary forests and plantations. It forages on the ground by tossing leaves with its strong beak. It also searches for food by sticking its beaks into spaces between vines and epiphytes.(Photo by Nick Smith).
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Use the information above and the clues on the sheet to untangle our our word scramble – all about todays endemic bird the Brown Trembler. With clues about how what is looks, what it likes to eat, how it behaves and where is lives! When you’ve finished you can check all the answers to the clues here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy these videos showing some of the behaviours of Tremblers! In the first video you can be today’s featured endemic bird, the Brown Trembler foraging amongst the branches of a tree, searching for insects to eat. The second video shows the similar Gray Trembler, which pale gray and not brown above, you can see this bird ‘trembling’. It is this fluttering behaviour that gives both these two bird species their name!
