The former Antillean Euphonia has been split into three new Euphonia species! (Photo by Bobby Wilcox-ML532706381)
Get out your binoculars and plan a Caribbean birding adventure because we’ve got five new species of birds for you!
The American Ornithological Society has just announced their 64th Supplement to the Checklist of North American Birds. Every year, ornithologists and birders alike eagerly peruse their current bird lists and wait for the announcement of new bird species! Usually, these new species don’t arise from a remote jungle expedition, but by re-examining the differences and similarities within our current species lists.
Species can either be “lumped” or “split.” Lumps occur when two similar species are lumped back together and considered one species again. This is usually the case for very similar birds that have overlapping ranges. “Splits” are when one species is divided into two or more different species. These splits usually include birds that may look alike but evidence suggests have diverged sufficiently that their populations would no longer interbreed.
We are very excited to welcome these new bird species to the Caribbean—bringing us now to a total of 180 endemic bird species. Our Caribbean birding hotspot just got even hotter, giving you all the more reason to plan your next Caribbean birding adventure!
The joys of isolation…
Within the Caribbean, we have many species that occur across multiple islands, but don’t island hop–making these isolated populations. Over time, as these bird populations continue to breed in isolation from one another, they can develop differences, and even evolve into distinct species! By reviewing evidence, including genetics, morphology, plumage, vocalizations, and behaviors; ornithologists can determine if the populations are in fact distinct enough to be considered different species.
This year we are very excited to announce that we have five new species for the Caribbean! These species all fall under the category of splits (there were 4), meaning they were formerly considered one species and are now considered two or more! Let’s review the newest members of the flock.
*Drum roll*…welcoming five new Caribbean species!
Grand Cayman Bullfinch and Cuban Bullfinch
Let’s give a warm welcome to a new bullfinch species in the Caribbean, the Grand Cayman Bullfinch (Melopyrrha taylori)! This species was split from the Cuban Bullfinch(Melopyrrha nigra) due to vocal and morphological differences. The Cuban Bullfinch can now proudly boast that it is a true Cuban endemic, and the Grand Cayman islands have their second endemic bird species. Interestingly, the research supporting the split came from a birdwatcher’s observations of song differences between birds on Cuba and Grand Cayman! This show the value of citizen scientist birders being observant and uploading their information to apps like eBird (sightings, photos, and recordings of songs and calls).
Cuban Bullfinch, female. Females and juveniles are duller black and have a less prominent wing patch (Photo by Mario Olteanu)
Grand Cayman Bullfinch, female. Her color is dull slate-black tinged with olive. (Photo by Ray Robles)
The male Cuban Bullfinch is glossy black with white wing patches. It’s bill is a little smaller than the Grand Cayman Bullfinch. (Photo by Greg Lavaty)
The male Grand Cayman Bullfinch is black with a greenish gloss and has white wing patches on shoulders; its bill is slightly larger and heavier than the Cuban Bullfinch. (Photo by Aaron-Boone, ML151327701)
Hispaniolan Nightjar and Cuban Nightjar
Let’s give a warm welcome to two new species of nightjar! The bird formerly known as the Greater Antillean Nightjar (Antrostomus cubanensis) has now been split into the Hispaniolan Nightjar(Antrostomus ekmani) and Cuban Nightjar (Antrostomus cubanensis), based on convincing vocal differences between the two populations. The Hispaniolan Nightjar is found in the western third of the Dominican Republic and the western part of the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti. The Cuban Nightjar is found throughout the island of Cuba.
Hispaniolan Nightjar. (Photo by Dax Román)
Cuban Nightjar. (Photo by Greg Griffith, ML204321841)
Listen to the difference in the songs of the Hispaniolan Nightjar and Cuban Nightjar!
From one to three new Euphonias! Puerto Rican, Hispaniolan, and Lesser Antillean
Let’s give a warm welcome to not two but three new Euphonia species! The former Antillean Euphonia (Chlorophonia musica) has now been differentiated as the Puerto Rican Euphonia (Chlorophonia sclateri), the Hispaniolan Euphonia (Chlorophonia musica), and the Lesser Antillean Euphonia (Chlorophonia flavifrons). This long awaited split is based on considerable plumage differences between the three new species.
Males of the Hispaniolan Euphonia and Puerto Rican Euphonia have a turquoise blue crown and nape, blackish-violet face, back and wings, a small band of tawny-yellow to orange on the forehead. However, the male Puerto Rican Euphonia boasts a sunny yellow throat, underside, and rump, while the male Hispaniolan Euphonia has a dark blue throat and orange underside and rump. The male Lesser Antillean Euphonia has an olive-green body, sky-blue crown and nape, and yellow forehead; his plumage is fairly similar to the females of all three species but he is a little brighter.
The females of all three species are lighter overall, with yellow-greenish body and wings, turquoise crown and nape, and the forehead nicely adorned with a spot of gold.
The male Puerto Rican Euphonia has a yellow throat, underside, and rump. (Photo by Alfred Irizarry)
The male Hispaniolan Euphonia has a dark blue throat and an orange underside and rump. (Photo by Joshua Covill, ML548852851)
Female Hispaniolan Euphonia; yellow-greenish body and wings, turqoise cfrown and nape and yellow-orange spot on the forehead. The plumage of females of all three Euphonia species is similar. (Photo by Hemant Kishan)
The male Lesser Antillean Euphonia has an olive-green body, blue head cap, and yellow forehead. (Photo by Anthony Levesque)
Hispaniolan Palm-Crow and Cuban Palm-Crow
Let’s give a warm welcome to two new species of palm crow! The bird formerly known as the Palm Crow (Corvus palmarum) is now recognized as the Hispaniolan Palm-Crow (Corvus palmarum) and the Cuban Palm-Crow (Corvus minutus). The vocalizations between the two are quite distinct, enough that ornithologists can tell the two apart, so it’s likely that the crows can too! They also show genetic and behavioral differences, including a curious tail-flicking behavior exhibited only by the Hispaniolan Palm-Crow!
A Cuban Palm-Crow. (Photo by Arturo Kirkconnell Jr.)
Hispaniolan Palm-Crow. (Photo by Jay McGowan, ML162378241)
Listen to the differences between the calls of the Hispaniolan Palm-Crow and Cuban Palm-Crow.
We are very excited to welcome these new bird species to the Caribbean—bringing us now to a total of 180 endemic bird species. Our Caribbean birding hotspot just got even hotter, giving you all the more reason to plan your next Caribbean birding adventure!
We’re curious: Did you get an “armchair lifer” or two? (i.e., a new bird on your life list without actually having seen a new bird due to splits like this) Which of these new species would you like to see the most? Comment below!
The endangered Whistling Warbler, an endemic bird to St. Vincent in need of more monitoring (Photo by Judd Patterson).
In April 2021, La Soufrière Volcano, on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent, erupted for the first time in 42 years. Explosive eruptions and heavy ash fall devastated ecosystems, leaving many species without homes and unable to forage in the wild. St. Vincent’s wildlife, especially endemic landbird species like the threatened St. Vincent Parrot and endangered Whistling Warbler, faced grave peril. The conservation community swiftly formed an emergency group, raising funds and providing much-needed assistance to the Forestry Department working on-the-ground in St. Vincent.
As St. Vincent’s forest regenerates, there is still work to be done to assess the impact of the volcanic eruptions on wildlife populations. A historic lack of research and funding means that there is limited baseline knowledge about the ecology and population status for most of the forest birds on the island. Thanks to funding from theCritical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and BirdsCaribbean members, partners and donors, we have launched a project to build capacity and provide the data needed for long-term landbird species protection. Read on for a second update on this vital work to study and conserve St. Vincent’s unique birds!
Human activities are a threat to the landbirds—and then came the volcano…
Landbirds, as their name implies, spend the majority of their lives on land, and include birds like hummingbirds, raptors, doves, flycatchers, and songbirds. They forage and breed in a variety of habitats in the Caribbean, from gardens, parks, open savannas, and cultivated areas, to scrub and many different types of forests at varying elevations. Many habitats have already been lost, and those remaining are constantly threatened by destruction and degradation from land-based development, cutting of trees for charcoal and timber, and also pollution, invasive species, and climate change. These factors mean that landbird populations, already at risk, experienced another blow to their survival with the eruption of La Soufriére in 2021.
Mesopotamia Valley, one of the most cultivated areas on St Vincent. (Photo by Nandani Bridglal)
How are the landbirds doing now? Enter the CLM Network!
Assessing the status and recovery of endangered wildlife populations is now an urgent priority. In collaboration with the St. Vincent Forestry Department and other partners, we launched the “Conservation of the Endangered Whistling Warbler Project” in April 2022 to monitor the Whistling Warbler and other forest birds, build local landbird monitoring capacity, prepare a Conservation Action Plan for the Whistling Warbler, and raise awareness for landbird species. In January 2023, we held a Caribbean Landbird Monitoring Training Workshop to 1) build local capacity to monitor forest birds using standardized protocols, and 2) establish a long-term monitoring program on St Vincent.
This project is held under the banner of the Caribbean Landbird Monitoring (CLM) Network, through which BirdsCaribbean has been building the capacity of Caribbean conservationists to identify and monitor landbirds. Using these data, we can expand our knowledge of how birds use different habitats in space and time, and enable researchers to assess the status and trends of their populations in relation to habitat, climate, and natural and anthropogenic activities and threats.
Post-eruption clean-up exercise in Hermitage, St. Vincent, on April 2, 2021. (Photo by the SVG Forestry Department)
The elusive and endangered Whistling Warbler. (Photo by Mike Akresh)
The Vulnerable St Vincent Parrot. (Photo by Mike Akresh)
Ash plume on April 9th at 4 PM, the first day of eruptions (photo by Richard Robertson, UWI Seismic Research Centre)
Valley on the Leeward side of St. Vincent showing severe damage to trees and vegetation. (photo by Richard Robertson, UWI Seismic Research Centre)
Under the Caribbean Landbird Monitoring (CLM) Network, BirdsCaribbean has been building the capacity of Caribbean conservationists to identify and monitor landbirds using standardized survey protocols. Using these data, we can expand our knowledge of how birds use different habitats in space and time, and enable researchers to assess the status and trends of their populations in relation to habitat and climate variables. The first CLM Training Workshop was held in the Dominican Republic in February 2022, followed by an introductory workshop in Puerto Rico in July 2022 in conjunction with the AOS-BC meeting. For this workshop, we head to another enchanting Caribbean island, this time in the Lesser Antilles.
Landbird Monitoring takes wing in the Lesser Antilles
St. Vincent (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) is brimming with bird life and is home to legendary species found nowhere else in the world like the St. Vincent Parrot, Whistling Warbler, and the Grenada Flycatcher (also endemic to Grenada). Other beautiful regional endemics include the Antillean Crested Hummingbird, Purple-throated Carib, Lesser Antillean Tanager, Lesser Antillean Euphonia, Brown Trembler, and Rufous-throated Solitaire.
The Grenada Flycatcher is a landbird that is endemic to both St Vincent and Grenada. These two were spotted at the Botanical Gardens of St Vincent and the Grenadines. (Mike Akresh)
The workshop’s content and sessions were facilitated by: Jeff Gerbracht and Ingrid Molina (both from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology), Lystra Culzac-Wilson (Science Initiative for Environmental Conservation and Education – SCIENCE), Glenroy Gaymes (Wildlife Unit, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Forestry Department), Dr. Mike Akresh (Antioch University), Dr. Maya Wilson (BirdsCaribbean), and Dr. Lisa Sorenson (BirdsCaribbean).
During the workshop, 24 Caribbean wildlife professionals representing NGOs and government agencies in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Montserrat, and Grenada learned how to use the Programa de América Latina para las Aves Silvestres (PROALAS) landbird monitoring protocols. These protocols were originally developed in Latin America to survey birds in tropical habitats. We have adopted the methodology (PROALAS Manual, Caribbean version) for our Caribbean Landbird Monitoring Program and are training our local partners in its use.
Group photo of workshop participants and facilitators at Montreal Gardens, St Vincent. (Photo by Timothy Vaughn)
Bountiful Birds at the Botanical Gardens
Curator’s House at the Botanical Gardens of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The workshop was held in the Curator’s House at the Botanical Gardens, just outside the capital city of Kingstown. At over 250 years old, it is the oldest botanical garden in the Western Hemisphere, and an important conservation site. This is also the location of the Nicholas Wildlife Aviary Complex, which maintains a captive population of the vulnerable St. Vincent Parrot.
This location was perfect for learning, discovery, and practice. The Botanical Gardens and nearby Anglican Pastoral Centre’s small forest patch support a variety of bird species, allowing participants to quickly step out of the classroom to practice carrying out PROALAS point counts and transect surveys. The lessons entailed estimating distance using both stride lengths and range finders, marking survey areas, and recording count data in the eBird app (Caribbean pack). But perhaps the most intense and highly rewarding process for participants was learning to identify the birds around them.
Landbirds are often small busy birds that perch briefly, usually hidden by leaves, before darting off to another tree. Fortunately, participants were guided by local birding veterans Lystra Culzac (Director of local NGO SCIENCE) and Glenroy Gaymes (Chief Wildlife Officer, St Vincent Forestry Department) for these bird identification sessions. They reiterated the importance of using field marks, with help from the Merlin app and the Birds of the West Indies field guide, as well as songs and calls, to correctly identify the birds they spotted.
Kayroy Baptiste (Union Island Environmental Alliance) entering data into PROALAS survey sheet during transect survey behind Anglican-Pastoral Centre.
Dr Maya Wilson presenting on the importance of monitoring landbirds.
Forestry Officers (St Vincent and the Grenadines) conducting transect surveys behind Anglican Pastoral Centre.
Ingrid Molina explaining monitoring methods to participants.
Practice makes perfect
Following several preparatory sessions, including “Bird ID 101,” “Landbirds of St Vincent and the Grenadines,” and “How to Use Binoculars,” the participants headed out to the Botanical Gardens to practice identifying birds. The group’s concentration and determination were palpable! Those working in small groups whispered to each other about the nuances of colors, bill shapes, tail lengths, and other field marks. Others pointed out the different bird calls, another important means to ID forest birds. Some of the more experienced birders in the group even used the opportunity to take their bird knowledge and identification skills to the next level, mentoring less experienced birders and adding “lifer birds” to their personal lists!
Lystra Culzac-Wilson introduces participants to the landbirds found in St Vincent.
Dr Mike Akresh helping participants identify birds at the Botanical Gardens.
Jeff explaining binocular specs to participants.
Participants practicing using their Vortex binoculars. (Photo by Mike Akresh)
Lystra Culzac-Wilson highlighting the differences among species of doves found in St Vincent.
Lystra and participants practice identifying birds in the Botanical Gardens.
Conquering wild terrain and rough weather to master PROALAS in the field
Botanical gardens and reserves in urban landscapes provide refuge for birds and other wildlife. But realistically, most of our poorly studied and threatened species, including the Whistling Warbler, inhabit rugged forested areas. All of the participants are normally tasked in their jobs with traversing rivers and climbing steep hills—often in unpredictable weather. The workshop’s trajectory naturally shifted from practice to on-the-ground application.
Fieldwork over the next several days began with 5 am wake-up calls to catch the bus to the Vermont Nature Trail or Montreal (part of the Central Mountain Range Forest Reserve). Early risers were rewarded with “gram worthy” views of pristine moist forests and lush undulating ridges. At Vermont Nature Trail we were delighted to see and hear St. Vincent Parrots! Here, on narrow slippery trails with dense vegetation on either side, participants had to rely upon their knowledge of the PROALAS protocols and bird identification by sound to yield the best data for their surveys. Participants displayed sheer professionalism and dedication, working together to improve their skills while braving the less than ideal environmental conditions (yes, we had some downpours!). The team discussed survey methods, assigned tasks, and helped each other with bird identification and equipment use.
Stream along the Vermont Nature Trail. (Photo by Mike Akresh)
Amonie Holas (Gaea Conservation Network) using a rangefinder to calculate distance during the survey on Vermont Nature Trail.
Ansaki Roberts (SVD Forestry Department) marking a point count station with flagging tape on the Vermont Nature Trail.
Participants conducting a point count survey at Vermont Nature Trail. (Photo by Maya-Wilson)
View from the parrot observation deck at Vermont Nature Trail. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Participants identifying and recording birds along the Vermont Nature Trail.
St Vincent Parrot quietly perched on a tree, Vermont Nature Trail. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Briefing before start of surveys at Montreal Gardens.
Participants identifying birds with Lystra Culzac-Wilson at Montreal Gardens.
A Purple-throated Carib sitting in her nest was spotted by Lisa at Montreal Gardens. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson).
On the last day we headed to the dry forest on the leeward side of the island at Zion Hill. Along the way we stopped at Buccament and Layou to survey waterbirds for the annual, regional Caribbean Waterbird Census, which was ongoing at the time. Bird identification reached a crescendo when Jeff set up the spotting scope for everyone to get a closer look at the shorebirds. The most popular among the group was an American Oystercatcher! We were all jumping back in line to catch a second look at this snazzy bird with its carrot-like beak.
Buccament Bay, St Vincent.
Jeanette (St Lucia National Trust) and Aloysius (St Lucia Forestry Department) looking for waterbirds at Buccament Bay.
Identifying waterbirds for CWC2023, St-Vincent. (Photo by Maya Wilson)
The Layou River in St. Vincent is an important freshwater site. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Caribbean Waterbird Survey at Layou Bay. (Photo by Maya Wilson)
American Oystercatcher using its unmistakeable red-orange beak to forage.
And the CLM Network grows
After a non-stop week of birding and learning, participants returned to their home countries to start the next phase—designing and implementing their own landbird monitoring programs, educating their communities about local landbirds, and contributing information to an accessible online Caribbean landbird monitoring database. This mass Caribbean capacity building is ultimately what these workshops are about. This type of training enables participants to develop sustainable and homegrown programs in their own countries, laying the groundwork for a future where our endemics can be known and protected through deeper appreciation, ongoing monitoring, comprehensive Conservation Action Plans and policy interventions.
In particular, we are excited to see the St. Vincent Forestry Department lead their own landbird monitoring programs to understand and conserve the St. Vincent Parrot, Whistling Warbler, and other forest birds. In addition, both Forestry and SCIENCE are raising awareness with children and communities about St Vincent’s special endemic birds and how important it is to protect their forest habitats. Stay tuned for further updates reporting on the results of our monitoring and education programs!
Forestry staff and workshop facilitators during a brainstorming session for a landbird monitoring plan for St Vincent, at Montreal Gardens.
Participants shared how their workshop experience would support their own conservation work:
“I am now able to organize a [landbird] monitoring program for my island and use the eBird app.”
“The workshop deepened my understanding of landbird ecology and how to efficiently monitor these birds.”
“I really appreciated being able to connect with other Caribbean conservationists and build my network.”
“The workshop gave us the tools, equipment and knowledge to collect data about landbirds.”
The workshop “provided me with the necessary skills to properly survey a [bird] population.”
“It has increased my understanding of what should and should not be done when monitoring landbirds.”
Acknowledgements: BirdsCaribbean is grateful to the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for funding this Caribbean Landbird Monitoring Training Workshop. We also want to express our deepest appreciation to Mr. Fitzgerald Providence and his staff at the St. Vincent Forestry Department for their help and support, and to Vortex Optics for assistance with binoculars for all participants. Special thanks to our workshop trainers and to all of the participants for an incredible workshop. Finally, we thank BirdsCaribbean members, partners, and donors for your support, which made this work possible.
Behind-the-scenes
BirdsCaribbean has years of experience organizing and executing workshops and each one comes with its own unique challenges and opportunities. Here are some of the behind-the-scenes preparations for this CLM Training Workshop.
Getting there
Even though in some cases islands are miles apart, inter-Caribbean travel is rough. Economy flights are expensive between islands because airlines have to pay high taxes at each airport and each airline has fixed flight schedules. This meant some participants had to overnight on another island before flying to St. Vincent or leave St. Vincent a day later. Maya had to be methodical in selecting flights so that everyone got to St. Vincent on time for the start of the workshop. We suggest that Maya add ‘travel agent’ to her CV.
Field Reconnaissance
Workshop facilitators also have to scout for suitable locations for the field sessions. This entails selecting the site, visiting the site, collecting sample data and vetting for safety. During the recon mission at the Anglican Pastoral Centre, our very own member of the Media Working Group, Aliya, slipped and fell down one especially steep part of the trail. Although Glenroy told us “what happens in the forest stays in the forest,” we think it’s too funny not to share. Aliya admits that she is prone to falling but that this event stood out to her because it was “not an abrupt fall I am used to. I slowly slid down the trail and it felt like I was never going to stop!” We hope that Aliya and her legs have since worked out their differences.
Workshop and outreach materials
Flights are expensive and so is shipping to the Caribbean! Every opportunity to meet in-person is an opportunity to share printed materials and equipment. It really would not be a gathering of Caribbean people if suitcases of goods other than clothes were not brought to the event! We used this opportunity to share field guides, binoculars (again, massive thanks to our donors), rolls of flagging tapes, stacks of waterproof notebooks, nest cameras, Endemic Birds of the West Indies coloring books, and stickers.
Rolls of stickers of birds endemic to the Lesser Antilles. Each roll contains 1000 stickers. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Close-up of the Whistling Warbler sticker with the call to “Protect & Love Our Endemic Birds.”
The beautiful stickers were designed by Josmar Esteban Márquez featuring 11 Lesser Antillean gems; Green-throated Carib, Antillean Crested Hummingbird, Bananaquit, Rufous-throated Solitaire, Whistling Warbler, Scaly-breasted Thrasher, Lesser Antillean Tanager, Grenada Flycatcher, Mangrove Cuckoo, and St Vincent Parrot. They were custom-made for use by the various NGOs and government agencies partners during their conservation outreach and education activities at schools and thus bear the name of the bird with a call to “Protect & Love (heart symbol) our endemic birds.”
We underestimated the time it would take to divide and distribute stickers (1000 per roll per species). Since the workshop was coming to an end, we needed all hands-on-deck to cut and package the stickers for each of the NGOs and government agency representatives. Indeed, teamwork makes the dream work! But next time we’ll get a head start.
Workshop facilitators sorting, tearing and packaging stickers for our partners during the workshop.
Stephon and Antwone (Montserrat National Trust) receiving outreach materials from Lisa.
Kristy Shortte (Sustainable Grenadines) receiving outreach materials from Lisa.
Forestry staff receiving outreach materials from Lisa.
Aloysius Charles St. Lucia Forestry Department receiving outreach materials from Lisa.
Ajhermae White Montserrat Department of Environment receiving outreach materials from Lisa.
Kayroy Baptiste and Roxanne Froget (Union-Island Environmental Alliance) receive outreach materials from Lisa.
Earlier in April we announced that we were looking for a new Communications Manager to oversee BirdsCaribbean’s communications, marketing, and public relations efforts to raise awareness and support for our mission, projects, and programs. We received applications from some of the best communications professionals from the Caribbean making our task in selecting just one extremely difficult. But ultimately we decided that Christel Mohammed was the right fit for us.
Christel Mohammed is a multidisciplinary communications professional with a Master of Science in Marketing from Heriott-Watt University and Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts from the University of the West Indies. She is a national of the twin-island country of Trinidad and Tobago. She has just under a decade of experience working in communications for environmental, sustainability and developmental projects with the government of Trinidad and Tobago, which is where she developed a passion for communications as a tool for development.
Before joining BirdsCaribbean she served as the Corporate Communications Officer in the Ministry of Planning and Development. In her role there, she promoted mangrove and seagrass conservation with the Institute of Marine Affairs; supported the Ministry in championing national development strategies; promoted information technology offshoring in Trinidad and Tobago as part of the Global Services Promotion Program; and led design for national and regional branding projects. She is a communications professional with a flair for the creative—her skills extend beyond communications strategy to video production and hosting; design and brand development; and creative direction. She especially loves applying those skills to science communication and public education projects!
Christel believes that the narratives we consume shape how we think, make decisions, and interface with the world—empowering people to make better informed decisions for themselves and the planet through communications is what drives her.
For this blog we decided to sit down with Christel to find out what life is like working in communications and what she does in her down time.
BC: What does a typical day as a communications manager involve?
Christel: It’s early yet to say what a typical day here is going to look like. Right now I’m getting oriented to the vast network of BirdsCaribbean, and appreciating all the ways in which BirdsCaribbean continues to conserve our islands’ biodiversity through regional capacity building, sponsoring citizen science programs, funding research, delivering educational campaigns for all ages, hosting vibrant festivals, and so much more! So far it’s been a whirlwind of meetings, research, content development, communications auditing and planning, and as always with comms—editing, editing, editing!
BC: Why is science communication important for NGOs?
Christel: Our natural heritage belongs to everyone, and we all have a role in protecting it, but that idea is only meaningful when information about the issues that threaten our environment is clear and accessible to everyone. Science communication is critical for NGOs, particularly those of us who work in conservation, because it’s the vehicle that allows this work to be inclusive and empowering. It enables people to understand and take ownership of the challenges we face, develop home-grown solutions, and advocate for better representation by our leaders. It’s also a vital tool that gives a voice to our species and helps us appreciate the threats that they face.
BC: What is the best part of your job?
Christel: I think about the question of how we make things—our environment, our societies, our lives—better, a lot. It really matters to me that what I do has value and contributes positively to our world. The best part of my job is simply that with BirdsCaribbean, I’m supporting meaningful and necessary work, and I’m deeply happy to be part of such a dynamic and impactful team.
BC: When you’re not busy developing high impact communications strategies what are you doing?
Christel: I love reading and creating; I’ve been an artist all my life and simply couldn’t exist without having some ongoing creative project. No surprise here, but I’m also a birder and would unreservedly recommend it to anyone—it is the absolute best way to cultivate awe, presence, and peace.
BC: Finally, we have to ask, what is your favorite bird?
Christel: Gosh it has to be the bird that got me into birding – the Red-billed Tropicbird! In 2015 I had the happy accident of wandering into birding in the most spectacular way. I signed up for a tour of Little Tobago largely for the experience of snorkeling in the beautiful reefs off of the island. The tour included a trail walk and as luck would have it, this was at the peak of the breeding season of the Red-Billed Tropicbird. We got to the lookout point at the top of the hill and that was the moment—I heard it before I saw it—two sheer cliff faces stretched out on either side of me with a mind-blowing mass of nesting tropicbirds dotting both cliffs. It sounds silly, but it was the most birds I had ever seen and the scale was wondrous to me. In front of me over the ocean the activity was also epic—Magnificent Frigatebirds wrestling the tropicbirds for their catches! Experiencing the pure awe of that moment and learning about the behaviors of the different birds kicked off a fascination that I haven’t lost since!
Let’s extend a hearty Caribbean welcome to Christel!
Children are natural explorers – some of whom are curious about birds. And why wouldn’t they be? Birds come in all colors, shapes and sizes. They sing sweet melodies, give funny chirps and whistles, and even make eerie sounds. But perhaps best of all, like superheroes and fairies, they can fly!
Birdwatching is a great way to nurture children’s innate scientific interests through the study of nature. This is what BirdLife Jamaica set out to achieve with their “Bring A Child Birding” event in May, which coincided with Jamaica’s observation of Child Month and the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival. Emma Lewis, our Media Working Group Chair and member of BirdLife Jamaica, shared this lively retelling of the young birders’ first experience birdwatching at Hope Gardens, Jamaica.
One small girl found the binoculars weighed her down too much, so her father took them over.
Talking birds: Justin Saunders lends a listening ear to a young birder. (Photo by Stuart Reeves)
Another girl (pre-teen age) was convinced that there were woodpeckers in the clump of bamboo; in fact, bamboo often makes all kinds of knocking and rattling noises when the wind blows. But we did see a real endemic Jamaican Woodpecker, with his blazing red head, a little later.
Male Jamaican Woodpecker. (Photo by Tim Avery- Macaulay Library- ML87028941)
Several Common Moorhens tripped as fast as they could along the pond side to avoid the children’s cries–but were duly admired, anyway.
Hey! Are you taking a photo of us? Adults and children birdwatch by the pond. (Photo by Stuart Reeves)
Two boys, guided by their father (a brilliant bird photographer), were busy counting Greater Antillean Grackles, who were making their usual “cling cling clii-ing” racket in a bush.
Greater Antillean Grackle. (Photo by Rafy Rodriguez)
BirdLife Jamaica’s concept of staging a children’s birding session in Kingston’s beloved Hope Gardens was an absolute winner, straight out of the starting block. Since it was the first attempt, perhaps we could call it a “pilot project.”
The gardens themselves were remarkably busy, with what seemed to be a major picnic going on. Literally hundreds of children were spread across the grass, with the occasional lady and gentleman dressed up in wedding attire, for photo-ops. The noise level was terrific. I was disturbed to see how many cars were allowed in the gardens, however. There is quite a large parking lot. It should be a place to walk (or run).
We gathered in the shadiest spot we could find in the Chinese Garden, which was a little more sedate. We handed out binoculars and signed adults and children up. I think we had a total count of around fifty. The parents were protective, supportive and seemed to enjoy themselves. The children were kept so busy that only one or two had “meltdowns” towards the end of two hours or so of hard birding–quite understandable!
Binoculars are a birder’s best tool! (Photo by Stuart Reeves)
Splitting up into groups, each with an adult leader, we walked off in different directions, with our necks adjusted at different angles, to find birds. The children’s necks needed adjusting, too; it is not just about spotting a bird, but also training one’s binoculars in the right direction–the right tree, the right branch–to see it in spectacular detail. Also, one usually needs to fiddle with the binoculars so that it’s not all a blur, but actually matches your eyesight and fits your eyes comfortably.
Justin Saunders and Damany Calder help a participant identify a bird at Hope Gardens. (Photo by Stuart Reeves)
The children soon became adept at spotting the birds when they weren’t too busy interacting with each other in various ways. Spotting them wasn’t a problem. Several children shouted, pointed, and jumped up and down each time they saw a bird! The objects of their interest were not very impressed with this behavior, often flying away from the shouting, gesticulating young humans. We had to explain to them that when birding you have to speak quietly, step lightly, and refrain from sudden movements. This is something, of course, that children are not naturally prone to do. We had to remind them to use their binoculars, too. This brings the whole birding experience to life.
Frequently heard comments were:
“I see it!”
“Where?”
“Oh, it’s gone!”
“Give me your binoculars!”
“I don’t see it.”
“Look, look, look!” (crescendo)
“My binoculars aren’t working!”
And more.
Below are some more photos, courtesy of Stuart Reeves, Kahlil Francis, and myself. We did not photograph the birds this time since we were focused on the kids watching the birds! However, apart from the more common residents such as Greater Antillean Grackle, White-winged Dove, Smooth-billed Anis and Zenaida Dove (plus a whole host of Cattle Egrets, pecking away at some freshly watered grass), we did spot some endemic species that live nowhere else in the world but Jamaica–the children found this fact surprising. There was the aforementioned Jamaican Woodpecker, Jamaican Parakeet, Yellow-billed Parrots, Jamaican Oriole (endemic sub-species), and the Red-billed Streamertail. A pair of much less common Black-billed Parrots (conservation status: Vulnerable) posed for a while on a bare branch.
Birdwatching in the Chinese Garden at Hope Gardens. (Photo by Stuart Reeves)
Practicing the birding on one knee technique. (Photo by Stuart Reeves)
Some participants could not contain their excitement. (Photo by Keisha-Miller)
Pop quiz time with Keisha Miller. (Photo by Stuart Reeves)
Winding down in the warm late afternoon sun, we handed out posters of Jamaican endemic birds to each young participant. Copies of my personal little “Bible,” A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Jamaica, by Ann Haynes-Sutton, Audrey Downer, and Robert Downer, were on sale. All went home quite satisfied as there was just no time to be bored. I think we have “converted” a few children to birding (and perhaps one or two adults, too). Moreover, I believe that the children enjoyed themselves, being away from their tablets, iPads and phones and appreciating nature.
The poster entitled “The Endemic Birds of Jamaica – 31 More Reasons to be Proud of Jamaica.”
I think it’s safe to say that BirdLife Jamaica pulled off a coup (the non-violent kind, of course). Many congratulations to Justin, Michelle, Keisha, Damany, Treya, Kahlil, Stuart and all the others that got involved to make it a roaring success! With special, special thanks to Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) and the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation (C-CAM) for their support.
Happy adults and children after a lovely evening spent watching birds. (Photo by Stuart Reeves)
BirdsCaribbean is proud to work alongside BirdLife Jamaica and we salute their efforts to protect the birds of Jamaica and their habitats. We were thrilled to learn of the positive experiences and hope that other NGOs in the region will also be inspired to make bird watching more accessible and enjoyable to the youth.
Hope Gardens, formally known as the Royal Botanical Gardens, comprises 200 acres of endemic and exotic botanical collections located in Kingston. It is the largest public green space in the capital and is often used for picnics, weddings, band concerts, poetry readings and birdwatching! The Gardens offer a variety of habitats for birds and other wildlife. Among the habitats are the Cassia Cassia siamea grove by the main entrance; a Palm Avenue, where sago palms are among the oldest living trees in the garden; a cacti garden with rare varieties; the annual gardens with numerous species of exotic flowers; a bougainvillea walk; an orchid house; a maze; a forest; the sunken gardens; and the lily pond.
Yaritza with Lola the Puerto Rican Parrot mascot. (Photo by Fundación Amigos De El Yunque)
BirdsCaribbean is proud to coordinate the annual Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) along with many environmental and community organizations across the region. Today we look back on all the fun events celebrating the Caribbean’s iconic birds, being in nature, meeting new friends, and making water conservation an important part of our daily lives!
The Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) 2023 emphasized the importance of water conservation by shedding light on the crucial role of waterways and their surrounding watersheds in supporting our region’s unique bird populations and providing us with clean water.
We often see birds flying, preening, and feeding, but rarely do we see them drinking water. This does not mean that water is not important to birds. In fact, birds need water just as much as we do. Drinking water helps them regulate body processes like digestion. Water also keeps birds clean and cool on hot days when they take a splish-splash in a puddle, gutter, or backyard bird bath. Many birds also rely on wetland habitats, such as our ponds, salinas, marshes, mangroves, rivers, and coastal waters. With growing human populations and relentless development, there are growing demands for water and continued destruction of our remaining wetlands.
The 2023 CEBF marked a significant milestone in bird conservation efforts. After a challenging period of virtual celebrations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this spring we witnessed a massive return of in-person activities. Bird enthusiasts, nature lovers, conservation organizations, and local communities all came together to spread the urgent message that water conservation is vital for all life on earth, including birds, and to learn how to protect the habitats of the one-of-a-kind bird species that call the Caribbean home.
CEBF heads offline and into nature
Coordinators embraced the theme by focusing on water as an essential resource and raised awareness about conserving and sustainably managing water habitats. The interconnectedness of birds, water, and the broader ecosystem was celebrated and supported through birdwatching trips, habitat cleanups, bird fairs and many more activities.
“Water, a lifeblood of our birds, sustains not only their existence but also their habitats,” said Eduardo Llegus, co-regional coordinator of CEBF. “With over 700 bird species in the Caribbean relying on our water resources, it becomes clear that the preservation of these precious resources is essential for their survival. As we embrace theUN Decade (2021-2030) on Ecosystem Restoration, let us remember that protecting and reversing degradation of our water ecosystems is not just an obligation but a lifeline for our avian treasures and the biodiversity they represent, hence, a healthier ecosystem and a healthier people.”
A Key West Quail-Dove takes a drink. Bird baths are a great way to support birds and attract more species to your backyard!
CEBF events were highly interactive and captivated children, teens, and adults alike. Birdwatching allowed attendees to marvel at the beauty and diversity of endemic bird species in their natural habitats. These guided field trips also provided valuable insights into the ecological, economic and cultural importance of natural areas. Educational workshops and presentations deepened participants’ understanding of birds and their conservation needs. CEBF island coordinators educated participants about bird ecology and behavior, raised awareness of the multitude of threats they face, and inspired individuals to become advocates for bird conservation.
Celebrations across the region!
Jamaica
Birdlife Jamaica organized a “Bring a Child Birding” event in Kingston’s vibrant Hope Gardens. Approximately 50 participants, divided into smaller groups, enjoyed a thrilling two-hour tour spotting many birds, including exclusive Jamaican endemics. Despite the busyness of the garden, they all enjoyed the experience and we hope these budding birders continue to be encouraged to bird. More details from this event will be shared in an upcoming blog!
Birdlife Jamaica’s ‘Bring a Child Birding’ event flyer.
Justin Saunders of Birdlife Jamaica helps with bird identification at Hope Gardens. (Photo by Stuart Reeves)
Budding birders socializing and learning how to use binoculars. (Photo by Stuart Reeves)
Cuba
CEBF celebrations in Cuba were vast! An astounding 69 Cuban island coordinators executed a multitude of events across 12 (out of 15) provinces impacting over 5,000 people. This year we joyfully welcomed new Cuban birding clubs to the celebrations: Club Observadores de Aves de Artemisa, Club de Observadores de Aves de Granma, Proyecto comunitario Amiguitos de la Naturaleza, and Nativa Red de Microviveros. Cuban ornithologists Martín Acosta, Lourdes Mugica, and Karen Aguilar released a much-needed field guide, “Aves del Jardín Botánico Nacional” which documents the abundant bird life at Cuba’s National Botanic Garden. Children and teenagers were treated to bird puzzles, cartoons and other bird-centric games, and participated in habitat clean-ups and tree planting activities. Information about water conservation was shared through the local media.
Diorama of Parque Nacional San Felioe in Cuba. (Photo by Festival de las Aves Endémicas del Caribe)
The CEBF encourages sensory play through gardening too. A little boy plants a tree for birds at his school in Cuba. (Photo by Festival de las-Aves Endémicas del Caribe)
A participant with her beautiful flamingo sculpture. (Photo by Festival de las Aves Endémicas del Caribe)
Information about the festival and endemic birds of Cuba was shared via radio interviews.
Participants were also treated to a bird book display.
Felix Raul Figueroa, photographer and member of Grupo Ecología de Aves, looks on as students from Ciénaga de Zapata color the Cuban Parrot. (Photo by Grupo de Ecología de Aves)
Group photo of students and members of Club observadores de aves de Granma.
Two young girls plant trees in the Jardín Botánico Cupaynicú. (Photo by Club de observadores de aves de Granma)
Winners of the art competition pose with their prizes at the award ceremony in El Bongo Park. (Photo by Club observadores de aves de Granma)
Cuban CEBF Coordinators and members of Grupo de Ecología de Aves Universidad de La Habana.
Dominican Republic
Grupo Acción Ecológica, an environmental NGO in the Dominican Republic, hosted a tree planting event at the botanical garden to support birds and other wildlife. Students were also encouraged to tap into their creativity by painting bird masks and landscapes. The paintings gave students the opportunity to display their skills and also to voice their ideas of what healthy bird habitats should look like. One student explained, “I painted the sky and added a rainbow, the sun, clouds, water, trees, and birds, because birds need all these elements to live”.
Students help plant native trees for birds and other wildlife at the National Botanical Garden.
Grupo Acción Ecológica and students at the National Botanical Garden.
María Paulino of Grupo Acción Ecológica speaks to students about the endemic birds of the Dominican Republic.
María Paulino leads a birdwatching tour at the National Botanical Garden.
María Paulino hosts a group discussion with students at the National Botanical Garden.
Event coordinators included members of the Department of Environmental Education, the Seed Bank and Grupo Acción Ecológica.
Puerto Rico
In nearby Puerto Rico, Fundación Amigos del Yunque integrated birding and education to raise awareness among youth and local communities about the significance of the island’s endemic bird species and their interconnectedness with ecosystems, including the renowned El Yunque National Forest. Other Puerto Rican partners Coriecis, Conservation Opportunity, Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín, Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña Inc. (SOPI), SOPAS, and Organización Reverdece y Educa tu Comunidad, organized birdwatching, conferences, information booths, fairs, and coastal clean-ups. These events attracted the participation of teachers, students, parents and other volunteers.
Coriecis volunteers use their brand new Vortex binoculars during the bird census. (Photo by Coriecis)
A Conservation Opportunity member educates participants about the endemic birds of Puerto Rico. (Photo by Conservation Opportunity)
A Conservation Opportunity member sensitises participants about the threats posed by marine pollution. (Photo by Conservation Opportunity)
This newly installed sign encourages beach goers to keep their environment clean. (Photo by Conservation Opportunity)
How long are your ‘wings’? A member of Conservation Opportunity measures her arm length against a bird wingspan poster. (Photo by Conservation Opportunity)
The Conservation Opportunity cleanup crew. (Photo by Conservation Opportunity)
Eduardo Llegus talks about the effect of plastic pollution on human health. (Photo by Reverdece y Educa Tu Comunidad)
Youth making a sign at Colegio Ponceño.(Photo by Reverdece y Educa Tu Comunidad)
Birdwatching at Colegio Ponceño. (Photo by Reverdece y Educa Tu Comunidad)
Scaly-naped Pigeon-colored in by students. (Photo by Reverdece y Educa Tu Comunidad)
Members of Reverdece y Educa Tu Comunidad at the University of Puerto Rico Ponce Campus garden.
A young girl plays a bird game during the CEBF festivities as a member of the Luis-Munos Marin Foundation looks on. (Photo by Eliezer Nieves Rodriguez)
CEBF Coordinators from Luis-Munos Marin Foundation in Puerto Rico. (Photo by Eliezer Nieves Rodriguez)
Bird-centric scavenger hunt at El Yunque Forest. (Photo by Fundación Amigos De El Yunque)
Hilda Morales shows participants how to identify birds. (Photo by Fundación Amigos De El Yunque)
Votes cast for participants’ favourite Puerto Rican endemic bird activity. (Photo by Fundación Amigos De El Yunque)
Yaritza Bobonis, coordinator from Fundación Amigos de El Yunque, welcomes participants to the CEBF event.
Yaritza Bobonis with Lola the Puerto Rican Parrot mascot. (Photo by Fundación Amigos De El Yunque)
Bird nests on display at CEBF event at El Yunque Forest. (Photo by Fundación Amigos De El Yunque)
Antigua and Barbuda
Heading down to the Lesser Antilles, the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) of Antigua and Barbuda hosted an immersive floating classroom field trip—a boat tour wound through critical mangrove and coral reef habitats, allowing participants to closely examine their structures and functions, before landing at Great Bird Island. There, participants equipped with binoculars identified the diverse range of land and seabirds that breed on the island, experiencing firsthand the importance of the offshore islands as wildlife havens. The objective was straightforward; reconnect participants with birds and nature, and hopefully, inspire them to make environmentally conscious decisions in their everyday lives.
Practice makes perfect! Students learn to use binoculars during the Floating Classroom field trip. (Photo by EAG)
Shanna Challenger-helps students spot and identify the birds of the Offshore Islands. (Photo by EAG)
Joshel Wilson speaks to students of St Anthony’s Secondary School about the Antiguan Racer on the Offshore Islands. (Photo by EAG)
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Science Initiative for Environmental Conservation and Education (SCIENCE SVG) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines originally planned an outdoor community event at Sandy Bay with aid from a local organization. While unfavorable weather conditions forced celebrations indoors, SCIENCE SVG was triumphant with a joyful display and presentation at the Georgetown Secondary School.
Student with her prizes for correctly answering quiz questions on birds at the activity table. (Photo by Lystra Culzac)
Dr Joanne Gaymes of SCIENCE SVG explains the competition rules for winning the prizes displayed at the table. (Photo by Lystra Culzac)
Lystra Culzac features the Whistling Warbler, an endemic of St. Vincent found in the forested upper watersheds of the school community. (Photo by Dr Joanne Justo)
Also in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Forestry Department brought the beauty of endemic birds and the need for their conservation to local schools. These school visits were featured in the local news, undoubtedly reaching more Vincentians locally and abroad! Junior Forestry Officers were taken on a birding tour of Lingley Valley to practice their bird identification skills acquired during the BirdsCaribbean Caribbean Landbird Monitoring Training Workshop held in January this year.
Grenada
In Grenada, CEBF celebrations headed to the mangroves at L’anse Aux Epines! Gaea Conservation invited all birders—new, amateur and veteran, to join them for “Birding 101: Tips and Tricks on Bird Identification in Grenada.” They birded along the road before entering the mangroves where to everyone’s delight they saw the Grenada Flycatcher!
Birding 101 event flyer.
Birding along L’Anse Aux Epines road, Grenada. (Photo by Gaea Conservation Network)
Grenada Flycatcher. (Photo by Knut Hansen)
Beginner and experienced birders joined Gaea Conservation Network for their event.
Trinidad
And finally, at the end of the Caribbean archipelago on the island of Trinidad, CEBF was celebrated at the ARC Conservation Field Station in Brasso Seco, a small village nestled in the Northern Range. Attendees of the “Protect the Rivers, Save the Birds” event were introduced to bird banding, an important conservation tool, and treated to up-close views of some of the area’s common birds like the stunning Silver-beaked Tanager and delightful Bananaquit. Giselle, director of ARC Conservation and graduate of our Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) workshop, allowed the younger children to release the banded birds under her careful supervision. Their delight was palpable and we hope that happy memories were created!
ARC Conservation Field Station at Brasso Seco.
Giselle shows the children how to correctly hold a Violaceous Euphonia.
Learning about water conservation for birds and humans at the event.
After the nets were closed, it was time to dive into some Birdsleuth Caribbean activities, a discussion on water conservation at home, and bird art. Masks were crafted by hand with designs representing the resident birds. A spectacular bird masquerade made for the perfect finale to a wonderful day of celebrations. There were no questions among the children about their favorite mask—the Trinidad Piping-Guan or ‘Pawi’ was the clear winner!
Children and ARC Conservation members wear their hand crafted masks.
Still the Best in the West (Indies)
The Endemic Birds of the West Indies Coloring Book was again a favorite among participants across the islands. Since its release, island coordinators have used the book as a tool to introduce youth to the fascinating world of birds. Both English and Spanish versions of the coloring book are available for free download from our Resources page! Contact info@Birdscaribbean.org to find out how to receive printed copies of English or Spanish books.
We intend to share this valuable educational resource in French, but this can only be made possible with your help! Your support ensures that our resources, which help both adults and children learn about birds and how to protect them, remain free and accessible.
Feathery facts and free resources for classrooms and homes
Each day we featured a new Endemic Bird of the Day on our website and across BirdsCaribbean’s socials, sharing 26 new species in 2023. The species were carefully selected to include truly unique birds, like the Martinique Oriole and Gray-crowned Palm-Tanager; species which keep birders’ ID skills in check, like the Lesser Antillean Swift; those that challenge female stereotypes, like the Ashy-faced Owl; and endemic crooners, like the Rufous-throated Solitaire and Bahama Mockingbird. You can find the complete library of 131 endemic birds covered thus far here. (There are ~180 endemic birds total in the region with 5 “new” species added via species splits in July 2023!).
Each endemic bird profile was accompanied by a beautifully drawn image by Josmar Esteban Marquez of AveZona, stunning high quality photos and videos, online puzzles tailored for different levels (between six and 1,024 pieces), and bird calls. Fun, free and engaging activities were also provided for both kids and adults, including downloadable coloring pages, experiments, up-cycle crafts, and more.
CEBF 2024 loading…
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 2024 – 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) on why it should be the 2024 CEBF theme to CEBF@birdscaribbean.org, info@birdscaribbean.org and Aliya.Hosein@birdscaribbean.org
And, we need help distributing educational materials to our partners in the Caribbean for next year’s CEBF.
In addition to high shipping costs, it can be difficult to get the materials to individual islands on-time and in good condition. If you, or a friend or relative, will be traveling between the US and the Caribbean during the months of December, January and February and have extra room in your suitcase, please get in touch with us at CEBF@birdscaribbean.org, info@birdscaribbean.org and Aliya.Hosein@birdscaribbean.org. Your support will help ensure that bird education remains accessible to all in the Caribbean.
Acknowledgements: A massive THANK YOU to the island coordinators for your enthusiasm and dedication to making this another memorable CEBF! Each year we see a growing number of participants committed to increasing their knowledge of Caribbean birds and actively working to protect their habitats. We also extend our gratitude to our donors and members who help us provide the coordinators with the support and resources they need to educate and inspire future generations of bird and nature loving communities.
The annual BirdsCaribbean Seabird Working Group (SWG) newsletter is now available! Catch up on the latest research, conservation, restoration, and education projects happening across the Caribbean – in English, Spanish, and French!
In this issue of the SWG newsletter learn about the ongoing Caribbean Seabird Census and how you can get involved. SWG members have created a suite of resources (webinars, bird ID cards, trendy field apparel, and much more!) to ensure you are well equipped for your seabird census. Visit the Seabird Working Group webpages and our Seabirds Resources page to access these resources.
Click on the images to view and download newsletters in English, Spanish and French.
The newsletter also provides updates on the spread of Avian Influenza in the Caribbean and recent and ongoing regional projects and publications, including a seabird conservation plan for the Cayman Islands, Brown Pelican monitoring project on Sint Maarten, GPS tracking of Red-footed Boobies in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and more.
Also in this issue’s “seabird spotlight” meet Cuban seabird researcher Antonio Garcia Quintas! He is using traditional, modern, and state-of-the-art methods to help us better understand the breeding behavior and requirements of nesting terns and gulls in Cuba.
Interested in connecting with the SWG and its members? Please take advantage of the many avenues for communication described in the newsletter, including their Facebook group, and if you have seabird news to share, let us know! We would love to feature your work in the next issue!
Lastly, the SWG expects that the group will continue to thrive with the support, dedication, and ideas of new members. The SWG welcomes everyone – from experienced researchers to citizen scientists and casual seabird spotters.If you have any questions or are interested in joining, do not hesitate to contact them!
The new collection of clothing and accessories from Bird Collective celebrates the work of BirdsCaribbean, our fabulous birds, beautiful habitats, and unique cultures. Buying from this collection means not only do you get wonderful Caribbean-inspired items, you also help to support BirdsCarbbean’s mission of conserving the region’s birds!
The new collection from Bird Collective draws inspiration from the Caribbean’s spectacular birds and challenges the stereotype that eco-friendly fashion lacks color, beauty, detailing, and desirability. Both the simplest and more complicated features have colored the designers’ canvas, from tropical mangroves to the delicate bejeweled plumes of endemic hummingbirds. The results are great pieces that exude the essence of Caribbean nature and culture, and stand to become a favorite among birdwatchers, nature lovers, and anyone who wants to look good while being socially and environmentally responsible.
The ‘Hummingbirds of the Caribbean’ t-shirt features some of the region’s most iconic species.
This beautiful hummingbird print was designed by Jeffrey Burke.
The hummingbird t-shirt is available in the color solar- citrus and sizes small to 4XL.
Each batch of tie dye is done by hand, producing a range of variations, which makes each T-shirt a one of a kind piece!
The ‘Mangrove’ T- shirt was designed by Trinidadian artist Sayada Ramdial, who managed to capture the flamboyant flair of the abundant bird life in our wetlands. The t-shirts are 100% cotton and printed using PVC-free inks.
The abundant bird life of our wetlands comes alive on this beautiful print, designed by Trinidadian artist Sayada Ramdial.
The ‘Mangrove’ T-shirt is stylish and sustainable- made from 100% cotton and printed using PVC-free ink. The colorful binocular strap and hat (below) will complete your look!
The collection also offers a Hummingbirds of the Caribbean water bottle to keep you hydrated while on your birding adventures or running everyday errands. A fabulous and funky all-over print Mangrove Bucket Hat invites you to join this growing fashion trend while protecting your face from harmful UV rays. Also available: a durable and lightweight binocular strap to give your best birding tool some Caribbean flair, and a lovely flamingo patch.
The funky and trendy ‘Mangrove’ bucket hat will keep the sun rays out of your eye while birdwatching or running errands.
BirdsCaribbean Executive Director, Dr. Lisa Sorenson, expressed gratitude and excitement to create a collection with Bird Collective. “We are so delighted to be invited by Bird Collective to offer this high-quality, unique, and fun birding merchandise in support of our mission. The artwork is truly beautiful. I hope to see many people wearing or using these items in the coming year. Thanks in advance for purchasing one or more items, for yourself and/or as gifts for your birding friends!”
Keep hydrated with this cool Hummingbirds of the Caribbean water bottle that are BPA/BPS and phthalate-free.
Bird Collective is a for profit business that regularly supports nonprofit organizations and charitable causes as part of its mission. They are deeply passionate about birds and committed to preserving their populations for future generations. Their one stop bird shop offers stylish and sustainable apparel and accessories designed for appreciates the beauty and understands the importance of birds and the natural world.
They work closely with conservation nonprofits to create collections that raise awareness and celebrate birds, their habitats, and the people who work tirelessly to protect them. Since being established in 2019, they have donated over $98,000 US to leading bird advocacy groups such as the American Bird Conservancy, HawkWatch International, the Grassland Bird Trust, the Yurok Tribe, Alabama Audubon, Delta Wind Birds, and the Center for Biological Diversity. You can learn more about their contributions here.
This lovely flamingo patch is also part of the collection.
For a region that boasts picturesque beaches, lush rainforests, and wondrous wetlands, it is unfortunate that so many of these invaluable habitats and their bird life are facing persistent threats. BirdsCaribbean and our network of partners throughout the region are committed to raising awareness and doing all we can to fight the destruction and degradation of irreplaceable natural areas from ill-advised developments, climate change, deforestation, pollution, and invasive species. We are hopeful that this collection will help spread the word about the urgent need to protect our rich bird diversity. Over 560 bird species—including 176 that are found nowhere else in the world, call the Caribbean home. It is also where over 150 migratory bird species seek refuge from the bitterly cold winter months.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Red-shouldered Blackbird
It takes two! Duetting male and female Red-shouldered Blackbirds make beautiful music together. And it is quite impressive for this Cuban endemic because not all species of songbirds can sing duets with their mates.
Amazing duetting ability aside, you may be wondering if this endemic bird is not in fact the Red-winged Blackbird, one of the most abundant birds in marshes across North America. The two species are not the same but are each other’s closest relative! Differences in the two species’ songs and the coloration pattern of females helped confirm that they are different species.
Male Red-shouldered Blackbirds look very much like male Red-winged Blackbirds—all black with a slight bluish gloss and scarlet shoulder patch edged with yellow. The females, however, are different—not streaked with brown like female Red-wings but solidly black, like the male, but lacking the colorful epaulet. Juvenile males have a reddish-brown patch and are overall dull black.
The Red-shouldered Blackbird can be found in western and central Cuba, and the Isle of Pines in swamps and marshes with tall vegetation like cat-tails and bulrushes. It breeds from April to August. The female builds the cup-shaped nest in which she lays 2-3 bluish-white eggs with brown and pale purple spotting. Both parents feed the chicks and defend their nesting territory.
In the non-breeding season they also venture out of the marshes and into nearby uplands, pastures, and agricultural fields foraging for insects, small vertebrates, fruits, and seeds. Outside the breeding season, they usually form large mixed flocks with Cuban Blackbirds, Tawny-shouldered Blackbirds, and Greater Antillean Grackles.
Red-shouldered Blackbird can be difficult to tell apart from several other black birds in Cuba. Both sexes of Tawny-shouldered Blackbird have a yellow-orange shoulder, though the shoulder color is sometimes only visible in flight. It also has a forked tail and shorter bill and the song is different. The Shiny Cowbird lacks a shoulder patch, has a purplish gloss, and a shorter and stouter bill than Red-shouldered Blackbird. The Cuban Blackbird is larger and more robust, and without color patches on its wings.
The song is not musical, described as a repeated shrill screeching “o-wi-hiiii,” similar to that of the Red-winged Blackbird but higher-pitched and shorter. It is sung by both sexes, sometimes in duet. The call is a short “chuk” or “chek,” sometimes in short series. When singing, the male lifts the feathers on his back, drops his wings, exposing the brilliant red shoulder patch, and spreads his tail.
The Red-shouldered Blackbird is called “Chirriador” meaning “screecher” in Cuba and also “Mayito de Cienaga” which means “marsh blackbird.”
When foraging for the young, the males and females provide food at similar rates and the overall breeding system is monogamous. This contrasts with the polygynous breeding system (one male pairing with 2 or more females) of the Red-winged Blackbird.
The Red-shouldered Blackbird is not globally threatened but has a restricted and fragmented distribution in Cuba. Further fragmentation or loss of its habitat may have disastrous effects on the population. It is therefore important that we protect and maintain this endemic bird’s existing habitat on the island. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Thanks to Aliya Hosein for the text!
Colour in the Red-shouldered Blackbird
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 Red-shouldered Blackbird
The song of the Red-shouldered Blackbird is a shrill “Shuh-reee-eee.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Male Red-shouldered Blackbird with his red-yellow wing patches he looks very similar to the closely related Male Red-winged Blackbird. (Photo by Jan Hansen Macaulay Library-ML188770901)This female Red-shouldered Blackbird looks very different to the female Red-winged Blackbird. She is solidly black and not streaked with brown like her relative. (Arturo Kirkconnell Jr. Macaulay Library-ML90702281)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: In keeping with our theme “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” our activity today involves providing water for birds in your outdoor space! You can’t have a bird-friendly garden without a spot for the birds to drink from, bathe in or just cool themselves down on a hot day. Like humans, all birds need a reliable source of clean water. Follow our instructions and you can make your own bird bath using materials from around your house and yard. You will need:
an old garbage bin lid, flower pot drip tray or serving tray
rocks or pebbles
any size and color tomato cage
wire cutters
As this activity involves using wire cutters you will need to ask an adult to help you.
Once you have made your bird bath make sure that you follow our “Keeping your bird bath safe for the birds & you” tips. By frequently changing the water and keeping your bird bath clean you should be able to provide a place for the bird in your garden to enjoy and for you to enjoy the birds!
Enjoy this video of a Red-shouldered Blackbird in the wild!
Cuba—definitely on the bucket list of most birders and indeed world travelers! Read all about The Caribbean Birding Trail tour that took place in January 2016. The exciting trip took in many birding and cultural highlights including a trip to the The Zapata Peninsula, which many wonderful birds were seen including endemics such as the Cuban Black Hawk and today’s featured bird Red-shouldered Blackbird. Find out more here:
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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 Spindalis
What’s that colorful sunset spot in the tree?? Why it’s the Hispaniolan Spindalis!
Males of this species are unmistakable. They sport a black head with two bold white stripes, one above the eye and another at the ‘malar’ or mustache region. They have a rich yellow nape and breast, fading to a gray belly. Their bright yellow contrasts with an olive back patch and crimson-chestnut breast spot, sometimes with a charcoal center. They have striking black wings and tail feathers, edged white with a rusty shoulder patch. Sometimes their mandarin orange rump feathers will peek through their primaries.
Females don’t boast quite as bright of a suit. Instead they flaunt a subtle beauty, with an overall olive-brown coloration to their feathers and fine streaking on the breast. Their wings and tail feathers are edged a soft yellow, giving a slight glow about them. At first, they may be more difficult to recognize, but both males and females have a similar small, gray bill with a hook on the end.
Both young males and older females can have an intermediate look. Males in the first year will start to molt in some of those black head feathers and bright body feathers, but usually in a patchier, teenage punk kind of way. Older females will also have some male characteristics, like a brighter chest or bolder wing feathers, but will not have as much coloration as younger males.
For such a colorful bird, the male Hispaniolan Spindalis isn’t much of a singer. They give a thin, high-pitched whistle “tsee” or a rapid “tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi.” Often they’ll whistle these high pitched notes from atop a tree or within a dense thicket. Females even have their own soft response, that sounds like a jumble of notes.
The Hispaniolan Spindalis was formerly considered part of the Stripe-headed Tanager complex, which included Western Spindalis, Puerto Rican Spindalis, and Jamaican Spindalis. Recently, they were split up into the four species that we know today. And they were even given their own unique avian family, Spindalidae, separating them from other tropical tanagers and creating another endemic bird family for the Caribbean!
Look for them in a variety of wooded habitats from sea level to 2,500 m in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Though they seem especially abundant in montane habitats in evergreen pine and broadleaf forests, they may wander down to lower elevation habitats during the non-breeding season usually in search of more fruits! They are primarily frugivores, feeding on a variety of tropical fruit, flowers, seeds, and leaf greens; though they may expand their palette to include insects during the breeding season. Usually they prefer to forage in small groups of 3-4 birds; though with an abundance of ripe fruit you’ll sometimes see more birds join the flock!
Breeding season is usually May – June. Pairs will build a small cup nest out of dry grasses and place it about 1.5 m up in a tree or shrub. The female lays 3 whitish eggs with brownish spots. Her more camouflaged plumage helps with avoiding predators during incubation and feeding the chicks in the nest.
Although the Hispaniolan Spindalis is still widespread and common throughout Hispaniola, it is likely starting to experience declines due to habitat loss. Protected areas, such as national parks and reserves on the island, have provided vital habitat for these stunning birds. It is important that we all do our part to learn about and protect these birds so that we can continue to enjoy them!Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Thanks to Holly Garrod for the text!
Colour in the Hispaniolan 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 calls of Hispaniolan Spindalis
The calls of the Hispaniolan Spindalis include a rapid high-pitched “tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi-tsi” as well as a single “tsee” 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 stunning male Hispaniolan Spindalis looks like a sunset. (photo by Dax Roman)The female Hispaniolan Spindalis looks quite different from the male and may be difficult to identify at first. (Photo by Jose M Pantaleon)Male Hispaniolan Spindalis feeding on berries. (Photo by Jose Miguel Pantaleon)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: The male Hispaniolan Spindalis is a striking bird with vivid colors of black, white, chestnut, yellow and orange!But who says you have to travel to the wet montane forests of Hispaniola to enjoy these beautiful colors? In this activity you’ll make a suncatcher—a decoration that catches rays of sunlight and casts them as rainbow hued patterns across the room.
Here is a list of materials you will need:
empty clear plastic milk jug, washed and dried
permanent markers
scissors
utility Knife
hole punch
twine, string or yarn
You can download full instructions here including a bird template for you to use. This activity involves using a knife and scissors. Make sure you have an adult to help you with the cutting.
Enjoy this short video of a male Hispaniolan Spindalis in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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 Tanager
Usually heard before it reveals itself, the Puerto Rican Tanager or “Llorosa”, as it’s known locally, will alert all forest critters with an array of chewp or chuck calls or a longer chi-chi-chit. These small birds prefer to stay hidden in dense vegetation, often in small flocks of four to six individuals. Every now and then, one or more will hop on an exposed branch showing their somewhat somber plumage that is perfectly camouflaged for their gloomy habitat. The dusky gray-brown upper parts hide them from raptors flying above. The faintly striked whitish underparts make them hard to see against the background of the sky for predators looking up from below. The crown and face is dark, contrasting well with the all-white throat. A small white spot in the wings of adults sets this bird apart from other “little brown birds”.
Puerto Rican Tanagers used to be placed in the tanager family, giving them their name. But actually it belongs to its own family, “Nesospingidae”, of which it is the only member! Their closest relatives are the Spindalis, the Palm-tanager, Green-tailed Warbler, and White-winged Warbler.
Foraging groups sound as if they are in a feisty disagreement or upset. This gives them their Spanish name “Llorosa” (which means “tearful”). As they forage for small insects, spiders, snails, tiny vertebrates, fruits, and seeds, other bird species join them through the forest. Such gatherings are known as mixed-species flocks and attract warblers, flycatchers and other small birds that find safety in numbers.
During the breeding season, males sing a light “tsweet-tsweet-tsweet-tsweet” song. Singing males and their female mates will defend a small territory where they build a small cup-shaped nest made of plant material and lined with feathers and other soft fibers, usually at the ends of branches at heights between 2-10 meters. Females lay 2-3 eggs, white with reddish-brown blotches. Chicks are born naked after an incubation period of a couple of weeks. The young leave the nest after 2-3 weeks, but remain with the adults for several months.
The Puerto Rican Tanager is endemic to Puerto Rico. It is restricted to mountain forests 300 meters above sea level. It is believed that they ranged across the mountainous center, the Cotdillera Central, the Sierra de Luquillo, and the Sierra de Cayey. Most birds are found in subtropical wet and rain forests, and subtropical lower montane forests. The loss of 85% of the island’s forests during the early 1900s affected the Puerto Rican Tanager by fragmenting the population and reducing their range to the Maricao forest in the west, Toro Negro forest and the protected peaks of El Yunque National Forest and the Carite State Forest. Regeneration of forest in the past 20 years has seen a constant expansion into subtropical moist forest at lower elevations. It is considered as Vulnerable due to its limited distribution. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Thanks to Jose Salguero-Faría for the text!
Colour in the Puerto Rican Tanager
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 Puerto Rican Tanager
The call of the Puerto Rican Tanager is a harsh “chuck” or “chewp” often given in a chattering series of calls.
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!
A male Puerto Rican Tanager, with his pale lower mandible. (Photo by Benny Diaz Macaulay Library-ML593336721)
A female Puerto Rican Tanager with an all black bill, you can also see small white spot at base of primaries present on adult birds. (Photo by Gabriel Lugo)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Let’s celebrate dads AND endemic birds! Father’s Day is this weekend on June 18th and we’ve got you covered. We have an endemic bird-themed Father’s Day Cards to download and color! This is a fun activity for people of all ages to celebrate the father figure in their life. With a cute bird-themed picture for you to customise, our card also features a beautiful drawing of today’s endemic bird – the Puerto Rican Tanager – along with some interesting facts!
Please download and print our card template (letter size will work best but A4 will be ok too). It’s best to use card stock, but regular printer paper will do just fine. Once printed, fold in half horizontally (so the short sides touch) and write your own special message on the inside! Don’t forget to colour in the pictures on the front and on the back. Or if you are feeling really creative be inspired by one our featured birds and draw your own greeting card! You could use this blank template.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Puerto Rican Tanager foraging in the wild!
The T-shirt designed for the 2022 Joint BirdsCaribbean AOS meeting was beautiful! It featured the endemic birds of Puerto Rico, the location for the meeting, including today’s Endemic Bird of the Day! The idea to create this T-shirt was conceptualized by Gabriel Lugo, past president of the Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña, Inc. (SOPI) and Tour Guide for Wildside Nature Tours. In partnership with renowned Cuban artist and friend of BirdsCaribbean, Arnaldo Toledo, the pair created this timeless piece that will undoubtedly be a source of pride for all Puerto Ricans and friends of Puerto Rico. Read more about the process of designing the T-shirt here:
Global Big Day 2023 was another whirlwind of birding, fundraising and fantastic photography! Thank you to all those who took part and for the amazing photos you sent us. We are absolutely delighted to announce all the ‘winners’ of our photography awards. Many of this year’s photos showcase the beauty of Caribbean birds and the ability of our community to build connections across the globe!
If you missed our Global Big Day 2023 report on teams and individual stats –click here
When great people, birds and art combine incredible things can be accomplished. A huge Thank You to everyone, especially our team leaders and generous donors for making Global Big Day 2023 a success. With a record number of teams- 17 – participating, we were able to raise close to $20,000 for our Caribbean Bird Banding Network – amazing!
Photography Award Winners 2023
Best Bird Photo! We especially congratulate this year’s first place winner- Aruba Burrowing Owl by Michiel Oversteegen.
The Second Place Best Bird Photo goes to Cuban Emerald by Roberto Jovel.
The Third Place Best Bird Photo goes to Julian Moore and his image of the Caribbean Elaenia.
An additional 13 categories were awarded to photographers from almost every team and corner of the world.
Most Beautiful Landscape: A wetland in Puerto Rico by Eric Torres Rivera
Urban Birds: White-cheeked Pintail ducklings huddled under a bridge by Michiel Oversteegen
Life in the Wild: Susan Davis on Bonaire captured this exciting confrontation between Brown Pelicans and a pair of Black-necked Stilts, who were determined to defend their nesting territory!
Best GBD Celebratory Drink: Mark Hulme celebrates a great day of birding, being in nature and seeing 106 bird species for the Piping Pawis on Big Day in Trinidad by Alex Sansom.
Best Shorebird: Sanderling, on Aruba by Michiel Oversteegen
Because one shorebird is never enough: Spotted Sandpiper looking determined to get somewhere, perhaps it realizes that it should be migrating north by now! By Susan Davis
Youngest GBD-er: Maison Gaymes, a young Big Day birder in St. Vincent and the Grenadines!
Sweetest Fluffiest Bird: Killdeer chick spotted on Aruba by Michiel Overstegeen
Best Selfie: We couldn’t just choose one! See who you can spot.
Three women Birders in Cuba
Adrianne Toassas birding for the Warbling Warriors in Puerto Rico
Beny Wilson and friends in Panama
Ciego Birding Cuba – Yaro Rodriguez and friends
Couple birding in Cuba
Couple birding in Cuba
Couple birding in Cuba
Group birding for the Bee Hummers Dream Team in Cuba
A young Cuban birder
Birding by Bike in Cuba
Josh Covill and Holly Garrod of the Globe Trotting Todies
Lisa and Mike Sorenson
Past BC president Andrew Dobson birding with members of the Presidents Perch
Nils and Diego Navarro birding in Cuba
Presidents Perch member Anna Dobson
Rafy and a friend birding in Puerto Rico for the Flying Pintails
Best Night Birding Photo: Bare-shanked Screech-Owl in Panama by Venicio (Beny) Wilson
Best Camouflage: Northern Potoo on Jamaica by Ann Sutton.
Best Bird Impersonation: The team from ARC conservation take the crown for their fun bird impersonations!
Best GBD Non-human Birders: Best birding companion by Lisa Sorenson.
Best Caribbean Endemic: A St Lucia Warbler stops foraging to investigate the photographer by Jerome Foster
Congratulations to everyone! And thank you for reminding us that nature is all around us and full of wonder.
ENJOY THIS GALLERY OF BIRD, PEOPLE AND SCENERY PHOTOS TAKEN ON GLOBAL BIG DAY BY VARIOUS TEAM MEMBERS IN THE CARIBBEAN, US, UK, PANAMA, AND MORE!
On the road for GBD, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Eric Torres Rivera)
Tricolored Heron searches for food, Kaminda Lac wetlands Bonaire. (Photo by Susan Davis)
Mark Hulme birding along Tortuga Shortcut Road, Trinidad. (Photo by Alex Sansom)
King Philips Overlook, Rocky Narrows Reservation. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Mr Mallard relaxing at Auburn Cemetary birding hotspot. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Yellow Oriole bathing in wet leaves, Aruba. (Photo by Michiel Oversteegn)
Charles River Rocky Narrows Reservation. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Jamaican man looking for birds on GBD. (Photo by Simon C Shields)
Alex Sansom looks for waterbirds at Temple by the Sea, Trinidad. (Photo by Mark Hulme)
Collared Plover, an uncommon bird on Barbados. (Photo by Julian Moore).
A Zenaida Dove looks for food along a path, St. Lucia. (Photo by Jerome Foster)
Channel-billed Toucan Tortuga Short Cut, Trinidad. (Photo by Mark Hulme)
Jamaican Woodpeck takes flight. (Photo by Simon C Shields)
Learning about conservation in Trinidad. (Photo by ARC Conservation)
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Caño Majagual, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Alice V Falto)
White-cheeked Pintail, Aruba. (Photo by Michiel Oversteegen)
Learning about conservation in Trinidad. (Photo by ARC Conservation)
American Kestrel seen in Jamaica. (Photo by Simon C Shields)
Alex Sansom looking for birds at Caroni Ric Fields, Trinidad. (Photo by Mark Hulme)
Green Heron, Aruba. (Photo by Michiel Oversteegan)
Canyon Wrens in the Lake Georgetown dam area Texas. (Photo by Brynne Bryan)
House Finch. (Photo by Trevor Williams)
White-necked Jacobin, Brasso Seco, Trinidad. (Photo by ARC Conservation)
A young birder takes notes in Cuba.
Black Swift seen in Barbados. (Photo by Julian Moore)
Barn Owls in Bonaire. (Photo by Susan Davis)
Lincoln’s Sparrow, Chicago. (Photo by Steve Constantelos)
Young birders joined in on Big Day in Cuba!
Blue-tailed Emerald males in a territorial fight in Aruba. (Photo by Michiel Oversteegan)
Eurasian Collared Dove, Temple by the Sea, Trinidad. (Photo by Mar Hulme)
Beny Wilson and friends in Panama
Semipalmated Plover in Bonaire. (By Susan Davis)
Crimson-collared Tanager in Panama. (Photo by Beny Wilson)
An Antillean Crested Hummingbird spotted in St. Lucia. (Photo by Jerome Foster)
Eastern Bluebird, near Chicago. (Photo by Stave Constantelos)
Chestnut-sided Warbler. (Photo by Trevor Williams)
View from the top of a hill whilst birding, Puerto-Rico. (Photo by Eric Torres Rivera)
Sooty Tern, Aruba. (Photo by Michiel Oversteegen)
Fun at the ARC Conservation Global Big Day event, Trinidad. (Photo by ARC Conservation)
Carbon-neutral birding- A Cuban birder selfie with their bike.
Diego Navarro birding in Cuba. (Photo by Nils Navarro)
Green Ibis, Panama. (Photo by Beny Wilson)
Striped Cuckoo, Panama. (Photo by Beny Wilson)
Mark Oberle birding at Port Orchard, Washington State.
Northern Flicker. (Trevor Williams)
A Scaly Breasted-Thrasher seen in St. Lucia calls to another individual hidden in surrounding vegetation. (Photo by Jerome Foster)
Snowy Egret on the mud flats at Orange Valley, Trinidad. (Photo by Mark Hulme)
Eastern Towhee. (Photo by Trevor Williams)
A group of birders during Big Day in Cuba.
Birding at Hellshire Wetlands, Jamaica. (Photo by Damion Whyte)
Birder getting the perfect shot in the Blue Mountains, Jamaica. (Photo by Birdlife Jamaica)
Great Egret, Caño Majagual, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Alice V Falto)
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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: Palm Crow
A crow that lives on palm trees? Well, yes…, but the name can be misleading. Palm Crow (Corvus palmarum) can also be found in high-elevation pine forests, lowland and swampy forests, dry plains, and cultivation areas. Restricted to the islands of Cuba and Hispaniola, there is a recent proposal for separating them into two different species. This could have a profound effect on its conservation status, given that the Cuban subspecies is very rare and confined to just a few localities.
This bird is one of the four resident species of crows in the Caribbean. All of them show the classic black plumage with purple-blue iridescence, that people associate with crows and their spooky reputation. They are gregarious, often found in small flocks. Cuban Crow and Palm Crow are almost indistinguishable, a fact that poses an identification challenge for every birder.
Fortunately, they have unique vocalizations. The song of the Palm Crow is a harsh nasal “craaa, craaa,” that resembles the North American Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus), while the song of the Cuban Crow resembles parrot calls or a gobbling turkey. The Palm Crow also has the well-developed nasal bristles covering nostrils that distinguishes crows from other small blackbirds. The Cuban subspecies is slightly smaller and duller than the one living in Hispaniola.
The Palm Crow’s short, stout, sharp-pointed black bill allows it to devour a variety of food items from fruits to invertebrates. Another important clue for identifying this species is that it can be found frequently feeding on the ground, sometimes near roads, contrasting with its other Caribbean relatives that rarely leave the tree tops.
We know very little about the Palm Crow´s natural history, especially its breeding biology. Pairs build the typical crow nest consisting of a platform made of sticks and lined with dry grasses and other soft materials, located among tree branches or at the base of palm fronds (here is where its name comes from!). They are presumably solitary nesters that defend an exclusive territory, but small groups of up to six individuals can be seen together when mobbing or harassing potential predators away. In Cuba, the breeding season takes place from March through July, and they usually lay three to four pale green eggs spotted in brown and dark olive.
Crows are the quintessential “spooky” birds, considered omens of bad luck when seen. But we can change that undeserved reputation to omens of habitat quality and protection. Half of our Caribbean crows are threatened, and Palm Crow, even though it is not globally threatened, is protected and considered Endangered in Cuba. The forests they inhabit are being lost to agriculture and human development all across their range. Even in Hispaniola, where they are more common and widespread, their numbers have decreased recently. A lack of long-term data on population trends hinders us from making a clear assessment of the species’ status.
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 Palm Crow
The calls of the Palm Crow are a flat, harsh “raaah.”
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!
A Palm Crow in Cuba. (Photo by Arturo Kirkconnell Jr.)
A Palm Crow on Hispaniola. You can see the well-developed nasal bristles on it stout beak. (Photo by Aiden Place, Macaulay Library, ML37309361)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: This year the theme for the festival is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life.” Birds need water just as much as we do. Water is important both for drinking and as a source of food for birds. It also keeps birds clean and cool on hot days when they take a splish-splash in a puddle, gutter, or backyard bird bath. Many birds also rely on wetland habitats, such as our ponds, salinas, marshes, mangroves, rivers, and coastal waters. With growing human populations and relentless development, there are growing demands for water and continued destruction of our remaining wetlands.
Pollution, erosion, and prolonged droughts are also directly impacting the quantity and quality of water resources and habitats available both for our birds and ourselves!
How much do you know about saving water and making sure we don’t waste this precious resource? Test you knowledge in our ‘Water IQ’ quiz. If you need some help with the answers you can search online- you could try here as a starting point for tips of water conservation.
Completed the quiz? You can check your answers here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Palm Crow in Cuba. You can hear the birds rasping calls to each other in the background.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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: Rufous-throated Solitaire
The Rufous-throated Solitaire (Myadestes genibarbis) is a beloved songster of wet montane forests. It is found only on the following islands: Jamaica, Hispaniola, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent, each with its own subspecies. Across these islands this bird is more commonly heard than seen. It is always a delight to anyone on the trails to hear its melodic and hauntingly beautiful song.
Its song consists of a series of clear and somewhat inharmonious flute-like whistled notes. The first note is low, second high, third low, interspersed with a ringing double note; or sometimes as “twuit, toi, tu-tu-tu-tu”. Calls include a single long “toot” like a distant car horn!
You’ll find this bird hidden in the canopy of humid montane forests. If you’re lucky enough to see it, the first thing you’ll notice is its brilliant brick-red throat with overall gray plumage—slate-gray above and paler gray below. It has a white crescent below the eye, a white-flecked face, and whitish chin and mustache separated by a dark malar (stripe from the beak down the cheek). The lower belly and vent are tawny, bill black, and legs yellow. The sexes are similar. Juveniles are dark with orange-buff spots and streaks above.
The Rufous-throated Solitaire forages up in the forest canopy, but it may occasionally feed in low vegetation. It feeds on small fruits and insects and travels alone or in mixed-species flocks. Insects are taken via aerial sallies, gleaning and hawking, and also by pouncing on insects on the ground from a perch.
In the Dominican Republic and Jamaica it is a partial altitudinal migrant. It moves to lower altitudes in colder weather and ascends to the higher highlands as temperatures rise.
The breeding season takes place from March to August in the DR and Jamaica, May in Haiti and May to July in the Eastern Caribbean. The nest is cup-shaped and usually placed in a crevice, creeper, in the center of a tree-fern or bromeliad, or tree hole. The female lays 2-3 eggs, bluish-white or blue with reddish-brown spots.
The species is not globally threatened but in Haiti its numbers are much reduced due to habitat loss. It would be a shame to lose this gorgeous bird and not hear its melodious forest song so we should support local initiatives to protect its habitats. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Thanks to Aliya Hosein and Lisa Sorenson for the text!
Colour in the Rufous-throated Solitaire
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 Rufous-throated Solitaire
The song of the Rufous-throated Solitaire is a series of drawn out, flute-like whistled notes given at varying pitches.
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!
A Rufous-throated Solitaire in the Dominican Republic. (Photo by Guillermo Armenteros)
A Rufous-throated Solitaire in the Dominican Republic. (Photo by Guillermo Armenteros)A pair of Rufous-throated Solitaire in St. Vincent (photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Get creative and try singing (or playing a musical instrument) like a bird! Be inspired by the lovely song of today’s bird the Rufous-throated Solitaire, or one of our other featured endemic birds. You could also head outside and listen out for the sounds the birds are making and then create your own birdsong! You can download our instructions here to help you make some melodious bird-inspired tunes.
Please note that by submitting your video you give BirdsCaribbean consent to use your photos and/or videos on our website and social media accounts.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Rufus-throated Solitaire in the wild in Jamaica! You can hear it’s calls and another bird singing in the distance.
BirdsCaribbean’s local partner Birding the Islands offers solo travelers, couples, families, or small groups the opportunity to travel and bird the islands of the Caribbean on a range of private and fully-customizable multi-island birding tours. You can now book their Build Your Own (aka BYO) tours directly through BirdsCaribbean! Check out the ‘Build your Own’ options here and then fill out the Birding the Islands BYO enquiry form.
Alex Chenery, Birding the Islands’ Tours Manager, explains: “Build Your Own tours provide our clients with a way to visit multiple islands and target the birds they want to see at their own pace and do so in the company of family and friends. These fully-customizable birding tours are a perfect alternative to fixed-date group travel and are particularly appealing to those who would rather travel independently, but without the burden of planning a tour themselves. We make sure our clients are connected with reliable and knowledgeable guides, and have safe, clean and comfortable accommodations to return to after a day spent birding in the field. An added bonus—our tours support locally-owned businesses and the crucial conservation efforts of our partner BirdsCaribbean along the way.”
Forest Thrush (photo by Faraaz Abdool)
Purple-throated Carib (photo by Faraaz Abdool)
Two Red-necked Parrots in flight in Dominica. (photo by Faraaz-Abdool)
A client enjoying the quiet of the rain-forest in St Lucia. (phot by Faraaz Abdool)
Ryan Chenery, co-owner and lead tour guide of Birding the Islands.
Owned and operated by Caribbean nationals Ryan Chenery (Birding the Islands’ Lead Bird Guide and author of the Birds of the Lesser Antilles HELM Field Guide) and his wife Alex (Birding the Islands’ Tours Manager), Birding the Islands specializes in designing and leading multi-island trips throughout the Caribbean.
Owing to their experience and knowledge of the region and its birds; their determination to create a trusted network of locally-owned accommodation providers, restaurateurs, activity providers, transport operators, and bird guides; and their dedication to creating unforgettable bespoke experiences for their clients, their Build Your Own tours are delivering unparalleled opportunities for encounters with the unique avifauna of the Caribbean.
If you want to visit this spectacular region to see its stunning birdlife while helping to develop ethical, sustainable and responsible tourism practices, a BYO tour ticks all the boxes and more! But don’t just take our word for it…
“Birding the Islands organized a magical experience for our family of four to some of the most amazing destinations the Caribbean has to offer. With such diverse interests, it is a tall task to build an itinerary that meets the expectations of experienced birders looking to clean up the island endemics and two kiddos with endless energy and curiosity. Somehow Alex and her team managed to build the ultimate Caribbean adventure, including the logistics of 5 different islands, plenty of beaches, rum, and luxurious accommodations. The guides we met forever changed the lives of our children and made a huge impression on their love of nature, learning, and culture. From catamaran rides to canyoning to mud baths, Birding the Islands ensured we made the best use of our time to make core memories as a family.” Mallory Shackelford & family, Texas, USA, Build Your Own tour to St Lucia, St Vincent, Dominica, Martinique & Guadeloupe, November 2022
The Shackelford family enjoying St. Lucia
Group of friends on a 12-island BYO trip enjoying Caroni Swamp, Trinidad.
Alex Chenery looking at a Plain Antvireo in the Main Ridge Forest Reserve on Tobago. (photo by Ryan-Chenery)
A solo traveler visiting islands in the Caribbean and Central America to discover their birds and learn about how land use has shaped the natural environment and economy of the regions;
A couple making their way through 10 Lesser Antillean islands to see all the endemics and experience the diversity of cultures;
A family of adventurous endemics-chasers looking to combine serious birding with family fun while traveling through five Caribbean islands;
An ambitious and logistically-challenging project involving a two-month long primary research expedition, followed by two 4-month long university research expeditions to 15 islands in the Lesser Antillean chain; and
A couple of experienced birders taking their first Build Your Own tour in search of all the endemics of the Greater Antillean islands of Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic
It has been a very exciting year-and-a-half for Birding the Islands!
“Mary and I wanted to go on a private birding trip where we could visit a great corner of the world, I could see birds, and she could relax while I was birding. Your BYO tour to see all the endemic birds of the Lesser Antilles was the perfect tour for a birder and a non-birding spouse. The guides you provided were what I would call the cream of the crop; they all knew where to see the birds, and were experienced in pointing them out to birders. They were also excellent ambassadors for their islands, and very helpful in every way. I would recommend this tour for anyone who wants to see the Lesser Antilles, and its birds.” Bill & Mary Grossi, USA, Build Your Own tour to Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Montserrat, St Lucia & St Vincent, March 2023
St. Lucia Parrots (Photo by Horst Vogel)
Beautiful Dominica.
Breath-taking views on Antigua and Barbuda
Guadeloupe Woodpecker. (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Birding the Islands’ BYO tours offer you the flexibility to create a trip that not only suits your budget, but also caters to your specific birding and holidaying wants. Our experienced team plans and arranges everything for you, so that all you need to do is to sit back, relax, and count the days until you’re enjoying your dream Caribbean birding holiday!
“We cater to any and everyone, and make it our mission to create a tour that’s right for you. We are delighted that the hard work we have put into developing our BYO tours has given our clients the freedom to enjoy birding the islands in their own way. We love being able to share the unique birdlife and culture of the islands with our clients in such a personal and memorable manner.” Ryan & Alex Chenery, the dynamic husband-and-wife team behind Birding the Islands
If you’re keen to learn more about how Birding the Islands can make your Caribbean birding tour dreams a reality, you can visit their website here, or contact Alex here she is looking forward to hearing from you soon!
Birding the Islands clients stop to take a closer look and some photographs while on a tour. (Ryan Chenery)
Migrating Humpback Whales in Dominica. (Ryan Chenery)
Locally-prepared fish cakes in Barbados.
Sunrise at the secret spot, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Photo by Matt Brooks)
Red-billed Tropicbird. (Photo by Birding the Islands client, Keith Clarkson)
Rufous-throated Solitaire (Myadestes genibarbis) (Photo by Birding the Islands client Keith Clarkson)
Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus) (Photo by Birding the Islands client Mark Greenfield)
Birding the Islands clients in the rainforest, Saint Lucia. (Photo by Ryan Chenery)
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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: Flat-billed Vireo
There seems to be no braver small bird than the Flat-billed Vireo (Vireo nanus). It is highly territorial and will respond to any potential intruder, no matter the size, with acute shaking of its body and a harsh scolding note.
The Flat-billed Vireo is endemic to the island of Hispaniola and is locally distributed in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti. It is a grayish-green bird with duller, yellow-washed underparts, two bold white wing bars, and whitish eyes. It has a noticeably wide, flattened, and triangular dark gray bill.
Although the plumage is rather plain it has a very cheerful, whistling song “wi-wi-wi-wi-wi,” and a more rapid chattering “weet-weet-weet…” Like other vireos they are more often heard than seen, unless you lure it out of the dense vegetation by imitating its call.
It is a bird of dense lowland scrubby habitats— usually the thick underbrush in a dry forest on limestone floor. For this reason the Flat-billed Vireo belongs to a particular group of vireos called the “scrub vireos.” But it has also been recorded at 1,200m above sea level. It is usually seen moving low above the ground foraging for small fruits and insects; sometimes, the species even descends to the ground to feed. The Flat-billed Vireo will also catch flying insects out of the air.
This could explain an old debate, which argued that this vireo was actually a flycatcher, and should be placed in the genus Empidonax. Later on, it was finally placed in the vireo family in the genus Vireo. Like the common name implies, its peculiar flattened, broad-based bill confused ornithologists for quite some time. The specific name “nanus” depicts its already mentioned small size (dwarf).
The breeding season runs from February to June. The female lays two white, unmarked or with light gray markings at blunt end, eggs in a cup shaped nest. Nest is made of plant fibers and sometimes horsehair.
The local name “Cigüita Juliana,” as Annabelle Dod called it in the first book on the birds of the Dominican Republic (first ever written in Spanish), links its relationship with the other resident (and well known) vireo, the “Julián Chiví” (Black-whiskered Vireo), which actually has a truly onomatopoeic name.
The Flat-billed Vireo is not globally threatened but has suffered considerable loss of habitat in recent times. It is uncommon and local in its distribution. It is up to us to protect its remaining habitat by volunteering and/or donating to reforestation projects led by local environmental NGOs on Hispaniola.Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Thanks to Miguel Landestoy for the text!
Colour in the Flat-billed 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 Flat-billed Vireo
The song of the Flat-billed Vireo is a cheerful repeated whistle, almost liquid-like in quality, “we-we-we-we-we…”
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!
Flat-billed Vireo perched. Note the two white wing bars and whitish eye. (Photo by Dax Roman)
Flat-billed Vireo spotted in the Dominican Republic. (Photo by Francisco Alba)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: What facts can you remember about today’s endemic bird – the Flat-billed Vireo? Test your knowledge by filling in the missing words in our Flat-billed Vireo facts! We have given you all the correct words to use 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 or online for more information about the Flat-billed Vireo! Then, when you have completed all the sentences, you can check your answers here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Flat-billed Vireo in the wild! In this video you can see the Vireo perched high in a tree and you can also hear its song.
Are you looking for a tropical escape to one of the world’s ‘birdiest’ countries? Would you like to travel with a top-tier guide and support Caribbean bird conservation at the same time? If so, you’re in luck because this fall, you can join Cuban bird guide and longstanding member and supporter of BirdsCaribbean, Ernesto Reyes, on his 2023 trip to Colombia! Dates are 19 September to 1 October.
What can you expect on this South American birding adventure?
Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan. (Photo by Carlos Roberto Chavarria)
Colombia is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world and the country with the biggest species list – a whopping 1,966 species, including 79 endemics and 135 near endemics!
Explore some of Colombia’s picturesque habitats including high elevation paramo, foothill cloud forests, low elevation dry forest, and habitats along the Pacific coast. Visit feeders and see some of South America’s renowned jewels from a diverse array of glittering hummingbirds to a spectacle of tropical tanagers. Not to mention, this trip includes opportunities to see both charismatic and secretive species like toucans, parrots, tinamous, antpittas, and finishing off with a diverse array of wetland birds.
You’ll also learn about local conservation projects and meet members of the local communities facilitating these efforts. And, as those of you know from our Cuba tours, traveling with Ernesto is sheer joy – you will definitely enjoy your time birding with him at some of the most exciting birding hotspots in Colombia.
Travel with Ernesto and support Caribbean bird conservation
Andean Cock-of-the-Rock. (Photo by Carlos Roberto Chavarria)
Ernesto has been a long-time friend and supporter of BirdsCaribbean. He has guided our Cuba birding tours for many years and receives rave reviews for his excellent knowledge of birds, history, and culture, and for his kindness and good humor.
For every BirdsCaribbean person that signs up for this trip, Ernesto will make a $100 donation to BirdsCaribbean. Thank you, Ernesto for helping us to achieve our Caribbean bird conservation goals! Be sure to add a note when you register that you’re signing up as a BirdsCaribbean referral.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to increase your life list and see birds you’ve seen on National Geographic specials and dreamed of seeing yourself. Sign up today and don’t forget to mention that you’re signing up “in favor of BirdsCaribbean” on your registration form!
If you’re interested in learning more, peruse the detailed itinerary here and contact Ernesto and Costa Rica Rainforest Experience at the email addresses below.
The Black-capped Petrel or “Diablotin” is the region’s only endemic seabird and it’s Critically Endangered. (Photo by David Hollie)
During February 2023 members of the International Black-capped Petrel (aka Diablotin) Conservation Group traveled to Dominica to carry out a search for one of the Caribbean’s most fascinating, but threatened, birds. Looking for the elusive Diablotin, an endangered seabird that comes to land only at night, to nest in burrows was a challenge. This was only made harder by the need to search its preferred habitat – the rugged and heavily vegetated peaks of the Island. This year the group had some assistance from a four-legged friend!
As well as searching for burrows the team aimed to raise awareness of the Diablotin on Dominica and forge a strong research-media partnership. Through visits to schools, and interviews on local TV and radio, they made sure the Diablotin got the attention it deserves! Read on to find out more about how the trip went and what the team found.
The environmental club at The Convent School, Dominica. (Photo by The Convent School)
Students in Dominica have a charming way of thanking guest speakers. After a presentation, a selected volunteer formally gives thanks on behalf of the class and states an appreciation for the topics covered and the time spent. Being thanked this way is gratifying to any speaker, of course. Even more satisfying is when students engage by asking questions and relating their own experiences! It helps if the topic is compelling and relatable to the audience. We found this to be the case for the education and outreach activities associated with the 2023 Diablotin Expedition to Dominica.
Jennifer Wheeler takes a picture with the Diablotin Expedition Team in Dominica (L-R): Jeannelle Brisbane and Stephen Durand (active and retired Dominica Forestry), Yvan Satgé (Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) & Clemson University, Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation), Jacob Solis-Gonzalez (Universidad de Barcelona), Sea McKeon (American Bird Conservancy), and detection dog Africa. (Photo by Jennifer Wheeler)
Expedition Diablotin took place February 8-17, 2023. It consisted of field work to collect evidence that a rare seabird (also known as the Pterodroma hasitata or Black-capped Petrel) continues to nest on Dominica. The work included hikes up mountain peaks to listen and look for flying birds, use of a trained dog to detect the scent of burrows used by petrels, a boat trip to look for petrels in coastal waters, and engagement with citizens to sleuth out local knowledge. Scientists and conservationists believe it is highly likely that Diablotin breed on Dominica because of evidence in recent decades, but nesting has not been confirmed in the scientific literature since 1862!
Yvan interviewing fishermen. Since the Diablotin forages at sea during the day and only flies to and from the mountains at night, those working the coastal waters are most likely to see the Diablotin. (Photo by Jacob Solis-Gonzalez)
The scarcity of Diablotin explains why few Dominicans or visitors are familiar with this bird. Most people that we met were surprised to discover that the country’s tallest mountain, Morne Diablotin [elevation 1,447 m; 4,747 ft] received its name from a seabird. Early European and African arrivals to Dominica were frightened by eerie noises in the darkness, which were actually vocalizations by the Diablotin during nighttime courtship flights. However, people do tend to know that the volcano-formed Dominica hosts tall peaks, steep ridges and deep valleys, and is largely undeveloped with much of its forest intact. They are aware that they live on “The Nature Island” which harbors unique wildlife…even if not all the wildlife is understood or appreciated.
A preserved specimen of a breeding-aged female Diablotin grounded in 2007, along with a life-sized model chick made of yarn, stickers and brochures, were used as educational tools. (Photo by Jennifer Wheeler)
During media interviews and school presentations, we explained why the once-abundant Diablotin birds disappeared. One reason is that humans over-harvested the birds for food. People ate both the adults and the chicks (small, fluffy puffballs of fat raised on fish oils!). The animals that accompanied humans to Dominica – rats, cats, dogs, and pigs – also ate their share of petrels. Finally, small nesting populations could have been wiped out on an island prone to landslides and hurricanes
Arlington James, former Director of Forestry, was able to join Jeannelle and Jennifer at one of the school presentations. This was a special treat since Arlington was personally involved in the recognition, collection, and preservation of the 2007 specimen.
We presented to about 80 students at four schools: Geography students at Dominica State College; 4-H students at St. Mary’s High School for Boys; Science students at Community High School; and the Environmental Club at Convent High School for Girls. A fun tidbit is that Jeanelle formed this club when she was a Convent student!
There is nothing like live demonstrations to engage an audience. In two classrooms, Africa was available to demonstrate her detection dog abilities, sniffing out a dog toy placed out of sight.
A St. Mary’s Teacher who acted as a hazardous power line poses with the student “petrel fledgling” that survived the Diablotin Obstacle Course. (Photo by Jennifer Wheeler)
In another class, Jeannelle set up a Diablotin Obstacle Course – a game modified from Migration Challenge in the Birdsleuth Curriculum. Students pretended to be petrel fledglings on their first flight from nest to ocean. Others became the obstacles: snatching with their hands to mimic introduced predators, holding up extension cords to serve as power lines or a long strip of cellophane to serve as a lighted glass structure. Others threw paper balls mimicking owls or other aerial hazards or whirled around the room as hurricanes. Given all these challenges, it’s unsurprising that few of the “fledglings” made it across the classroom!
Stickers were created as outreach and education tools for the Diablotin Expedition.
Prizes and mementos are popular outreach and educational tools. Students able to answer questions about the Diablotin, its history, and its threats were rewarded with stickers. Stickers and even yarn chicks were awarded to students who voluntarily asked questions – the most satisfying being a version of, “How can I help?” Students were urged to spend time in the forest as a way to get to know its wild inhabitants. If they preferred an indoor job, we suggested pursuing an education to contribute to conservation as a laboratory scientist, software programmer, equipment engineer, or land-use policy-maker.
The Expedition was covered in the local newspaper
Kairi Radio interview
Interviews on four of Dominica’s media services hopefully reached a large proportion of Dominica’s 72,000 inhabitants.
Radio and television allows for a far-greater reach than in-person presentations. We had interviews with four media services:
Government Information Services
Dominica Broadcast Station
Kairi Radio
Vibes Radio
In interviews for the media, we described the Diablotin and emphasized the importance of habitat conservation in preserving biodiversity. We congratulated Dominica for its unique position as a country with more than 60% of its forest intact.
In the end, Expedition Diablotin covered 50 km of trails and 3,800 meters in altitude through thick Dominica’s forest. We had Africa, thermal binoculars, a loudspeaker, and spotlights and lots of mud, rain, fog, and wind. Alas, we found no clear evidence that the Diablotin is still in Dominica. However, there were some possible burrow detections (to be monitored by camera) and lessons learned to apply to future expeditions.
Importantly, we did find many Dominican citizens and visitors very interested in the fate of the Diablotin and receptive to another reason to conserve their forest. Considering that, as well as the number of students and other citizens now inspired to lend their eyes and ears to the search for this special bird, the Expedition Diablotin was clearly a success.
enjoy some more photos from the 2023 Diablotin expedition
Team Diablotin prepares to climb a peak. (Jennifer Wheeler)
Stephen Durand, Yvan Satge, and Jacob Gonzalez-Solis prepare for a wet night of Diablotin searching. (Photo by Jennifer Wheeler)
Jeanelle Brisbane, Arlington James, and Jennifer Wheeler after a school presentation.
Africa, the sniffer/detection dog practices looking for petrel scents using feather samples. (Photo by Jacob Gonzalez-Solis)
Africa posed by the Diablotin logo
Jeanelle Brisbane, Arlington James, and Jennifer Wheeler after a school presentation.
Team recovering after a long rainy evening up a mountain. (Photo by Jennifer Wheeler)
Checking a map
“Have you seen the Diablotin Bird?” Flyer used in Dominica
Yvan Satge discusses birds at sea with fishermen. (Photo by Jacob Gonzalez-Solis)
Gorgeous rainbow over the hills
Jennifer admires a giant stick insect on the way down from a Diablotin search. (Photo by Jeanelle Brisbane)
Stephen Durand strategizing for Diablotin searches. (Photo by Yvan Satgé)
Stephen Durand and Yvan Satge prepare for a survey. (Photo by Jennifer Wheeler)
Yvan and detection dog Africa set up a trail camera. (Photo by Jennifer Wheeler)
“Have you seen the Diablotin Bird?” Flyer used in Dominica
Looking for Diablotins in the mountains of Dominica involved rain, mud, darkness and a lot of climbing. (Photo by Yvan Satgé)
“Have you seen the Diablotin Bird?” Flyer used in Dominica
In the classroom. (Photo by Jeanelle Brisbane)
Jennifer Wheeler shares information on national TV about the search for the Endangered Diablotin (Black-capped Petreo).
This effort involved partners from Seabird Ecology, the American Bird Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, WildDominique, Dominica’s Forestry, Wildlife & Parks Division, BirdsCaribbean, Universitat de Barcelona, and the International Black-capped Petrel Working Group. Thank you to our members and donors who helped make this trip possible!
You can read the full trip report from this expedition by Yvan Satgé, Jacob González-Solís and Stephen Durand here. And, find out more about Black-capped Petrel conservation efforts in the Caribbean and the activities of the Black-capped Petrel Working Group in the posts below!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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: Gray-fronted Quail-Dove
With patience and silence, you may be lucky enough to spot the stunning Gray-fronted Quail-Dove on the trail ahead or walking quietly in the nearby woods.
This Cuban endemic is usually found either at low elevations in wet forests bordering swamps, or at middle altitudes in dense moist woods. Here it forages in the leaf litter for seeds and small insects and is quite focused while searching for food. This is why if you remain still, it may not notice you and approach quite closely. This chunky dove walks with an unusual posture of chest down, head forward, and tail up.
The Gray-fronted Quail-Dove is easily spooked and once disturbed will quickly” melt back” into the forest! But it is a beautiful bird when seen in good light conditions. It is dark gray above with conspicuous purple and blue iridescence on its back, gray underparts with rufous lower belly, gray crown and neck, and white forehead. On the other hand, in poor light conditions it simply looks like a mid-sized, mostly dark pigeon.
If you can’t get a good look at it, listen out for its song, low-pitched repeated cooing notes, “uup-uup-uup-uup,” sometimes preceded by “oo-oo-oo-oo-oo.”
The breeding season is from January to August. Nests are built using twigs and leaves, lined with rootlets and/or grasses and placed 1–3 m above ground. Clutch size is 1–2 beige-coloured eggs. In captivity, incubation lasts 13 days and chicks fledge the nest in as little as 10-12 days.
The Gray-fronted Quail-Dove’s conservation status is listed as Vulnerable. It is generally uncommon and local, but it is known from ten localities in the Zapata region alone, and 45 localities in total.
This species faces a variety of threats from habitat loss, predation by introduced species, and hunting. Like the Blue-headed Quail-Dove, an even rarer Cuban endemic, it is a delicacy and consequently hunted using drop-traps baited with orange seeds. This rare dove would benefit from protection of its habitat from unsustainable development and introduced predators, and initiatives aimed at reducing its consumption. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Thanks to Aliya Hosein for the text!
Colour in the Gray-fronted 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 Gray-fronted Quail-Dove
The song of the Gray-fronted Quail-Dove is a continuous low-pitched “uup-uup-uup-uup”
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!
Gray-fronted Quail-Dove in Cuba. Note the purple and blue iridescence on the back, gray underparts, unstriped gray head and whitish forehead. (Photo by David Tomb Macaulay Library-ML430903281)
Gray-fronted Quail-Dove. This photo shows well the spectacular colors of the dove, including the rufous lower belly and undertail coverts. (Photo by David Ascanio)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Test your knowledge of where Caribbean endemic birds live with our ‘Fly away home’ Map Matching Activity! Draw lines from the picture of each Caribbean endemic bird to match each one with its home. And here is the Answer Key – don’t look until you have completed the activity!!! You can find out more about Caribbean endemic birds by reading our posts each day or you can go back and find all the endemic birds that we have featured in previous years here. You can also find out all about our Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book with even more birds to colour in!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of this Gray-fronted Quail-Dove in the wild!
Seventeen strangers from three countries, Bahamas, Bermuda, and the United States, became fast friends on the BirdsCaribbean 4-day Pre-conference Tour, before the 2017 BirdsCaribbean meeting in Cuba. On a bird and culture packed tour the Gray-fronted Quail-Dove was just one of many endemic birds seen by the group. Read more about the trip in this blog post by Martha Cartwright.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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 Mango
When you think of hummingbirds, you most likely think of glittering hues of green, blue, red and purple. However, Jamaican Mango (Anthracothorax mango) is truly like no other, appearing dark overall compared to other species. It is also the largest of the four hummingbirds in Jamaica!
Both male and female have metallic magenta purple head and neck and velvet black underparts. Upperparts are dull green-bronze. The bill is slightly curved and black, central tail feathers are dusky bronze to dull black and the others are metallic violet. The female’s outer tail feathers are tipped white. Juvenile males have a deep blue throat until they are two years old.
The Jamaican Mango can be found in a variety of habitats from open and semi-open lowland vegetation including arid areas, gardens and plantations.This majestic bird is regularly seen visiting the flowers of the cactus, Agave, and Aloe Vera in the dry forest. It is also seen visiting mango flowers, which could explain its common name. Like other hummingbirds they follow the nectar trail and will disperse to mid-altitude regions in Cockpit Country and to Blue and John Crow Mountains from June–August. They also eat small flying insects caught on the wing and has been observed pulling insects from spider webs.
This is a rather silent hummingbird but it has a high-pitched raspy call “tsic-tsic-tsic-tsic.”
It breeds all through the year, peaking from January to May and will even nest in gardens. The female builds a small cup-shaped nest of densely woven silky fibers, seed down (e.g. Tillandsia) and cobwebs, at about 3–8 m above the ground. Clutch size is two white eggs and chicks have blackish plumage.
The Jamaican Mango is listed on the IUCN Red list as Least Concern. It is unknown if habitat loss impacts the species since it is found in both forested and disturbed areas. But we should all continue to work together to protect its habitats so that we can continue to be dazzled by this endemic gem for many years to come. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Thanks to Damion Whyte for the text!
Colour in the Jamaican Mango
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 Jamaican Mango
The call of the Jamaican Mango is a sharp “tsic-tsic-tsic-tsic.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Jamaican Mango, perched. (Photo by Clive Daelman)Jamaican Mango foraging for nectar. (Photo by Paul Chung)Jamaican Mango. (Photo by Bobby Wilcox)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Hummingbirds, like the lovely Jamaican Mango, are elegant little birds, often with brightly coloured jewel-like plumage. Why not capture some of their elegance by making your very own hummingbird from paper using origami? Join Josmar Esteban Márquez and learn how to fold a Hummingbird out of paper. The video also features some gorgeous photos of the many hummingbird species that are endemic to the Caribbean islands!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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 Tanager
Locally known as the “Prince Bird,” the Lesser Antillean Tanager (Stilpnia cucullata) is endemic to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. This regal bird is unmistakably the most colorful bird found on the island, second only to the St. Vincent Parrot (Amazona guildingii).
Because of its beauty this species has been captured and caged for hundreds of years, going as far back as to the days of slavery. Sugar cane plantation owners saw it as a symbol of prestige to walk down the road with this caged bird in hand. Even today this beautiful bird is still sought after by some of the wealthier inhabitants of the neighboring island of Bequia.
The Lesser Antillean Tanager male is yellowish buff above and grayish below with striking turquoise wings and tail, a dark mask, and a distinct reddish-brown cap. The plumage differs a bit between the two countries: the crown of the St Vincent subspecies is more rufous compared to chocolate-brown in the Grenada race. In addition, the upperparts of the St Vincent race are more buffy, the wings and tail are more bluish, and it is a little larger.
Females are duller than males and more greenish (Grenada) or brownish (St Vincent) overall. Juveniles are like adults but much duller, with only hints of dark masks, and may show little or no rufous on their crowns.
This spectacular bird can be seen in most habitats – dry and moist forests, wooded borders, second growth forests, parks and gardens, and montane thickets and rainforests at different times of the year. However, it prefers the dry coastal forest at higher elevations, and farm and pasture lands.
Whenever red plums (Spondias spp) are in season you will be sure to find the Lesser Antillean Tanager feeding on them. Although they are mainly seen in pairs, when plums are in season up to nine may be seen on a single tree foraging! They also eat mangoes, figs, soursop, Cecropia fruits, and insects. The insects are gleaned from the leaves or the tanager sallies short distances from a branch to catch them mid-air.
Little is known about the breeding biology of the Lesser Antillean Tanager since it has not been well studied. The breeding season reportedly occurs from April to July. Pairs build a cup-shaped nest similar to that of the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Loxigilla noctis), about 2-5 meters up the tree and the female lays 2 eggs that are white to bluish, with brown and gray markings. It has been observed stealing material from the nests of other birds.
Oftentimes you hear the tanager before you see it. Its song comprises a series of about six loud clear whistles that increase in volume and either end abruptly, as when you hold a bunch of keys and rattle it continuously for a few seconds (St Vincent subspecies), or in a jumbled twitter (Grenada subspecies): weet-weet-weet-witwitwitwit.
The Lesser Antillean Tanager is not globally threatened but is a restricted-range species, only occurring in two islands in the Lesser Antilles. It will be affected by threats to its habitats like deforestation, pollution, and natural disasters; it is therefore important to maintain and protect its existing habitats on both Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Thanks to Glenroy Gaymes for the text!
Colour in the Lesser Antillean Tanager
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 Lesser Antillean Tanager
The song of the Lesser Antillean Tanager consisted of of single thin notes followed by a jumbled series of high-pitched notes, weet-weet-weet-witwitwitwit, reminiscent of jingling keys.
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!
Lesser Antillean Tanager on Grenada, perched on some fruit. Note the chocolate-brown cap and turquoise wings. (Photo by Dennis Main, Macaulay Library, ML251965591)Lesser Antillean Tanager on St. Vincent – note the more rufous cap and bluish wings compared to the Grenada birds. (photo by Steven Hunter, ML200625941)Lesser Antillean Tanager on Grenada. (Photo by George Tuthill)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Lesser Antillean Tanagers are beautiful and colourful birds. Sadly, for this reason some people take them from the wild to keep in cages. Other birds in the Caribbean and around the world are also taken from the wild and kept in cages as part of the illegal wild bird trade. Some birds, like tanagers and parrots, are kept as pets for their beauty, and some for singing competitions like finches and grosbeaks. These birds should be flying free in the wild not kept in cages!
In our activity we want you to think about and answer some questions about the Lesser Antillean Tanager and birds being kept in cages.You can read the text on the Lesser Antillean Tanager to help you or check the internet for more information on the illegal wild bird trade.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Lesser Antillean Tanager, filmed preening on St Vincent.
The Lesser Antillean Tanager was one of the birds caught and banded during an expedition by Canadian students to band birds in Grenada. You can read more about their adventures here:
On Saturday, May 13, birders in the Caribbean and around the world got up (early) and out in force for Global Big Day! Twice a year, during peak migration times (once in spring and once in fall) birders around the world spring into action and try to spot as many different bird species as they can in 24 hours. Besides the sheer enjoyment of the day, the list of birds collected and submitted to eBird from across the globe are hugely valuable for science and conservation!
The Big Day numbers were, as usual, quite impressive. Global Big Day in 2023 was a huge success, with 7,636 bird species recorded by over 58,000 people around the world! An amazing 3.2 million bird sightings were logged by eBirders in 24 hours!
In the West Indies, Big Day birders once again increased in numbers and saw 515 species in total, thanks to the amazing efforts of 511 eBird observers! There were more birds, and more humans watching them, in 2023 compared to the previous years (see the stats on the graph in Figure 1).
Figure 1: Global Big Day 2020-2023 comparisons showing changes in total number of eBird Observers in the West Indies, total species seen, and total number of eBird checklists submitted.Figure 2. The number of ‘new’ people taking part in Global Big Day in 2023 (compared to 2022) in the West Indies, including all those who took part in the region.
This year, many Caribbean islands saw an increase in the number of people taking part in Global Big Day. In fact, the number of eBirders in 2023 grew by more than 100% from 2022 in some countries. Special mention goes to the Dominican Republic, who added 40 more eBirders in 2023, increasing participation by over 170%. What a great achievement! New recruits to the growing “army” of eBirders are always welcome, helping to boost birding records for the region.
What about the number of species seen? Looking at the eBird data from all those who took part in the West Indies (not just our BirdsCaribbean teams – see below for team stats!) – Cuba once again edged out the others for the most species seen – 172! Trinidad and Tobago were hot on their heels this year with a total of 170, with Puerto Rico in third place with an amazing count of 132 species!
Banding Together for Caribbean Birds—Fundraising Success!
Our Big Day birding teams stepped up again in 2023 to help raise funds for bird conservation in the Caribbean. This year, those funds are going towards our Caribbean Bird Banding program. Our Global Big Day fundraiser was another stunning success! Together, our 17 participating teams from across the Caribbean and beyond have raised over $19,300 USD so far. We are over 90% of our goal of $20,000. A huge THANK YOU to everyone who took part or supported us so far!
Funds raised will support more bird banding training workshops, like this one held in The Bahamas in 2022, to build conservation capacity in the Caribbean.
These donations will continue to provide bands and other resources to Caribbean banders. They will also help us host and support more international training workshops, internships and additional training sessions. You can STILL donate to help us reach our goal (we are SO close). https://givebutter.com/BCGBD2023
How did our BirdsCaribbean Teams do in 2023?
Well… (drum roll)…
This is what we all want to know: what are the stats from this year’s team competition? Once again the multinational “Flying Pintails” led by Executive Director Lisa Sorenson topped the list! Not only did they see the most species – 702 – they topped all the other categories too! Including most West Indies Endemics – 52. We might need to change their team name to the “Dominant Ducks!”
With team members from a total of 14 countries, their impressive performance is perhaps not surprising. To put it in perspective, it works out to just 50 species per country, far less than for some ‘national teams’ totals! Perhaps Lisa needs to get her team working harder next year. . . Or, on second thought, maybe that’s not such a good idea!
Coming in second place on total species was another multi-national team, “President’s Perch” with 457, and the Globe-Trotting Todies trotted into third place in the total species seen with 271. (You can see a full round up in Figure 3 below.)
Figure 3. Global Big Day results for our 17 BirdsCaribbean Teams. The numbers in red show which team had the highest number for each category.
The “Bee Hummers Dream Team” from Cuba deserves a special mention for getting the most people involved, with a fabulous 63 team members entering their species lists on eBird. They also saw an impressive 170 species within the West Indies (just beating the “Piping Pawis” from Trinidad, who saw 169). Some of these races were tight!
Ciego Birding Club. Yaro Rodriguez friends Big Day birding in Cuba.
“Small is beautiful” for some teams!
Whilst the large multinational teams might have dominated in the ‘species seen’ stats (we’re looking at you “Flying Pintails”) when it came to species seen by each team member the smaller teams really shone. The nine team members in the “Far Flung Flock of Friends” totaled an impressive 25 species each (on average). Within the “national” teams, the “TCI Royal Terns” stood out with their three team members recording 20 species for each on average. That’s pretty intense! (you can see all the stats in Figure 4).
Figure 4. The average number of species seen per person for each of the 17 Global Big Day teams. Far Flung Flock of Friends saw the most birds per team member with an average of 25 species/person.
Biggest Big Day team birders
Of course, we shouldn’t forget the outstanding contributions of individual team members! This year we had some seriously impressive individual efforts. Topping the top team birders list was Beny Wilson, who was birding in Panama and recorded 164 species for the Flying Pintails !! For this fabulous feat, Beny wins some awesome BC swag!
Our top five birders (or birding duos) located anywhere (not necessarily in the Caribbean) on Big Day were:
164 Beny Wilson – Flying Pintails 161 Paul Rodewald – Flying Pintails 160 John Garrett- Flying Pintails 148 Holly Garrod & Joshua Covill – Globe Trotting Todies 118 Jeff Gerbracht – Flying Pintails
Our top five birders (or birding duos) with the most species in the West Indies were:
106 Alex Sansom and Mark Hulme – Trinidad and Tobago (Piping Pawis) 94 Eric Torres-Rivera – Puerto Rico (Warbling Warriors) 94 Ricel Polán Hernández – Cuba (Bee Hummers Dream Team) 85 Julio Salgado – Puerto Rico (Warbling Warriors) 80 Xavier Ragbir – Trinidad and Tobago (Piping Pawis) 78 Susan Davis – Bonaire (Flying Pintails)
Beny Wilson and friends birding in Panama for the Flying Pintails.
Broad-billed Motmot one of 164 species seen by Beny!
Crimson-collared Tanager anther bird spotted by Beny!
Josh Covill and Holly Garrod birding for the Globe Trotting Todies
Jeff Gerbracht on Big Day birding for the Flying Pintails
On the trail of the island endemics
Of course, in the Caribbean, it isn’t all about how many species are seen. Global Big Day is also a chance for teams to find and record their endemic birds. On some islands, tracking down all the island endemics can be more of a challenge than others! But we should note that “Bajan Birders & Friends” and “Cayman Birding” both found ‘their’ endemic bird on Big Day.
Figure 5. Number and percent of endemics seen (by proportion) on Global Big Day, 2023.
The Warbling Warriors in Puerto Rico really stepped up to that challenge, finding all 16 endemics. The “Bee Hummers Dream Team” in Cuba, and the “Palmchatters” on Hispaniola also came pretty close to 100% of endemics seen. Well done to all!
Looking for Endemics a Puerto Rican Woodpecker. (Photo by Alice Falto)
Another endemic woodpecker! A West Indian Woodpecker spotted in Cuba. (Photo by Roberto Jovel)
Working hard for the endemics
Within the Caribbean some birders went that extra mile to find the region’s endemic birds. So we want to give a special mention to the following birders who had 20 or more West Indies Endemics on their GBD checklist on May 13th:
Adrian Corbas (Cuba) – 32
Ricel Polan Hernandez (Cuba) – 26
Wisdenilde Navarro (Cuba) – 21
Franklin Zakhur Howley-Dumit Serulle (Dominican Republic) – 20
Idania Garcia Castillo (Cuba) – 20
Eric Torres-Rivera (Puerto Rico) – 20
Every single bird recorded during our Global Big Day birding fundraiser counted towards our effort and every birder taking part helped make this year an amazing success! We also want to thank everyone who helped us raise funds and donated to help support bird banding in the Caribbean. It’s not too late to contribute to our 2023 fundraiser – we are so close to our $20,000 goal! Your donation will help us empower our local partners to learn more about Caribbean birds through bird band, building the region’s capacity for bird conservation through our Caribbean Bird Banding Network.https://givebutter.com/BCGBD2023
2023 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 GiveButter page and donate to specific teams to help them reach their fundraising goal, or donate to the general campaign.
Common Gallinule seen by Julian Moore on Barbados during Big Day
Enjoy some more photos captured by members of BirdsCaribbean’s various Global Big Day teams on 13th May, 2023. (keep an eye out from more Big Day photos in our “Big Day Photo Contest” results).
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Black-capped Petrel
Imagine being up on one of the tallest mountains in the Caribbean. Imagine being there at night on a moonless February night. You can feel the fog all around you and can hear the sounds of a few frogs and insects. Suddenly, out of nowhere and everywhere at the same time, comes an eerie call, between a laugh and a lament. In ancient times, some thought these were the calls of the devil or witches. But today you can be assured that you are lucky enough to be near one of the few courtship areas of the Black-capped Petrel.
This mysterious seabird is the only seabird endemic to the Caribbean! Is is known as Diablotin (“the little devil”) in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Dominica, and Pajaro de la Bruja (“the witch’s bird”) in Cuba. It used to be widespread in the Caribbean but is now only known to nest in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and possibly in Cuba, Dominica, Jamaica, and Guadeloupe.
The Black-capped Petrel has long wings (dark above, white below), a white nape and rump, and the black cap that gives it its English name. Its diet is not well known but consists mostly of fish and squid. A pelagic seabird, it spends most of its life far out at sea and comes to land only to breed, between November and June.
It is very difficult to see the Black-capped Petrel on land because it comes back to its burrow only after sunset and leaves long before sunrise, flying up and down river flyways in the dark. At sea, it is active day and night and lucky birdwatchers may see it near the coast of those Caribbean islands where it breeds. However, the best place to see a Black-capped Petrel would be just off the Guajira Peninsula in Colombia (where petrels from Hispaniola come to feed) and off Cape Hatteras, a hotspot for migrating petrels near the southeastern coast of the USA. There, you will notice its characteristic “roller-coaster” flight where it soars above the ocean and then dips to just above the water.
The Black-capped Petrel has a small population (estimated at 2,000-4,000 individuals) and is considered globally endangered. The main threats affecting the species on land are the loss of forested habitat, introduced predators (mainly mongoose, feral cats, and feral dogs), and collision with telecommunication towers. At sea, the petrel is affected by pollution (such as mercury and plastics), production of marine energy (oil and gas, and offshore wind), and attraction to lighted ships.
The Black-capped Petrel has long been part of Caribbean culture. Songs tell its story and mountains bear its name: in Dominica, two of the highest mountains (Morne Diablotin and Morne aux Diables) are named after it. The International Black-capped Petrel Conservation Group is hard at work to keep the Black-capped Petrel flying up and down Caribbean mountains. Protection of its forested breeding habitat and protection from predators is key to its long-term survival. You can learn more about this mysterious seabird at diablotin.org. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Thanks to Yvan Satge for the text!
Colour in the Black-capped Petrel
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 Black-capped Petrel
The calls of the Black-capped Petrel at nesting areas include a drawn out “awwwww” – these ‘spooky’ noises they make from nesting burrows give them their “Little Devil” name. Away from nests, when at sea they are usually silent but sometime give a short high-pitched ‘yelp’ 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!
Black-capped Petrel in flight, spotted in May at-sea in North Carolina. (Photo by Kate Sutherland, Macaulay Library, ML343236161)Black-capped Petrel in flight. (Photo by Tom Benson)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Use the information above and the clues on the sheet to untangle our our word scramble – all about the Black-capped Petrel. You’ll need to know about where is lives, what it eats, and how it behaves. You can find all the answers to the clues here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Find out more about community-based conservation of Black-capped Petrels in the Caribbean and join Adam Brown as he takes us on a trip to Haiti, to the remote mountain village of Boukan Chat. This village and the people who live there are the focus of conservation efforts to save the elusive and endangered Black-capped Petrel. Click below to see more about village life and how sustainable agriculture has been helping both the people and the petrels.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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 Martin
Cuban Martins (Progne cryptoleuca) are aerial insectivores. This group of birds gracefully swoops and soars through the air, catching insects on the wing. They have long and pointed wings that help them perform their aerial acrobatics. They also tend to have wide beaks that enable them to scoop insects as they fly. This group includes potoos, nightjars, swifts, swallows, and flycatchers.
Cuban Martins are striking birds. The adult male is bright metallic blue all over with a purplish gloss; some hidden white feathers on the lower belly are not usually seen in the field. The female has a white belly that contrasts sharply with a sooty-brown chest, sides, throat, and upper-parts, with some steel-blue feathers on her back, scapulars, and part of the head. Both sexes have forked tails. First-year juveniles are similar to the adult female, but much duller, and their tails are less forked than those of adults.
Cuban Martins are quite similar to Purple Martins (Progne subis). In fact, males of both species are indistinguishable in the field! However, females can be differentiated as the Purple Martin has some brown streaking on the underpart and a less distinct border between a darker breast and whitish belly.
The calls of the Cuban Martin include a harsh “churr,” a high-pitched, buzzy “zwick-zwick,” like a vibrating wire; and also a strong melodious warble.
Being a migratory species, the Cuban Martin’s range includes breeding, passage and wintering areas. It breeds only in Cuba with records on the main island, the Isle of Youth, and several cays both north and south of the island. The migration route and wintering range is largely unknown, but it is believed to winter in South America since the Cuban Martin is rarely reported in the rest of the Caribbean. This hypothesis is supported by recent data from an individual breeding in Cuba that was fitted with a geo-locator tag; it had traveled to Brazil for the winter!
The few records of the Cuban Martin in the region include observations in the Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, Barbados, Aruba, and Curacao.
The Cuban Martin inhabits open or semi-open areas in palm groves, mangroves, grasslands, agricultural lands, low scrubland, and coastal lagoons. They are also common in cities and towns where they can be observed perched on power and telephone lines. They return to Cuba to breed starting in late January with most of the population arriving between mid-February and early March. They begin to depart for their wintering area by late September/early October and are not seen again until the next breeding season.
Cuban Martins nest in colonies, but may breed in isolated pairs. The female lays 3 to 5 white eggs in abandoned woodpecker nests, dead palms, and cavities in cliffs and caves. They also nest under bridges and in old buildings and church towers. In Cuba, the largest breeding colony recorded is in the Convent of San Francisco de Asis in Old Havana. The few studies related to cavity use and breeding phenology are concentrated in that colony.
Cuban Martins are well adapted to capturing airborne insects. Their short, wide bill acts as a funnel to capture prey during flight, as they alternate between flapping and gliding. The diet, although not described in detail, includes known prey such as beetles, dragonflies and damselflies, butterflies and moths and bees. Both males and females feed the chicks in the nest, and even when the chicks leave the nest, both parents have been observed transferring food to the young during flight.
There is currently no reliable population estimate for this species. However, it is considered common throughout its breeding range in Cuba, and the population is assumed to be stable. It is therefore listed by BirdLife International as Least Concern. However, there are records of declines in local populations at some sites in the Ciénaga de Zapata, Cuba due to the loss of nesting cavities. This is likely related to habitat destruction by poachers, who cut down nesting trees in search of psittacine (parrot) nests. The impact of other possible threats such as invasive species, hunting, collisions, and human disturbance is generally unknown. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Thanks to Alieny González Alfonso for the text!
Colour in the Cuban Martin
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 Martin
The calls of the Cuban Martin include a harsh “churr,” a buzzy “zwick-zwick,” as well as other musically burbling, buzzy 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!
A pair of Cuban Martins perched in Havana, Cuba. (Photo by Ianela García Lau, Macaulay Library, ML353442741)Male Cuban Martin at a nest site in an empty pipe. (Photo by Ianela García Lau)Female Cuban Martin in flight. (Photo by Wayne Fidler, Macaulay-Library, ML84056381)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Cuban Martins depend on insects as there main food source! This is true for lots of birds who need insects to survive. Even those who eat nectar or fruits might sometimes also eat insects or will catch them to feed to their hungry growing chicks (who need protein to be able to grow their feathers).
So, why not find out more about which insects live near you that are providing important food for birds? In this activity you will need:
an old light colored bed sheet or towel will work
a magnifying glass
garden gloves (optional)
camera
sheet of paper and pencil
You will also need a parent or trusted adult to help you with this activity. Download the activity instruction sheet here. And then you are ready to go looking for insects—who knows what you might find !
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Cuban Martin at a nest at the top of an old church in Old Havana – you can see a female trying to get her fully-grown chick to leave the nest!
Want to know more about other wonderful and acrobatic ‘Aerial Insectivores’ that live in the Greater Antilles? Then check our this fun blog post by Justin Proctor!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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 Blackbird
Beautiful white-sand beaches, smiling faces, and a warm and welcoming ray of sunshine kissing your cheeks as you sip on freshly chopped coconuts. This is what most people think about when they hear the name of the Jamaican Blackbird’s (Nesopsar nigerrimus) homeland. However, this endangered endemic prefers to stay 500-2,000m above sea-level in the lush, cool, rainforests of the country’s interior mountains.
Its name describes its features perfectly with the exception of its dark-brown iris and slight blue gloss on its all-black plumage. This shiny black icterid (Family Icteridae includes blackbirds, orioles, meadowlarks, troupials, the Bobolink, etc.) boasts a slim, sharply-pointed black bill and a short, slightly forked, rounded tail, and black legs. Juveniles are similar to adults but their plumage has a slightly brown tinge and they lack gloss. Compared with other members of its family, Nesopsar has shorter legs and more curved claws, which are advantageous in arboreal (tree) foraging. The Jamaican Blackbird climbs vertically, like a woodcreeper, pecking into the trunk for crunchy and gooey beetles, snails, and caterpillars.
To locals, Jamaican Blackbirds are affectionately known as the “Wildpine Sergeant” because they can be found silently foraging in bromeliads and moss, or at the base of trees tossing out dead leaves and sticks. The sound of these disturbed leaves and the rain of debris, as they seek out small invertebrates, is often the first thing that attracts the attention of curious and hopeful birdwatchers to its whereabouts.
The Jamaican Blackbird breeds between the months of May and July. Their nests are built in the shape of a cup, well-hidden in the foliage. Though they are never seen in flocks, they may be seen in family groups sometimes after nesting periods. The song is a wheezy, tuneless “zwheeee-zee-zooo-zee-zee-zooo.” The call is a single, squeaky “wheet” repeated every few seconds.
This species is poorly studied and has become increasingly difficult to find over the decades, probably due to a loss of habitat. It is now classified as Endangered. Bauxite mining, commercial tree planting, and coffee plantations have all led to the removal of mature native trees that support the large bromeliads in which it forages.
When you visit the beautiful island of Jamaica make sure to keep an eye out on the winding roads and trails in Cockpit Country, and the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, you may just spot a rare Jamaican treasure! And locals, let our government know that the habitat of our endemic Jamaican Blackbird needs to be protected to ensure its survival long into the future. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Thanks to Justin Saunders for the text!
Colour in the Jamaican Blackbird
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 Jamaican Blackbird
The song of the Jamaican Blackbird is a wheezy “zwheeee-zee-zooo-zee-zee-zooo.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Jamaican Blackbird, in the Blue Mountains, Jamaica. (Photo by Tom Johnson, Macaulay Library, ML89062321)Jamaican Blackbird spotted in Portland Parish, Jamaica. (Photo by Michael McCloy, Macaulay Library, ML51196591)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: We hope that you have been enjoying learning all about our Caribbean endemic birds! Don’t forget that this year our theme is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life”. Some of the birds we have featured so far are endangered and many others are under pressure, often from human activities. This means our special endemic birds and many of the other beautiful birds that live in or visit us in the Caribbean need your help.
All birds need water to survive so you can help by carrying out the actions in our “Pledge to Conserve Water.” You can download and print our water pledge here. Then sign your name and get started helping our birds by following some of the simple water-saving actions listed in the pledge. You could also hang or pin it up somewhere at home to remind you to keep saving water and helping birds and wildlife. And don’t forget to share this pledge with your family and friends!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy the short videos below of a Jamaican Blackbird foraging for tasty insects in the Blue Mountains National Park in 1) lichen and moss along tree branches, and 2) a large bromeliad.
Did you know that in 2020 Shika Shika released their album “A Guide to the Birdsong of Mexico, Central America, & the Caribbean” ? The project was a unique fusion of music and birdsong , the ten-track electronic music album, incorporated the songs and calls of endangered birds. Amongst the calls and songs of endemics from the region you can listen out for the sweet songs of our Caribbean birds- including the Jamaican Blackbird! Find out more below:
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life,” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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: Narrow-billed Tody
If you’re thinking the Narrow-billed Tody must be the counterpart of the Broad-billed Tody – you’d be right. Hispaniola (shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic) is the only island with TWO todies and the only island where the todies are not named after their locale. These two todies indeed differ in bill width. They also separate altitudinally. The Broad-billed Tody is found in the lowland broadleaf forests while the Narrow-billed Tody (Todus angustirostris) inhabits the high-elevation cloud and pine forests.
Todies, the charismatic faces of the Caribbean, are small green birds with a bright red throat and paler chest. Though similar in coloration to hummingbirds, they are actually more related to kingfishers and motmots. Todies comprise 5 species spread across 4 of the Greater Antilles and are completely endemic to the Caribbean!
Besides the narrower bill, how can we distinguish the Narrow-billed Tody? First, check the eye color. Narrow-billed Todies have pale, typically blue eyes rather than the dark brown eyes of Broad-billed Todies. Next, check the breast color, Narrow-billed Todies will have a stark white breast, allowing their yellow and pink side feathers to really pop.
In contrast, the Broad-billed Tody has a much streakier yellow-pinkish breast. Finally check the bill. While Narrow-billed Todies do in fact have a narrower bill, the underside of the bill will typically be much darker. And if you really pay close attention, you might even notice that the Broad-billed Tody is overall a much brighter green than the darker, more forest-green of the Narrow-billed Tody.
The Narrow-billed Tody is locally known as the Chi-cui, named after its raspy, insect-like vocalization. They can often be heard making this chi-cui sound or a faster lazer call. But unlike the Broad-billed Tody which can make a nonvocal wing noise that sounds similar to running your fingers through a comb, Narrow-billed Todies do not appear to sport this ability.
These tiny green birds, weighing in at about 5-6 grams, have a voracious appetite and are seen in a near constant state of foraging. They’ll devour anything- from gooey caterpillars to butterflies, and have even been observed munching on 18 different species of fruits! And with their tiny size they’ve even been found choosing smaller fruits compared to some of Hispaniola’s other avian frugivores.
Like the other Caribbean todies, Narrow-billed Todies will dig their own nest burrow in any dirt bank they can find. Unlike Broad-billed Todies, however, which can be found nesting in your local neighborhood, Narrow-billed Todies are a bit pickier and prefer to nest deeper in the woods. In the Cordillera Central of the Dominican Republic, these tiny todies actually make an elevational migration related to their breeding season. In April, right as they start to get ready for breeding, they’ll move upwards in elevation, being found no lower than 1,000m. But after the breeding season ends, usually July-August, they beeline back down the mountain and can be found as low as 650m during the rest of the year!
Similar to other Caribbean birds that live in forests, the Narrow-billed Tody is rapidly losing habitat, especially to growing agricultural activities like cattle ranching and coffee farms. Climate change has already pushed the two todies closer together—they can now be found breeding in overlap zones around 900m in the Cordillera Central and around 1,200m in the Sierra de Bahoruco of the Dominican Republic. There are even rumors of the first likely hybridization between the two species!
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 Narrow-billed Tody
The song of the Narrow-billed Tody is a buzzy chattering which is repeated at intervals.
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!
Narrow-billed Tody, showing it’s pink sides. (Photo by Alberto Rojas)Perched Narrow-billed Tody. (Photo by Francisco Alba)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Can you find the words in our Narrow-billed Tody 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 may appear forwards and backwards, as well as horizontal, vertical and diagonal! Need some help? Or want to check your answers? You can see where all the words were here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Narrow-billed Tody preening!
The Narrow-billed Tody was one of the beautiful birds , found in the Dominican Republic, that were seen by the participants of Landbird Monitoring Training Workshop. This workshop was held at the in the hills of central Dominican Republic during 2022 as part of our Caribbean Landbird Monitoring Program. Wildlife professionals from 16 countries had the opportunity to get together in person and learn to address the challenges of identifying, counting, and tracking our fascinating landbirds – in a variety of beautiful habitats. Find out what it was like taking part from participant Daniela Ventura.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life,” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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-headed Warbler
Easy to spot because it forages in the understory is a small distinct warbler with an all-yellow head that contrasts with a plain gray body—the Yellow-headed Warbler (Teretistris fernandinae). It occurs over the western third of the main island of Cuba, as well as on the Isle of Youth and Cayo Cantiles. It is one of two warbler species endemic to Cuba.
The Yellow-headed Warbler is considered a “sister species” of the more easterly distributed Oriente Warbler (Teretistris fornsi), the other endemic warbler. Sister species are closely related – they are the two descendant species formed when one species splits during evolution.
In recent times, some biologists found an area of geographical overlap of the two species on the south side of the island between Cienfuegos and Trinidad City. Interestingly they have discovered a hybrid population here!! This means that both species have been living in this area and breeding with each other for years!! Hybrid zones happen when two closely related species come into contact with one another again and interbreed.
It’s easy to tell these two warblers apart in the field. The Yellow-headed Warbler, has an all-yellow hood and yellow eye-rings and the rest of the plumage is plain gray while the Oriente Warbler has a gray head but yellow face and chest. So you may be wondering, what do the hybrid warblers look like? The hybrids have a yellow hood and yellow chest!
Yellow-headed Warblers inhabit forests and wooded vegetation at all elevations, also scrubby thickets in semi-arid areas. They form small flocks when they are looking for food like insects and other invertebrates, mostly in understory, but also on the ground or in branches. During this time you may hear them making high-pitched buzzy notes tsi-tsi-tsi tsi-tsi, repeated many times.
Many other species of birds tag along with these bustling foraging flocks and often wait for the insects that escape from the Yellow-headed Warblers. They also benefit from the added protection of being alerted to the presence of lurking predators. It is common to see Cuban Vireos, La Sagra´s Flycatchers and Cuban Bullfinches, as well as migratory warblers like Black-and-White Warblers, Prairie Warblers, Worm-eating Warblers, and Northern Parulas joining the flock of Yellow-headed Warblers.
With spring, starting in March, the numbers of insects and bugs begin to increase! This is when the breeding season for the Yellow-headed Warbler starts and usually continues until July. It builds a cup-shaped nest of grasses, rootlets, and other plant fibers placed low or fairly low in a bush, vine, or sapling. Clutch size is 2 to 3 eggs, with egg-laying taking place from April to June.
Although the conservation status of the Yellow-headed Warbler is Least Concern, we need to monitor and protect this bird. Keep in mind that it is a restricted-range species, present only in western Cuba. It is therefore vulnerable to many threats, such as deforestation, pollution, and impacts from climate change, including severe drought, storms, and hurricanes. These threats could kill birds outright as well as damage their habitats, food sources and ability to breed successfully. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Thanks to Ernesto Reyes Mouriño for the text!
Colour in the Yellow-headed 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 Yellow-headed Warbler
The song of the Yellow-headed Warbler is series of raspy, high-pitched, buzzy 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!
A Yellow-headed Warbler calls. (Photo by Greg Lavaty)Yellow-headed Warbler. (Photo by Doug Greenberg)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: There are two warblers who both live in Cuba and look very much alike, but they’re not the same! Once is today’s endemic bird, the Yellow-headed Warbler, and the other is the Oriente Warbler. Both are mainly gray and yellow! In our activity of the day you need to look carefully at two photos and try to identify the Yellow-headed Warbler. Check the text above for some handy tips.
If you get stuck and feel like you need a bit of extra help then take a look on the second page of this activity. You will find some helpful hints to set you on the right track.
Thinks that you found the Yellow-headed Warbler? You can check if you are right on our answer sheet here. This activity is perfect to play with school groups or outdoor education clubs etc.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this delightful video of a Yellow-headed Warbler foraging in the wild!
Elvin removing a cuckoo from a mist net. (Photo by Josh Covill)
BirdsCaribbean’s Caribbean Bird Banding Network recently held their second bird banding training workshop in the beautiful Dominican Republic. Read on for a delightful personal account of this workshop from local high-school teacher and dedicated Dominican biologist Elvin Manuel Vargas Estévez.
On the fresh morning of March 8th, 2023, in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic, one of the most rewarding experiences of my life as a biologist would begin. I was participating in a Bird Banding Workshop organized by BirdsCaribbean. It sounds beautiful just to say it, but the true beauty lies in how and what happened there to consider it so valuable.
I must admit—I have always been a wildlife lover since I was a child. But my four-year-old self could never have imagined that I would have a bird in my hands, measuring its anatomical proportions, carefully observing the arrangement of its feathers, and eagerly looking for molt limits. However, today I feel immense excitement knowing that it is now part of my life, allowing me to continue to educate myself and contribute knowledge to avian conservation and society.
Setting up mist nets and sowing euphoria
On the first day of the workshop, my colleague Gerónimo Abreu and I were so excited to start the activities. We talked about what we wanted to do that day from the moment we woke up until we left our room. Once everything was ready, we headed to the main hall and dining room of the Ranch, where lead banding trainer Holly Garrod explained to us with great enthusiasm what we were going to do that day. With clear instructions, we took the necessary equipment and set off to explore the area that would be our morning workplace for the next four days.
The non-traditional, open-air classroom where learning, sharing and discussions took place during the workshop. (Photo by Elvin Estévez)
The process of setting up mist nets is an art that is not as boring as it may seem. Well, it’s true that it’s probably not the most exciting part of a bird bander’s day, but there is a certain magic in the process. The first time I saw a mist net was during a bird banding demonstration that Holly did at the Botanical Garden in Santiago. There I learned that setting up and taking down nets is like a climbing sport. We drive stakes firmly or look for a stable attachment, and “climb with the net” to maintain tension at all times. How interesting! Something as methodical and procedural as setting up a mist net can become fun if you look at it with different eyes.
I remember how the other participants were attentive to everything that moved, what the trainers said, and what more experienced banders did. Throughout that first day, I kept learning about the nets, observing how the more experienced bird banders worked, and learned how to enter banding data while eagerly waiting to hold and band a bird for the first time.
Participants learned to set up and close mist nets during the workshop. (Photo by Josh Covill)
“Don’t be afraid, you are in control, not the bird”
As a child, I used to watch many programs on channels like Animal Planet and Discovery Channel with deep curiosity, as I have always found wildlife fascinating. However, animals did not captivate me solely for their majesty, such as lions and other big cats, or for their incredible sizes, like hippos and rhinos. For me, the greatest treasure in observing an animal is being able to understand its unique behavior and social interactions, at both inter- and intraspecific levels. That’s why I was so amazed when I started focusing more on birds as my birdwatching hobby developed. As fellow ornithologists and birders know, there is nothing more unique than a bird’s behavior.
The first time I held a bird in the context of bird banding was at the Santiago Botanical Garden. I was given the opportunity to release a freshly banded bird and it was a beautiful experience. However, it pales in comparison to the moment when I released a bird from its bag, held it properly, and took the necessary measurements before banding it and then releasing it. This whole process was so exciting for me that it came with a mix of nervousness.
When I was about to process my first bird, Juan Carlos (JC) Hernández Ordoñez was the one supervising my work. I am infinitely grateful to JC as he helped me learn the proper technique and gain confidence to safely handle a bird. I remember very clearly how at the beginning my nervousness caused my hands to shake a little when taking measurements and analyzing the bird. It was then that I heard JC say, “Don’t be afraid, you are in control, not the bird.”
Elvin banding a Palmchat. (Photo by Josh Covill)
That is when I realized that my nervousness, perhaps driven by the fear of hurting the bird, was only adding stress that was being transmitted to the animal. If you are nervous and stressed, the bird you are holding will be too. But if you control the situation and remain calm, the bird you are processing will eventually calm down as well.
By the end of the course, about five birds had passed through my hands, and all but one showed no signs of stress that would warrant a premature release. It is amazing to have an animal in your hands for the right purpose, and then release it knowing that someone, another bird bander or even a birdwatcher, may encounter it some day in the future. The banded bird connects us to a shared conservation goal and binds us to it in an intimate way.
Molt, molt, molt!
Wait, who said that it was only about knowing how to handle a bird, taking it out of the net, and banding it for release? That’s excellent, but I’m sure you’ll be interested in knowing the age of the individual you’re holding, or at least an approximation. Why is it useful for us to know the age of the bird we’re banding? Well, among many things, it allows us to understand the ecological role that the individual is playing, or will play in the near future. If it has already gone through a reproductive stage, if it will seek to reproduce soon, if it has recently left the nest. Or if it is simply a fully mature individual that has been interacting with the surrounding ecosystem for more than two years. Of course, in addition to age, there are other things we can learn with greater accuracy with a bird in the hand, such as its sex or health status, which, of course, will help us quantify and infer more aspects of the bird’s life cycle.
A bird in the hand allows us to learn about the age and health of the bird. (Photo by Josh Covill)
Molt, also known in birds as the replacement of feathers, is key to bird banders. These patterns of feather replacement, or molt patterns, can help us determine the age of a bird. When I first learned about molt, I was amazed by the beauty of this natural process in all birds. I admit that at first my “operating system” almost failed due to so much information to process. At that moment, I realized how we were all connected by another common interest throughout the workshop: molt! It was incredible. If we were at the banding table, we talked about molt. During and after lunch: more conversation about molt. Before sleeping: a study session on molt. We were obsessed with learning more and more about molt, practicing the Wolfe-Ryder-Pyle (WRP) method (a system for aging birds based on their different plumages) countless times, and even immersing ourselves in Peter Pyle’s book “The Identification Guide to North American Birds” as if it were our “bible.” How much I enjoyed all of that! As my friend Daniela Ventura said, we were becoming “molt nerds” and we were enjoying it.
Daniela and Elvin take a closer look at a bird’s wing while another participant Amonie Holas looks on. (Photo by Josh Covill)
The best part is realizing that we never really stop learning, because Pyle’s book does not have all data about all birds. In fact there are birds for which we have little or no data. Those occasions when we encountered individuals with unique molting strategies, challenging molt limits, and deceptive alternate (breeding) plumages were the perfect setting for creating a session where trainers discussed what the correct code would be to describe the age of the bird, and the rest of us watched attentively as these interesting analyses unfolded. The fact that you can always come across these unique and challenging situations is, for me, part of the magic that birds hold in their molt strategies.
Birds Connecting the Americas
Undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful things about the workshop is the opportunity to meet people with similar interests and visions. Since we arrived at Rancho Baiguate in Jarabacoa on the afternoon of March 7th (a day before the official start of the workshop), we realized this benefit. After dropping off our luggage in the assigned room, we immediately went to dinner and sat at a table with Holly, Maya, Steve, and Zoya. From that moment on, we got to know each other and had many conversations about various topics, and it was very enjoyable. But if there’s one thing that stands out above all else, it’s how birds were the center of many of those conversations. Yes, I understand it may seem obvious, but even though we knew we would meet people who shared the same love for birds and conservation as we do, it’s always an indescribable pleasure to be able to talk and connect in person. Throughout the workshop, we met and interacted with incredible people, and we expressed our desire to work together on different approaches, always revolving around birds.
Coming together to learn. Holly teaches the group about molt. (Photo by Maya Wilson)
Making lasting connections at the bird banding training workshop. From left to right: Daniela, Gerónimo, Elvin and Zoya.
Participants at the banding workshop, earlier this year, in the Dominican Republic. (Photo by Joshua Covill)
Examining a Hispaniolan Woodpecker wing for signs of molt. (photo by Josh Covill)
Elvin banding a Black-throated Blue Warbler (photo by Maya-Wilson)
Finding common ground with people who share similar research and conservation interests is great because valuable knowledge is shared in those encounters. However, this would not amount to much if genuine connections are not formed—concrete connections that allow for efficient and organized collaboration. That’s why we were all very excited with the presentation of the BirdsCaribbean Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) network and the Institute of Bird Population’s monitoring program for overwintering migratory birds, otherwise known as MoSI (monitoreo sobrevivencia invernal). It’s fascinating!
I want to express how thrilled and engaged we all were when the CBB network was introduced. The fact that we are being presented with a way to stay connected is more valuable than it may seem because it encourages more organized efforts: joint research proposals, shared databases, and fundraising for future projects. Similarly, I find the MoSI program incredible as it specifically focuses on connecting different bird banding stations where data on molt and plumage condition of banded species are provided. What does this do for us? It helps us primarily to understand how birds are changing their molt strategies, which, in addition to updating our records, helps us understand how species are being affected by various factors such as habitat loss and climate change.
My Plus/Delta
The Plus/Delta dynamic was key to the performance and experience we had in the workshop. Every afternoon, we took a moment to discuss the positives of the day (the “Plus”) and what we wanted to improve on in the next day’s work session (the “Delta”). It was very productive, as we listened to each other’s daily experiences, had the opportunity to share our achievements, and set goals for the next day. It is very gratifying to remember how, thanks to Plus/Delta, Gerónimo and I reflected on something that filled me with particular joy and satisfaction.
At the beginning of the article, I mentioned how after each morning’s banding session, we would casually talk about the things we were able to accomplish and say, “But tomorrow I want to be able to do this.” And that’s how, thanks to our trainers and fellow workshop participants, we were able to accomplish each and every one of those things we said we wanted to do.
My Plus, as some of us would say at the end, was the entire workshop. I am infinitely grateful for the opportunity to connect with so many incredible people through birds, and at the same time, learn so much alongside them. My experience was invaluable, and I am satisfied with everything I was able to achieve in those five days. The fact that I was able to band birds for the first time and know that I had the opportunity to contribute useful knowledge through it is amazing. The mini-courses on molt were amazing, our shared obsession made us connect so much that there was not a moment during the workshop when we were not making references to WRP codes or molt limits. Even during the farewell dinner, while we talked about everything, references to aspects of molt in birds would occasionally arise, and it was fascinating.
Elvin receiving his Certificate of Achievement from Holly and Juan Carlos (JC).
And what about my Delta? My Delta is a collection of things. It is clear that I want to continue to educate myself to grow this newly created wonderful network of bird banders in the Caribbean. In addition to that, I want to fight to make my country, the Dominican Republic, a place where ornithology, conservation, and science in general receive their deserved recognition and support from society and authorities. The love or curiosity for nature is in some way part of all human beings, but it is clear that not everyone can be expected to understand the complex ecological processes behind the beauty of the natural world.
Beyond that, I understand that in every nation, there must be a solid system where anyone willing to serve through scientific knowledge can find support and guidance. For this reason, one of my long-term goals (a goal that is shared by many of us attending the workshop) is to advocate for the reinforcement of the importance of avian conservation and government support for research related to it, both in the Dominican Republic and throughout the entire Caribbean.
About Elvin:Elvin Manuel Vargas Estévez, is biologist interested in bird behavior and avian conservation, from the Dominican Republic. He is a high-school science teacher at O&M Hostos School in Santiago and also volunteers with the Santiago Botanical Garden to survey and monitor the bird population in the Garden. Elvin is incredibly passionate about inspiring and educating the next generation of nature enthusiasts. He hopes to continue learning about birds and acquiring new skills that will help him make a positive impact in bird and wildlife conservation.
Acknowledgements: BirdsCaribbean thanks the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service International Programs, and all of our members and donors whose support helped make this workshop and our Caribbean Bird Banding Network possible.
To learn more about our Banding Workshops and Caribbean Bird Banding Network, check out the links below:
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life,” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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: Inagua Woodstar
This feisty Bahamian endemic hummingbird was formerly considered a subspecies of the Bahamas Woodstar. But the Inagua Woodstar was classified by the American Ornithological Society as a separate species in 2015. It is found only in Great and Little Inagua, two Islands in the southeastern part of The Bahamas archipelago. The Bahamas Woodstar, however, is found throughout the rest of the Bahamas. Additionally, both species differ from each other in morphology, coloration, vocalizations, and even courtship displays!
The male’s iridescent gorget (throat) of both species is a brilliant shade of purple, sometimes chartreuse (yellow-green) if the light catches it just right. But the Inagua Woodstar male may have patches of iridescence on its forehead and lores (area in front of the eyes). Furthermore, adult male Inagua Woodstars have a unique tail—it is slightly longer and more strongly forked than the Bahama Woodstar, and the outer feathers fan out in a unique lyre shape (think of a U-shaped harp).
Female Inagua Woodstars are much like female Bahama Woodstars—dull green on the back, rufous belly, and whitish upper breast and throat. As with most hummingbirds young males closely resemble females until they undergo their first adult molt at about 10 months of age. Young hummingbirds tend to rest on plant leaves instead of hovering when feeding on flowers.
The song of the Inagua Woodstar is quiet and simple, sounding like wet, squeaking shoes. Calls include a sharp, metallic “tit” or “tit-it”; often given in a series, sometimes quite rapidly. Males also make a metallic sound with their tail during display flights.
Woodstars can be found in nearly all habitats, including dune scrub, freshwater riparian areas, parks, and gardens. They visit flowers of numerous native plants including salvia, sages, various honeysuckles, red-bird cactus, aloe vera, Bougainvillea, Noni, and flame of the woods (Ixora) shrubs. The Geiger Trees, however, seem to be a magnet for many male Inagua Woodstars. Both sexes defend territories around favored nectar sources. Nests may be found anytime from September to June (and possibly year-round) with possible peaks in April-May and October. Nests are usually 3-7 feet off the ground in trees which offer evergreen foliage. In vegetated areas just off the beaches on the eastern side of the islands, nests may be found in various wild scrub plants, about 2-3 ft off the ground. All nests are approximately 2 inches and usually contain two eggs.If you hear the female making repeated calls as you enter a nesting area, she’s telling you “do not come any closer to my nest!” And we hope that you will take heed of of her disturbance warning.
The location of the birds on the islands is highly dependent on the weather in summer and fall, due to the direct influences of hurricanes and the amount of rainfall. While this species is presently common in the Inaguas, it is a restricted range species. It is therefore vulnerable to threats like severe storms and hurricanes, which could wipe out its population directly from the storm itself, or indirectly from destruction of its habitat and the loss of nectar food sources.
Wondering how you can get an up-close look of this endemic gem? Travel to Great Inagua in The Bahamas, where you will fly into Matthew Town, the one small settlement on the island. The locals are helpful with sharing recent sightings and are very willing to give you directions. Please contact these expert local birders/guides for more information: Tarra Lindo Lilninebig@hotmail.com or Casper Burrows Friendlytoursinagua@gmail.com
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
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!
Perched Male Inagua Woodstar. (Photo by Ann Maddock)Female Inagua Woodstar in flight. (Photo by Ann Maddock)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: Like all birds, the Inagua Woodstar and other hummingbirds like to bathe. But they won’t use a traditional birdbath. They prefer to take a shower in moving water- like from a mister, sprinkler. or dripper, or they use a much shallower source. They will even bathe in the water droplets that collect on leaves!
Why not make a hummingbird water dripper so that these lovely little birds can take a shower in your garden? If you have an empty juice bottle you can make this dripper. Other wildlife in your yard will also appreciate having some water!
To make the dripper you will need:
1 plastic jug or bottle, clean, empty and with labels removed
craft wire, twine, ribbon, strips of cloth
1 straight pin or fine-gauge needle
Scissors
Paint or markers (optional)
Be sure to have an adult on hand when using the needle and scissors!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of an Inagua Woodstar feeding in the wild!
Want to know more about these beautiful endemic birds and other hummingbirds? Why not watch our webinar “Flying Jewels: A Photographic Journey of Select Hummingbird Species of the US and The Bahamas“. In it Ann Maddock shares fascinating information about hummingbirds, using stunning photos from her book of the same name! Ann and our friends from The Bahamas talk about the Cuban Emerald, Bahamas Woodstar, and Inagua Woodstar and how anyone can safely photograph hummingbirds, attract them to your yard, and keep them coming back! First shown as a live Webinar as part of BirdsCaribbean’s Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival 2021.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2023 is “Water: Sustaining Bird Life,” highlighting the importance of water conservation to both humans and birds. 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 Becard
In the forests and woodlands of Jamaica, you hear a loud and melodious Ricka-ticky-ti-tee and quickly begin searching the canopy of the large trees around you. There it is – the Jamaican Becard (Pachyramphus niger). This unmistakable call lends to one of its local names “Rickatee.” Usually perched scanning for prey, this small flycatcher-like bird is around 18 cm with a large square head and heavy black bill, large brown eyes, and a slightly forked tail.
Males are glossy black on the back and duller on the front. Females (and juveniles) are quite different—they have a bright rufous head, throat, wings, and tail, medium gray back, and pale gray underparts. In most instances, if you see one sex you’re sure to see the other. The Jamaican Becard is typically seen foraging in the mid to upper levels of the forest primarily feeding on insects and other small invertebrates, which it captures by hovering or gleaning from the leaves and branches of trees. They also eat small berries. Belonging to the family Tityridae, a group of Neotropical songbirds, the Jamaican Becard is unique. Of the 17 species of Becard (Pachyramphus spp), it is the only island endemic. The other 16 are found on the continental mainland ranging from Mexico through Central America and South America (only one species, the Rose-throated Becard, is resident in the US in southeastern sections of Arizona and Texas). A standout trait of the Jamaican Becard is its spectacular nest. It’s very large, up to 1.2 m in circumference, and made of sticks, leaves, grasses, ferns, vines, moss, and Tillandsia. The nest is draped and hung at the end of a slender branch high above the ground from a large tree. This gives rise to two of its other local names: “House bird” and “London City.” The female lays three eggs. The breeding season runs from March to June.
Jamaican Becards are clever birds too! The main entrance to the nest is usually at the bottom but there are often several false entrances to baffle predators. With such an attractive stockpile of materials, many other birds of varied species often steal material to make their nests, keeping the Becard couple busily remodeling or fending off the looters. Although fairly widespread across the island, Jamaican Becards are not found in dry limestone forests. With their ecology being dependent on fairly good canopy and large trees the Jamaican Becard is another species that highlights the importance of maintaining forest habitats with large trees in Jamaica.
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 Jamaican Becard
The song of the Jamaican Becard is an an excited-sounding chatter of squeaky notes, often followed by a drawn out “tweeeee” note.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Male Jamaican Becard. (Photo by Matt Grube)Female Jamaican Becard. (photo by Dave Curtis)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Today’s endemic bird, the Jamaican Becard lives in the forests of the mountains in Jamaica. This is where they will nest and attempt to raise their chicks. But it’s not always easy! Jamaican Becards, like many other birds, face many challenges during their breeding season. They must find a mate and build a nest. Then protect the nest and eggs. They must also feed their chicks so that they can grow into strong and healthy birds.
In our “Bird Survivor” game you can learn more about nesting birds and what birds need to do to successfully raise a bird family! Have you got what it takes?
For this activity you will need at least one adult to help organize the game; a large space (indoors or outside); the “Bird Survivor” game cards (provided with the full activity guide); and a group of adults and/ or kids to play the game! You can find out more in our activity introduction here. You can find all the information, instructions, a guide to learning outcomes and the “Bird Survivor” cards in our “Bird Survivor” activity guide and materials. This activity is perfect to play with school groups or outdoor education clubs etc.
Enjoy these videos of a female and a male Jamaican Becard in the wild!
At the unveiling of the information sign featuring a Spotted Sandpiper, at Shell Beach, Antigua. (Photo by wadadliunplugged.com).
Illegal dumping of trash is a problem at some of Antigua’s wetlands, including those that are Important Bird Areas (IBAs). These places are vitally important for migratory shorebirds, who, after traveling thousands of kilometers, need a winter home that is safe and clean, not full of trash! Wildlife Officer, Joshel Wilson from the NGO ‘The Environmental Awareness Group’ (EAG) tells us about efforts by EAG and the ‘Wadadli Warblers’ Birding Club to use shorebird themed signs to reduce this problem and make these important wetlands havens for wildlife as well as more enjoyable for people to visit.
The Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) is Antigua and Barbuda’s oldest non-governmental environmental organization and has been at the forefront of conservation work for over 30 years. From restoring offshore islands and saving species from extinction to education, community engagement, and influencing environmental policy, the EAG works collaboratively to enact environmental change in Antigua and Barbuda.
Core to our work is our aspiration to have “a society with individual and collective responsibility to care for and value biodiversity and ecosystems for the long-term benefit of people and wildlife.” To do that, we stand strongly on integrity and the belief that environmental work should not only be worthwhile but also interesting and satisfying, with a hint of adventure.
Silver Linings During the Pandemic
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the EAG promoted a virtual bird identification training that would allow participants, specifically Antiguans and Barbudans, to enjoy birding in their backyards. Following the six intense training sessions, the ‘Wadadli Warblers’ Birding Club was formed in May 2020. The club now has 35 members who participate in monthly birding expeditions across the island, regularly sharing bird photos, bird calls, and videos in their WhatsApp group. Once fully trained in Bird ID and survey methods we thought that the Wadadli Warblers would be the perfect partners to assist with conducting the Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) surveys. As such, they have collaborated with the EAG in 2021 and 2022, assisting with monitoring and data collection and allowing individuals from the club to contribute to citizen science, which will lead to better management of IBAs on the island.
The Wadadli Warblers birding group out on a waterbird survey in Antigua during the Caribbean Waterbird Census 2022. (Photo by EAG/ Wadadli Warblers)
Wetlands with a Problem
During the EAG’s Caribbean Waterbird Census survey and Trash Challenge initiative (our country-wide wetland clean-up days), it had been noted that there is significant illegal dumping at IBAs in Antigua, despite potential fines of EC$3000-$15,000 for littering. This issue poses threats to the resident and migratory birds that live in and visit these important areas.
Wilson’s Plover, Antigua. (Photo by EAG/ Wadadli Warblers)
Illegal dumping is a problem at Antigua’s important wetlands. (Photo by Joshel Wilson)
A Whimbrel flies over a salt salt pond on Antigua. (Photo by EAG/ Wadadli Warblers)
But what could be done to reduce this illegal dumping of trash? During this project we aimed to tackle the issue by raising awareness about the importance of shorebird protection in Antigua and Barbuda, thereby increasing public participation in conservation efforts. We also aimed to reduce illegal dumping at IBAs through the development of informative shorebird signs, working with the Wadadli Warblers to make this happen!
Shorebird Signs Show the Way
I am excited to share with you the success of this project, led by the Wadadli Warblers Birding Club and supported by the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG), aimed at improving shorebird habitats and discouraging illegal dumping in Antigua and Barbuda. As part of the project, six signs were designed and installed at Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas where shorebirds are found and illegal dumping is an issue.
Five of the six signs featuring shorebirds and waterbirds in situ at their wetland sites in Antigua. (Photos by Deri Benjamin and Joshel Wilson)
We successfully achieved our project objectives by implementing several activities, starting with selecting suitable sites that met specific criteria. Data collected during previous Caribbean Waterbird Censuses (CWC) was used to identify sites with high shorebird presence, illegal dumping issues, and easy public access. The Wadadli Warblers formed a sign committee comprised of eight members, five men and three women, to assess the areas and select the six major site locations that met the criteria.
During the sign-planning process engaging with landowners was a crucial aspect of the project to ensure that the signs were in maximum view of the public. We also developed a plan that outlined the benefits of installing the signs for landowners, such as increased awareness of the importance of shorebirds and their habitats and reduced illegal dumping in the area. The landowners were visited to discuss the benefits of the signs and address any concerns that they had.
Shorebird Sign, discouraging illegal dumping and featuring a Whimbrel. (Sign by Patrick Joseph aka Stooge Co.)
Once the sites were identified and landowners were on board, the Wadadli Warblers’ Sign Committee was tasked with developing the content for the signs. They worked with a graphic designer, Patrick Joseph, principal of Stooge Co., to create unique signs. Once the designs were finalized they were created by sign printer, Select Signs and Graphix, using high-quality materials. This is important as these new signs need to withstand the high winds and salty conditions at the sites where they are installed.
Cleaning Up and Raising Awareness
A Wetland clean-up during “Trash Challenge” on Antigua. (Photo by Sherrel Charles/ EAG)
In addition to installing the signs, we conducted clean-ups at some of our target wetlands, including Darkwood Beach, Shell Beach, Ffryes Beach, Fitches Creek Mangrove, and Johnson’s Point. Our clean-ups were a collaboration between the Wadadli Warblers Birding Club, EAG members, the National Solid Waste Management Authority, Youth Today, and the Parham Alliance for the Beautification and Revitalization Organization (PABRO), in a local effort to reduce waste along our coasts. This activity helped raise awareness of the impact of illegal dumping on shorebird habitats while also keeping the areas clean and free of waste.
To ensure the public was aware of the newly erected signs, an unveiling was held at Shell Beach on February 6, 2023, accompanied by a birding session with the Department of Environment, the Ministry of Tourism, members of the Wadadli Warblers Birding Club, EAG Board members, the National Solid Waste Management Authority, and media personnel from Antigua/Barbuda Broadcasting Services and Wadadli Unplugged.
A Brighter Future for Wetlands and Shorebirds
Looking out for Shorebirds! Birdwatching at the sign unveiling, Shell Beach, Antigua. (Photo by wadadliunplugged.com)
The project’s success was further cemented by partnering with the Ministry of Tourism’s Sustainable Tourism Unit to promote avi-tourism as a viable option in Antigua and Barbuda. Bird tourism could potentially be used by the EAG as sustainable financing, increasing our ability to manage more areas for shorebird protection in the future!
I am thrilled to have been part of a project that successfully achieved its objectives, and I commend the Wadadli Warblers Sign Committee, the Ministry of Tourism, and all those involved in making it a reality. This project’s success shows that with dedication, hard work, and collaboration, we can make a positive impact on our environment and promote sustainable tourism.
This project was made possible with funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada via a BirdsCaribbean grant to EAG.
