Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival
BirdsCaribbean is working to increase awareness and appreciation of the region’s unique bird life through an annual Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF).
This year’s theme “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter” shines the spotlight on the power of citizen science, reminding us that you don’t need a lab coat or a PhD to contribute to science; you just need curiosity and a genuine love for nature and community. When we say “Every Bird Counts,” we mean it. Whether it is a tiny, iridescent Antillean Crested Hummingbird darting through your garden or the elusive Imperial Amazon (Sisserou) high up in the canopy in the rainforest, every single sighting you record provides a vital data point. These observations help us build a regional map showing us exactly where our endemic species are thriving and where they might be in trouble.
This community-collected data is the backbone of informed conservation action because we cannot protect what we do not know. By involving everyone, from curious school children to seasoned experts, we create a massive, islands-wide “neighborhood watch” for our birds. By involving the whole community, we move people beyond casual observation and into the role of proud environmental stewards. Cool, right?
Your contributions help scientists identify which habitats need urgent protection and provide real-time results through platforms like eBird. This allows us to see population trends as they happen, giving us the power to respond faster to environmental changes and ensure our endemic birds are around for years to come.
Click here to learn more about our plans to celebrate birds this spring. We hope you will join us in our month-long celebration of the festival with your own activities, such as birdwatching, habitat cleanups, planting native trees, and joining citizen science projects. Similar to our previous three CEBFs, we will be featuring a new Endemic Bird of the Day, puzzles, coloring pages, activities, webinars, and much more! You can find a library of our past Endemic Birds of the Day here. Be sure to follow us on social media, @BirdsCaribbean (Instagram, Facebook and twitter), and share how you are participating at home!
Looking for a CEBF event on your island? Check our map below for what is going on near you!
If you are a CEBF event organizer and would like to add your in-person, virtual or hybrid event(s) to this map please use this Google form to register your event with us. The information you provide will then be used to populate the map above. If your event is a presentation being held at a school or university and is not open to the public you can still fill out the form, but state that it is closed to the public.
If you are not seeing your local environmental organizations on the map please use our CEBF Coordinators Directory to connect with local conservation organizations and find out what’s going on near you!
An impressive 33% of the ~565 species of birds within the region are found nowhere else in the world! See the list of 187 endemic birds in the region (the Bermuda Petrel is also listed although not technically a West Indies endemic). At dozens of events throughout the region, participants of all ages will learn about actions they can take to help the unique birds found only in the Caribbean. Activities are organized by local organizations in each Caribbean island/country and include presentations, bird walks, art competitions, tree plantings, clean ups, and more.
BirdsCaribbean has hosted this festival for more than 20 years. The month-long celebration includes Caribbean-wide activities beginning on Earth Day (April 22), through to International Biodiversity Day (May 22), in more than twenty countries. The event celebrates the 187 bird species that are found only in the Caribbean, known as endemics. The highly successful program attracts over 100,000 participants and volunteers each year. Learn more about our endemic birds here. To find out how you can participate in CEBF activities, contact our Co-Regional Coordinators, Aliya Hosein and Eduardo Llegus.
World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD)
The long journeys that migratory birds take each year are truly fantastic. These birds, like our endemics and residents, are part of our natural heritage and it is up to us to conserve the habitats they need to feed and rest during winter or their long migrations. We encourage all of you to celebrate WMBD in your own country, as you have celebrated the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival with great success for many years now. WMBD is officially celebrate on the second Saturday in October in the Caribbean (this year October 10th), but you can celebrate anytime in the fall that is convenient for you.
The 2026 theme is also “Every Bird Counts – Your Observations Matter.”
In the fall, we will share a Migratory Bird of the Day with colouring pages, online puzzles, natural history information, photos, videos, activities for kids, webinars, and more! Follow along on our website and social media (look for BirdsCaribbean on Facebook, twitter and Instagram). We are also hosting webinars – check out what’s available here on BirdsCaribbean Live. Thanks to assistance from Environment for the Americas, we have a new poster, education kits, and other materials to help you celebrate. Great resources for celebrating WMBD can be found at Environment for the Americas website (home of WMBD in the Americas) and MigratoryBirdDay.org, and also the global website of World Migratory Bird Day.