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)

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

Since launching the BYO department in January 2022, Birding the Islands has designed a range of tours and expeditions to the Lesser Antilles and wider Caribbean region for a number of travelers with varied interests and specifications for their trips. For example, we have designed custom tours for:

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  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!

Red-legged Thrush (Turdus plumbeus) (Photo by Birding the Islands client Mark Greenfield)

Locally-prepared fish cakes in Barbados.

Red-billed Tropicbird. (Photo by Birding the Islands client, Keith Clarkson)

Birding the Islands clients at the lookout situated at Moule a Chique, Saint Lucia. (Photo by Ryan Chenery)

Sunrise at the secret spot, St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Photo by Matt Brooks)

Birding the Islands clients stop to take a closer look and some photographs while on a tour. (Ryan Chenery)

Birding the Islands clients in the rainforest, Saint Lucia. (Photo by Ryan Chenery)

Caribbean-owned accommodation options. (Ryan Chenery)

Rufous-throated Solitaire (Myadestes genibarbis) (Photo by Birding the Islands client Keith Clarkson)

Migrating Humpback Whales in Dominica. (Ryan Chenery)

The dazzling Ruby Topaz (Chrysolampis mosquitus) (Photo by Birding the Islands client Beatrice Henricot)

The stunning Piton Mountains, Saint Lucia. (Photo by Ryan Chenery)