Author: Aliya Hosein

The Journal of Caribbean Ornithology publishes peer-reviewed science on Caribbean birds and their environment that is critical to informing conservation work. In this annual blog feature, JCO’s staff is proud to show off the amazing research from scientific teams around the Caribbean. Volume 36 demonstrates the wide range of research conducted by our authors; from population and habitat use studies, to documentations of behavior, to methods-centered papers on bird monitoring. About ten articles focus on land birds, while three concentrate on waterbirds.

The JCO is immensely grateful for its dedicated team of editors, reviewers, copyeditors, translators, proofreaders, and production specialists that have worked together so well again this past year to produce high-quality publications. We also thank the 57 authors behind the 16 Research Articles and Notes for their trust in the JCO to publish their open-source work in the best form. The JCO and our non-profit publisher, BirdsCaribbean, continue to emphasize support for early-career researchers, trilingual content, open access, and a comprehensive archive going back to the very first volume from 1988.

Map depicting research locations of studies published in Volume 36.

A few glimpses behind the scenes of JCO’s operations in 2023:

JCO has welcomed Dr. Susana Aguilar, our Birds of the World (BOW) Coordinator for Cuba. Susana has an intimate knowledge of Cuban ornithology and we are very happy that we could recruit her to facilitate the revision of BOW accounts from the largest Caribbean island. Our Production Assistant and Designer since 2019, Diane Tessaglia-Hymes is pursuing another professional opportunity. She has tremendously helped with typesetting and, being an Adobe InDesign wizard, has optimized several “under the hood” features. Our Associate Editor team expanded with Yvan Satgé of Clemson University and Dr. Kathryn Peiman, from Ontario, Canada joining the team. Sadly, we learned that one of our Associate Editors, Dr. Virginia Sanz D’Angelo (Centro de Ecología, IVIC, Caracas, Venezuela) has passed away. Her dedication to JCO leaves a big gap.

It took a little longer than hoped, but our (all part-time!) staff finally pulled together a voluminous (94 pages) Special Issue with Caribbean-themed conference contributions from the AOS-BC conference in San Juan in 2022. Because it sometimes takes authors a while to fully publish research, these conference presentations and poster abstracts provide a more timely glimpse into what’s happening in Caribbean bird research and conservation.

We hope to see many of our readers, authors, editors, and team members in July at the BirdsCaribbean 2024 Conference in the Dominican Republic!

— Joseph M. Wunderle, Jr., JCO Editor-in-Chief,

— Stefan Gleissberg, JCO Managing Editor

— Zoya Buckmire, JCO Lead Copyeditor

The Journal of Caribbean Ornithology relies on donations to keep all of our publications free and open-access. Support our non-profit mission and give a voice to Caribbean ornithologists and their work by becoming a supporter of JCO. Consider being a sustainer with a monthly contribution of $5 or more!

RESEARCH ARTICLES AND NOTES

Alpha-globin variation does not predict avian malaria infection in the West Indian Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)

Meghann B. Humphries and Robert E. Ricklefs

Like humans, birds are susceptible to parasitic infections, including avian malaria, and similarly, variations in hemoglobin structure may influence their susceptibility to these infections. Using one of the most widespread West Indian species, the Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola), Humphries and Ricklefs aimed to relate variation in hemoglobin structure and avian malaria infection across several islands. In this paper, they present the results of this fascinating study, with suggestions for appropriate markers for further biogeographic analyses.

Characterization of the bird diversity of Conception Island National Park, The Bahamas

Graham Reynolds and Sandra D. Buckner

In the midst of the central Bahamas archipelago lies the tiny Conception Island National Park. This multi-island park is designated as an Important Bird Area, but until now, its bird diversity was poorly documented. In this paper, Reynolds and Buckner present the first avifaunal list for this park in over a century, with a whopping 68 species, 3 of which are Bahamian endemics.

Incorporation of anthropogenic materials into passerine nests on St. Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands

Hannah Madden and Hailley Danielson-Owczynsky

As human influence over the environment increases, so too does the distribution of artificial materials in natural spaces. More and more birds are encountering human debris in their habitat and interacting with these materials in various ways—whether mistaking them for food or becoming entangled in them. In this research note, Madden and Danielson-Owczynsky document landbirds in St. Eustatius using human debris in an interesting but dangerous way, a fascinating discovery that hints at the pervasiveness of our impact on the world around us.

Rediscovery of the Critically Endangered Ridgway’s Hawk (Buteo ridgwayi) in Haiti

Anderson Jean, Maxon Fildor, Marta Curti, Eladio Fernandez, Christine D. Hayes, and Thomas I. Hayes

Few things are more exciting than the rediscovery of a once-extirpated species, and the case of the Ridgway’s Hawk (Buteo ridgwayi) is no exception. This Hispaniolan endemic was once well-distributed across the island, but had not been recorded in Haiti since 1962. A chance encounter in 2019 prompted hope and follow-up studies in subsequent years as the authors sought to confirm sightings of the species. In this research note, Jean et al. document their rediscovery of this unique hawk in Haiti.

Mortality of an adult Antillean Palm-Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia) associated with Philornis sp. parasitism in the Sierra De Bahoruco, Dominican Republic

Joshua LaPergola, C. Justin Proctor, Hodali Almonte, and Kate J. Wallace

Birds eat bugs—or at least, that is how it’s supposed to go. The roles are sometimes reversed in the natural world, with one noteworthy example being parasitism. Philornis sp. larvae are a well-known parasite for birds, but we are still figuring out which species are affected by these parasites. In this paper, LaPergola et al. document the first record of Philornis sp. larvae parasitizing a swift, in this case an Antillean Palm-Swift (Tachornis phoenicobia) in the Dominican Republic. This expands our understanding of parasitism by this genus and adds to the ever-growing list of threats to Caribbean birds, especially aerial insectivores like swifts.

Effects of observer skill and survey method on forest bird abundance data: recommendations for citizen science conservation monitoring in the Caribbean

Nicholas Bergen, Christopher C. De Ruyck, and Nicola Koper

Citizen science provides a seemingly obvious solution to the various logistical and resource challenges of data collection in the Caribbean, but it is not without its own challenges. How does observer experience affect detectability of birds in the field? And do observers perform differently depending on who they are paired with? Bergen et al. conducted an experiment in Grenada to answer these questions and more, involving 34 different observers in over 400 surveys across the island. In this paper, the authors present the results of their study, along with several practical recommendations for the design and implementation of citizen science-based monitoring programs in the region.

Passive acoustic monitoring of birds in the Lesser Antilles—a useful tool for monitoring remote sites?

Louise M. Soanes, Devon Carter, Laurel B. Symes, Jennifer C. Daltry, Holger Klinck, Clarissa Lloyd, and Farah Mukhida

If we as scientists had unlimited time and money, then long-term monitoring of bird populations would be a breeze. In the real world, however, monitoring efforts are limited by funding, access, and personnel, especially on remote islands and cays. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is an emerging tool with the potential to significantly increase the efficiency of monitoring efforts, and a recent pilot project in Anguilla aimed to test the utility of this tool in the Caribbean context. In this paper, Soanes et al. describe the results of their pilot, with recommendations for the best use of PAM throughout the region.

Pre-breeding behavior of Ridgway’s Hawks (Buteo ridgwayi) in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Samantha J. Hagler, Kara Abbott, Christine D. Hayes, Thomas I. Hayes, and André A. Dhondt

The Critically Endangered Ridgway’s Hawk (Buteo ridgwayi) is a charismatic species that has received lots of conservation attention in recent years, but there still remain major gaps in knowledge about this species’ life history and behavior, especially pre-breeding. In this research article, Hagler et al. present their results from tracking 3 established breeding pairs of Ridgway’s Hawks in the Dominican Republic, adding critical information to the body of knowledge about this endangered and endemic species.

Primer Registro del Gorrión de Garganta Blanca (Zonotrichia albicollis) para Cuba [First record of the White-throated Sparrow for Cuba]

Yaroddys Rodríguez Castaneda y Nils Navarro Pacheco

The wild bird trade is a growing threat to Caribbean birds, with species targeted for their bright plumages and/or beautiful songs. This industry is especially prevalent in Cuba, with over 3,000 birds trapped in one month (October 2021). Dozens of species are trapped and sold, including species that may not have been previously recorded for the island. In this Spanish-language paper, Rodríguez Castaneda and Navarro Pacheco document a new species for Cuba, discovered through the ongoing bird trade, suggesting that Cuba’s true avian diversity may be even higher than estimated.

El tráfico de aves silvestres es una amenaza creciente a las aves del Caribe, con las aves elegidas para sus plumajes brillantes y/o sus bonitos cantos. Esta industria es especialmente frecuente en Cuba, con más que 3000 aves capturadas en un mes (octubre 2021). Docenas de especies son capturadas y vendidas, incluyendo unas especies que quizás no eran reportadas para la isla. En este artículo español, Rodríguez Castaneda y Navarro Pacheco documentan una especie nueva para Cuba, descubierta por el tráfico continuado de aves, sugiriendo que la verdadera diversidad de aves de Cuba puede ser aún más alta que la estimada anteriormente.

Avian use of anthropogenic and natural habitats in a Small Island Developing State

Ramon J.T. Williams, Miyako H. Warrington, and Nicola Koper

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are subject to unique ecological pressures, and the bird populations on these islands are no different. How are birds using and responding to natural and anthropogenic habitats on these islands? In what ways does this use differ from the well-studied continental regions? And importantly, how does this inform conservation and management measures here, in the Caribbean? In this paper, Williams et al. explore all these questions and more using resident landbird species in Grenada.

Insights from attempts to track movement of Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) fledglings in the southern Gulf of Mexico with automated telemetry and band resighting

Kara L. Lefevre, Elizabeth Forys, Adam DiNuovo, and Adam D. Smith

Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger) are a charismatic—and admittedly odd-looking—colonial seabird distributed throughout the coastal Americas. Populations in Florida (R. niger niger) are under threat, and to inform conservation measures, Lefevre et al. set out to track the dispersal and movements of skimmer chicks from breeding colonies in Florida. In this paper, the authors describe their use of various tracking methods, some more successful than others, and present important recommendations on how to design future studies.

Population increase and range expansion of White-winged Parakeets (Brotogeris versicolurus) in Puerto Rico

Wilfredo Falcón and Raymond L. Tremblay

Parrots and parakeets (Psittaciformes) are some of the most widely introduced species in the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico is no exception. There, the White-winged Parakeet (Brotogeris versicolurus) was introduced in the late 1960s and has since become “the most successful invasive psittacine species on the island”. However, until now, not much was known about their life history or population status in Puerto Rico. In this article, Falcón and Tremblay report on the status of two breeding populations with estimates of their growth rates, as well as other critical information including the species’ diet and nesting habits on the island.

Current status and 21st century population trends of breeding seabirds in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands

Paige A. Byerly, Susan Zaluski, Daniel Nellis, Judy Pierce, and Paul L. Leberg

Effective management of bird populations requires quality data, but quality data is often difficult to come by. Where studies do exist, methods may vary greatly based on differing research questions, objectives, and priorities, but as Byerly et al. demonstrate here, it is not impossible to form a cohesive picture from various disparate surveys. Comparing data from surveys in the early 2000s with their own in 2016-2018, the authors produce up-to-date trends on the populations of 7 seabirds in the Virgin Islands—and none of them are good. In this paper, Byerly et al. present these timely population status updates, a call for action, and a great example of how to make the best of the limited data we have in the Caribbean to conserve and manage our birds.

Primer registro de nidificación del Gavilancito Cubano (Accipiter striatus fringilloides) y nuevos datos sobre su biología reproductiva y distribución

Nils Navarro Pacheco, Roberto Jovel Lara, Wisdenilde Navarro Méndez, Juan Carlos Lobaina Montero, Noel Coutín Lobaina, and Carlos Hernández

The Cuban subspecies of the Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus fringilloides) is relatively understudied, with no documented nesting records for Cuba—until now. In this Spanish-language article, Navarro Pacheco et al. present the first record of a nest found in Guantanamo, Cuba, with detailed descriptions of the nest, eggs, breeding behavior, and other aspects of the reproductive biology of this endemic subspecies.

El Gavilancito Cubano (Accipiter striatus fringilloides) es relativamente poco estudiado, con ningunos registros de nidificación documentados para Cuba—hasta ahora. En este artículo español, Navarro Pacheco y otros presentan el primer registro de un nido encontrado en Guantánamo, Cuba, con descripciones detalladas del nido, los huevos, el comportamiento de reproducción, y otros aspectos de la biología reproductiva de esta subespecie endémica.

Avian use of avocado farms and intact forest in the northern Sierra de Bahoruco, Dominican Republic

Avery Young, David Aborn, Steven C. Latta, and Jennifer Nagel Boyd

The way wildlife interacts with food systems is an increasingly important topic as food production expands and encroaches upon habitat. In the Dominican Republic, a major driver of habitat loss is the conversion of forests to avocado farms to meet demand. How does habitat differ between the natural forests and these farm systems? How are birds responding to these differences? And does avian response vary depending on whether the birds are endemic, resident, or migratory? In this research article, Young et al. answer these questions and more, and offer recommendations to balance habitat preservation with our food production needs.

Longevity records for the Wilson’s Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) in Guadeloupe (French West Indies)

Malo Braquier, Anthony Levesque, Jérémy Delolme, and Charlotte Francesiaz

How long do birds live in the wild? Lifespan of course differs by family and species, and even within species as birds face varying threats within their habitats, migration routes, and from the humans they encounter. Shorebirds like plovers can live into their teens, and for the Wilson’s Plover (Charadrius wilsonia), the previous longevity record was 10 years. In this research note, Braquier et al. report a new longevity record for this species from their resightings of a previously banded Wilson’s Plover in Guadeloupe.

BOOK REVIEW

Birds of the Lesser Antilles

Book Author: Ryan Chenery

Book review by: Steven C. Latta

RECENT ORNITHOLOGICAL LITERATURE (ROL) FROM THE CARIBBEAN

Recent ornithological literature from the Caribbean – 2023

Steven Latta

The annual compilation of the most important articles that appeared elsewhere, annotated by Steve Latta.

Article by

Zoya Buckmire – Lead Copy Editor for the Journal of Caribbean Ornithology;

Stefan Gleissberg – Managing Editor JCO

January 20, 2024

Recent Articles in the JCO on an Endangered Caribbean Hawk

BirdsCaribbean brings you highlights from the Journal of Caribbean Ornithology in our feature “Just Published in JCO”. Here, Zoya Buckmire, the Lead Copy Editor for the Journal of Caribbean Ornithology, gives us a behind-the-scenes look at various research on the Critically Endangered and endemic Ridgway’s Hawk.

Photo of a Ridgway's Hawk perched on a branch. — The Ridgway’s Hawk is one of the most critically endangered raptors in the world with fewer than 400 individuals remaining. It is endemic to Hispaniola. (Photo by Dax Román)

Few things are more exciting than the rediscovery of a once-extirpated species, and the case of the Ridgway’s Hawk (Buteo ridgwayi) is no exception! This Critically Endangered raptor is endemic to Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), but despite its historically widespread distribution, it had not been spotted in Haiti since 1962. A chance encounter on one of Haiti’s satellite islands prompted hope and a follow-up study as Anderson Jean and colleagues sought to confirm their suspected sighting of the species. Thus began an epic scavenger hunt to rediscover this unique hawk on the Haitian side of Hispaniola! The authors shared a behind-the-scenes look at their discovery and their ongoing work to conserve the Ridgway’s Hawk.

Map showing current known Ridgway’s Hawk distribution on Hispaniola. (Map by Leah Dunn of The Peregrine Fund)

The first sighting in 2019 was entirely by chance—or rather, by fate. Anderson Jean and Maxon Fildor were conducting a rapid ornithological assessment of Les Cayemites, two islands off the southwestern coast of Haiti, as part of a baseline study for the recently declared Baradères-Cayemites protected area. They were compiling information on the terrestrial vertebrates present to inform the management plan for the region. It was then that they spotted two raptors in flight—rushing to document what they could, they speedily took pictures, videos, and audio recordings to aid in identification. One of those two birds was later identified as a juvenile Ridgway’s Hawk, the first sighting of the species in Haiti in over 50 years, and the first sighting for Les Cayemites in over a century.

A juvenile Ridgway's Hawk perched on a branch.

Juvenile Ridgway’s Hawk spotted by Anderson Jean and colleagues on Petite Cayemite. (Photo by Anderson Jean)

Photo of a Ridgway's Hawk perched on a tree with a snake held in its talons.

Adult female Ridgway’s Hawk with a green vine snake on Petite Cayemite. (Photo by Thomas Hayes)

With this confirmation, the authors returned the following year with a purpose, partnering with The Peregrine Fund to conduct systematic surveys on the Baradères Peninsula and both Petite and Grande Cayemite. Between 2020 and 2021, the group detected as many as 19 Ridgway’s Hawks in the region—a veritable population! And not only is a population present, it also has the potential to persist as the birds are breeding.

The authors describe their most memorable moment as the instance, in 2021, when they found two nests on Grande Cayemite for the first time. Whilst the nest was located high in a tree on a weak branch too high and risky to climb, the evidence of breeding was enough. On the smaller cay, Petite Cayemite, they have only observed one breeding pair to date, but that pair has nested every single year since they were spotted in 2019. Another exciting development is that the authors banded their first Ridgway’s Hawk chick in 2023, which will surely provide more insights to this ongoing research.

Ridgway’s Hawk nest in a gumbo limbo tree with a juvenile hawk perched above. (Photo by Anderson Jean)

Ultimately, Jean and colleagues hope that their research will contribute to the body of knowledge on this charismatic species, and help conservationists understand the causes of population decline and to increase the population size in Les Cayemites. They are continuing their search in nearby areas like Pestel, Grand Boukan, and Gonâve Island. Although White et al. did not find any sign of the species in their 2012 raptor survey of Gonave Island, it is possible that Ridgway’s Hawk have recolonized the island in the decade that has since passed. Anderson Jean and his colleagues hope to eventually witness the reintroduction of the species throughout its historical range.

Photo of a deforested hilltop on an island. — La Gonâve Island, Haiti. (Photo by Justin White)

Amidst this exciting rediscovery in Haiti, on the other side of the island of Hispaniola, another fascinating investigation was underway! Samantha Hagler and colleagues studied the breeding behavior of the species—looking particularly at pre-breeding behavior—observing and recording the birds to gain insights into how they form and strengthen pair bonds. This research supports ongoing conservation efforts to restore the Ridgway’s Hawk population, including a past project by The Peregrine Fund that translocated hawks to create a new population in Punta Cana. Translocating the hawks was a challenge within itself, with initial successes limited by high mortality rates due to power poles near the sites. Dwyer et al. document the creative solutions that had to be used to minimize hawk mortality, leading to eventual success of the program.

Ridgway’s Hawks hatched in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic thanks to The Peregrine Fund’s Assisted Dispersal Program. (Photo by The Peregrine Fund)

Photo of a Ridgway's Hawk feeding its chick in its nest. The prey is dangling from the parent's beak with its back turned towards the photographer but head turned sideways.

Ridgway’s Hawk parent feeding its chick in the nest. (Photo by Dax Román)

At the newly established population in Punta Cana, Hagler et al. tracked three established breeding pairs to compare them (and their behaviors) to the source population in the Los Haitises National Park. Interestingly, pre-breeding behaviors actually differed between the two groups. This could be a function of the populations’ size, density, or different levels of development—and raises even more questions that will be critical to better understanding and conserving the species.

Between these two populations in the Dominican Republic and the newly found population in southwestern Haiti, the future of the Ridgway’s Hawk looks brighter than in previous years. Thanks to the award of a BirdsCaribbean Betty Petersen Conservation Fund grant, Anderson Jean is continuing his urgent work to map and protect Ridgway’s Hawk populations in Haiti. His surveys will be further extended to the larger island of Grand Cayemite. To additionally address anthropogenic threats, the team will initiate an educational campaign directed at local communities, especially schoolchildren and farmers. Outreach materials will be distributed in the communities and a special curriculum will be presented in local schools.

We look forward to further research and reports on this important endangered and endemic raptor, as it provides hope for the conservation of other raptors throughout the Caribbean.

The Journal of Caribbean Ornithology publishes the peer-reviewed science on Caribbean birds and their environment that is so important to inform conservation work. All of the publications are free and open-access.

20 Years of Research Gives the Purple-throated Carib a Birds of the World Update!

Being one of only two Eulampis species (a genus endemic to the Caribbean), the Purple-throated Carib adds endemic sparkle to the rainforest and cloud forest habitats of the Lesser Antilles. This large (it’s the largest hummingbird in the Caribbean!), brilliantly plumaged hummingbird is also closely associated with two species of native heliconia.

The Purple-throated Carib will visit feeders and cultivated landscape plants for a sweet drink of nectar, making it a familiar and quite spectacular sight for many in the Lesser Antilles. However, the Carib’s Birds of the World (BOW) account, which was previously just a short article last revised in 2018, provided only basic information which did not reflect the present state of scholarship and knowledge of the species.

Enter Dr. Ethan Temeles

A biology professor at Amherst College (MA, USA), Dr. Temeles has spent 8 field seasons in St. Lucia, and 17 field seasons in Dominica researching the Purple-throated Carib, making him the perfect candidate to revise and update its species account for Birds of the World. He connected with BirdsCaribbean staff at the American Ornithological Society/BirdsCaribbean conference held in Puerto Rico in 2022, and learned of the opportunity to contribute as an author for Birds of the World.

Photo of a Purple-throated Hummingbird hovering and drinking nectar from a banana flower. — Purple-throated Carib drinking nectar from a banana flower in Guadeloupe. (Photo by Brian Sullivan ML 89366011)

Photo of a man measuring a hummingbird's beak with a vernier caliper. — Professor Temeles measures the length of a hummingbird’s beak using a caliper. (Photo by Amherst College)

Female Purple-throated Carib. (Photo by Tadas Jucys)

Dr Temeles eagerly took on the work of updating the species account with the latest science—including much of his own original research from 20 years of field work! He used the opportunity of lighter academic duties in the summer to synthesize his own and others’ work on the species.

Plumage Particulars, Population Data…and Partitioning of Flower Resources!

Thanks to the passionate work of Dr Temeles and his collaborators, the account has been greatly enriched in this 2024 update. It now includes detailed information about plumages, diet, and intriguingly, the sexual partitioning of flower resources. Dr Temeles also discusses the impact of Hurricane Maria (a deadly Category 5 hurricane that devastated 17 Caribbean islands in 2017) and other conservation concerns for the species. If you are from the Caribbean, learn how you can access all the scholarly resources on Birds of the World for FREE here.

The Birds of the World species account for the Purple-throated Carib has been significantly expanded in this update.

Editors at Birds of the World worked with Dr. Temeles and Macaulay Library resources to add a wide variety of photographs to the account—including many that will help with field identification. Even at a sizable five inches long, without perfect lighting the species often appears completely black except for its dazzling emerald green wings. Photographs of the Carib’s microhabitats, as well as videos and photographs showing its foraging behavior, are now also newly linked to the species account, demonstrating the powerful nature of integrating the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s online resources.

Dr. Temeles is still teaching biology and environmental studies classes at Amherst, and took a break from grading Intro Biology exams to finalize the publication. He enthused, ”I’m delighted to share my 20+ years of field work on this species with readers of Birds of the World, and hope that others will be inspired to study and answer some of the questions for future research presented in this account of a truly spectacular hummingbird.”

Of his experience as an author he added, “Working with the Birds of the World and BirdsCaribbean staff was great and their editorial expertise was amazing.”

Journal of Caribbean Ornithology staff Caroline Pott and Zoya Buckmire provided editorial support.

Visit this page to access our free Purple-throated Carib coloring page and other educational activities.

Do you work with a Caribbean bird species, or are you interested in contributing to a Caribbean species account? We are always on the lookout for authors! Find out more or contact Caroline Pott (carolinepott@birdscaribbean.org) for more information regarding a species of interest.

The BirdsCaribbean-Cornell Lab of Ornithology partnership that produced this updated account also provides Birds of the World access for FREE to Caribbean-based IP addresses!

If you would like to take the Purple-throated Carib and other Caribbean endemic hummingbirds along with you on your daily adventures, check out the BirdCollective x BirdsCaribbean Collection for stylish swag today.

December 20, 2023

Hybrid Todies, and Connecting to Places and People Through Birds: Holly Garrod is on the Women Birders Podchat!

Holly Garrod, BirdsCaribbean’s Caribbean Bird Banding Program Coordinator

One of the issues that the birding community has been working on for the last several years is how we can be more welcoming and inclusive of all birders—beginner birders and future potential birders—to join us and share the joy of birding. It’s an issue to which passionate birders, Hannah Buschert, and her husband Erik, have given a great deal of thought, and which led to the creation of Women Birders (Happy Hour) podcast.

Their ‘happy hour’ podcast is dedicated to broadcasting the lived experiences of women, from diverse backgrounds, who love birds. And of course, it’s not happy hour without cocktails! For each episode, Hannah delights us with a unique, bird-inspired alcoholic concoction based on a species mentioned in the interview!

BirdsCaribbean’s Caribbean Bird Banding Coordinator, and everyone’s favorite certified bird banding trainer, Holly Garrod, chats with Hannah about everything from her early birding days, advice for budding conservationists, exploring new birding locations, connecting to people through birds and fighting female stereotypes in conservation in this insightful episode! Holly has a B.Sc. in Applied Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology with a minor in Business from Humboldt State University and an M.Sc. in Biology from Villanova. Her master’s research focused on the two todies of Hispaniola, which is how Holly got her start in the Caribbean.

The Narrow-billed Tody, showing its bright pink sides. (Photo by Alberto Rojas)

Holly Garrod bands a Cuban Tody for research in the Boca de Canasí Ecological Reserve in Cuba.

Holly Garrod bands a Broad-billed Tody in the Dominican Republic for her M.Sc. thesis research.

The Broad-billed Tody (locally known as the Barrancoli for its habit of nesting in burrows) earned its name by having the broadest bill of all 5 tody species. (Photo by Dax Roman E.)

After her studies, Holly spent one year running the Jama Coaque Bird Observatory in Ecuador, and two and a half years running the Costa Rica Bird Observatories banding program. Holly was certified as a North American Banding Council (NABC) trainer in 2011 following her training at Humboldt Bay Bird Observatory. Since then, Holly has worked on banding projects throughout the US and Latin America. She has led multiple workshops throughout Latin America and helped with NABC certification sessions in both English and Spanish. As Caribbean Bird Banding Coordinator, Holly is working with our Caribbean partners to create a unified bird banding program for the region called the Caribbean Bird Banding Network.

Holly Garrod bands a Cuban Pygmy-Owl. (Photo by Daniela Ventura)

Coming together to learn. Holly teaches the group about molt. (Photo by Maya Wilson)

Banders around a table entering data and holding birds

At the banding table, Daniela Ventura studies banding data sheets with Juan Carlos Fernández and Alcides Morales-Pérez. In the background, Holly holds a bird bag carrying the next-to-be-processed bird.

Grab yourself a drink (might we suggest Hannah’s Hybrid Tody cocktail below?), kick back, and settle into happy hour with Hannah and Holly! It’s an inspiring podchat about the mentors and experiences that helped shape her career in bird conservation, documenting the Hybrid Tody in the Dominican Republic, communicating science to motivate conservation action, and issues of blondeness in the birding community.

Enjoy!

Listen

Choose your preferred podcast platform to listen to Holly’s interview by clicking this Buzzsprout link.

Delight your taste buds with this Hybrid Tody (not toddy!) cocktail

Ingredients

1 ½ oz Brugal Anejo
4 fresh raspberries
4 fresh strawberries
½ oz lime juice
½ oz simple syrup
Ice

Directions

1. Fill cocktail shaker with ice
2. Add rum, raspberries and strawberries
3. Pour in lime juice and simple syrup
4. Shake shake shake
5. Strain into glass

For more bird inspired cocktails visit: https://www.gobirdingpodcast.com/women-birders-happy-hour

More about Hannah and Erik

If you’re curious about Hannah and Erik’s birding adventures and podcast, you can visit their website Hannah and Erik Go Birding. You can also connect with them through Facebook: @HannahandErikGoBirding, Instagram @hannahgoesbirding and X (formerly Twitter) @WeGoBirding.

Selfie of a woman in a winter jacket outside. In the background there are green gently sloping hills. — Hannah Buschert, host of the Women Birders (Happy Hour) Podcast.

In case you missed Hannah’s podchat with our President, Dr Adrianne Tossas, check it out here:

Let’s Talk About Being a Latina in STEM and the Birding Glass Ceiling: Women Birders Podchat with Dr Adrianne Tossas

December 13, 2023

Great Teamwork! The Bahamas gets Two Motus Stations to Track its Migratory Birds

December 7, 2023

Wings Over Water—the Caribbean Celebrates Magnificent Migratory Birds and Encourages Water Conservation

December 5, 2023

Training Opportunity: Caribbean Bird Banding Workshop

[OPRIMA AQUÍ PARA ESPAÑOL]

BirdsCaribbean is excited to invite applications to participate in a 5-day training workshop focused on bird banding, an important tool for research and monitoring! Through a blend of classroom and field-based activities, participants will learn about the basics of bird banding—from setting up a mist-net to examining molt patterns. We’ll also discuss and demonstrate some of the benefits of joining our new Caribbean Bird Banding Network. We’re very excited to take our bird banding workshop to the Lesser Antilles this year! In partnership with Gaea Conservation Network and the Grenada Fund for Conservation, the workshop will take place in Grenada, from March 7-11, 2024.

Why do we need to band birds?

A Cuban Tody wearing a BirdsCaribbean band about to be released. (Photo by Daniela Ventura)

Bird surveys, like those we will cover in our upcoming Landbird Monitoring Training Workshop, provide valuable information about bird communities. Bird banding is another tool that can give us deeper insight into how our birds are doing. By individually marking and assessing birds in the hand, we can collect data that can tell us about their demography and health, including:

Looking at fat scores and weights to assess the body condition of birds in different habitats and at different times of the year, which in turn sheds light on the quality of the habitats these birds are using;
Aging birds using plumage to investigate demographic patterns;
Using recapture records to learn about survivorship and longevity;
Assessing the presence or absence of breeding characteristics to better understand the timing of breeding and life history for many of our understudied Caribbean endemics; and
Finding out which migratory routes our shared birds are taking, and gaining a better understanding of factors influencing survival and longevity of species.

Over the long-term, banding can also help us understand patterns and trends in bird populations, to aid in their management and conservation.

About the workshop

This workshop is the third annual Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) Training Workshop. It will cover many of the same topics explored in our previous CBB Training workshops held in The Bahamas (March 2022) and the Dominican Republic (March 2023). The workshop is designed for Caribbean wildlife professionals and volunteers who are interested in gaining more experience with bird banding. Prior banding experience is not required. However, priority will be given to applicants who are likely to continue training to gain the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to initiate avian research and/or banding programs on their home islands. This workshop will focus on banding landbirds. We hope to provide banding training opportunities for other bird groups in the future.

The purpose of the workshop is to:

Provide participants with a basic understanding of bird banding techniques and best practices.
Discuss what it takes to set-up and run a bird banding station.
Prepare participants for additional bird banding training and potential North American Banding Council (NABC) certifications (bander, trainer) in the future.
Share information about the other training opportunities, resources, and community available through the CBB Network.
Daniela Ventura del Puerto (Cuba) provides instruction on bird molt to workshop participants Giselle Ragoonanan (Trinidad) and Elvin Manual Vargas Estevez (Dominican Republic).

Several NABC-certified trainers will share their knowledge in the classroom, at the mist-net, and at the banding table, covering topics like:

Proper set-up and placement of a mist-net
Extracting birds from mist-nets using the body-grasp technique
Starting a banding station
Bird first-aid and safety
Bird banding ethics and basics
Using bird banding for education and public demonstrations
Aging birds using both WRP and Howell-Pyle terminology
Molt patterns

Bird banding is a complex skill to learn. This workshop is intended to be a starting point, and participants should not expect to leave the workshop with the necessary qualifications to band birds independently. To become fully immersed and practice what was learned at the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to be considered for a bird banding internship at one of several partner bird observatories.

In an effort to decrease the amount of time spent in the classroom, some workshop sessions will be held virtually prior to the in-person workshop. These virtual sessions will also be made available to a wider audience. Stay tuned for more information!

Funding and Logistics

We aim to include approximately 15 participants in this workshop. BirdsCaribbean has funding for a limited number of need and merit-based scholarships to cover the costs of travel and participation. Participants who are able to contribute all or part of their costs can help us enhance the workshop content and allow us to include additional participants/trainers. We encourage applications from all candidates who are well-suited to make use of this training, regardless of their financial ability. Participants should plan to arrive in Grenada on March 6th and depart on March 12th.

Participants at our Caribbean Bird Banding Workshop held in the Dominican Republic earlier this year. (Photo by Joshua Covill)

Applications

If you are interested in participating in this workshop, please fill out this form by 22 December 2023.

English Version: bit.ly/CBB-Application-ENG

Versión en español: bit.ly/CBB-Solicitud-ESP

If you have any questions, please send an email to:

Maya Wilson, Landbird Monitoring Program Manager: Maya.Wilson@BirdsCaribbean.org

Holly Garrod, Caribbean Bird Banding Coordinator: Holly.Garrod@BirdsCaribbean.org

BirdsCaribbean would like to thank J.C. Fernández-Ordóñez for the Spanish translation.

Oportunidad de Capacitación: Taller de Anillamiento de Aves en el Caribe

BirdsCaribbean se complace en invitarle a participar de un taller de capacitación de 5 días centrado en el anillamiento de aves, una importante herramienta para la investigación y el seguimiento. A través de una combinación de actividades de aula y de campo, los participantes aprenderán los fundamentos del anillamiento de aves, desde la instalación de una red de niebla hasta el examen de los patrones de muda. También discutiremos y demostraremos algunos de los beneficios de unirse a nuestra nueva Red de Anillamiento de Aves del Caribe. Estamos muy contentos de llevar nuestro taller de anillamiento de aves a las Antillas Menores este año. En colaboración con Gaea Conservation Network y el Fondo de Granada para la Conservación, el taller tendrá lugar en Granada del 7 al 11 de marzo de 2024.

¿Por qué necesitamos anillar aves?

Los estudios sobre aves, como los que trataremos en nuestro próximo taller de capacitación sobre seguimiento de aves terrestres, proporcionan información valiosa sobre las comunidades de aves. El anillamiento de aves es otra herramienta que puede darnos una visión más profunda de cómo están nuestras aves. Marcando y evaluando individualmente a las aves en la mano, podemos recopilar datos que nos informen sobre su demografía y salud, entre otros:

Observar las puntuaciones de grasa y los pesos para evaluar la condición corporal de las aves en diferentes hábitats y en diferentes épocas del año, lo que a su vez arroja luz sobre la calidad de los hábitats que estas aves están utilizando;
Envejecimiento de las aves mediante el plumaje para investigar patrones demográficos;
Utilización de registros de recaptura para conocer la supervivencia y la longevidad;
Evaluar la presencia o ausencia de características reproductoras para comprender mejor el momento de la reproducción y el ciclo biológico de muchas de nuestras endémicas caribeñas poco estudiadas; y
Averiguar qué rutas migratorias siguen nuestras aves compartidas y comprender mejor los factores que influyen en la supervivencia y longevidad de las especies.

A largo plazo, el anillamiento también puede ayudarnos a comprender las pautas y tendencias de las poblaciones de aves para contribuir a su gestión y conservación.

Sobre el taller

Este taller es el tercer Taller Anual de Capacitación en Anillamiento de Aves en el Caribe (CBB). Cubrirá muchos de los mismos temas explorados en nuestros talleres previos de Entrenamiento en CBB llevados a cabo en Las Bahamas (marzo 2022) y República Dominicana (marzo 2023). El taller está diseñado para profesionales y voluntarios de la vida silvestre del Caribe que estén interesados en adquirir más experiencia en el anillamiento de aves. No se requiere experiencia previa en anillamiento. Sin embargo, se dará prioridad a los solicitantes que tengan posibilidades de seguir formándose para adquirir los conocimientos, habilidades y experiencia necesarios para iniciar programas de investigación y/o anillamiento de aves en sus islas de origen. Este taller se centrará en el anillamiento de aves terrestres. Esperamos ofrecer oportunidades de formación en anillamiento para otros grupos de aves en el futuro.

El propósito del taller es:

Proporcionar a los participantes una comprensión básica de las técnicas de anillamiento de aves y las mejores prácticas.
Discutir lo que se necesita para montar y dirigir una estación de anillamiento de aves.
Preparar a los participantes para formación adicional en anillamiento de aves y posibles certificaciones del Consejo Norteamericano de Anillamiento (NABC) (anillador, formador) en el futuro.
Compartir información sobre otras oportunidades de formación, recursos y comunidad disponibles a través de la Red CBB.

Varios formadores certificados por la NABC compartirán sus conocimientos en el aula, en la red de niebla y en la mesa de anillamiento, abordando temas como:

Montaje y colocación correctos de una red de niebla
Extracción de aves de las redes de niebla mediante la técnica de agarre del cuerpo
Puesta en marcha de una estación de anillamiento
Primeros auxilios y seguridad de las aves
Ética y fundamentos del anillamiento de aves
Uso del anillado de aves para educación y demostraciones públicas
Envejecimiento de aves utilizando terminología WRP y Howell-Pyle
Patrones de muda

El anillamiento de aves es una habilidad compleja de aprender. Este taller pretende ser un punto de partida, y los participantes no deben esperar salir del taller con las calificaciones necesarias para anillar aves de manera independiente. Para sumergirse por completo y poner en práctica lo aprendido en el taller, los participantes tendrán la oportunidad de ser tenidos en cuenta para unas prácticas de anillamiento de aves en uno de los varios observatorios de aves asociados.

En un esfuerzo por reducir el tiempo de permanencia en el aula, algunas sesiones del taller se celebrarán virtualmente antes del taller presencial. Estas sesiones virtuales también se pondrán a disposición de un público más amplio. Esté atento para más información.

Financiación y logística

Nuestro objetivo es contar con aproximadamente 15 participantes en este taller. BirdsCaribbean cuenta con financiación para un número limitado de becas basadas en la necesidad y el mérito para cubrir los costes de viaje y participación. Los participantes que puedan contribuir con la totalidad o parte de sus costes pueden ayudarnos a mejorar el contenido del taller y permitirnos incluir más participantes/formadores. Animamos a presentar solicitudes a todos los candidatos que estén en condiciones de aprovechar esta formación, independientemente de su capacidad financiera. Los participantes deberán prever su llegada a Granada el 6 de marzo y su salida el 12 de marzo.

Solicitudes

Si está interesado en participar en este taller, complete este formulario antes del 22 de diciembre de 2023.

English Version: bit.ly/CBB-Application-ENG

Versión en Español: bit.ly/CBB-Solicitud-ESP

Si tiene alguna pregunta, por favor envíe un correo electrónico a:

Maya Wilson, Gerente del Programa de Monitoreo de Aves Terrestres: Maya.Wilson@BirdsCaribbean.org

Holly Garrod, Coordinadora de Anillamiento de Aves del Caribe: Holly.Garrod@BirdsCaribbean.org

BirdsCaribbean agradece a J.C. Fernández-Ordóñez por la traducción al español.

Caribbean Bird Banding Network

Put a band on it: Updates from our First-ever Caribbean Bird Banding Training

Making Connections and Measuring Molt: Experiences at a Second Bird Banding Workshop in the Dominican Republic

November 15, 2023

Let’s Talk About Being a Latina in STEM and the Birding Glass Ceiling: Women Birders Podchat with Dr Adrianne Tossas

Dr Adrianne Tossas, President of BirdsCaribbean.

One of the issues that the birding community has been working on for the last several years is how we can be more welcoming and inclusive of all birders—beginner birders and future potential birders—to join us and share the joy of birding. It’s an issue to which passionate birders, Hannah Buschert, and her husband Erik, have given a great deal of thought, and which led to the creation of Women Birders (Happy Hour) podcast.

Last month’s guest was our very own BirdsCaribbean President—Dr Adrianne Tossas! Adrianne has a Ph.D. degree in ecology from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. She currently teaches biology at the university level, leading undergraduate students in avian ecology research and conservation work. Along with her students, she monitors landbird and waterbird populations in northwestern Puerto Rico. In addition to her role as President of BirdsCaribbean, she serves as the Co-Chair of the organization’s Mentorship Program and Chair of the Grant Awards Committee. She is the author of the book Birds of Puerto Rico for Children, and regularly gives talks and contributes newspaper articles about conservation for the general public.

Dr Tossas with her students in field.

Dr Tossas leads a birding tour for girls during the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival.

A woman standing next to a spotting scope. She is wearing a jacket, a pair of binoculars hangs from her neck, and a birding waist bag with just the top of a field guide visible. In the background there is a pond.

Adjusting a spotting scope for participants during a Bird Guide Training workshop in Turks and Caicos. (Photo by Christel Mohammed)

Grab yourself a drink (might we suggest Hannah’s Puerto Rican Vireo cocktail below?), kick back, and settle into happy hour with Hannah and Adrianne! It’s an inspiring podchat about how Adrianne started birding, her experience being a woman in a male-dominated field, her research, the mentors that helped to guide and shape her into the conservationist that she is today, and her efforts to transform the local birding community in Puerto Rico to include more women and young birders.

Enjoy!

Listen

Choose your preferred podcast platform to listen to Adrianne’s interview by clicking this Buzzsprout link.

Cool off with a Puerto Rican Vireo cocktail

Ingredients

1 oz white rum
1 oz anise-flavored liquor
½ oz agave syrup
½ oz lemon juice
Ice

Directions

Fill cocktail shaker with ice
Add in liquors, syrup, and juice
Shake shake shake
Strain into glass

For more bird inspired cocktails visit: https://www.gobirdingpodcast.com/women-birders-happy-hour

Puerto Rican Vireo. (Photo by Beny Diaz)

More about Hannah and Erik

November 9, 2023

Looking to the Deep Past to Support Parrot Conservation

For as long as we have been here, human activity has fundamentally altered our environment. In this blog, forensic scientist and ornithologist, Dr Jessica Oswald, and archaeologist and curator, Dr Michelle LeFebvre, discuss their latest research into changes in parrot diversity after human arrival to the Caribbean. Their study analyzed ancient DNA from fossils and archaeological specimens to show how even cultures and peoples that are largely lost, have shaped the diversity and distributions of species, and changed ecosystems.

Dr LeFebvre elaborates, “As we enter what many are calling the “Age of Humans” (or the Anthropocene), it is more and more apparent that conservation must consider how species can survive in a human-dominated world. In the Caribbean, parrot conservation is exemplary of this need! This study provides a long-term blueprint, or baseline, of past human impacts on parrots from which to think about the future of extant parrot species distribution, vulnerability to loss, and hopefully persistence across Caribbean landscapes increasingly impacted by people.” Dr Oswald adds, “Only through deep time perspectives of diversity with paleontological (pre-human), archaeological (human associated) and modern samples from museum specimens, can we begin to reveal the complexity of our role in shaping our natural world.”

Three of the female authors stand behind a desk, inspecting parrot museum specimens which are laid across the desk. In the background are shelves and file cabinets. — Co-authors Michelle LeFebvre (left) and Jessica Oswald (middle), pictured with graduate student Cristina Oliveira (right), combined DNA from modern museum specimens with ancient DNA from fossils and archaeological specimens to find out how humans altered the distribution of parrots. (Photo by Kristen Grace/Florida Museum)

Understanding the long-term impact of humans on biodiversity is critical for sound conservation. Parrots are one of the most enigmatic and beloved animals worldwide. For thousands of years, they have been valued as pets, for their feathers, and as a source of food. They are also among some of the most endangered birds today as they face extinction due to habitat loss and the pet trade. Parrot conservation efforts include reintroduction to places previously occupied by parrots and breeding programs. However, knowing the natural (pre- human) distributions of parrots is nearly impossible with modern day distributions because of thousands of years of trade and habitat loss. The conservation of parrot species thus greatly benefits from knowledge about past parrot diversity and distributions prior to encountering people for the first time. We can obtain this information through fossils and bones from paleontological (pre-human) and archaeological (human associated) sites.

Humans have been altering the natural world for longer than we thought

The Caribbean is a well-known biodiversity hotspot. Yet, the region has lost more than half of its native parrot diversity since the arrival of humans around 6,000 years ago, including macaws, parakeets, and even a tiny sparrow-sized parrot called a parrotlet that once inhabited the islands. Today, there are only 12 remaining parrots native to the Caribbean, which compete for space and resources with 12 non-native parrot species that have been recently introduced to the islands. Fossil and archaeological records and historical documents, all suggest that the remaining species were once far more abundant than they are today. For example, while exploring The Bahamas over 500 years ago, Columbus wrote that flocks of parrots were so abundant that they “obscure[d] the sun.”

All species of Amazona parrots are in decline and their pre-human, native distributions are not well understood. Through our work recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, we aimed to understand how diversity and distribution of Amazona parrots changed before and after humans arrived in the Caribbean. Our primary focus was on the Cuban Parrot (A. leucocephala) and the Hispaniolan Parrot (A. ventralis), which have excellent archaeological and paleontological records. These records allowed us to reconstruct historical distributions and diversity over ~10,000 years—a period called the Holocene—through the ancient DNA found in these remains. Through this effort we also investigated the genetic relationships of living or recently lost (in the 20th century) Cuban Parrot populations and the relationships of all Amazona species using modern specimens curated in natural history museum collections. We combined this molecular data with carbon dating and evolutionary analysis to produce a comprehensive baseline of Caribbean parrot diversity through time.

Hispaniolan Parrot and Cuban Parrot museum specimens with bones from fossil sites at the bottom. Photo of specimens are taken from above so that underparts are clearly visible. — DNA from Hispaniolan Parrot Amazona ventralis (top) and Cuban Parrot A. leucocephala (middle) specimens, and their bones (bottom) were sampled for this project. The left two (humeri) bones are from fossil sites while the rightmost is from a modern specimen. (Photo by Kristen Grace/Florida Museum)

The endemic Hispaniolan Parrot was once native . . . to The Bahamas!

In our study, we found that Caribbean parrots were much more diverse earlier in the Holocene and prior to human arrival to the region. Parrot extinctions started upon the arrival of Indigenous peoples ~6,000 years ago, accelerated through colonization by European settlers at the end of the 15th century, and they continue today. Within Amazona parrots, we found evidence that a population of Cuban Parrots in the Turks and Caicos was genetically distinct and is now extinct. The Hispaniolan Parrot, now endemic to Hispaniola, was once also native to The Bahamas prior to human settlement. Our results also suggest that the Hispaniolan Parrot was transported to islands beyond their native ranges, including Montserrat in the Lesser Antilles. From the perspective of Caribbean parrot conservation, our results suggest that many species have been lost due to human impacts and there is evidence of long-term human introductions of species beyond their native ranges.

Hispaniolan Parrot Eating — Hispaniolan Parrot eating. (Photo by Dax Roman)

The findings from our study provide the most detailed view of Caribbean parrot diversity and distribution across the Holocene and show that the shifts in parrot diversity and distributions were strongly influenced by people across millennia. The results clarify that notions about whether a species is native or restricted to a region or island requires data across long time scales, rather than relying purely on the lens of the present. Deep-time historical sciences and perspectives are key to conservation as we navigate biodiversity loss and conservation in the present and future.

Pair of Cuban Parrots. (Photo by Ger Bosma)

Jessica A. Oswald is a Michigan native who earned her PhD from the University of Florida. She has spent her career building a research program that uses a variety of data, like fossils and genomic data, to understand the diversity and distributions of birds. Her hope is that these data can be used for conservation applications and will provide insight into the importance of paleontological data in biogeographic, phylogenetic, and ecological studies.

Michelle J. LeFebvre is an archaeologist and a curator of archaeology at the Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida. With a focus on how interactions between people and animals in the past have impacted animal diversity and distribution in the present, she collaborates with paleontologists, biologists, Indigenous peoples, and local resource managers to support the conservation of biological and cultural diversity in the Anthropocene. Her passion lies in exploring the ways in which human culture and nature are linked and shape the world around us.

October 5, 2023

Birdability Week 2023: Soaring Towards a More Accessible World

Birdwatching is a hobby that can be enjoyed by everyone. Being in nature with a group of like-minded people can be particularly rewarding. But access to these spaces and events are not equal, especially for people with disabilities and chronic illness. There is still a tendency to make the assumption that disability access and wheelchair access are one and the same.

Birdability is a non-profit organization founded by Virginia Rose, who fell off a horse at the age of 14 and has used a wheelchair since then. She began birding 17 years ago and wanted to share her passion and joy with others with disability challenges. Inspired by movements such as #BlackBirdersWeek, Virginia founded Birdability in 2020. Birdability’s vision is that birding is for everyone—including those with disabilities and other health concerns. It is supported by National Audubon in the U.S. and many other organizations and businesses.

The organization focuses on people with mobility challenges, blindness or low vision, chronic illness, intellectual or developmental disabilities, mental illness, and those who are neurodivergent, deaf or hard of hearing, or have other health concerns. Information and resources to help the birding community be more mindful and inclusive of these birders who may sometimes feel left out can be found on its website.

Photo of woman on a wheelchair on a bridge. She is wearing a beige hat, light green shirt, and blue pants. Her body is positioned to the side but she is facing the camera and smiling while holding a pair of binoculars. In the background are tall green trees. — Founder and President of Birdability, Virginia Rose. (Photo credit: birdability.org)

Birdability Week (16th-22nd October 2023) offers the opportunity for birding groups, non-governmental organizations, and groups of family and friends to host an accessible bird outing. With some thoughtful planning this event can be enjoyable for every body. In the past, our partners in Antigua and Barbuda and the Dominican Republic have held CEBF birding events for persons with disabilities. In Puerto Rico, local NGO SOPI’s (Sociedad Ornitólogica Puertorriqueña) birding event for blind youth allowed participants to “see” birds by handling carved wooden birds. We would love to see more of these events taking place throughout the region.

Watch the Birds or Follow the Birdsong—Birding is for ALL

Here are some steps to implement accessible and inclusive birding. Additionally, you will need to take into account access considerations for birding locations such as making sure that trails are accessible and safe for those in wheelchairs and interpretive signs are a good height for everyone. Adaptive birding equipment for birders who are blind or have low vision, rely on wheelchairs to move about, need to rest often, or experience other disabilities can truly enhance the experience for them.

Estos recursos también están disponibles en español.

Help Put Accessible Birding Locations in the Caribbean on the Map!

There is also a Birdability Site Map which allows you to search for accessible sites near you. The majority of the locations are in North America and a few have been identified in Central America and South America. If you know of accessible birding locations on your island we encourage you to complete on-site, in-person Birdability Site Reviews and add them to the Birdability Map.

Birdability Site Map showing locations of nature reserves and parks with varying degrees of accessibility.

Attend a Virtual Event and Connect with Differently Abled Birders

There are a number of in-person and virtual events already scheduled—from panel discussions about accessibility challenges to field sketching and bird trivia for Birdability Week. This year, the Birdability team is also launching a digital series to showcase accessible birding experiences from around the world! They are looking for birders like yourself to take a video or write about an accessible location outside of the U.S. to be featured on their YouTube channel and website.

Submit your written piece, photos and/or video through this Google Form.

There are lots of exciting and interesting events already planned for Birdability Week 2023. (Graphics designed by Birdability)

Birding by Ear: Making Birding Accessible for Blind People in the Dominican Republic

September 29, 2023

Save the Date! BirdsCaribbean 2024 Conference in the Dominican Republic

Mark your calendars and plan to attend!

BirdsCaribbean 2024 Conference promo graphic. Featured birds: Broad-billed Tody by Dax Roman; Palmchat, Hispaniolan Woodpecker by Jose M Pantaleon; Hispaniolan Emerald by Dax Roman E. — Mark Your Calendars and plan to attend! Featured birds: Broad-billed Tody by Dax Roman; Palmchat; Hispaniolan Woodpecker by Jose M Pantaleon; Hispaniolan Emerald by Dax Roman E.

[español abajo]

We are delighted to announce the BirdsCaribbean 24th International Conference! The conference will take place in Santo Domingo from 18 to 22 July 2024.

BirdsCaribbean conferences bring together Caribbean and international wildlife professionals, ornithologists, educators, decision makers, the eco-tourism industry, community leaders, students, volunteers, and many others to network, share information, and learn about the latest research and innovative initiatives to conserve Caribbean birds and their habitats. ALL are welcome!

Our local host is Grupo Jaragua (GJ), a Dominican non-profit organization that is dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity in Hispaniola, using the best available science in collaboration with local communities. Working together with GJ and other local partners, we look forward to welcoming you to the DR in July 2024!

Drumroll please Unveiling our Theme!

The conference organizing committee has chosen the theme: From Mangroves to Mountains—Safeguarding our Avian Treasures. This theme celebrates the incredible variety of habitats and endemic birds found in Hispaniola (the second largest island in the Caribbean, which includes Dominican Republic and Haiti). Thirty-four species of birds are endemic to this island—that is, they are found nowhere else in the world. It is also home to an additional 17 regional endemics and provides critical stopover and wintering habitats for over 100 migratory species, like the threatened Bicknell’s Thrush.

View across mountains with blue cloudy sky — View along the way to Constanza, Dominican Republic. (Photo by Ted Lee Eubanks)

The theme calls attention to the diverse habitats in Hispaniola where these birds live—from the coastal mangroves and wetlands, across striking pine savannas to lush cloud forests in the mountains, where one may sleep comfortably under a down blanket in July! These habitats must be protected not only for birds, but also for people. They provide critical ecosystem services, such as protection from storms and floods, clean air and water, and food; as well as opportunities for recreation, education, and cultural enrichment.

Bicknell's Thrush on branch singing — Bicknell’s Thrush. (Photo by Dax Roman)

Palmchat eating red berries. — Palmchat. (Photo by Dax Roman)

Hispaniolan Trogon. (Photo by Dax Roman)

With this theme, we hope to raise awareness throughout the island about the beauty and value of nature in Hispaniola, exemplified by its magnificent bird life. We must all be guardians and take care of our avian treasures. If we take care of nature, nature will take care of us.

Agenda Highlights: What to Expect

As usual, our five-day conference will offer a range of exciting symposia, technical paper sessions, workshops, keynote speakers, and round-table discussions. We will share the latest science, conservation, management techniques, education, and community engagement projects that help raise awareness, protect habitats, and conserve birds. We will also organize pre-, post-, and mid-conference field trips to visit the most spectacular birding hotspots all over the country—giving delegates the chance to enjoy Hispaniola’s incredible birds and breathtaking landscapes.

Of course, the conference will offer invaluable opportunities to network with and learn from colleagues working in a variety of fields across the Caribbean and beyond. As those who have attended our conferences in the past can attest, our biennial gatherings are “the best” and “not to be missed!” (in the video below, check out a few comments by delegates at our conference in Guadeloupe).

Planning for the conference is well underway. Our conference website can be found here, where details on the program, logistics, conference field trips, travel scholarships, accommodations, and registration will be added soon. Keep an eye out also for the Call for Keynote Speakers, and Call for Proposals for Workshops, Symposia, Round-table Discussions, and call for abstracts for oral and poster presentations. For now we want to encourage you to spread the word and block these dates off in your calendar.

By the way, if you haven’t done so already, please sign up for our BirdsCaribbean listserve – the best place to receive up-to-date news and information regarding the conference. We also also share all announcements on our social media so please follow us! (@BirdsCaribbean on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linked In and YouTube). Finally, please sign up for our monthly newsletter. We’re looking forward to seeing you in the Dominican Republic!

#BirdsCarib2024DR

More about our local host, Grupo Jaragua: Since 1989, Grupo Jaragua has worked on the conservation of threatened species and ecosystems, advocacy, education, and promotion of sustainable livelihoods in Hispaniola. Key programs have focused on the conservation of the threatened Black-capped Petrel and Hispaniolan Parrot. Learn more here.

¡Reserva la fecha! 24ª Conferencia Internacional de BirdsCaribbean en la República Dominicana

¡Marque su calendario y haga planes para asistir! Aves destacadas: Broad-billed Tody por Dax Roman; Palmchat; Hispaniolan Woodpecker por Jose M Pantaleon; Hispaniolan Emerald por Dax Roman E.

¡Anótalo en tu calendario y planifica asistir!

¡Estamos entusiasmados de anunciar la 24ª Conferencia Internacional de BirdsCaribbean! La conferencia se llevará a cabo en Santo Domingo del 18 al 22 de julio de 2024.

Nuestro anfitrión será el Grupo Jaragua (GJ), una organización local sin fines de lucro que se dedica a la conservación de la biodiversidad de La Española, en colaboración con comunidades locales y apoyándose en la ciencia. ¡Trabajando juntos con GJ y otros socios locales, esperamos darles la bienvenida en la República Dominicana en julio 2024!

Las conferencias de BirdsCaribbean reúnen a profesionales de vida silvestre, ornitólogos, educadores, tomadores de decisiones, industria del ecoturismo, líderes comunitarios, estudiantes, voluntarios y muchos otros del Caribe e internacionales para establecer conexiones, compartir información y aprender sobre lo último en investigaciones e iniciativas innovadoras para la conservación de las aves del Caribe y sus hábitats. ¡TODOS son bienvenidos!

Redoble de tambores, por favor: Revelando el tema de la Conferencia

El comité al mando de la conferencia seleccionó el tema: Del Manglar a la Montaña: Protegiendo nuestras Preciadas Aves. Este tema celebra la increíble variedad de hábitats y aves endémicas de La Española (la segunda isla más grande del Caribe, la cual incluye a la República Dominicana y Haití). Treinta y cuatro especies de aves endémicas de esta isla – es decir, que no se encuentran en ninguna otra parte del mundo. También es hogar de 17 otras aves endémicas regionales, y proporciona hábitats y paradas de reposo para más de 100 especies de aves migratorias, como el amenazado Zorzal de Bicknell.

Vista a lo largo del camino a Constanza, República Dominicana. (Foto de Ted Lee Eubanks)

El tema llama a la atención de los diversos hábitats en La Española donde viven estas aves – desde los manglares costeros y humedales, hasta las magníficas sabanas de pinar que llevan a los bosques nublados de montaña, ¡donde hasta en julio se puede dormir cómodamente bajo una manta! Estos hábitats deben protegerse no solo para las aves, sino también para las personas. Estos proveen críticos servicios a los ecosistemas, tales como la protección contra tormentas e inundaciones, limpieza del aire y agua, alimento, oportunidades de recreación, educación, y enriquecimiento cultural.

Bicknell's Thrush Singing — Bicknell’s Thrush (Foto por Dax Roman)

Con este tema, esperamos crear conciencia sobre la belleza y el valor de la naturaleza de La Española, ejemplificada por su magnífica avifauna. Todos debemos ser guardianes y cuidar nuestras preciosas aves. Si cuidamos la naturaleza, la naturaleza cuidará de nosotros.

Agenda: Qué se Espera

Como de costumbre, nuestra conferencia de cinco días ofrecerá una gama de emocionantes simposios, sesiones de ponencias técnicas, talleres, expositores destacados y discusiones en mesas redondas. Compartiremos lo último en la ciencia, conservación, técnicas de manejo, educación, y proyectos de participación de la comunidad para crear conciencia, proteger los hábitats y conservar a las aves. También se organizarán viajes de campo pre, post y durante la conferencia para visitar los lugares de avistamiento de aves más espectaculares de todo el país – brindando la oportunidad a nuestros delegados de disfrutar de las increíbles aves y de los impresionantes paisajes de La Española.

Por supuesto, la conferencia ofrecerá invaluables oportunidades para establecer conexiones y aprender de colegas que trabajan en diversos campos de todo el Caribe y más allá. Aquellos que han asistido a nuestras pasadas conferencias, consideran que estas son “las mejores” y que “¡no se lo pueden perder!”.

La planificación de la conferencia ya está en marcha. El sitio web de la conferencia se encuentra aquí, donde pronto se ofrecerán detalles sobre el programa, la logística, las excursiones, las becas de viaje, el alojamiento y la inscripción. Esté atento también a la convocatoria de ponentes principales y de propuestas de talleres, simposios y mesas redondas, así como a la convocatoria de resúmenes para presentaciones orales y pósteres. De momento queremos animarle a que corra la voz y marque estas fechas en su calendario.

Por cierto, si aún no lo ha hecho, inscríbase en nuestra lista de distribución BirdsCaribbean, el mejor lugar para recibir noticias e información actualizada sobre la conferencia. También compartimos todos los anuncios en nuestras redes sociales, así que síganos. (@BirdsCaribbean en Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linked In y YouTube). Por último, suscríbase a nuestro boletín mensual. Esperamos verle en la República Dominicana.

#BirdsCarib2024DR

Más sobre nuestro anfitrión, Grupo Jaragua: Desde el 1989 Grupo Jaragua ha trabajado en la conservación de especies y ecosistemas en peligro, defensoría, educación y promoción de medios de vida sostenibles en La Española. Entre sus programas clave destacamos aquellos para la conservación de aves amenazadas como el diablotín y la cotorra de La Española. Para más información visita aqui.

Graphique promotionnel à utiliser en français

August 23, 2023

World Migratory Bird Day—The Birds are En Route and Headed Our Way!

August 16, 2023

Double Your Impact for Shorebirds at this Year’s Global Shorebird Count: 1-7 September 2023

Hundreds of thousands of migratory shorebirds are already on the move, and we are getting ready to celebrate World Shorebirds Day 2023! Diverse habitats and food supply make the Caribbean an attractive destination for shorebirds and a veritable birders’ paradise, so why not take part in the Global Shorebird Count this year? BirdsCaribbean has everything you need to help you #ShowUpForShorebirds (and show out!) in the best possible way.

World Shorebirds Day is held every year on September 6. This day celebrates shorebirds, their magnificent migration journeys, and most importantly, raises awareness of the threats they face and actively promotes their monitoring and conservation. The key event associated with this day is the Global Shorebird Count (GSC), September 1-7.

Across the Caribbean (and the entire globe!), groups of birders will be out looking for and counting shorebirds and recording what they find on eBird Caribbean. Some birders will go out in ones and twos; others in small groups. Wherever you are, whoever you are with, or even if you are on your own—we welcome your participation and contribution to citizen science.

This year, we have a special mission for you: we are asking you to do more than one count if possible. Read on to find out why.

Why should you #ShowUpForShorebirds?

The answer is that our migratory shorebirds are more vulnerable than ever, threatened by human activities such as destruction of their habitats, pollution, disturbance, and climate change. Recent analyses show that shorebirds in North America are declining more than any other group of birds; in fact, more than half of 28 species studied were estimated to have lost more than 50% of their abundance in the last 30 years.

Least Sandpiper – a common migrant to the Caribbean; this one has stopped for a rest in St. Maarten (photo by Binkie van Es)

The Caribbean is an important region for migratory shorebirds. They rely on our mangroves, salt ponds, beaches, sand flats, and mud flats to rest and refuel as they continue on their long migrations, or they may spend the entire winter with us.

The Global Shorebird Count helps map the distribution of shorebirds during migration and record their numbers. This data is essential to help us identify and protect key stopover and/or wintering habitats that shorebirds use. Protecting these habitats benefits people too because healthy coastal areas provide vital ecosystem services such as clean water, food, sustainable livelihoods, protection from storm surge, and much more.

Thanks to the great work you all are doing in gathering data through the Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) and the Global Shorebird Count, the importance of this region for waterbirds and shorebirds is becoming better understood at a rapid rate. However, scientists are telling us that to further document numbers and long-term trends, more frequent monitoring data are needed, especially during migration. Thus, this year we invite you to visit your nearby shorebird sites and carry out 2 or 3 counts a month during migration season (August-October), ideally a week to 10 days apart. If you’re able to do this, bravo, and thank you! Your efforts will help us learn much more about shorebirds in the Caribbean—you’ll be doubling or tripling your impact for shorebirds.

We can’t do it alone

Individuals, groups and communities must come together to conserve shorebirds and the habitats we both depend upon. This is why we need you to join the GSC to help count shorebirds, invite others, and share how awesome shorebirds are. You may even discover new or rare birds on your islands! Feel free to use our cool graphics to promote World Shorebirds Day (see below), and invite your friends and family to count shorebirds too.

We’ll be here to help you every step of the way.

Grupo Acción Ecológica members counting shorebirds in the Dominican Republic. (Photo by Maria Paulino).

Fernando Simal surveying shorebirds. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)

Proyecto Reverdece tu Comunidad-Working on bird ID during a bird count.

Orisha Joseph and her team counting waterbirds at Belmont Salt Pond, Union Island, St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Where to find shorebirds?

Where should you look for shorebirds? The simple answer is: anywhere there is water. This means that, as their name suggests, you can find them at the beach and on other types of shorelines. However, some shorebirds will be further inland, including in salt ponds and salinas, freshwater pools, agricultural fields, and at brackish marshes and ponds. Shorebirds will also gather on mud flats, in mangrove areas, and on tidal flats.

Wild Cow Run Beach, Middle Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands (Photo by Craig Watson)

You may not be quite sure of the best places to look in your area. If so, why not take a look for ‘hotspots’ at your local wetlands on eBird. Just click on ‘Explore’ on the eBird Caribbean site, and find ‘Explore Hotspots.’ You can open hotspots on a map and then click on a hotspot to see what types of birds have been seen there recently.

Drone image of Walkers Reserve, Barbados looking across wetlands out to sea — A view across the newly created wetlands and coastline at Walkers Reserve in Barbados. (Photo by Shae Warren, WIRRED)

How to participate in the count

Have an eBird account

eBird Caribbean is a critical tool for tracking and understanding bird migration and population changes—never more so than for our shorebirds. If you do not have an account, it is easy to register—here’s a quick guide to enter eBird data online. Check out our helpful video here on how to use eBird and Merlin.There is even a free eBird Essentials course to get you fully oriented. Download the free mobile app for recording your data in the field. Recording your findings on eBird is not only satisfying and enjoyable, but you are directly contributing to the global knowledge base of birds—what, when, and wherever they are to be found.

If you need help with or have questions about eBird checklists or with setting up an eBird account, do contact Alex Sansom: waterbird.manager@birdscaribbean.org

Count shorebirds

Visit your local sites where shorebirds occur and do a count. Record all the species you see and/or hear (including other non-shorebird species; see below) and how many individuals of each species. We recommend spending a minimum of 6 to 10 minutes at each site (longer if there are a lot of birds) and scanning the entire area carefully with your binoculars to detect birds, which can easily blend into their surroundings (mud, water, vegetation, etc.). Be sure to record the start time and duration of your count if you’re using a notebook (the ebird mobile app will do this for you). Start a new checklist each time you change locations.

Mixed flock of shorebirds — A mixed shorebird flock seen during Roots & Shoots CWC survey, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Miguel Angel Rivera)

Count shorebirds on as many different locations as you can during the Global Shorebird Count period (1-7 Sept). Then, if possible, repeat your counts at these same sites 2 or 3 times a month during fall migration (August through October). Repeated counts will greatly add to our knowledge of shorebird movements and migration patterns!

Note that shorebirds are a type of waterbird. So, any counts you do at wetlands, mangroves, mud flats, coastal areas or beaches at any time of year count as Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) counts. When you do your counts please choose one of the CWC protocols in the eBird app or when you submit or edit your data online. When you are using the mobile app make sure that you are using the eBird Caribbean Portal. To check or change the portal you are using, go into your settings on the app and look for “Portal” and select “eBird Caribbean.”

Very important: To greatly increase the value of your count to science, be sure to count ALL birds at your site, including seabirds, herons, egrets, ducks, coots, land birds, etc. In other words, keep complete checklists – learn more here.

Share your eBird checklists

Each time you complete a checklist, be sure to share it with ebird username worldshorebirdsday. This will ensure that your checklists are included in data analyses for the Global Shorebird Count.

If you are new to checklist sharing, check out this quick tutorial on how to do it.

Making a bird list during CWC — Coral Aviles listing birds on eBird, Blassina Canal Puerto Rico. (Photo by Eliezer Nieves)

Rinse and repeat

As mentioned above, we ask that, if possible, do 2 or 3 counts at your local site or sites per month during fall migration (7 to 10 days apart is ideal). Scientists are telling us that we need more data on shorebird migration through the Caribbean, including which species pass through, how many individuals, the timing of each species’ migration, how long they stopover, where they go next, etc. The best way to get this local and regional data is through repeated counts!

Shorebird ID and FREE resources for the field

We know that Shorebirds can be tricky to identify, and some are especially difficult to tell apart. BirdsCaribbean is here to help you with some useful tools! We have a Shorebird Poster and “Quick ID Guide” to get you started as well as handy Shorebird ID cards that you can download and print featuring common shorebirds of the Caribbean.

Shorebird identification can be tricky but with practice and our ‘Quick ID Guide’ it gets easier. (Photo by Kristy Shortte)

You can also brush up on your CWC survey skills, waterbird ID, and shorebird ID before you go out on your surveys by watching our fantastic CWC and Shorebird ID webinars on YouTube. Go to our shorebird resources page to find everything you need. Of course, don’t forget to take your favorite bird ID guide with you when you do your shorebird counts (Birds of the West Indies by Raffaele et al is a great bird field guide for the region!).

We also have a list of some best practice tips to help make your count go as smoothly as possible. You can download and share this infographic with your fellow birders. When you go out on your survey, a spotting scope or a camera with a good zoom lens, as well as binoculars, will make for very helpful tools. They will help you get a closer look to pick out the identifying features of the birds, without disturbing them. Photos can be looked at and shared later if you have any birds that were difficult for you to identify in the field. Birding colleagues and experts can explain further if they have visual evidence of the bird! (Did we say some are quite tricky to tell apart?)

Promotional graphic templates – feel free to modify for your counts

Promotional Graphics for World Shorebirds Day 2023 are available in English, Spanish and French. We also have ‘Global Shorebird Count Tips’ graphic formatted for Facebook or Instagram . You can add your own logos or event information. Click on each image in the gallery below to enlarge then right click on an enlarged image and ‘save image as’ to download. You can also use these links to Canva to use our promotional graphics as a template (each link contains graphics in all three languages):

Facebook graphic and survey tips as a Canva template

Instagram graphic and survey Canva template

World Shorebirds Day and the Global Shorebird Count 2023 promo graphic

World-Shorebirds-Day-2023-Promo-Graphic-IG-French

World-Shorebirds-Day-2023-Promo-Graphic-IG-Spanish

World-Shorebirds-Day-2023-Tips-IG-English

What if you spot a banded bird?

While counting shorebirds you may see birds with colourful bands on their legs. Do your best to record the band colors and any numbers or letters paying special attention to the location of the band or bands on the bird’s legs. Binoculars or zoom photography may allow you to clearly see the band colors and the numbers engraved onto the band – if you get a photo you will be able to send it along with your sighting. Look out for bands especially on Piping Plovers, Red Knots, Semipalmated Sandpipers, Semipalmated Plovers, Ruddy Turnstones, and Sanderlings. You can report your sightings and send any photos you have to BandedBirds.org and the USGS Bird Banding Lab, which oversee all banding in the United States.

Keep a sharp eye out for Piping Plovers, including banded birds!

As we did for our 2023 Caribbean Waterbird Census, we ask you to keep a sharp eye out for Piping Plovers, a threatened migratory shorebird that spend the winter in the Caribbean—mainly in The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Cuba, but they are also found in other islands. Learn all about the Piping Plover and access special resources here to help you find and identify this adorable shorebird.

There are several different projects banding Piping Plovers and if you see a banded Piping Plover you can report it to the correct person using the information below. This also provides a guide to reading the bands and the information that will be useful to send when you report a banded bird. The tips in this guide are useful for any banded birds you see, not just Piping Plovers! You can find out more about reporting banded Piping Plovers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service here. This 1-page guide is available to download as a pdf here. We also have 2-page version with more information for you to use and share here. And a square infographic that you could share on social media here.

Share your shorebird stories

A Cuban birder selfie with their bike — A Cuban birder takes a selfie with his bike at the beach.

Tag us in your photos on social @birdscaribbean and let us know how your counts are going and what you’e finding!

Use the hashtags #ShowUpForShorebirds #WorldShorebirdsDay2023 #GlobalShorebirdCount2023 #CaribShorebirds #DoubleTheImpact

We love looking at photos of shorebirds, your local wetlands, and smiling faces. We will be excited to share your photos and findings on our Global Shorebird Day wrap-up blog! See our 2022 blog here.

More shorebird fun for children and adults

We’ve got books: Sami the Snowy Plover Stories of Survival , Color and Protect the Snowy Plover, Caribbean Waterbirds and more on our Shorebird Resources page, that both adults and children can use to learn more about shorebirds and waterbirds. If you prefer learning via video, head over to our YouTube channel and check out our shorebirds playlist.

If you’ve got little explorers, be sure to download the following activity* sheets and take them with you to the beach:

Beach Scavenger Hunt. This activity is suitable for children ages 4 to 7 years old. They are asked to find plants and animals at the beach.

Beach Bird Bingo. This activity is suitable for children ages 8 to 12 years old. They are asked to find items on the list four in a row, horizontally, vertically or diagonally. They do not need to touch or collect any of the items on the list.

Talk about this with your children before beginning any of the activities. They should not touch or collect items on the lists. When observing birds they should speak softly. They do not need to get close to the birds but if they need to, ask them to do so slowly and quietly. You can check off the items (with a pencil or pen), as they are located. When everyone has had a chance to look for the items listed, come back together to chat about what they were able to find or see. For example, why is the bird’s beak long and straight?

*These activities were not designed to teach a child how to name and identify shorebirds but rather to give them space to explore and feel connected to their natural environment. Parents and guardians, you will not need to worry about your own knowledge of birds or plants. All you need to do is accompany and participate with your child in these activities.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about counting shorebirds: Alex Sansom: waterbird.manager@birdscaribbean.org

We hope you have a great Global Shorebird Count 2023!

August 11, 2023

Una Nueva e Interesante Guía de Campo para Ayudar a los Cubanos a Conocer y Disfrutar de sus Aves Locales: Entrevista con los Autores

Front and back covers of Birds of the National Botanic Garden of Cuba. — Portada y contraportada de Aves del Jardín Botánico Nacional de Cuba. El Carpintero Verde Cubano, en la portada, es el único representante de los géneros endémicos cubanos que viven en el jardín.

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Con casi 500 hectáreas, el Jardín Botánico Nacional de Cuba ofrece un oasis verde a las aves, a otros animales salvajes y a las personas, en la capital, La Habana. Es conocido por su extensa colección de palmeras, sus muestras etnobotánicas, sus invernaderos y su sereno Jardín Japonés. De noviembre a febrero es un lugar ideal para observar aves migratorias, mientras que algunas de las aves endémicas y autóctonas más emblemáticas de Cuba pueden verse durante todo el año.

La nueva guía de campo “Aves del Jardín Botánico Nacional de Cuba” es la obra más completa, autorizada y actualizada de su género. Hablamos con sus autores, el Dr. Martín Acosta, la Dra. Lourdes Múgica y la MSc. Karen Aguilar, sobre la guía de campo. Nos hablan de la exhaustiva investigación que se llevó a cabo para su creación, de cómo el equipo perseveró a pesar de los numerosos contratiempos, de sus sorprendentes hallazgos y gratos recuerdos en el jardín, y de consejos para los aspirantes a autores de guías de campo.

¿Qué los inspiró a crear una guía de campo para las aves del Jardín Botánico Nacional?

Es una larga historia de amor entre nuestro grupo y las aves del Jardín Botánico Nacional. En 1982 el Dr. Martin Acosta comenzó a tutorear una tesis de licenciatura sobre las aves del jardín, desde entonces se dio cuenta que, con sus casi 500 hectáreas y variada vegetación, era un lugar privilegiado, a pesar de que en ese entonces se detectaron menos de 40 especies. A partir de ahí realizamos varios estudios sobre la ecología de las especies que habitaban las diferentes zonas que conforman el jardín.

Portada de la primera guía de campo de las Aves del Jardín Botánico Nacional de Cuba, publicada en 1990.

Más adelante en 1990 publicamos una pequeña y rústica guía para identificar las aves, contaba con 41 especies, como no teniamos cámara ni forma de obtener las ilustraciones, el Dr. Vicente Berovides, profesor de la Universidad de la Habana, dibujó a mano y con lápiz cada una de las aves, e increíblemente, se lograban identificar. Esa simple guía se vendió rapidamente, con lo cual pudimos constatar que que el público estaba ávido de ese tipo de información.

A partir del año 1990 llega a Cuba el conocido Periodo Especial, con una profunda crisis económica que no nos permitía investigar en las aves acuáticas de las arroceras y humedales naturales, donde centrabamos nuestras investigaciones. Ese hecho dio lugar a que toda nuestra energía y tiempo se enfocara en las aves del jardín, adonde viajábamos en bicicleta desde antes del amanecer para monitorear sus poblaciones y ensambles de aves, o hacer algun estudio de su historia natural y ecología o tutorear a nuestros estudiantes en sus tesis.

Con el tiempo nuestro conocimiento del lugar y compromiso de compartir los resultados fue cada vez mayor. Ambos, Martin y Lourdes pensábamos que nos ibamos a retirar sin cumplir ese sueño, pues no contábamos con fondos para garantizar escritura, edición, diseño e impresión de un libro. Aún sin los fondos, pero con todo el conocimiento acumulado de mas de 30 años, en 2019 logramos el impulso final, cuando la Dra. Banessa Falcón, Directora de Docencia e Investigación del Jardín Botánico Nacional, nos insiste en la importancia de lograr ese libro y la MSc Karen Aguilar se une a los autores para contribuir de forma voluntaria con el diseño, la fotografia y todo lo que hiciera falta.

De igual forma la Lic. Neyda Izquierdo, Premio Nacional de Edición en Cuba, realizó la edición de forma gratuita. Por otra parte la Dra. Banessa Falcón, nos apoyó a trabajar en el libro desde sus comienzos y fue nuestra editora científica por la parte botánica.

Karen y Lourdes viajaron en bicicleta al jardín casi todos los días hasta que el libro estuvo terminado.

De esta manera, logramos reunir un fantástico equipo, con el cual el trabajo se convirtió en un constante intercambio de ideas entre personas maravillosas que le dedicaron numerosas horas a garantizar la calidad de los textos en tiempos de pandemia. En fin, que es una obra colectiva, llena de amor, de compromiso y de ciencia.

Hoy día, con 55 años el jardín cuenta con un ensamble de aves que se ha triplicado en diversidad, como respuesta al desarrollo adquirido por la vegetación, hasta el momento 128 especies, (tres de ellas despues de publicar el libro) han sido registradas en él, por lo cual, este grupo de vertebrados se encuentra entre sus mayores atractivos.

Sin dudas, este era el gran momento para traer a la luz la obra que pareció ser una utopía durante mucho tiempo, la cual nos permite valorar la importancia que puede tener un sitio antrópico bien manejado sobre la conservación de las aves, además de generalizar los resultados obtenidos en numerosas investigaciones de campo, que pueden ser útiles para otros jardines botánicos en Cuba y en el mundo.

¿En qué se diferencia esta guía de guías de aves cubanas?

Se diferencia en varios aspectos:

Es la primera guía de aves cubanas elaborada totalmente con fotografías de aves, las guías que existen en la actualidad están basadas en ilustraciones.
La mayor diferencia está en que incluye los close ups de las cabezas de la mayoría de las especies de aves (85%), que permiten apreciar detalles importantes que no son visibles en fotos generales o dibujos.

En el capítulo cuatro de la guía de campo, cada familia tiene una imagen general con las principales características de la familia y, a continuación, se presentan todas las especies de la familia. Cada especie tiene entre dos y seis fotos; los iconos y el texto completan las descripciones.

Es la primera guía que dedica un capítulo a esclarecer la interdependencia entre el desarrollo de las comunidades vegetales y los ensambles de aves que las utilizan, además de dar a conocer diferentes aspectos de la ecología de algunas poblaciones notables . En otro capítulo se estimula la observación de aves en la sociedad cubana y se ofrecen informaciones para su mejor desarrollo.

En el capítulo tres, los autores promueven la observación de aves y dan consejos sobre cómo atraerlas a su jardín. En esta página se destacan varias estructuras vegetales por el impacto que pueden tener en las aves y los recursos que pueden ofrecer.

Es una guía basada en los resultados científicos originales obtenidos por los autores durante más de 30 años, no en una recopilación bibliográfica, e incluye un capítulo donde se expresan muchos de ellos.

En el capítulo dos se presentan los resultados ecológicos publicados y recopilados por los autores durante más de 30 años en el jardín.

La incorporacion de recuadros dentro del texto de los capítulos generales resulta también novedoso en Cuba y permitió profundizar en elementos científicos vinculados al tema tratado y obtenidos por los autores en este jardín botánico.
Se enfoca en una institución de conservación ex situ dedicada fundamentalmente a la conservación de las plantas, con lo cual se une a un pequeño grupo de jardines botánicos en el mundo que cuentan con una guía de aves.
En el capítulo de la Guía de Campo se lograron presentar las 125 especies con 473 fotos. Aunque los autores cubrieron 70 %, el resto se debió a la desinteresada colaboración de 52 fotógrafos cubanos y extranjeros, por lo que es un resultado de la solidaridad en bien de la conservación.
En sus primeros meses de publicación ha obtenido un premio nacional del Instituto Cubano del Libro (Primer Premio de la Crítica Científico Técnica 2022 y el Premio de la Universidad de la Habana al Mejor Libro Científico de Ciencias Naturales en el año. Es la primera guía de aves cubana que logra estos reconocimientos dentro del país.

Háblanos de los autores- ¿Como contribuyó cada uno?

Fotografiar sujetos en movimiento no es fácil, pero Karen perseveró.

Martin y Lourdes tuvieron la idea general de escribir una guía de aves desde 1990, cuando publicaron una primera versión, mucho más simple. Ambos contribuyeron con su larga experiencia, sus datos de campo, y los resultados de las publicaciones. Ellos hicieron la mayor parte del texto, el trabajo de campo y la revisión exaustiva de cada versión. Martín aportó numerosas fotografías, Lourdes muy pocas, creo que un par de ellas.

Karen diseño el libro, aportó la mayor parte de la fotografía, para lo cual le dedicó numerosas horas al trabajo de campo durante el proceso de elaboración del libro e hizo el procesamiento de las imágenes para el capítulo de la guía. Tambien escribío algunos recuadros generales.

Los tres autores mantuvieron una estrecha colaboración e intercambio durante los dos años y medio en que se trabajó intensamente en el libro. Además participaron activamente en la revisión final de los textos, de conjunto con la editora general y la editora científica.

¿Cuánta investigación ustedes necesitaron hacer para escribir esta guía de campo?

Esa es una buena pregunta, porque nunca trabajamos para hacer una guía de campo, trabajamos para contribuir al conocimiento de la historia natural de las aves que viven en el jardin, y mientras más aprendimos, más preguntas surgían. Así realizamos trabajos de reproducción, territorialidad, alimentación, dispersión de semillas, y composición y estructura del ensamble de aves asociado a algunos tipos de vegetación. Todos han sido de gran utilidad para escribir el libro.

Las aves utilizaban el agua del jardín para mantener sus plumas y satisfacer las demandas diarias, así como el comportamiento anual de muda en diferentes especies de aves.

Tras una exhaustiva investigación, los autores descubrieron que el jardín puede satisfacer las diversas necesidades de las aves: alimento, refugio y seguridad.

Lo que si podemos decir es que no es suficiente saber la lista de aves que se han registrado en un sitio, se necesitan años de observaciones, numerosas horas de trabajo de campo y estudiar aspectos esenciales de la ecología de las especies de aves que alli habitan, para así contribuir a su conocimiento de forma más efectiva.

Martin cerrando una red de niebla en el jardín. La red de niebla es una herramienta esencial para el inventario de especies, proporciona índices útiles de abundancia relativa y puede utilizarse para seguir las tendencias temporales de abundancia.

¿Que parte de la creación de la guía de campo – escribir, fotografiar, diseñar o editar- fue más difícil de lograr y un mayor reto para completer el libro?

La fotografía y el diseño fueron los grandes desafíos de este libro. La fotografía, porque nos propusimos una guía basada totalmente en fotos, y completar las fotos de 125 especies, en la que muchas de ellas eran raras o difíciles de fotografiar por su comportamiento, como por ejemplo los insectívoros aéreos, era realmente un reto mayor.

Martin y Karen tomando fotos en el jardín.

El diseño porque fue el primer trabajo de diseño de Karen, por lo que asumir esa tarea implicó largas horas de estudio intenso. Ambos retos fueron vencidos exitosamente.

Martin y Karen hablan de modelos de cámaras y técnicas para conseguir las mejores fotos.

En general fue un reto que tanto la escritura como el diseño fueran atractivos para un público muy amplio que queríamos que incluyera a niños, jóvenes y adultos, observadores de aves y especialistas en el tema.

¿Que los ayudó a mantenerse enfocados en un Proyecto tan largo?

En primer lugar el amor a las aves y conocer la importancia de lograr un libro como este que puede tener un gran impacto en la población y una contribución importante a su conservación. Poco a poco nos dimos cuenta de que el jardin puede contribuir y mucho a que la población conozca nuestras aves, y aprecie no solo su belleza sino todos los servicios ecológicos que prestan.

No es fácil visitar nuestras áreas protegidas, porque se encuentran en zonas aisladas de dificil acceso y poca transportación, sin embargo, el Jardín Botánico Nacional es un sitio cercano a la Habana (solo unos 30 km o 18 millas) y es muy visitado por la población de la ciudad.

En segundo lugar el trabajo de equipo que fue fabuloso y estimulante y nos mantuvo unidos y trabajando duro de principio a fin. Cada foto lograda, cada capítulo terminado, cada especie completada, fue un logro que disfrutamos ampliamente y nos mantuvo entusiasmados para alcanzar la próxima meta.

¿Qué fue lo que más les sorprendió aprender durante la elaboración de esta guía de campo?

Aprendimos cosas importantes, relacionadas tanto con las aves, como con la perseverancia y la fuerza de lograr nuestras metas.

En cuanto a las aves nos impresionó la belleza y complejidad de la cabeza de las aves, los close ups pusieron en evidencia detalles que no se capturan con los binoculares, ni con la fotografía de cuerpo completo.

Otro cosa que nos sorprendió fue el importante papel que juega el algodonero rojo (Bombax ceiba) en los meses de pricipios de año, cuando muy pocas plantas florecen en el jardín. En enero y febrero este árbol se cubre de flores de color rojo intenso y con él se asocian numerosas aves, pero no sólo en busca de insectos, néctar y polen, lo más sorprendente es que las flores acumulan gran cantidad de agua y las aves las utilizan como fuentes naturales, para saciar la sed, en estos meses de seca intensa.

En la parte superior de la página de la izquierda se puede ver a un Herrerillo de cara amarilla buscando agua en la flor de un Algodonero de seda roja; en la parte inferior, en el mismo árbol, un Mirlo cubano busca agua o insectos en las flores.

Para Martin y Lourdes no fue difícil escribir el texto, conocían bien el lugar, las aves y ya habían pasado la experiencia de trabajar en otros libros. Pero para Karen el reto fue inmenso, no sabía de diseño, ni de fotografía ni era capaz de reconocer las aves. Estos coconocimientos eran indispensables para completar el libro.

Eso implicó numerosas horas de auto estudio para aprender a trabajar los programas CorelDraw, Photoshop, e inDesign, tomar cursos de fotografia, estudiar el contenido de las principales guías de aves que se han publicado en América, aprender el estilo particular de brindar la información en las guías de campo, y al mismo tiempo, realizar constantes visitas al campo para tomar fotografias, aprender a reconocer las aves, y trabajar en el libro. Todo en tiempos de pandemias con numerosas limitaciones económicas en el país.

¿Tienen alguna historia simpática que les haya ocurrido durante la elaboración del libro que puedan compartir ?

Hubo muchas historias. Al principio karen dijo que quería que la guía fuera con fotos, para que aportara algo diferente con respecto a otras guías cubanas. Cuando intentó tomar sus primeras fotos, a un sinsonte y un gorrión, después de mucho esfuerzo, no logró ni una foto con su lente, en ese momento se dio cuenta que el camino iba a ser largo, difícil y que le faltaba mucho por aprender.

Recuerdo cuando fuimos al zoológico a tirarle fotos a las garzas que permitieran obtener sus close ups. Las garzas querian dormir y bajaban la cabeza con los ojos cerrados, no había manera de que levantaran la cabeza para tirar las fotos, le gritábamos desaforadamente y en el momento que despertaban Karen tiraba la foto, las personas pasaban y nos miraban como si estuviéramos locas con aquellos gritos, realmente nos reimos mucho.

Otro día Karen se fue sola en moto para el jardín a tirar fotos, al entrar ve un grupo de perritos cruzando la cerca y para la moto para disfrutarlos, pues los perritos le cayeron atrás y pasó buen susto, tuvo que correr a toda velocidad para que no la mordieran.

¿Cuánto tiempo les tomó completar la guía de campo?

Comenzamos en junio de 2019, el libro estuvo listo para imprimir en enero de 2022. Pero durante la covid tuvimos una interrupción de unos 6 meses en que estuvimos totalmente aislados sin comunicación, porque no todos los celulares que teniamos los autores servian para usar el internet y sin poder salir, o sea dos años aproximadamente.

Cuando finalmente logramos comunicación entre todos establecimos un método de trabajo que permitió avanzar relativamente rápido. A la misma vez que se iba avanzando en el texto, se trabajaba en el diseño, realizábamos visitas constantes al jardín, y le dedicábamos tiempo a buscar fotografías donde se reflejara lo que explicábamos en el texto y con lo cual actualizábamos la información.

De hecho, hasta 2019 cuando comenzamos a trabajar en el libro, se habian registrado 105 especies de aves, en 2022 ya ese número habia subido a 125.

Una vez terminada la obra, comenzamos a buscar fondos para la impresión, que finalmente fueron aportados por un proyecto de PNUD, logramos tener los primeros 300 ejemplares en noviembre de ese mismo año.

¿Cómo celebró la finalización de la guía de campo?

Los cinco, los tres autores y los dos editores estábamos tan felices, no podiamos creer que lo habiamos logrado, cuando vimos las primeras pruebas de impresión la emoción fue inmensa, lo celebramos pasando tiempo juntos y compartiendo las vivencias de cada uno.

¿Cuántas aves endémicas viven en el jardín?

De las 27 especies endémicas vivientes que hay en Cuba 10 se han registrado en el jardín y 12 de las 20 reportadas para las Indias occidentales, lo que hace un total de 22 especies dentro de esta categoría.

En el libro aparecen 9 endémicas de Cuba, pero recientemente se registró por primera vez el Tocororo con lo que se suma uno más.

¿Cuales son los mejores recuerdos que ustedes tienen observando las aves del jardín?

Cada vez que visitamos el jardín lo disfrutamos tanto, encontramos algo nuevo, un comportamiento diferente, en fin es difícil de decir. Por ejemplo, ver la salida del sol y el despertar de los pájaros, ver por primera vez la Cartacuba, ave típica de nuestros bosques bien conservados nos pareció increible y recientemente, acabamos de observar el Tocororo.

Cuban Trogon — El ave nacional de Cuba: el trogón cubano. (Foto de Rafy Rodríguez)

Recuerdo una ocasión en que empezó a llover, y tuvimos que tirar las fotos bajo la sombrilla para proteger la cámara, ese día registramos dos especies nuevas y logramos varias fotos de calidad para el libro, estábamos eufóricos!

Registrar una nueva especie siempre fue una fiesta para nosotros, lograr una foto que necesitábamos, con calidad y realizando una actividad que mencionábamos en el texto, ya era otra fiesta, puedo decir que los tres disfrutamos ampliamente cada visita, que en esos dos años fueron más de 60.

¿Donde se puede comprar esta guía en Cuba?

Hasta el momento no ha estado a la venta. La primera impresión ha sido muy corta con una alta demanda. Se ha usado para promocionar el libro y se ha utilizado como premio en concursos, festivales, se ha entregado a fotógrafos destacados de naturaleza, decisores, y algunas bibliotecas.

La segunda impresión que se realizará gracias al Betty Peterson Fund obtenido en el año actual debe dar la posibilidad de que se venda en el Jardín Botánico Nacional o en la Librería de la Universidad de la Habana, Alma Mater, en la Ciudad de la Habana.

¿Como se puede obtener una copia fuera de Cuba?

Esperamos poder vender el libro a través del sitio web de BirdsCaribbean.

¿Ustedes tienen en plan elaborar una versión de la guía en idioma Inglés?

Nos encantaría tener una version en Inglés y la idea es buscar fondos en el futuro para la traducción, diseño y revisión.

¿Qué le diría a un observador de aves que esté pensando en publicar su propia guía de campo?

Sigue adelante, no te detengas, trabaja duro, visita el sitio todas las veces que puedas, registra especies, comportamientos, fechas y lugares. Cuando recopiles suficiente información, busca un buen team y a estudiar y trabajar juntos. Una buena guía de campo es una obra colectiva, que puede ayudar a las aves y a las personas.

Nosotros hemos vivido siempre en un país pobre y bajo un fuerte bloqueo, con pocos recursos, poco transporte, problemas de comunicación y con elevada migración de personal joven. Si nosotros lo logramos, cualquiera que se lo proponga y le ponga empeño, constancia y amor lo va a lograr también.

Nuestros pequeños paises caribeños necesitan conocer su patrimonio natural, y estar conscientes primero de lo que tenemos, para que luego tomen conciencia de la responsabilidad de cada uno en cuidarlo y que todos podemos contribuir de alguna manera a su conservación. Libros como este son el primer paso a dar, el conocimiento conlleva apreciación, la apreciación es un paso importante para la conservación.

Puedes y debes.

Los tres autores del libro, de izquierda a derecha, Karen Aguilar Mugica, licenciada en Geografía, Martin Acosta Cruz PhD. y Lourdes Mugica Valdés PhD, ambos ornitólogos del Grupo de Ecología de Aves de la Universidad de La Habana. Karen es voluntaria del grupo desde hace varios años.

Los doctores Lourdes Mugica Valdés y Martín Acosta Cruz son profesores de la Facultad de Biología de la Universidad de La Habana (Cuba). Imparten tanto cursos formales de ecología como en los programas de investigación y educación ambiental de la facultad. Junto con Karen Aguilar Mugica, son miembros del galardonado Grupo de Ecología de las Aves (BEG) de la Universidad de La Habana. El BEG es ampliamente reconocido por su contribución al conocimiento de la ecología de las aves acuáticas cubanas. Además, son miembros y amigos de BirdsCaribbean desde hace mucho tiempo.

BirdsCaribbean Awards Grants for Ten Projects to Study and Conserve Birds

Oldest Birding Group in Cuba Wins Prestigious Ralph W. Schreiber Award at the 2021 AOS Awards!

The Cuban Ornithologists Year Book 2019

August 10, 2023

An Exciting New Field Guide to Help Cubans Know and Enjoy their Local Birds: An Interview with the Authors

HAGA CLIC AQUÍ PARA ESPAÑOL

At almost 500 hectares, the National Botanical Garden of Cuba offers a green oasis to birds, other wildlife, and people, in the capital city of Havana. It is well known for its extensive collection of palm trees, ethno-botanical displays, greenhouses, and serene Japanese Garden. From November to February it is an ideal place to see migratory birds, while some of Cuba’s iconic endemic and native birds can be seen year-round.

The new field guide “Birds of the National Botanical Garden of Cuba” (Aves del Jardín Botánico Nacional de Cuba) is the most comprehensive, authoritative, and up-to-date work of its kind. We speak with the dedicated authors Dr. Martin Acosta, Dr. Lourdes Mugica, and MSc. Karen Aguilar, about the field guide. They share the extensive research that went into its creation, how the team persevered through numerous setbacks, their surprising finds and fond memories at the garden, and advice for aspiring field guide authors.

What inspired you to create a field guide to Birds of the National Botanical Garden of Cuba?

It is a long love story between our group and the birds of the National Botanical Garden. In 1982, Dr. Martin Acosta began tutoring an undergraduate’s thesis on the garden’s birds. Since then, he realized that, with its almost 500 hectares and varied vegetation, it was a privileged place, despite the fact that at that time less than 40 species were detected. From there we carried out and published several studies on the ecology of the species that inhabited the different areas that make up the garden.

Cover of the first field guide to the Birds of the National Botanical Garden of Cuba, published in 1990.

Later, in 1990, we published a short rustic guide to identify the 41 birds we had recorded at the garden. As we had no camera or way to obtain the illustrations, Dr. Vicente Berovides, Professor at the University of Havana, drew each of the birds by hand with pencil. Incredibly, his drawings were good enough to identify the birds! That simple guide sold out quickly, so very early we could appreciate that the public was eager to get this kind of information.

From the year 1990, the well-known Special Period arrived in Cuba, with a deep economic crisis that did not allow us to travel to the field and investigate the waterfowl of the rice fields and natural wetlands that were the main focus of our research in that period. That fact resulted in all our energy and time being focused on the birds of the garden, where we traveled by bicycle from before dawn to monitor their bird populations and assemblages, to do several ecological studies, and to assist our students in their undergraduate theses.

Over time our knowledge of the place and commitment to sharing our results were increasing. Both Martin and Lourdes thought that we were going to retire without fulfilling the dream of having a book for the general public. At the time we did not have any funds to guarantee writing, editing, design, and printing. Even without the funds, but with all the accumulated knowledge of more than 30 years, in 2019 we got the final push when Dr. Banessa Falcón, Director of Teaching and Research of the National Botanical Garden, insisted on the importance of achieving this book. Karen joined the authors to contribute voluntarily with the design, photography, and anything else that was needed.

Similarly, Neyda Izquierdo, winner of the National Publishing Award in Cuba, edited the book free of charge. Additionally, Dr. Banessa Falcón, supported us in working on the book from its inception and was our scientific editor for the botanical topics.

Karen and Lourdes traveled by bike to the garden almost every day until the book was completed.

In this way, we managed to assemble a fantastic team, with whom the work became a constant exchange of ideas between wonderful people, who dedicated many hours to ensure the quality of the text in the pandemic times. In the end, it was a collective work, full of love, commitment, science, and fun!

Today, within 55 years, the garden has an assemblage of birds that has tripled in diversity in response to the vegetation development. So far 128 species, (three of them after publishing the book) have been registered, so this group of vertebrates is among its greatest attractions.

Undoubtedly, this was the great moment to bring to light the work that seemed to be just a dream for so long. Our research shows the importance that a well-managed anthropogenic (man-made) site can have for the conservation of birds. In addition, we hope that this field guide may be a useful model to other botanical gardens in Cuba and the world.

How is this field guide different from other Cuban bird guides?

It differs in several aspects:

It is the first Cuban bird guide made entirely with photographs of birds; the guides that currently exist in Cuba are based on illustrations.
The biggest difference is that it includes closeup images of the heads of most bird species (85%), which allow you to appreciate important details that are not visible in general photos or drawings.

In Chapter Four of the field guide, each family has a general picture with the main characteristics of the family and then, all the species within the family are presented. Each species has between two to six pictures; icons and text complete the descriptions.

It is the first guide that dedicates a chapter to the interdependence between the development of plant communities and the assemblages of birds that use them, in addition to revealing different aspects of the ecology of some notable populations. The guide also includes a chapter that encourages bird watching in Cuban society and offers strategies for its development.

In Chapter Three, the authors promote birdwatching and give advice on how to attract birds to your garden. In this page several vegetation structures are highlighted because of the impact they may have on birds and the resources they can offer.

It is a field guide based on the original scientific results obtained by the authors from more than 30 years of research, not on a bibliographic compilation, and it includes a chapter where many of these results are shared.

In Chapter Two, the published ecological results collected by the authors for over 30 years at the garden are presented.

The incorporation of informational boxes within the text of the general chapters is also new in Cuban bird guides. They offer a deeper understanding of the scientific elements, and were obtained by the authors in this botanical garden.
The book focuses on an ex situ conservation institution, dedicated primarily to the conservation of plants, which now joins a small group of botanical gardens around the world that have their own bird guide.
In the Field Guide chapter, 125 species are presented with 473 photos. Although the authors provided 70% of the pictures, the rest are from the selfless collaboration of 52 Cuban and foreign photographers, so this guide is a result of solidarity for the good of conservation.
Soon after the guide was published, we received a national award from the Cuban Book Institute (First Prize for Technical Scientific Criticism 2022) and the Prize for Best Scientific Book of Natural Sciences from the University of Havana. It is the first Cuban bird guide to achieve these recognitions within the country.

Tell us about your team of authors—how did each contribute?

Taking photos of moving subjects is not easy but Karen persevered.

Martin and Lourdes had the general idea of writing a bird guide since 1990, when we first published a much simpler version. Both of us contributed with our long experience, field data, and results from published studies. We wrote most of the text, and did the exhaustive revision of each version. Martin also contributed numerous photographs that are used in the field guide.

But it was Karen who designed the book and supplied most of the photos. She spent many hours doing fieldwork during the book’s development, and processed the images for the guide. She also wrote some informational boxes.

The three authors worked closely and intensively during the two and a half years it took to complete the book. We also actively participated in the final revision of the text, together with the general and scientific editors.

How much research did you need to do for this field guide?

That’s a good question, because we never worked to make a field guide, we worked to contribute to the knowledge of the natural history of the birds that live in the garden, and the more we learned, the more questions arose. So we carried out research on reproduction, territoriality, feeding, seed dispersal, and composition and structure of the assembly of birds associated with some types of vegetation. The findings have all been very useful in writing the book.

The birds used the water from the garden to maintain their feathers and meet daily demands, as well as the annual molting behavior in different bird species.

After extensive research, the authors found that the garden can meet the birds’ diverse needs: food, shelter and security.

What we can say is that it is not enough to know the list of birds that have been recorded in a site. It takes years of observations, and countless hours of fieldwork, to study essential aspects of the ecology of the species of birds that live there to contribute to their knowledge more effectively.

Martin closing a mist net at the garden. Mist netting is an essential tool for species inventory, provides useful indices of relative abundance, and can be used to track temporal trends in abundance.

What part of creating this field guide—writing, photographing, designing and editing—did you have the hardest time with or find most challenging?

Photography and design were the biggest challenges of this book. Photography, because we set out to create a guide based entirely on photos, and getting good-quality photos of 125 species, many of which are rare or difficult to photograph because of their behavior, such as aerial insectivores, was really a major challenge. At the end all species have photos and each species identification page has between 2 to 6 photos.

Martin and Karen taking photos in the garden.

Martin and Karen talk about camera models and techniques to get the best photos.

The design was challenging because it was Karen’s first design job, so taking on that task involved long hours of intense work. Both challenges were successfully overcome.

In general, it was challenging to achieve our goal that both the writing and the design were attractive to a very wide audience, including children, young people, adults, birdwatchers, and specialists in the subject.

What helped you to stay focused on such a large project?

First of all, the love of birds. Knowing that a book like this can have a great impact on Cubans and contribute to bird conservation also motivated us. Little by little, we realized that the garden can contribute a lot to local knowledge and the appreciation of birds, helping people to value not only their beauty, but also all the ecological services they provide.

Secondly, it is not easy to visit our protected areas because they are located in isolated areas that are difficult to access and transportation is scarce. However, the National Botanical Garden is situated close to Havana (only about 30 km or 18 miles) and can be easily visited by the population of the city.

Finally the teamwork, which was fabulous and exhilarating. It kept us together and working hard from start to finish. Every photo achieved, every chapter completed, every species completed, was an achievement we thoroughly enjoyed and it kept us excited to reach the next goal.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned while creating this field guide?

We learned important things related both to the birds, as well as to perseverance and the strength we have to achieve our goals.

As for the birds, we were impressed by the beauty and complexity of the birds’ heads—the close-up photos highlighted details that are not captured with binoculars or full-body photography.

Another thing that surprised us was the important role played by the Red Silk Cotton Tree (Bombax ceiba) in the early months of the year, when very few plants bloom in the garden. In January and February, this tree is covered with beautiful red flowers and numerous birds are attracted to them, but not only in search of insects, nectar and pollen. The most surprising thing is that the flowers accumulate a lot of water, and the birds use them as natural sources, to quench their thirst, in these months of intense dryness.

At the top of the left-hand page you can see a Yellow-faced Grassquit looking for water in a Red Silk Cotton tree flower; at the bottom, in the same tree, a Cuban Blackbird looks for water or insects in the flowers.

For Martin and Lourdes, it was not difficult to write the text, they knew the site and the birds well and already had the experience of working on other books. But for Karen the challenge was immense, she did not know about design, nor photography, nor was she able to recognize the bird species. All this knowledge was necessary to complete the book.

That involved numerous hours of self-study to learn how to work CorelDraw, Photoshop, and InDesign programs. So Karen took photography courses, studied the content of the main bird guides that have been published in America, and learned the particular style of providing the information in the field guides. At the same time, she made frequent visits to the field to take photographs, and learn to recognize the birds, and she kept working on the book every single day during those years.

Any fun stories to share during the process of writing, photographing, design, and editing?

There were many stories. At first Karen said she wanted the guide to be with photos, so that it would bring something different from other Cuban guides. When she tried to take her first photos, a mockingbird and a sparrow, after much effort, she did not achieve anything with her lens—at that moment she realized that the road was going to be long, difficult, and that she had a lot to learn.

I remember when we went to the zoo to take close-up pictures of the herons. They were asleep with their heads lowered and eyes closed. Yelling at them was the only way to wake them up. We shouted wildly and the moment they woke up Karen took the photo very fast. People passing by looked at us as we were screaming at the herons and by the looks on their faces, they thought we were crazy. We really laughed a lot.

Another day, Karen went alone on a motorcycle to the garden to take photos. When entering the garden, she saw a group of puppies crossing the fence and stopped the motorcycle to play with them. But the puppies ran after her which gave her a good scare. She had to run so they wouldn’t bite her.

How long did it take to complete the field guide?

We started in June 2019, the book was ready to print in January 2022. During Covid we had an interruption of about six months in which we were totally isolated without communication, (not all in the team had a good cellular phone to use the internet), and without the possibility to visit each other as we were not able to meet. So we would say that it took approximately two intense years to complete the book.

When the lockdown restrictions were lifted, we established a method of working that allowed us to advance relatively quickly, because at the same time that we were advancing in the text, we worked on the design. We made constant visits to the garden, looking for photographs that helped us explain the text, and with those visits we were constantly updating the information.

In fact, up to 2019, when we started working, 105 species had been registered; in 2022 that number had already risen to 125.

How did you celebrate when the field guide was completed?

The five of us, three authors and two editors, were so happy, we could not believe that we had finished the book. When we saw the first print proof the emotion was immense! We celebrated it by spending time together and sharing each of our experiences.

How many endemic birds live in the garden?

Of the 27 living endemic species in Cuba, 10 are found in the garden; and also 12 of the 20 species reported as endemic for the West Indies—making a total of 22 species in this category.

In the book we report on nine Cuban endemics, but recently the Cuban Trogon was recorded for the first time at the garden!

What is one of your fondest memories of birding in the Botanical Garden?

Every time we visit the garden we enjoy it so much and we learn something new about the behavior of the birds so it is difficult to say. For example, seeing the sunrise and the awakening of the birds, seeing for the first time the Cuban Tody, a typical bird of our well-preserved forests, seemed incredible to us, and recently, we just observed the Cuban Trogon for the first time!

I remember one time when it started to rain, and we had to place the camera under the umbrella to take the photos. That day we registered two new species and got several quality photos for the book, it was unforgettable!

Recording a new species and getting a quality photo that we needed, of a bird doing an activity that we mentioned in the text, was always exciting to us. I can say that the three of us thoroughly enjoyed each visit, which in those last two years amounted to more than 60.

Where in Cuba can someone purchase this field guide?

Right now it is not for sale. We have a small first batch of just 300 printed books and very high demand. The first copies have been used to promote the book and they have been given as a prizes in competitions and festivals, as well as gifted to outstanding nature photographers, decision-makers, and some libraries.

The second printing will be made this year, thanks to a grant from the Betty Peterson Conservation Fund from BirdsCaribbean. We are thinking of selling copies from this second batch at the National Botanical Garden or in the Library of the University of Havana, Alma Mater, in the City of Havana.

How can someone outside of Cuba get their own copy?

We hope to eventually sell the book through BirdsCaribbean’s website.

Do you plan on providing an English translated version of this field guide?

We would love to have an English version and the idea is to seek funding in the future for translation, design, and proofreading.

What would you say to a birder who is thinking of publishing his own field guide?

Keep going, never stop, work hard, visit the site as many times as you can, and record species, behaviors, dates and places. When you gather enough information, find a good team and work together. A good field guide is a collective work, which can help birds and people.

We have always lived in a poor country under a strong blockade, with few resources, little transportation, lots of communication problems, and high migration of young personnel. If we could succeed, then anyone who proposes a project like this and puts in the effort, perseverance, and love will succeed too.

Our small Caribbean countries need to know their natural heritage, and be aware first of what we have, so that later they become aware of the responsibility of each one in taking care of it. We all can contribute in some way to conservation. Books like this are the first step to take—knowledge brings appreciation, appreciation is an important step for conservation.

You can, you should.

The three authors of the book, from left to right, Karen Aguilar Mugica, MSc in Geography, Martin Acosta Cruz PhD. and Lourdes Mugica Valdés PhD, both ornithologists from the Bird Ecology Group of the University of Havana. Karen has been a volunteer with the group for several years.

Drs. Lourdes Mugica Valdés and Martin Acosta Cruz are Professors at the University of Havana’s Faculty of Biology in Cuba. They teach both formal ecology courses and in the faculty’s research and environmental education programs. They, along with Karen Aguilar Mugica, are members of the University of Havana’s award-winning Bird Ecology Group (BEG). The BEG is widely recognised for its contribution to our knowledge of Cuban waterbird ecology. They are, moreover, long-standing members and friends of BirdsCaribbean.

BirdsCaribbean Awards Grants for Ten Projects to Study and Conserve Birds

Oldest Birding Group in Cuba Wins Prestigious Ralph W. Schreiber Award at the 2021 AOS Awards!

The Cuban Ornithologists Year Book 2019

July 26, 2023

Announcing the First-ever eBird Sound Recording Challenge: Record Bird Songs to Win Big!

July 15, 2023

We Welcome Five New Bird Species to the Caribbean!

July 14, 2023

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

July 12, 2023

Meet Christel Mohammed – Seabird Lover, Multidisciplinary Creative, and BirdsCaribbean’s New Communications Manager!

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, BirdsCaribbean Communications Manager.

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!

July 11, 2023

Children and Birds – A Happy Combination in Jamaica’s Hope Botanical Gardens

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.

Photo of group of children birdwatching. In the photo a girl, with binoculars draped around her neck speaks with a man. — 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.

A group of adults and children birdwatching near a pond. — 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 in Puerto Rico (Rafy-Rodriguez) — 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!

Photo of adults and children birdwatching by a pond. — 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.

Endemic Birds of Jamaica Poster — 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.

“31 More Reasons to be Proud of Jamaica” – BirdLife Jamaica Launches its New Endemic Birds Poster and a Lovely New Logo

July 7, 2023

Water Conservation for Birds AND People – Dive into the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival Highlights 2023!

July 6, 2023

Caribbean Seabird Census, Avian Influenza, and GPS Tracking—All in the Latest Seabird Working Group Newsletter!

June 30, 2023

Awesome New Swag from Bird Collective x BirdsCaribbean: Get Stylish and Support Caribbean Bird Conservation

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.

The ‘Hummingbirds of the Caribbean’ T-shirt was designed by Jeffrey Burke. It showcases the following birds:

Antillean Crested Hummingbird in Cuba by Aslam I. Castellón Maure

Bee Hummingbird, an iconic Cuban endemic and smallest bird in the world
Antillean Crested Hummingbird, the ‘rockstar’ of hummingbirds
Blue-headed Hummingbird – endemic to Dominica and Martinique
Bahama Woodstar – tiny but mighty
Hispaniolan Mango and Puerto Rican Mango – ‘new endemics on the block’
Purple-throated Carib, with a regal purplish-red throat and long down-curved bill
Red-billed Streamertail of Jamaica, aka “Doctor Bird,” revered for its long streamers.

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.

Shop the entire collection here.

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.

Flamingo patch — 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.

So, we invite you to do some shopping for yourself, your friends, and family! With every purchase, you’re not only going to receive a high-quality product and look stylish, you’ll feel good knowing you’re supporting the conservation of our incredible birds. Thank you for support!!

Read more about our work in the Bird Collective interview with Lisa Sorenson here.

Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter, chock full of interesting information about Caribbean birds and conservation, here.

May 24, 2023

Making Connections and Measuring Molt: Experiences at a Second Bird Banding Workshop in the Dominican Republic

Person removing a cuckoo from a mist net — 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.

Photo of two people- a man and a woman, on a forest trail, closing a mist net. — 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.”

Photo of a man holding a Palmchat in his hand. The bird has a silver band on its right leg. — 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.

Photo of three people looking at a bird's wing. The woman is standing and slightly bent over as she stretches the wing, the man in the middle is holding the bird and the third person, another man looks on. — 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.

Photo of group of people- two men and three women, all standing side by side and facing the camera. The man in the middle is holding a certificate. — 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:

Put a band on it: Updates from our First-ever Caribbean Bird Banding Training

Caribbean Bird Banding Network

A Cuban Banding Workshop Caps off a Great Year for the Caribbean Bird Banding Network

April 16, 2023

On Global Big Day 2023 We Band Together for Caribbean Birds and their Conservation

We’ll be participating in this year’s Global Big Day (GBD)—the biggest birding day of the year—on Saturday, May 13, 2023, and raising funds to grow our Caribbean Bird Banding Network.

We are bringing back our popular teams competition, and celebrating together the bird diversity, excitement, and camaraderie that’s associated with Global Big Day.

Last year, Global Big Day virtually brought together more than 51,000 birders from 201 countries and submitted 132,000 checklists with eBird. This is the current world record for a single day of birding.

For BirdsCaribbean, the event was also successful—15 teams with members from 29 countries reported a total of 1,078 species and raised $13 734. We had so much fun doing this. Together we can make this year even better! Learn more below and on our Global Big Day GiveButter Teams page – join the fun here!

24 hours of learning, counting and sharing

During peak migration time in the spring, birders around the world head out to their favorite birding spots, or venture into new areas, to see, hear and record as many bird species as they can in a 24-hr period of time. This event helps scientists understand global bird populations and raises awareness of issues affecting them—and we need your help to do it!

No matter where you are, you can submit important data, via eBird checklists, about the birds around you. You don’t need to be an expert birder or spend the entire day looking for birds. Just 10 minutes of birding in your backyard or from your balcony will count too.

But birding is more enjoyable when done with a friend or a group. We are again calling on our community to bird together in virtual teams (you can decide if you want to join your national team or not) during Global Big Day. And engage in friendly competition to see which team can:

1) collectively see the most species of birds, and

2) raise the most funds.

Funds raised by BirdsCaribbean GBD participating teams will be used to grow our Caribbean Bird Banding Network by providing bands and other resources to Caribbean banders, providing more training opportunities and supporting bird banding projects across the islands.

You can join/re-join one of the 15 teams from last year or create a new team! Last year the Bee Hummers Dream Team from Cuba swept the competition. Will your team be the one to end their reign?

Participating in GBD is Simple

Clicking the JOIN button on the campaign page. You can choose to join an existing team OR create your own team.
The ‘Join a Team’ button is located just below the header graphic.

If you choose to create a team, personalize it with a fun name, photos and your own lingo. NOTE: if you are outside the US or Canada, we will need to assist you with the first step of creating your own team; after this you will be able to manage the team (email Lisa.Sorenson@BirdsCaribbean.org and she will get you set up pronto!)

All team leaders and members should then invite family, friends, colleagues, and members of your birding community to join your team and/or donate to your team. It helps to set your own personal fundraising goal to help your team reach its overall goal!

By inviting people to your team, you are

(1) raising awareness for BirdsCaribbean and the Caribbean Bird Banding Network,

(2) helping to raise funds for Caribbean bird research and conservation, and

(3) promoting Global Big Day, citizen science, and the importance of conserving birds and their habitats.

and/or . . .

2. Making a donation to one of the birding and fundraising teams.

By doing so, you will have (1) helped advance knowledge of Caribbean birds through bird banding which gives us a more detailed look at birds’ life histories, and (2) encouraged that team to give it their all on Global Big Day.

and/or . . .

3. Committing to spending some time (or the entire day!) birding on Global Big Day (May 13), being sure to keep track of what you see and then entering that information into eBird. We hope everyone will do this, whether or not they join a team or fundraise.

Group of birders in the Dominican Republic. Photo by Zara Palmer.

This will be a fun event to fundraise for and get excited about birds! Be ready to visit birding hotspots or set yourself up in a safe place* and bird for as much of the day as possible, knowing that all of your teammates, friends, and BirdsCaribbean community members are doing the same!

If birding from the Caribbean, you should plan to submit your observations to eBird Caribbean. Then we’ll tally them up and see how we all did! We will send out more information about this as the event draws closer.

Why this is Important

The insular Caribbean is a critical region for birds. There are 176 species that occur here and nowhere else in the world! In addition, the islands provide a winter home for numerous migrants—many stay 6 months or longer while others rely on the islands as stopover sites to rest and refuel during their long journeys north and south.

The development of a strong regional conservation community, through capacity-building training and career development opportunities at the island level for local people, is critical to ensure the sustainable preservation of island birds and their habitats.

How your Donation Will be Used

This Global Big Day fundraiser will support the Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) Network, allowing us to continue providing bands and other resources to Caribbean banders, host more international training workshops , support Caribbean banders to attend internships (read about Zoya’s incredible internship at Klamath Bird Observatory) or other opportunities to practice and develop their skills, and grow and expand this network to more Caribbean islands.

Bird Banding Training Workshop participant David Walters placing a band on the leg of a Palm Warbler. Photo by Josh Covill.

You can learn more about the CBB Network on our website. Please also join us for our upcoming CBB Network webinar series:

The first webinar, ‘Banding Together – Creating the Caribbean Bird Banding Network, Part 1’ will be held on Friday, April 21 at 2 PM EDT. Join the BirdsCaribbean Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) Network live and learn what bird banding is, its applications and how it can change the future of Caribbean bird conservation.

Register and save your spot here: bit.ly/Carib-Bird-Banding1

The second webinar “Banding Together—Creating the Caribbean Bird Banding Network, Part 2” will be held on Thursday, May 4th at 4 pm EDT. Several Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) Network members, including Daniela Ventura del Puerto (Cuba), Zoya Buckmire (Grenada), Hector Andujar (Dominican Republic), and Dayamiris Candelario (Puerto Rico), will share what they have gained from being part of this initiative, and exciting plans for expanding bird banding in the Caribbean.

Register and save your spot here: bit.ly/Carib-Bird-Banding2

As with everything in the Caribbean, we will be successful when our whole community pitches in, so let’s do this together! We need your help to do this!

Team Up to WIN

Prizes will be awarded to

the team that raises the most funds
the team with the most creative name and stylish fundraising page
the team that sees the most bird species on Global Big Day
the “country/island team” that sees the highest proportion of their birds on Global Big Day (to control for differences in the number of species on each island!)
the team with the best “find” of the day (unusual, rare, plumage aberration, etc.)
the team with the best bird photo of the day (must be posted on eBird along with your list)

And others, TBD!

https://www.birdscaribbean.org/2022/06/global-big-day-2022-birdscaribbean-continues-record-breaking-streak/

https://www.birdscaribbean.org/2021/05/birdscaribbeans-global-big-day-essential-checklist-for-all-birders/

April 11, 2023

BirdsCaribbean President Adrianne Tossas wins Outstanding Women in STEAM Award

We are happy and proud to congratulate our President Adrianne Tossas, who has received an Outstanding Women in STEAM award from the University of Puerto Rico for contributions to scientific research and education.

Adrianne Tossas giving an acceptance speech for her award.

Adrianne was nominated by her peers to be part of the 4th Power of Women in Science symposium that took place at the main campus of the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras on March 31, 2023. The event celebrated the achievements of 25 women professors who excel in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM). In a special ceremony, the Vice President for Research acknowledged the nominees representing the 11 campuses of the University of Puerto Rico, with a special recognition that was prepared and presented by young women from different local schools.

Adrianne has been a professor of biology at the University of Puerto Rico in Aguadilla since 2008. As part of this position, she has led about 200 students in their first research experiences through the Bird Ecology and Conservation Project. Through the course Introduction to Research she engages undergraduate students in bird monitoring and mentors them to apply for graduate programs. Every semester, small groups of 10 to 15 students receive training in bird identification techniques, surveying protocols, experiment design, scientific writing, and skills for oral presentations.

Recognition for Outstanding Women in STEAM program invitation.

Photo of group of people- one man and five ladies, standing on a stage. Fourth person from the left is Adrianne who is holding her award which is a painting of herself.

Adrianne with faculty of UPR Aguadilla after receiving her award.

Adrianne Tossas with fellow award recipient and woman in science Brenda Ramos during the event.

Both women and girls received awards for their contirbutions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and maths.

Here is more on our President’s work and achievements:

Landbird monitoring

In 2009 Adrianne Tossas started monitoring the avian community of Guajataca State Forest, a natural reserve in the northern karst region of the island. Point counts are conducted every spring, allowing for the assessment of 37 bird species, including 12 of Puerto Rico’s 18 endemic species. This 15-year comparison has shown population changes related to an extreme drought in 2015 and the passage of Hurricane María in 2017. The combined effects of both events caused a 10-20% difference in overall bird abundance from 2016 to 2018 compared to 2009-2015. Almost five years after the hurricane, the average number of individuals per count was still lower than baseline estimates.

Audiomoth Automatic Recording Unit (ARU) set up on a tree to record songs and calls of forest birds. (photo by Lisa Sorenson).

A new monitoring project with AudioMoth digital recorders began in this forest in 2022, to assess the singing activity of bird species. Approximately 3,000 minutes per month were recorded in February, May, July and August 2022, and January- March 2023. The open-source software ARBIMON was used to analyze the findings of the most abundant species. The top-five most frequently detected were the Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola), Black-whiskered Vireo (Vireo altiquus) Puerto Rican Vireo (Vireo latimeri), Puerto Rican Bullfinch (Melospiza portoricensis), and Adelaide’s Warbler (Setophaga adelaidae). Ongoing data collection will permit comparing patterns over time.

Since the forest trails were inaccessible for almost a year after the passage of Hurricane María, Adrianne designed new projects in coastal areas to engage students in bird monitoring.

White-tailed Tropicbird

Since 2018 the group has been assessing the size and annual fluctuations of populations of the White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaeton lepturus) when they return from the sea to breed in the rocky cliffs of Quebradillas in northern Puerto Rico. This is the species’ only breeding site on the main island, since it is mostly known to nest on cays off the eastern coast. Biweekly surveys were conducted during the reproductive season, which extends from December to July, detecting a yearly average of 70 tropicbirds (range of 0 – 94 individuals). These data suggest that the population consists of approximately 50 breeding pairs; however, this number could be larger because the cliffs provide potential nesting sites beyond the study site. A count conducted along a broader extension of the cliff in February 2023 recorded a total of 206 individuals.

Brown Pelican

Since 2019 the group has been assessing the population status of the Caribbean Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis occidentalis) on the coast of Aguadilla. From 2019 to 2021, up to 49 individuals were counted in 38 monthly surveys, including adults with reproductive plumage and juveniles. In October 2021 the group found an active breeding colony with 53 nests in a steep cliff bordering the seashore. A second nesting season is currently under study. No surveys have taken place in this area since 1993, even though this is one of the only three pelican breeding sites in Puerto Rico. These data are helping local conservation groups to promote the creation of a new nature reserve in coastal Aguadilla.

We congratulate Adrianne on her inspiring work in science and education and on her well-deserved award!

April 5, 2023

Operations Manager Job Opportunity— BirdsCaribbean is Hiring!

Are you experienced in managing operations of an organization? Do you have a passion for finance, efficiency, and organization? Would you like to work with a small non-profit comprised of dedicated staff, and help them to grow and prosper? Then consider joining our team!

BirdsCaribbean is seeking to hire a full-time Operations Manager.

Position Overview

BirdsCaribbean is a small but growing U.S. non-profit organization, funded by multiple income streams and running programs throughout the Caribbean region. We are seeking an Operations Manager to join the team who will support our day-to-day operations and strategic growth decisions that support our mission, projects, and programs. This position requires the highest level of trust and confidence. Primary duties and responsibilities include bookkeeping, financial tracking/budgeting, human resources, policy creation, compliance, and administrative and strategic support for multiple programs, memberships, and fundraising. The Operations Manager must maintain a collaborative and supportive relationship with BC’s Executive Director, its Board, and paid and volunteer program managers. This is a full-time employee position with some benefits that can be worked remotely from any location.

Note: Due to the need for experience and knowledge managing a 501 c 3 nonprofit under US tax and banking laws, applicants must be US citizens residing in the US, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Perform financial activities and maintain appropriate financial records.

Manage bookkeeping, accounts payable and receivable, and payroll.
Work on the organizational budget with the Executive Director and Treasurer, and specific project budgets with program managers.
Manage registrations and returns necessary for the organization’s financial transactions and compliance with regulations.
Document financial policies and procedures in the organizational manual and implement best practices and financial controls.

2. Oversee operational/administrative functions of the organization.

Assist in monitoring the general inquiries inbox online (Info@birdscaribbean.org).
Research, monitor, and purchase supplies, systems, and policies for administrative and operational activities.
Organize and maintain personnel files.
Document operational, administrative, and personnel policies/procedures in the organizational manual.

3. Support programs of the organization.

Assist program staff in obtaining necessary information or tools.
Complete monthly and ongoing review of program files/records to ensure compliance.
Assist in program activities (e.g., correspondence, administration of MOUs, project budgeting/reports, purchasing, tracking small grants, and proposals) as appropriate and applicable.
Assist in the organization and delivery of events, such as webinars, meetings, fundraising, workshops, conferences, or others, as assigned.

EDUCATION

Undergraduate degree required, advanced education such as a master’s degree in a relevant field and/or certifications are strongly preferred.

QUALIFICATIONS

Proficient computer skills including use of financial accounting systems (QuickBooks experience preferred), standard Office programs, maintaining spreadsheets and databases, and navigating websites.
3-5+ years of employment related to business administration, ideally of a nonprofit organization or academic institution.
Knowledge of nonprofit operations and ability to stay on top of regulations, requirements, and opportunities.
Strong attention to detail and the desire to deliver high-quality work without exceptions.
Ability to prioritize tasks, simultaneously manage multiple projects, and set/meet deadlines.
Professional demeanor, team player, consistently positive attitude, and ability to communicate professionally and respectfully with a highly diverse audience.
A strong, reliable internet connection.
A passion or strong desire to support and advance conservation in the Caribbean; an interest and/or experience with birds or other environmental fields is a plus.

Employment Parameters

This is a full-time position (40 hours/week on average). It will require the flexibility to be available outside of normal working hours (i.e., 9 am – 5 pm) in certain cases, depending on the timing of specific deliverables and project deadlines. Pay will be commensurate with experience and local wage/cost-of-living considerations, and a benefits package will be developed in consultation with the candidate.

The Operations Manager works in a changing environment that adjusts to the needs of the day, including developments in our various programs. The environment may, at times, be fast-paced with interruptions, distractions, and deadlines. The Operations Manager needs to be flexible and be able to adjust to changing assignments or activities.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should apply online using this link. You will need to have the following documents ready to submit:

A cover letter (1-2 pages max) that expresses why you are interested in this position and summarizes your qualifications and experience
Current copy of your Resume or CV
Personal References (3) and Background Check Consent.

Application period: April 5th to April 30th, 2023

About Us: BirdsCaribbean (BC) is a vibrant international network of members and partners committed to conserving Caribbean birds and their habitats in the insular Caribbean (including Bermuda, the Bahamas, and all islands within the Caribbean basin). Our mission is to raise awareness, promote sound science, and empower local partners to build a region where people appreciate, conserve, and benefit from thriving bird populations and ecosystems. We are a non-profit membership organization based in the U.S. With 33 years of experience, BirdsCaribbean has built an extensive and active network of more than 60 partners across 31 countries, which include environmental organizations, government agencies, institutions, businesses, tour guides, educators, and individuals.

BirdsCaribbean is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. BirdsCaribbean makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time. We look forward to hearing from you!

March 30, 2023

Just Published in JCO: Birds are Using Manmade Materials to Build Nests

BirdsCaribbean is bringing you some highlights from the Journal of Caribbean Ornithology in our new feature “Just Published in JCO.” Here Zoya Buckmire, the Lead Copy Editor for the Journal of Caribbean Ornithology, tells us all about a research note documenting the use of manmade materials by birds to build their nests.

Image of a Black-faced Grassquit nest, in acacia tree, with linen and cotton twine, and strands of plastic interwoven with natural materials. — Black-faced Grassquit nest with linen and cotton twine, and strands of plastic interwoven with natural materials. (Hannah Madden)

As human influence over the environment increases, so too does the distribution of man-made materials in natural spaces. More and more birds are encountering human debris in their habitat and interacting with these materials in various, often life-threatening, ways, such as mistaking them for food or becoming entangled in them. In this research note, Hannah Madden and Hailley Danielson-Owczynsky document landbirds in St. Eustatius using human debris in an interesting but potentially dangerous way. Their observations shows how pervasive our impact is on the world around us.

But how did this study come about? Our authors found the first nest almost by accident. As they were doing some yard work at Hannah’s property, the two came across a Black-faced Grassquit nest with plastic woven through it. Though they didn’t think much of it at first, a few days later they regrouped and decided to intentionally search the surrounding areas for more nests to see how common the phenomenon was.

They found a total of 19 nests, two which contained man-made debris, including linen, cotton, and polyester fibers and twine and pieces of white and clear plastic bags.

The second nest (shown in the photo below), belonging to a Bananaquit, wasn’t even found by the authors! Hannah’s daughter Lalia takes the credit for that, as she tagged along to the field visit. “She has a very sharp eye,” commented Hannah. “She helped us find the second nest, located along a fairly busy road, that I had overlooked entirely.”

Bananaquit nest with white and gray polyester fibers interwoven with natural materials. (Hannah Madden)

The biggest challenge to this research was the vegetation—acacia and other thorny plants provided many a hazard in the field. The authors were also discouraged by the “depressing amount of garbage in the vicinity, which of course, only makes this study that much more important.

The authors noted that the light-colored man-made materials may increase their visibility to predators leading to higher predation rates, but this needs further study. Their hopes are that their work “will encourage more people in the Caribbean to look out for man-made materials in landbird nests and conduct their own simple study,” said Hannah. “There is so little published literature about this phenomenon, yet it is likely a pervasive issue in the region.” Indeed, plastic pollution is severe throughout the Caribbean. Only through studying its many impacts on bird populations can we begin to understand – and address – this issue.

To learn more, download the research note here: Madden, H. and D. Danielson-Owczynsky 2023. Incorporation of anthropogenic materials into passerine nests on St Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands. Journal of Caribbean Ornithology 36:26-29. Or use this link https://doi.org/10.55431/jco.2023.36.26-29

More Featured Articles From “Just Published in the JCO

https://www.birdscaribbean.org/2023/03/just-published-in-jco-inquiries-into-avian-malaria-using-a-beloved-caribbean-resident-the-bananaquit/

https://www.birdscaribbean.org/2023/03/just-published-in-jco-first-avifauna-list-for-conception-island-national-park-the-bahamas-in-over-100-years/

The Journal of Caribbean Ornithology is a peer-reviewed journal covering all aspects of ornithology within the Caribbean region. We welcome manuscripts covering the biology, ecology, behavior, life history, and conservation of Caribbean birds and their habitats. This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

March 15, 2023

Cuba’s BIG YEAR of Birding!

Big Year Cuba 2022 was a year-long birdwatching extravaganza, with birders—old, new, and in-between—across the largest island in the Caribbean competing to observe and record the highest number of species. Our Executive Director, Dr Lisa Sorenson, attended the Awards Ceremony in January. Here we share the amazing results of the competition and its likely impact upon the Cuban population and bird conservation.

The Big Year Cuba 2022 poster featured the charismatic and endemic Cuban Tody.

Together, Cuba’s pandemic crisis and the rise in the access to and use of social media, escalated the local tradition of keeping wild migratory and endemic birds in cages into a likely harmful and unsustainable illegal bird trade. Songbird capture and sales increased dramatically in Cuba over the period 2020-2022 and traffickers smuggling birds from Cuba have been seized at airports in Miami. Both Cuban and international conservation NGOs were alarmed by this dramatic increase. In response, they organized a ‘Big Year Cuba’ in 2022.

The year-long competition encouraged Cubans to don their Citizen Scientist caps and explore their island, while enjoying the birds in their natural habitats rather than in cages. Cuban birder and conservationist, Yaro Rodriguez, came up with the idea for Big Year Cuba. It was his hope that this competition would increase the number of birdwatchers in Cuba and birding hotspots on the island. Most importantly, however, Yaro’s goal was to strengthen and unify the position of the Cuban community of birdwatchers in their role as conservationists.

A small organizing committee was formed in Fall 2021 to plan the rules and guidelines for the competition. This included Yaro, Nils Navarro (Cuban artist, ornithologist and bird guide), Vladimir Mirabel (editor, The Cuban Birder magazine), Jeff Gerbracht (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) and Lisa Sorenson (BirdsCaribbean). Generous sponsors (BirdsCaribbean, Optics for the Tropics, Environment for the Americas, and Caribbean Conservation Trust) kindly stepped up to offer cash and other prizes for the winners as well additional prizes for all who competed.

The contest was shared widely via social media on active and growing Cuban Birding Facebook pages and through The Cuban Birder magazine. Competing birdwatchers were required to submit their observations, via checklists, to eBird.

It was an intense year of fraternal competition among the Cuban birdwatchers to register the highest number of species, and the results were amazing. A total of 79 birders from 13 provinces (out of 15) were registered for the competition; 13 were women. Five birdwatchers recorded more than 200 species during the year and more than half of the competitors reported 100 species or more. Today almost the entire island is covered by active observers, contributing to eBird checklists daily.!

Awards Ceremony of the Big Year Cuba 2022

The Awards Ceremony was held at the ranch of the Monte Barreto Ecological Park on January 28, 2023, and attended by Cuban birdwatchers, ornithologists, and conservationists, along with colleagues from Optics for the Tropics, Environment for the Americas, and the Caribbean Conservation Trust. BirdsCaribbean’s Executive Director, Dr Lisa Sorenson, was also present at the ceremony to celebrate this historic achievement and help with awarding of prizes.

Photo of two women on stage facing forward and standing side by side. One woman is holding papers while the other makes a speech. The backdrop reads "Gran Ano Cuba" with a photo of a birder watching birds with binoculars to the left and birds flying on the right. — BirdsCaribbean Executive Director Dr. Lisa Sorenson congratulating the Organizing Committee and all birdwatchers for making it a highly successful event.

Renowned Cuban artist and ornithologist Nils Navarro opened the ceremony, sharing some of the challenges and rewards of organizing a competition of this magnitude. He highlighted the importance of joining other conservation projects in Cuba to make it a success. He also expressed his pleasure in seeing the genuine enthusiasm among Cuban birdwatchers. As a result of this initiative, areas that no one had observed before can now be explored, as in the case of Media Luna, in the south of Granma. Nils said that his colleague Ricel Polán was able to document, for the first time in the history of Cuban ornithology, the presence of the Caribbean Swallow (Progne dominicensis) nesting in that area!

Photo of group of people-one woman and four men- standing on stage. — Members of the organizing committee with winners of the Big Year Cuba competition.

Following this introduction, the highly anticipated winners of the Big Year Cuba 2022 were announced. Alejandro Llanes Sosa won 1st Place with a record of 261 species observed, Carlos Hernández Peraza came in 2nd Place with 242 species, and Sergio Luis del Castillo took home 3rd Place with 223 species. Their full testimonies can be found in the February 2023 issue of The Cuban Birder. Special Mentions were given to other birders who observed and recorded over 100 species. Lastly, Muhammed Halim Machado was recognized for having registered the 400th species in Cuban avifauna: the Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus).

First Place winner Alejandro Sosa.

Second Place winner Carlos Peraza.

Third Place winner Sergio del Castillo.

The ceremony ended with old and new friends mingling over delicious Cuban food and drink, including mojitos.

Photo of groups of people standing and talking to each other. s — Invited guests mingle over mojitos at the Awards Ceremony.

The truth is in the eBird data

First place winner Alejandro Llanes in the field making sure he does not miss a bird.

According to eBird statistics, during 2022 Cuba showed a sustained growth in the number of uploaded checklists – placing it, for several months, among the most dynamic countries in the world. For example, in November 2022 the number of checklists grew by 145% compared to November of the previous year; in August, by 126%; in April, by 338% and in March, by 185%.

Between 2015 and 2018, only 30 Cubans signed up for eBird. This number rose to 161 between 2019 and 2022. There has been a significant increase in the number of active Cubans on the platform in the last 4 years!

With respect to participation in Global Big Day, from 2018 to 2020 only 43 observers participated. However, between 2021 and 2022 the participation was significantly higher with a total of 193 birdwatchers.

The number of birding hot spots also increased in Cuba from 237 in June 2021 to 361 at the end of December 2022. The number of reported species also grew in the same period from 361 to 375.

The future of birdwatching and conservation in Cuba

Big Year Cuba 2022 was met with great enthusiasm and commitment by Cubans to expand their knowledge of the incredible bird diversity on the island. The Organizing Committee is already thinking about the next Big Year Cuba competition in 2024, but until then they will continue to foster respect for wild birds and their habitats, across the island.

As a result of Big Year Cuba, many new birding clubs have launched in a number of individual provinces, encouraging more Cubans to enjoy watching and studying wild birds rather than trapping and keeping them in cages. Cuban Birding Facebook pages, including Club de Observadores de Aves Cuba and Aves de Cuba and others, have also seen a dramatic increase in their membership during the last 3 years, with many people sharing their sightings and actively following the pages. BirdsCaribbean and our partners will continue to support these efforts, such as recent grants to our Cuban colleagues through our ongoing grant programs.

Ultimately this effort has helped spark a passion for birding and bird conservation and is helping to raise awareness of threats birds face and the irreversible damage the illegal bird trade can have on wild populations. The Committee is hopeful that, through these initiatives, Cuban society will become well informed to make pro-bird conservation choices, including reporting of illegal wild bird sales and refusing to buy wild birds. We shall keep you updated on our collective efforts!

Big Year Cuba winners, after receiving their awards, took photos with their fellow birders. From left to right: Alejandro Llanes Sosa, Carlos Peraz, Vladimir Mirabel and Sergio del Castillo.

Thank you to the Organizing Committee for your hard work on this initiative and congrats on the overwhelming success of your first Big Year Cuba! Many thanks to our partners who sponsored cash and other prizes and donations of educational materials to Cuban birders. And huge thanks to our members and donors, whose generous support helped to make the Cuba Big Year and our other programs to support Cuban bird research and conservation, possible.

Read more about about the results of Cuba Big Year 2022 in The Cuban Birder magazine.

Author: Aliya Hosein

2023 was a Fulfilling Year of Progress, Building, and Empowerment

JCO Roundup: Volume 36 Features Exciting New Research from Across the Caribbean

Recent Articles in the JCO on an Endangered Caribbean Hawk

20 Years of Research Gives the Purple-throated Carib a Birds of the World Update!

Hybrid Todies, and Connecting to Places and People Through Birds: Holly Garrod is on the Women Birders Podchat!

Great Teamwork! The Bahamas gets Two Motus Stations to Track its Migratory Birds

Wings Over Water—the Caribbean Celebrates Magnificent Migratory Birds and Encourages Water Conservation

Training Opportunity: Caribbean Bird Banding Workshop

Let’s Talk About Being a Latina in STEM and the Birding Glass Ceiling: Women Birders Podchat with Dr Adrianne Tossas

Looking to the Deep Past to Support Parrot Conservation

Birdability Week 2023: Soaring Towards a More Accessible World

Save the Date! BirdsCaribbean 2024 Conference in the Dominican Republic

World Migratory Bird Day—The Birds are En Route and Headed Our Way!

Double Your Impact for Shorebirds at this Year’s Global Shorebird Count: 1-7 September 2023

Una Nueva e Interesante Guía de Campo para Ayudar a los Cubanos a Conocer y Disfrutar de sus Aves Locales: Entrevista con los Autores

An Exciting New Field Guide to Help Cubans Know and Enjoy their Local Birds: An Interview with the Authors

Announcing the First-ever eBird Sound Recording Challenge: Record Bird Songs to Win Big!

We Welcome Five New Bird Species to the Caribbean!

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

Meet Christel Mohammed – Seabird Lover, Multidisciplinary Creative, and BirdsCaribbean’s New Communications Manager!

Children and Birds – A Happy Combination in Jamaica’s Hope Botanical Gardens

Water Conservation for Birds AND People – Dive into the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival Highlights 2023!

Caribbean Seabird Census, Avian Influenza, and GPS Tracking—All in the Latest Seabird Working Group Newsletter!

Awesome New Swag from Bird Collective x BirdsCaribbean: Get Stylish and Support Caribbean Bird Conservation

Making Connections and Measuring Molt: Experiences at a Second Bird Banding Workshop in the Dominican Republic

On Global Big Day 2023 We Band Together for Caribbean Birds and their Conservation

BirdsCaribbean President Adrianne Tossas wins Outstanding Women in STEAM Award

Operations Manager Job Opportunity— BirdsCaribbean is Hiring!

Just Published in JCO: Birds are Using Manmade Materials to Build Nests

Cuba’s BIG YEAR of Birding!

Focus on one adorable but elusive waterbird…

Looking for landbirds…

We were out and about again! Celebrating our beautiful endemics

On the Caribbean Birding Trail in Turks and Caicos

Bonding over Bird Banding! Workshop #2 in the Dominican Republic

Caribbean bird banders have gone abroad!

Seabirds under pressure

More direct funding for research and conservation work!

Have we forgotten something? Oh, yes…

Networking is key…

A few glimpses behind the scenes of JCO’s operations in 2023:

RESEARCH ARTICLES AND NOTES

Meghann B. Humphries and Robert E. Ricklefs

BOOK REVIEW

RECENT ORNITHOLOGICAL LITERATURE (ROL) FROM THE CARIBBEAN

Article by

MORE FEATURED ARTICLES FROM “JUST PUBLISHED IN THE JCO”

Enter Dr. Ethan Temeles

Plumage Particulars, Population Data…and Partitioning of Flower Resources!

Listen

Delight your taste buds with this Hybrid Tody (not toddy!) cocktail

More about Hannah and Erik

Wildlife backpackers on the move

Four stations slated for three Bahamian islands

Getting started on Grand Bahama, still feeling Hurricane Dorian’s effects

It was hard labor—shovels, buckets, and mixing cement!

A birding break…

…Then, back to work!

And the work continued…

Water conservation for migratory birds and people

The Bahamas

Jamaica

Cuba

Dominican Republic

Puerto Rico

St. Martin / Sint Maarten

Guadeloupe

Trinidad and Tobago

Birds Connect our World—Fifteen new species shared on BirdsCaribbean’s website

Flying, hopping, wiggling, and crawling towards WMBD 2024

Why do we need to band birds?

About the workshop

Funding and Logistics

Applications

Oportunidad de Capacitación: Taller de Anillamiento de Aves en el Caribe

¿Por qué necesitamos anillar aves?

Sobre el taller

Financiación y logística

Solicitudes

Listen

Cool off with a Puerto Rican Vireo cocktail

More about Hannah and Erik

Humans have been altering the natural world for longer than we thought

The endemic Hispaniolan Parrot was once native . . . to The Bahamas!

Watch the Birds or Follow the Birdsong—Birding is for ALL

Help Put Accessible Birding Locations in the Caribbean on the Map!

Attend a Virtual Event and Connect with Differently Abled Birders

Mark your calendars and plan to attend!

*Drumroll please* Unveiling our Theme!

Agenda Highlights: What to Expect

¡Reserva la fecha! 24ª Conferencia Internacional de BirdsCaribbean en la República Dominicana

Redoble de tambores, por favor: Revelando el tema de la Conferencia

Agenda: Qué se Espera

Graphique promotionnel à utiliser en français

As the saying goes, “Water is life.”

We can all help our migratory birds

Clear the runway because coming in for landing is..

WMBD celebrations would not be complete without some spectacular artwork!

Free WMBD resources for educators and conservationists

How you can celebrate and help migratory birds . . . & we want to see your bird baths!

Let’s enjoy observing our migratory birds as they reach Caribbean shores! They need our protection more than ever.

Why should you #ShowUpForShorebirds?

We can’t do it alone

Where to find shorebirds?

How to participate in the count

Shorebird ID and FREE resources for the field

Promotional graphic templates – feel free to modify for your counts

What if you spot a banded bird?

Keep a sharp eye out for Piping Plovers, including banded birds!

Share your shorebird stories

Drumroll please Unveiling our Theme!