Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Cuban Kite
Today we delve into the natural history of a fascinating, elusive, and controversial bird—the Cuban Kite (Chondrohierax wilsonii)! It is a distant and mysterious relative of the widely known Hook-billed Kite (Chondrohierax uncinatus). The Cuban Kite is an endemic species confined to the beautiful island of Cuba where it is called Gavilán Caguarero.
Although once sighted in various regions, from the lush savannas of Cienfuegos to the wetlands of the Zapata Swamp, its presence nowadays is restricted to the far eastern part of Cuba, specifically in the provinces of Holguín and Guantánamo. Unfortunately, its appearance in these territories has become so rare that there are serious concerns about its possible extinction, or at least its imminent functional disappearance.
The taxonomic history of the Cuban Kite has been as intriguing as its existence in the wild. Named by the prominent ornithologist John Cassin in the 19th century, this bird has gone through periods of uncertainty regarding its taxonomic status, oscillating between being considered an independent species and then as a subspecies of the Hook-billed Kite. However, it has recently regained its status as a separate species, a well-deserved recognition for this marvelous raptor.
One of the most distinctive features of the Cuban Kite is its plumage and massive bill, which reveal its unique identity. With its broad wings and barred tail, and a notably large and hooked yellow bill, this elegant raptor stood out in the Cuban landscape. It was once incorrectly believed that the Cuban Kite feasted on birds, especially doves, and the occasional lizard. But this Cuban emblem has a more sophisticated palate and prefers escargot. This bird feeds exclusively on tree snails! In the eastern part of Cuba its primary food source is the Cuban painted snail (Polymicta picta), however this species does not occur in its former range in west-central Cuba, where tree snails of the genus Liguus (presumably L. fasciatus and L. vittatus, based on range) might be its alternative food source. The Cuban Kite uses its strong hooked bill to pierce or crush the mollusk’s shell before slurping up the soft snail. As a famous animated lion cub once said, “Slimy…yet satisfying!”
Currently there are no sound recordings for the Cuban Kite, but in flight calls are believed to be very similar to that of the Hook-billed Kite. Additionally, with just a handful of sightings, most recently in 2010, information on its breeding ecology, and other social or antagonistic behaviours remain unknown.
However, ornithologists are certain that the survival of the Cuban Kite is in jeopardy. Habitat destruction, indiscriminate snail collection, and direct persecution by farmers who mistakenly believe it preys on their poultry represent significant threats to its existence. The shells of the snails that the kite feeds on come in a wide variety of colors: pastel yellow and pink, brick red and black, pearly white and ochre and are sought by collectors who sell them to tourists or trade them to the US and Europe.
The Cuban Kite reminds us of the fragility of wildlife and the importance of our role as stewards of nature. It is crucial to organize expeditions to search for the Cuban Kite and implement urgent conservation measures, ranging from the protection of its vital habitat to public awareness of the importance of preserving this unique and little-known species. Every effort to protect this majestic bird contributes to maintaining Cuba’s rich biodiversity and preserving an invaluable treasure for future generations. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Nils Navarrofor the text!
Colour in the Cuban Kite
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
The Cuban Kite was once seen across Cuba. Today its presence is likely restricted to the far eastern part of Cuba, specifically in the provinces of Holguín and Guantánamo. Unfortunately, sightings of this bird are so rare that there are serious concerns about its possible extinction, or at least its imminent functional disappearance. (Art by Nils Navarro)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : The only food theCuban Kite will eat is tree snails! They use their huge strong hooked bills to pierce or crush the snail’s shell, before slurping up its soft insides.
Can you help this hungry Cuban Kite find its way through our maze to to grab some tasty snails?
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Jamaican Crow
The Jamaican Crow (Corvus jamaicensis), otherwise locally known as the ‘Jabbering Crow,’ is endemic to Jamaica and is the only species of crow on the island! They are infamous for their loud and distinctive call, consisting of a harsh “Craaaa” and various nasal jabbering, bubbling sounds. It’s a call that will surely scare the wits out of any person in the forest who is unfamiliar with this crow’s presence.
The Jamaican Crow has sooty gray-black plumage and a thick and heavy black bill. It is the smallest species of crow in the Caribbean, with a length ranging from 35-38cm. Despite this fact, it is actually the largest of the fully black birds found in Jamaica. They are often seen perched high in the trees in small flocks of up to five individuals. These birds are frequently observed in forested areas at elevations above 500m and are reported to migrate to lower regions in the dry season. They are also observed in farms, gardens, and urban areas, including towns—there just might be one outside your window!
Jamaican Crows are omnivores. They forage for fruits like soursop, banana, and plantain—but also leave no leaf or bark unturned in search of protein-rich insects. They can be found inspecting epiphytes for lizards, frogs, and other small animals. They also have an appetite for bird eggs and nestlings! They are known particularly to raid the nests of wild pigeons.They intimidate their victims with harsh vocalizations and even physical contact to get their beaks on the prized eggs. Instead of nesting in tree cavities like other crows, they usually build their nests on a high platform in tall trees. Research is needed on this species’ breeding season, clutch size, and incubation and nestling periods which remain undescribed.
Whilst the Jamaican Crow is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, little is known about the main threats to this species. Since this crow has been observed spreading into parts of the island outside of their habitat range, notably in Westmoreland and Manchester, it is possible that they are threatened by habitat loss. The Jamaican Crow, and many other birds in Jamaica, will benefit from policies that prevent the unsustainable destruction of forests and intensive reforestation efforts where needed. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Damion Whyte for the text!
Colour in the Jamaican Crow
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the Jamaican Crow
The calls of the Jamaican Crow are an emphatic harsh “raaaa” sometimes given in a series.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Jamaican Crows will feed on fruits—but also leave no leaf or bark unturned in search of protein-rich insects. They can be found inspecting epiphytes for lizards, frogs, and other small animals. (Photo by Sam Zhang, Macaulay Library-ML612254125)Jamaican Crows are frequently observed in forested areas at elevations above 500m and are reported to migrate to lower regions in the dry season. (Photo by Brandon Nidiffer, Macaulay Library-ML587100461)
The Jamaican Crow is the smallest species of crow in the Caribbean, with a length ranging from 35-38cm.
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Can you work out what the Jamaican Crow saying? Test your skills to decode our Jamaican Crow Cryptogram! Once you’ve decoded the message you can can check the solution to the puzzle here.
When you have completed the cryptogram why not use the key to make your own cryptic crow messages and challenge your friends and family to decode them!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Jamaican Crow in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Greater Antillean Elaenia
The Greater Antillean Elaenia might not be a bird that jumps right out at you, but they do possess a subtle beauty that rewards the thoughtful eye. They have a pale breast and belly, contrasting with a dark olive head and back. Look for their two bold, whitish wing bars, the pale edges to their flight feathers, and their adorably tiny beak. They have a faint spot on their lores and just the barest hint of an eye ring. If you’re lucky, you might even get to catch a flash of their white crest, which often remains tucked away in their head feathers.
There are whispers in the birding community that the Jamaican and Hispaniolan Greater Antillean Elaenias could be different species! Some organizations like BirdLife International currently recognize them as such but for now they are still usually considered the one species. In plumage, the Jamaican subspecies seems to have a light-yellow wash to the belly, whereas the Hispaniolan subspecies is much whiter below.
Although they sport the name “Greater Antillean,” you can consistently find them on just two of the Greater Antilles—Hispaniola and Jamaica. While they prefer montane forest on both islands, they do have slightly different preferences. In Hispaniola, they prefer higher elevation pine-dominated forests, where they can be quite common and fairly easy to see. In contrast, the Greater Antillean Elaenias in Jamaica are much more enigmatic. You can find them in the highlands of Jamaica, though during nesting season you might only be lucky enough to hear them. In Jamaica, listen for their “tseerrr-che-wit-che-wit … tseerr-che-wit … che-wit … che-wit” song; on Hispaniola they have more of a fast descending trill described as “whee-ee-ee-ee-ee”, or “pwee-chi-chi-chiup, see-ere, chewit-chewit.”
After the breeding season in Jamaica, they may also do a bit of an elevational movement, migrating from the highlands of Eastern Jamaica across most of the island in the non-breeding season. In Hispaniola these elaenias aren’t so apt to wandering and are found in the mountains year-round. Vagrants (likely of the Hispaniolan subspecies) have been recorded as far east as Puerto Rico though!
In Jamaica and Hispaniola, the key to identifying the Greater Antillean Elaenia is looking for their wing bars! In Jamaica there is another species, the Jamaican Elaenia, that they can be confused with—the Jamaican Elaenia however lacks wing bars. Likewise, on Hispaniola, the similarly drab Hispaniolan Pewee also does not sport this distinctive feature.
Like many other tropical flycatchers, these birds thrive on a diet of both insects and fruits. They are adept at aerial maneuvers, sallying from a perch to snatch an insect off the underside of a leaf or hover-gleaning to find the ripest fruits. Elaenias agree that foraging is more fun with friends, and they’ve often been observed joining mixed-species flocks. In Jamaica, you can catch them feeding with both Blue Mountain and Jamaican Vireos. And you can often see them foraging in pairs.
Breeding season is similar for both subspecies—it starts as early as late April and continues through July. Greater Antillean Elaenias build a bulky moss cup, delicately lined with the softest feathers, placed either low in a bush or higher in the trees. Once the nest is built, they lay two pale pink eggs. Not much else is known about their breeding habits though, and more study is needed.
Both subspecies are not considered to be globally threatened, with a designation of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. However, whilst we might think of them as abundant, they still face notable habitat loss in Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. This highlights the continued need for protected areas for these and other endemic birds. If you’re lucky, you might just get to see one (or a few!) at our Ebano Verde field trip during our July conference in the Dominican Republic. We (Greater Antillean Elaenia included) hope to see you there!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Holly Garrod for the text!
Colour in the Greater Antillean Elaenia
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Greater Antillean Elaenia
The song of the Greater Antillean Elaenia is a descending whistled “Cheeeu” followed by a quick “wibit-wibit.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Greater Antillean Elaenia. Like many tropical flycatchers, these birds have a diet of both insects and fruits. They can often be found feeding in mixed species flocks. (Photo by Jim Tietz, Macaulay Library-ML64580761)Both in Jamaica and Hispaniola, the key to identifying the Greater Antillean Elaenia is looking for their wing bars! By this feature, you can separate them from the Jamaican Elaenia in Jamaica, and the Hispaniolan Pewee in Hispaniola. (Photo by Dax Roman)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Can you find the words in our Greater Antillean Elaenia word search? Read the text above all about this endemic bird to remind yourself of some of the interesting facts and information, as you look for all 15 hidden words!
Remember the words appear forwards and backwards, as are horizontal, vertical and diagonal! Need some help? Or want to check your answers? You can see where all the words were here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Greater Antillean Elaenia in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Cuban Emerald
Picture this—you’re enrapt in a spectacular pine forest in Cuba, quietly marveling at the many bird species that call it home—and you’re suddenly distracted by the buzzing sound of a giant bumble bee practically grazing your ear! Or so you thought! After the initial surprise, you spin around and spot the culprit and are dazzled to discover that it’s not a bee at all! Just a few feet away, much to your shock and awe, is a stunning green hummingbird—the fantastic Cuban Emerald.
As the name implies, the Cuban Emerald (Riccordia ricordii) is a vibrant green, medium-sized hummingbird. When the light hits them at just the right angle, they’re nearly impossible to miss! Males have an iridescent green throat and breast with a long forked tail, white undertail coverts, and a long thin bill that is black on top and reddish-pink on the underside. Females look similar to males except with green upperparts along with a grayish throat and breast, and a slightly shorter and less forked tail. Both sport a very distinctive white spot behind their eyes, though that of the female extends slightly further back than the male.
The vocalizations of the Cuban Emerald are not as exciting as their looks. When singing, males make repetitive, and slightly high-pitched, “cheep” notes that can often go unnoticed. When close enough though, you can easily hear the distinct buzzy (insect-like) sound produced by their wings as they flit around.
Cuban Emeralds are native to Cuba where they can be found both on the mainland and also on various surrounding cays. Locally, they are called ‘zunzún.’ These beauties are also found on three of four pine islands in The Bahamas, namely Abaco, Grand Bahama, and Andros. These agile flyers are known to use all types of habitats, including pine forests, coppice forests, gardens, parks, and plantations. It is common to see them zipping around as they forage on nectar from native plants, and snack on insects on the fly (known as hawking). They’ve even been known to eat the occasional spider!
This species breeds at any time throughout the year. Like other hummers, they build the cutest little nests! These are tiny but deep, cup-shaped nests using twigs, pieces of bark, and even spiderwebs. The nests are carefully constructed in the fork of small branches up to four meters above the ground. Females lay two tiny white eggs that they will incubate alone for about two weeks. She then takes care of the chicks until they fledge about 19 to 22 days later.
Currently, Cuban Emeralds are considered to be of Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, though the current population and population trend is unknown. Likely threats to the species include habitat loss due to natural disasters or habitat destruction by humans. and predation by invasive species such as feral cats. But we can work together to protect these glittering gems by planting native plants that can offer their favourite sweet drink—nectar. Native plants also attract tasty insects which are especially important to nesting females for egg production and to feed their young. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Demonica Brown for the text!
Colour in the Cuban Emerald
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Cuban Emerald
The song of the Cuban Emerald includes a high-pitched, descending “tsee, tsee, tsee, tse, tse.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Male Cuban Emerald. Males have an iridescent green throat and breast with a long, forked tail, white undertail coverts, and a long thin bill that is black on top and reddish-pink on the underside (Photo by Neil Hilton)Cuban Emerald. This shining green hummingbird can be found both in Cuba (and its offshore islands and cays) and in The Bahamas where they are found on three islands: Abaco, Grand Bahama, and Andros. (Photo by Greg Lavaty)Cuban Emerald in flight. These agile flyers are known to use all types of habitats, including pine forests, coppice forests, gardens, parks, and plantations. (Photo by Maikel Canizares)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Like lots of birds, the Cuban Emerald and other hummingbirds like to bathe. But they won’t use a traditional birdbath. They prefer to take a shower in moving water: like from a mister, sprinkler, or dripper. They will also bathe in very shallow water, and will even sometimes bathe in the water droplets that collect on leaves!
Why not make a hummingbird water dripper so that these lovely little birds can take a shower in your garden? If you have an empty juice bottle you can make this dripper. Other wildlife in your yard will also appreciate having some water!
To make the dripper you will need:
1 plastic jug or bottle, clean, empty and with labels removed
craft wire, twine, ribbon, strips of cloth
1 straight pin or fine-gauge needle
Scissors
Paint or markers (optional)
Be sure to have an adult on hand when using the needle and scissors!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Cuban Emerald in the wild!
The Cuban Emerald featured in our Global Big Day Photo Awards in 2023- read our blog post to find out more!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Rufous-tailed Flycatcher
Known locally as “Big Tom Fool,” the Rufous-tailed Flycatcher (Myiarchus validus) reigns supreme as the largest Myiarchus flycatcher endemic to the lush landscapes of Jamaica! Standing at an impressive 24 cm (10 in), this charismatic bird captivates observers with its distinctive rufous wings and tail, creating an unforgettable sight when seen in the first morning light on the mountains.
The adult Rufous-tailed Flycatcher boasts a brown head, which may be either rounded or peaked when its crest erects for display. Its bill is large, wide, and flattened, and presents a striking contrast between the dark brown upper mandible and orange base on the lower mandible. The back is a subtle brown, while the wings and tail showcase an olive-brown hue, broadly edged with a mesmerizing orange-rufous. The throat and upper breast adopt a pale gray tone, transitioning to a yellowish hue on the belly. Undertail-coverts maintain a light brown shade, and the legs appear in a subdued grayish-brown.
Distinctive in its habitat and behavior, the Rufous-tailed Flycatcher frequents wooded hills and mountains, thriving in various forest types, dry scrub, and secondary forests. Foraging on a diet of insects and berries, including Red Birch, Sweetwood, and Bitterwood, this flycatcher demonstrates its versatility in adapting to different environments. During the breeding season, spanning from April to July, these birds nest in vertical cavities in trees and rotten fence posts, evincing their resourcefulness in creating secure habitats for their offspring.
What makes the Rufous-tailed Flycatcher truly stand out is its vocal prowess. Its fast, rolling “pree-ee-ee-ee-ee,” reminiscent of a horse neighing, echoes through the wooded hills, and is often heard more easily than the bird itself is seen! However, when in view, the Rufous-tailed Flycatcher exhibits a fascinating obliviousness to observers, allowing for extended close encounters, and earning it its endearing local moniker, “Big Tom Fool.”
Despite its distinctive features and engaging behavior, the Rufous-tailed Flycatcher faces conservation challenges. While currently listed as “Least Concern” by IUCN, the species contends with habitat loss and degradation due to hunting, timber removal, deliberate fires, and agricultural expansion. The resilience of this charismatic bird serves as a reminder of the delicate balance between human activities and the preservation of Jamaica’s rich avian biodiversity. Conservation efforts are crucial to ensuring the continued existence of the Rufous-tailed Flycatcher in the vibrant landscapes it calls home.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Qwahn Kent for the text!
Colour in the Rufous-tailed Flycatcher
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the calls of the Rufous-tailed Flycatcher
The calls of the Rufous-tailed Flycatcher include a squeaky, emphatic repeated “or-will,” as well at twittering sounds, a whistled “pi-pi-pi-pi-pee-pee-pee-pee,” and a harsh squeaky “pew.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Rufous-tailed Flycatchers can be found in various forest types, dry scrub, and secondary forests. They forage on a diet of insects and berries, including Red Birch, Sweetwood, and Bitterwood. (Photo by Matt Grube)Rufous-tailed Flycatcher. Listen out for the rolling “rolling “pree-ee-ee-ee-ee,” calls this bird makes! They are often more easily heard than seen. (Photo by Zak Pohlen, Macaulay Library-ML551249461)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Our theme for the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival this year is “Protect insects, protect birds“. Celebrate this theme in our “DIY Butterfly Costume” activity! You will have fun learning all about butterflies. From wings to antennae, you will explore the different parts of the butterfly while making your own butterfly costume!
For this activity you will need:
An empty cereal box or poster board
Scissors
Craft supplies (anything than you can decorate your wings with, such as tissue paper, cotton balls, crayons, fabric strips, markers, paints, pom poms, tinfoil)
Pipe cleaners
Glue or tape
Hole punch
Elastic string or yarn (about two feet long)
You will need a parent or trusted adult to help you with this activity! You can find all the instructions and information you will needhere.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Rufous-tailed Flycatcher in the wild.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Antillean Piculet
Imagine walking through the dry forests of Sierra de Bahoruco in the southwestern part of the Dominican Republic when, from up above, you hear a whistling, “kuk-ki-ki-ki-ke-ku-kuk”. You stop to look up and you spy a small bird with a large bill and olive-green wings and back! Struck by this curious sight, you quickly begin to search through your field guide and discover that it’s an Antillean Piculet (Nesoctites micromegas), a small relative of the Hispaniolan Woodpecker (Melanerpes striatus).
You focus your binoculars on the diminutive woodpecker and notice the black dots and streaks against the white to whitish-yellow cheek, throat, chest, and belly. As the piculet flutters through the overhead vegetation, you get a great glimpse of the brilliant lemon-yellow crown. After a few minutes of enjoying this wonderful sight, the bird gives a series of “wiiii” calls and is joined by another piculet! This new piculet looks just the same as the one you have been watching—except for a particularly intense orange spot on the top of the bird’s head! This new bird, with its vibrant orange dot, is a male. You’re invested now, and watch as the pair of piculets work their way to the crown of the tree, and take off for the next feeding site—giving a noisy “yeh-yeh-yeh-yeh” as they go.
The Antillean Piculet can be found throughout the island of Hispaniola, which includes the Dominican Republic and Haiti, living in many types of habitats including humid to dry primary and secondary forests, pines forests, mangroves, and occasionally fruit orchards. In these habitats, you can find the piculet clinging to vines, tree trunks, and branches, or zipping through vegetation in the understory, searching for tasty insects and fruit.
These small woodpeckers that range in size from 14 to 16 centimeters and can weigh as much as 33 grams (about as heavy as a light bulb!). However, the Antillean Piculet is unlike most woodpeckers because the female is larger than the male! Despite this size difference, both males and females will carve out the cavity and take care of the young during the breeding season which starts in February and ends in July. Cavities may be excavated in trees, palms, and fence posts, or they will use another woodpecker’s abandoned cavity—piculets are not too picky when it comes to finding a nest. In the cavities, the female will lay 2 to 4 glossy white eggs. Scientists do not yet know how long chicks take to hatch or how long they stay in the nests.
The Antillean Piculet has been given the “Least Concern” status by the Global IUCN, but habitat destruction, for development and agriculture, may pose a threat to the species in the future, especially in Haiti. For the survival of this chubby woodpecker, and other insectivores, we remind you to use organic pesticides, and to plant more native than ornamental plants which will attract native insects and provide shelter for birds and other wildlife!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Qwahn Kent for the text!
Colour in the Antillean Piculet
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the calls of the Antillean Piculet
The call of the Antillean Piculet is a loud staccato “kuk-ki-ki-ki-ke-ku-kuk.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Male Antillean Piculet. This bird can be found throughout the island of Hispaniola in many types of habitats, including humid to dry primary and secondary forests, pines forests, mangroves, and occasionally fruit orchards (Photo by Miguel Landestoy)Female Antillean Piculet. The Antillean Piculet is different most other woodpeckers because the female is larger than the male. (Photo by Carlos A. Objio)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Today’s bird the Antillean Piculet searches vines, small branches and twigs, stalks, and leaf clusters for insects to eat! It feeds mainly by gleaning (‘picking’ insects of the surface of leaves, branches etc.) but will sometimes also make weak pecks in search of food items. You can find food by probing in fruits and flowers, and in leaf or pine-needle clusters. Of course having a sharp bill helps!
But birds that eat rodents, flower nectar or shrimps all need very different shaped bills feed themselves! In the following activity, you will learn about beak adaptations and how they help birds to survive.
You can find out more in our activity introduction here. You can find all the information, instructions, a guide to learning objective in our “Fit the Bill” activity guide and materials. This activity is perfect to play with school groups or outdoor education clubs etc.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of an Antillean Piculet in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Cuban Nightjar
If you are fortunate enough to visit the first national park established in Cuba—Pico Cristal National Park, you will no doubt be thrilled by the beautiful landscape and abundant wildlife. But while your eyes drink in the bountiful beauty around you, we urge you to also turn your gaze down, and scan the forest floor as you walk along the trails for an especially mysterious bird! You see, spotting this elusive species will require vigilance—it blends in superbly with the leaf litter, rocks, and twigs of the forest floor!
If you’re lucky and attentive though, you might just get a glimpse of the cryptically patterned Cuban Nightjar! You may know it as the Greater Antillean Nightjar (Antrostomus cubanensis) but this species was split in 2023 into the Hispaniolan Nightjar (Antrostomus ekmani) and Cuban Nightjar (Antrostomus cubanensis) based on vocal differences between the two populations. The Cuban Nightjar’s song is described as a low, burry “weeyo” given in rapid succession, whereas the Hispaniolan Nightjar’s song, “pit, whoo-vore?” has an overall rise in pitch.
The Cuban Nightjar has two subspecies, the nominate A. c. cubanensis and A. c. insulaepinorum. The subspecies of the Cuban Nightjar A. c. cubanensis is 25 to 29.5 cm (9.8 to 12 in) long. Males weigh approximately 76 g (2.7 oz) and females 70 g (2.5 oz). Their upperparts are dark brown mottled with grayish buff, pale buff, and grayish brown. The tail is brown and the three outer pairs of feathers are tipped white in males and beige in females. The innermost pair has grayish-brown chevrons. The wings are brown with spots, bars, and mottles of lighter shades. The face is tawny with dark brown flecks, the chin and throat dark brown with flecks of cinnamon, the breast dark brown with large spots and smaller buff-white flecks, and the belly and flanks are dark brown with gray flecks. A.c. insulaepinorum is smaller, much darker, and has a shorter tail.
The nominate subspecies of the Cuban Nightjar is found on the main island of Cuba and most of the adjacent small islands of the archipelago. A.c. insulaepinorum is found only on the Isla de la Juventud (“Island of Youth”, formerly Isla de Pinos). They inhabit forests, swamps, and adjacent semi-open habitats. The Cuban Nightjar is crepuscular. It feeds at dawn and dusk on insects, most likely sallying from a low perch or from the ground. Although it is a small and stocky bird, it has been seen maneuvering swiftly among the vegetation, wood patches, or along the edges of roads in the dark.
This bird breeds between March and July. The usual clutch of two grayish-green eggs, spotted with brown, is laid directly on the ground among dry leaves. Both male and female are believed to incubate the eggs. If a predator approaches their nesting area, the incubating birds will give an injury-feigning display, similar to the Killdeer’s broken wing display, to distract and lure the predator away from the eggs or chicks.
The Cuban Nightjar has been listed as a Least Concern species by the IUCN. In Cuba it is protected by law from direct (killing or capturing) and indirect (habitat destruction) threats. However its population is believed to be declining. Cuban conservationists emphasize this excellent insect hunter’s importance in controlling pests, and they encourage communities to not destroy its habitats. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here. Great news! If you’re in the Caribbean, thanks to BirdsCaribbean, you have free access to Birds of the World and you can find out even more in the full species account of this bird!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Yanelis Sánchez Serrano for the text!
Colour in the Cuban Nightjar
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Cuban Nightjar
The song of the Cuban Nightjar is a low, rapidly repeated, burry “weeyo.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
The Cuban Nightjar has two subspecies: A. c. cubanensis and A. c. insulaepinorum. The ‘cubanensis’ subspecies is larger and less darkly coloured than the ‘insulaepinorum’ subspecies. (Photo by Arturo Kirkconnell)Scan the ground carefully for this bird! The Cuban Nightjar blends in superbly with the leaf litter, rocks, and twigs of the forest floor. (Photo by Ernesto Reyes Mourino)Cuban Nightjars feed on insects. They head out to forage at dawn and dusk, likely sallying to catch insects on the wing, from a low perch or from the ground. (Photo by Greg Griffith, Macaulay Library-ML204321841)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Birds like the Cuban Nightjar are very good at hiding in plain sight. Their colours help them to blend in with their environment. Insects also use camouflage to blend in with their environment and keep them safe from other animals that love munching on them. But note that it also helps some insects catch prey that doesn’t see them! Their colours, patterns and even physical shape make them indistinguishable from their surroundings.
In this activity you’re going to go outside (with an adult) and help insects and birds find the best spot for them to blend in such as in the grass, amongst fallen leaves, branches, leaves, flowers, dirt, tree trunks, and other plants.
You will need:
pencil
scissors
clipboard (optional)
copy of Masters of Camouflage page
Can you find the ‘Masters of Camouflage’ page to print (in colour or black and white) and full instructions of this activity in here !
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of Cuban Nightjars in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: St. Lucia Black Finch
Known locally as the ‘Moisson Pied-blanc,’the spectacular St. Lucia Black Finch is endemic to the eastern Caribbean island of Saint Lucia! Though it resembles the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch, which can also be spotted on Saint Lucia, this finch cannot be mistaken for its cousin as it boasts distinct field marks and calls.
Male St. Lucia Black Finches have jet-black plumage with pale pink legs, while the females sport brown upperparts and brownish-gray underparts paired with a gray crown and pale pink legs which explains the “Pied-blanc” part of its local name. Females and immature birds look alike. The similarly sized Lesser Antillean Bullfinch also sports a sleek all-black coat. But its red throat and patches above the eyes will help you to distinguish it from the St. Lucia Black Finch. It also twitches its tail from left to right while perched unlike the St. Lucia Black Finch which bobs its tail up and down.
Be sure to observe as well the St. Lucia Black Finch’s thick, large bill! This heavy bill is perfect for its diet of insects, fruits (mostly berries) and seeds which it finds in the understory. Its habitat includes both the dry forest and the rainforest. Though they can be seen alone, they are more often in pairs. The female lays two white eggs with brownish-red spots in a spherically shaped nest of twigs, located in a palm or shrub about three meters above ground, between November and June.
The call is a high “tseea-ts-ts-tsew” and a slightly squeaky “tsip!” Emphasis is placed on the second and last notes in a similar fashion to the Bananaquit.
Unfortunately, this endemic finch is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its estimated population range is between 250 and 999 individuals. One of its major threats is habitat conversion for agriculture and tourist amenities. Other threats it faces include the clearing of the understory in commercial woodlands like timber plantations and predation by invasive species like rats and mongooses. This species will benefit from the protection of dry forests on the island which are usually targeted for development associated with tourism. There is also a need to continue public awareness and engagement to increase local support for the conservation of this bird and other wildlife found within the same habitats in Saint Lucia.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Jeanette Victor for the text!
Colour in the St. Lucia Black Finch
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the St. Lucia Black Finch
The song of the St. Lucia Black Finch is a blurry “tick-zwee-swisiwis-you” .
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Male St. Lucia Black Finch. The similarly sized Lesser Antillean Bullfinch also has black plumage, but its red throat and patches above the eyes will help you to distinguish it from the St. Lucia Black Finch (Photo by Cliff Buckton)Female St. Lucia Black Finch. Both females and immatures look alike, being brown and gray rather than black. (Photo by Peter Hawrylyshyn, Macaulay Library-ML614484439)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Can you find the words in our St. Lucia Black Finch word search? Read the text above all about this endemic bird to remind yourself of some of the interesting facts and information, as you look for all 15 hidden words!
Remember the words appear forwards and backwards, as are horizontal, vertical and diagonal! Need some help? Or want to check your answers? You can see where all the words were here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a St. Lucia Black Finch in the wild!
Take a virtual tour across St. Lucia, Dominica, St. Vincent, and Trinidad in search of Amazon parrots!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: White-eyed Thrush
Let’s dive into the world of a Jamaican beauty—the striking White-eyed Thrush!
The White-eyed Thrush is a charming bird with a glossy, dark plumage and, as its name suggests, stunning white eyes that pop spectacularly against its dark feathers. The head is rich chocolate brown and the body has darker gray upperparts paired with light gray underparts. Its throat features white streaks on a brown background, bordered by a white patch below. These thrushes are endemic to Jamaica, where you will often spot them hopping around in the understory of lush forests. However, they are quite adaptable and resourceful birds, and can also be found in gardens, parks, and even urban areas. White-eyed Thrushes are known for their playful behavior, often seen hopping around fallen branches or splashing in puddles. These birds are quite the acrobats, so be sure to take some time to observe their entertaining antics when you spot them!
White-eyed Thrushes are omnivores, gobbling up all the tasty things that they can get their beaks on—insects, fruits, and berries. You can consider them the foodies of the bird world—they enjoy a quite diverse menu, sampling meals from the forest floor to the top of the canopy!
Their song is a melodic medley of “hee-haw” whistles and trills, a beautiful serenade which echoes through the forest. They are quite vocal, chirping away to establish territories or communicate with their mates. From April to June they focus on building their nests in the cozy nooks of trees, crafting them with twigs, moss, and other bits of nature’s treasures. Clutch size is 2-3 speckled bluish-green eggs. They are dedicated parents and take turns to incubate the eggs and feed the chicks until they fledge.
While not currently considered globally threatened, habitat loss remains a concern due to deforestation and urbanization. Invasive species and climate change also pose potential threats to their survival. We can all support White-eyed Thrush conservation efforts by advocating for the protection of their habitats, participating in reforestation projects, and spreading awareness about the importance of preserving biodiversity. So, the next time you are strolling through a Jamaican national park, keep an eye out for these delightful little thrushes—they are sure to brighten your day!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Michelle Roberts for the text!
Colour in the White-eyed Thrush
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the White-eyed Thrush
The song of the White-eyed Thrush is a long series of very variable phrases commonly repeated two to five times.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
White-eyed Thrushes are omnivores. Their diet includes insects and other invertebrates, as well as fruits and berries. (Photo by Sam Zhang, Macaulay Library-ML612222289)White-eyed Thrushes can be found in the forests of Jamaica, but can also be seen in gardens, parks, and even urban areas. (Photo by Simon Best, Macaulay Library-ML300783961)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Today’s bird, the White-eyed Thrush searches for food through the forest layers. Here it will be looking for fruits and creepy crawlies including earthworms on forest floor and insects in the leaves and branches of the trees.
In today’s activity you will learn about the different places in the forest birds feed, from low down on the ground to high up in the tree tops. You will need to put the White-eyed Thrush in the places in the forest where it can be found. You can download all the instructions for this activity here, including all the pages you need to print out to complete this activity! You can use the information in the text above, all about the White-eyed Thrush, to help you correctly place the bird where it likes to feed.
For this activity you’ll need:
printed copies of pages 2 and 3
pencil
colouring pencils
scissors
glue stick
You will need a parent or trusted adult to help you with this activity!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Lesser Antillean Pewee
Despite its demure colour and dainty size, the Lesser Antillean Pewee unmistakably asserts its presence with its forceful “pree-e-e” whistle. This Caribbean endemic is found only on the islands of Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, and St. Lucia.In Puerto Rico, locals presumably think it is a cute but silly bird, referring to it as “Bobito”, “Jüi Pequeño”, or “Bobito antillano menor.” In Guadeloupe and Martinique it is known as “Gobe-Mouches” which simply translates to flycatcher.
The Lesser Antillean Pewee is just 15cm long (picture the length of a ballpoint pen!) and has brownish-olive upper parts, with a flat broad beak. The upper mandible is a darkish brown to black, while the lower mandible is pale in colour. There are three subspecies which differ in the colour of their underparts. The St. Lucia Pewee has reddish brown underparts whereas the Puerto Rican Pewee has cinnamon coloured underparts. The subspecies found on Dominica, Guadeloupe, and Martinique have pale yellow-buff underparts.
If you’d like to see this tiny delight, your best bet is to strap on your hiking boots and make your way up to moist mid-elevation forests and woodlands where they will likely be seen sallying out after flies, bugs, bees, wasps, and beetles! At higher elevation montane forests they may even lead you to other endemic birds! In Puerto Rico, the Lesser Antillean Pewee has been recorded joining mixed-species foraging flocks with other endemics like the Puerto Rican Tody, Puerto Rican Vireo, and the Elfin-woods Warbler. Although they love spending time in the mountain forests, you may also see them in smaller numbers in low elevation and more open habitats like dry forests, mangroves and scrub.
During the breeding season from March to June, Lesser Antillean Pewees build nests that are superbly camouflaged! Their lichen-covered cup-shaped nests are so inconspicuous they may simply be overlooked as knots or burls on a branch. Their clutch consists of two cream eggs, with dark reddish-brown spots either at the midsection (Guadeloupe, Martinique and Dominica), broad end (Puerto Rican), or all over (St. Lucia).
Although the Lesser Antillean Pewee is not threatened, their populations are decreasing in Puerto Rico, and possibly also in other islands where they face habitat loss. There was a long-term decline in pewee capture rates in tandem with decreased forest cover reported from a project monitoring bird populations at Guánica Forest in southwestern Puerto Rico. While open areas are used for feeding on insects, wooded areas are important for nesting, so maintaining a diverse range of habitat is important for the survival of this species. You can protect pewee habitats by volunteering for habitat restoration projects, buying sustainably sourced wood products, and if you’re old enough, voting for better land management laws.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Aliya Hosein for the text!
Colour in the Lesser Antillean Pewee
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Lesser Antillean Pewee
The song of the Lesser Antillean Pewee includes a whistled “peee-oo” often followed by a trilling whistle. They also often make a single sharp “pee” call.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Lesser Antillean Pewee on Dominica. This small endemic can be found in mid to higher-elevation forests and woodlands. (Photo by David Hollie, Macaulay Library-ML593526331)Lesser Antillean Pewee on Guadeloupe. When hoping to spot this bird, listen for its forceful “pree-e-e” whistle. (Photo by Claire Affagard, Macaulay Library-ML611100310)The Lesser Antillean Pewees on Puerto Rico have cinnamon coloured underparts, unlike those on Dominica, Guadeloupe, and Martinique that have pale yellow-buff underparts, and those on St. Lucia where they have reddish underparts. (Photo by Michael Stubblefield, Macaulay Library- ML545552701)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Today’s bird, the Lesser Antillean Pewee, loves to eat insects and is often in search of them for a tasty meal! Why not explore outside and “meet the insects” in today’s activity? You will get up close to some of those mini-beasts that are crawling, flying and even munching on leaves in your own backyard.
You can download all the instructions for this activity here, including instructions for how to make your own ‘mirror box’ for looking at the insects!
For this activity you’ll need:
an old light-colored bed sheet or towel
a magnifying glass or mirror box (see page 3)
garden gloves (optional)
camera
sheet of paper and pencil
Note: You will need a parent or trusted adult to help you with this activity!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: White-fronted Quail-Dove
If you listen extra carefully while walking along remote, dense, humid forests on the central and southwest mountains of the Dominican Republic, you will hear a very hushed, low frequency “coo-o-o” call coming from the thick vegetation of the forest floor. So soft is this call that it can be quite hard to pinpoint where it’s coming from. But we can tell you who’s making that gentle sound—it’s the White-fronted Quail-Dove! This beautiful, plump, but also terribly shy bird, spends most of its time out of sight. Spotting this bird always presents a challenge to birdwatchers and nature photographers in the Dominican Republic where it is locally known as ‘azulona’! The White-fronted Quail-Dove belongs to the Columbidae family, which comprises doves and pigeons—including the bold ones you see around your homes and schools.
White-fronted Quail doves are medium-sized birds that measure 27-28 cm. The crown, nape, and sides of the head are slate gray; sides of the neck suffused with beautiful reddish purple or violet, sometimes extending onto the breast. Underparts are mostly gray, becoming rufous on the lower belly and under the tail. Its contrasting white forehead gives this dove its name and is a great field mark for identification. Its eyes are red and it has a reddish bill that is paler towards the tip. The legs are pink. Males and females look alike. Young birds are browner and lack the metallic sheen on the back and neck. This is the only quail-dove that lacks facial stripes.
The White-fronted Quail-Dove is endemic to Hispaniola, restricted to the isolated, dense, moist montane forests on Sierra de Bahoruco and the Central Mountains of the Dominican Republic. It likely can no longer be found in Haiti due to high levels of deforestation. It’s found at elevations from 745 to 1,685 m. This quail-dove has also been reported in shade grown coffee plantations. Little is known about its breeding ecology however, except that it lays 1-2 beige eggs on a nest of twigs and leaves placed low in the undergrowth.
This bird spends most of the time on the ground where it looks for seeds and small invertebrates to eat. The easiest way to try to observe this stunning quail-dove is when it ventures out of the dense forest to forage in a semi-open clearing or along a forest trail. While it is usually very shy and hard to spot, if you are in the right habitat, and are very patient, it can show itself very well.
The White-fronted Quail-Dove is classified as Endangered by the IUCN because it has a single, very small population of fewer than 2,500 individuals, which has suffered a continuing decline due to on-going fragmentation, loss of habitat, hunting pressure, and the effects of introduced predators like the mongoose and feral cats. Cats are prolific predators—even if you don’t see your cuddly, well-fed cat catching wildlife, they may still be hunting. Keeping your cats indoors can protect birds and other wildlife from being killed. Keeping cats indoors isn’t just great for wildlife, it’s good for the cats—it keeps them safe from being attacked, getting lost, or being poisoned.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Ivan Mota for the text!
Colour in the White-fronted Quail-Dove
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the White-fronted Quail-Dove
The song of White-fronted Quail-Dove is a repeated “oop-oop…”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
The White-fronted Quail-Dove is a shy bird that spends most of its time out of sight. This beautiful dove is one of the hardest species of birds to see in the Dominican Republic! It presents quite a challenge to bird watchers and photographers. (Photo by Doug Whitman, Macaulay Library-ML613246991)White-fronted Quail-Doves are endemic to the island of Hispaniola, restricted to remote dense humid montane forests on Sierra de Bahoruco and the Central Mountains of the Dominican Republic. It’s likely that this bird is no longer found in Haiti. (Photo by Bobby Wilcox. Macaulay Library-ML615097922)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : UPDATE Test your knowledge of where Caribbean endemic birds live with our ‘Fly away home’ Map Matching Activity!
Draw lines from the picture of each Caribbean endemic bird to match each one with its home. You can find out more about Caribbean endemic birds by reading our posts each day or you can go back and find all the endemic birds that we have featured in previous years here. You can also find out all about our Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book with even more birds to colour in!
Here is the Answer Key – don’t look until you have completed the activity!!!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a White-fronted Quail-Dove in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Great Lizard-Cuckoo
Meet one of the Caribbeans avian rock stars – the Great-lizard Cuckoo! This eye-catching bird calls Cuba and The Bahamas its home.
Now, picture this: a big ol’ lizard cuckoo doing its thing on the islands of Andros and Eleuthera in The Bahamas, and chillaxin in Cuba, rocking the same vibe on different islands. They even have their own fancy scientific sub-species names, “Coccyzus merlini bahamensis” in the Bahamas and “C. m. merlini“, “C. m. santamariae” and “C. m. decolor” in Cuba ! Sounds like a bird version of Hogwarts houses, doesn’t it?
It was once also found on New Providence in The Bahamas, but was extirpated with the last one being seen in the Retreat Gardens National Park in the early 2000’s. Historically, the Great-lizard Cuckoo was found on Long Island, indicating a broader distribution across the islands of the Great Bahama Bank. Remains of the species have also been found on Middle Caicos, in TCI.
These birds are hyper- carnivores, munching on lizards, insects, nestling birds and eggs, snails, centipedes, and even wasp larvae. In Cuba, their palate is similar but also includes small fruits.
But here’s the scoop: the Great-lizard Cuckoo in The Bahamas is living the island life on only two islands. Talk about exclusive! Sadly, their population is playing hard to get – nobody’s really counted or studied their population, but the rumour is it’s going down.
Now, let’s talk fashion. These cuckoos have the whole olive-brown upperparts, white or greyish throat, and a rufous belly thing going on. It’s like they stepped out of a bird fashion magazine. And their vocals? A throaty “Ka ka, kaaaa, ka ka ka ka ka” and a “ta-coooo” that’s the bird equivalent of beatboxing.
Love is in the air during breeding season, but details are sketchy in The Bahamas – it’s like they’re keeping it a secret. In Cuba, it’s a different story; they’re throwing bird parties between April and October, laying a couple of white eggs in twiggy nests.
But, oh no, the Great-lizard Cuckoo’s got some drama. Habitat loss, sneaky predators like house cats and raccoons, and playing real-life Frogger with cars are their arch-nemeses in The Bahamas. These birds aren’t jet-setters; they prefer the quiet life in forests and scrub habitats. But wait, development on Eleuthera is cramping their style. We need some serious bird bodyguards and habitat protection to keep the party alive!
So, here’s the deal – let’s make sure the Great-lizard Cuckoos keep strutting their stuff in the region. Conservation and habitat protection can greatly assist the survival of this amazing species. Let’s give them the support they need, ’cause nobody wants to live in a world without these Caribbean icons.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Scott Johnson for the text!
Colour in the Great Lizard-Cuckoo
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the calls of the Great Lizard-Cuckoo
The calls of Great Lizard-Cuckoo are a loud, long, ratcheting “eh-eh-eh…”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Great Lizard-Cuckoos are found in The Bahamas and Cuba. In the Bahamas they are only on the islands of Andros and Eleuthera. (Photo by Neil Hilton)Great Lizard-Cuckoo. These voracious carnivores will feed on lizards, insects, nestling birds and eggs, snails, centipedes, and even wasp larvae (Photo by Mario Olteanu)Great Lizard-Cuckoo Perched. These birds can be found in forests and scrub habitats. (Photo by Frantz Delcroix, Macaulay Library-ML62014491)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Get active with your family and friends with our fun chick feeding game! We want you to imagine you are a busy Great Lizard-Cuckoo with a hungry brood of chicks to feed! It will take some speed and dexterity to help provide food for your baby birds. Download the instructions here.
We would love to see photos and/or videos of you and your family playing the game. You may email them to Aliya.Hosein@birdscaribbean.org
Please note that by submitting your photos and/or video you give BirdsCaribbean consent to use your photos and/or videos on our website and social media accounts.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Great Lizard-Cuckoo in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Antillean Palm Swift
A fast flying, deftly maneuvering miniature fighter-jet of the Caribbean sky, your attention will likely be drawn to the Antillean Palm Swift when it dives past your face or emits a flurry of twitters- “tooeee-tooee” – above you in pursuit of its insect prey. This aptly named bird lives exclusively in the Greater Antilles islands (save Puerto Rico). And while Antillean Palm Swifts can definitely fit in the palm of your hand, this bird takes its name from the palms it frequently uses for nesting and roosting.
Up close, these tiny swifts are adorable, with enormous, dark chocolate eyes relative to their little sooty brown and dull white bodies; their tiny beak belies a sizable gape for hoovering in plenty of flies! Males and females seem to be indistinguishable to the human eye, but even if they were, you’d probably have a hard time telling them apart anyway because they seem to never sit still, other than when they disappear into a cluster of palm fronds.
The Antillean Palm Swift’s nest is a remarkable construction — a soft bed of feathers, plant fibers, and silky and fluffy seed heads fashioned into a slight pouch, in which 2-5 white eggs are laid. It’s attached within the nooks and crannies of palm fronds. They prefer to nest in the dead and hanging leaves of Sabal, Washingtonia, Roystonea, and Copernicia palm species. And because of their preference for dead and dying palm fronds, you can also be nearly sure to encounter them nesting and roosting in palm thatch roofs! Both male and female Antillean Palm Swifts take care of the chicks.
And did we forget to mention that Antillean Palm Swifts nest in colonies? That’s right! One can often encounter dozens of these swifts darting in and out of a palm or thatch roof, sometimes at eye-level! And apparently they secure their nest using their own saliva!
A brief aside: So if these birds are such strong flyers, are able to nest in a variety of both natural and manmade structures, and have a food source that is rather ubiquitous, why haven’t they successfully colonized the other Caribbean Islands? You can pretty much throw a stone from one Caribbean Island to the next, but for some reason there is a hard line drawn between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico that these little guys just don’t seem to want to cross. There are tiki huts, palm trees, and insects in Puerto Rico… so what’s the problem? Vagrant records for Antillean Palm Swift on Puerto Rico do pop up from time to time yet the species seems unable to get a foothold (or maybe a winghold?). Clearly more ecological research on this endemic fighter-jet is needed.
All kidding aside, we encourage folks to seek out this one-of-a-kind species and enjoy some time watching these little swifts and their aerial acrobatic shows. Did you know? You can ensure encore performances for years to come when you stop killing native insects. Don’t spray them. Don’t bait them into traps. Don’t poison your landscape and watershed where they live (and tell your neighbors to stop killing insects too)! Instead, devote your efforts to building back a diverse native habitat on your property, which in turn produces beneficial predatory insects that bring balance to the entire system.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Josh LaPergola & Justin Proctor for the text!
Colour in the Antillean Palm Swift
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the calls of the Antillean Palm Swift
The calls of Antillean Palm Swift are a high-pitched metallic sounding twitter.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Antillean Palm Swifts can be found feeding over open habitats. Swooping low to the ground with their fast erratic flight. (Photo by Jeremiah Trimble, Macaulay Library-ML257901871)Antillean Palm Swift. This bird takes its name from the palms it frequently uses for nesting and roosting. (Photo by Guy Stevens, Macaulay Library-ML614528277)You can often encounter dozens of Antillean Palm Swifts darting in and out of a palm or thatch roof, sometimes at eye-level! (Photo by Paul Arneson, Macaulay Library-ML149238231)
Enjoy these beautiful photos of the Antillean Palm Swift!
Antillean Palm Swifts live exclusively on the islands of the Greater Antilles with the exception of Puerto Rico. (Photo by Francisco Alba)Antillean Palm Swift shouldn’t be confused with other swift species in the Greater Antilles, their black-and-white plumage, long slim wings, and long forked tail are unique within its range. (Photo by Guy Stevens, Macaulay Library-ML614528284)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : We hope that you have been enjoying learning all about our Caribbean endemic birds! Don’t forget that this year our theme is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”. Some of the birds we have featured so far are endangered and many others are under pressure, often from human activities. This means our special endemic birds and many of the other beautiful birds that live in or visit us in the Caribbean need your help.
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Black-billed Parrot
Upon approaching Jamaica’s verdant Cockpit Country in the early morning, you will, depending on the time of year, see pairs or flocks of emerald green parrots flying purposefully across valleys, their flight ‘bugles’ echoing through the forested hills. Landing noisily in the treetops, they call to each other with a variety of squawks and warbles. These raucous birds are Black-billed or Yellow-billed Parrots—both of which are endemic to Jamaica! Their populations are restricted to the wet limestone forests of the Cockpit Country, the John Crow Mountains, and moist mountain forests of central Jamaica.
The Black-billed Parrots, simply called ‘Black Bill’ in Jamaica, are smaller and darker than the more colourful Yellow-billed Parrots. They are most closely related to another Caribbean endemic parrot, the Puerto Rican Parrot. Overall, Black-billed Parrots are a dark, forest green with flecks of scarlet above the grayish-black beak. Most Black-billed Parrots also sport a row of small, scarlet feathers in their wings, which show as a red flash in flight. The leading edges of the flight feathers progress from deep blue to turquoise, with the trailing edges grading from black to green. Splashes of red and yellow show in the tail feathers when the tail is spread.
Courtship for Black-billed Parrots begins as early as January when pairs can be seen flying apart from flocks. They are cavity nesters—they excavate a deep chamber in the trunk of a large tree which they use to nest, lay 3-4 eggs, and raise their young. Most nesting activity happens in March. Females incubate the eggs during which time their mates will bring food for them throughout the day. Eggs hatch after about 24 days and both parents feed and raise the hatchlings. Baby parrots are born completely featherless and with their eyes and ear openings fused shut. They’re also born with large feet which prevent them from toppling over when food is being regurgitated into their beaks. They grow baby feathers first which initially give them a decidedly spiky appearance! These eventually lay smooth as they continue to grow. Baby Black-billed Parrots play with small leaves and sticks—this activity strengthens the muscles which they will need to make long flights in search of food. After about 60 days, the young parrots are ready to leave the nest.
Black-billed Parrots forage over a wide area of forest, eating a variety of fruits, seeds, berries, blossoms, and even the leaves of trees. Like other parrots, they transport fruits and seeds using their beaks and feet, which they disperse over long distances—making them important but often overlooked seed dispersers of the forest.
The Black-billed Parrot is listed as Endangered. Threats to their survival include loss of forest habitat and the increasingly hot and dry climate. Hot, dry, and windy conditions are perfect for bushfires that destroy fruiting trees and kill baby parrots that are unable to fly. Predation by the endemic Jamaican Boa contributes to a high rate of nest failure (over 50%) in Black-billed Parrots. Poaching for the illegal pet trade has also increased, with parrots being sold along the roadside and through social media outlets—deleterious activities that rarely face enforcement action. Bauxite mining is an imminent threat to the blackbills’ stronghold in northeastern Cockpit Country. The survival of the Black-billed Parrot will depend on the protection of this important area, as well as enforcement of Jamaica’s Wildlife Protection Act.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Wendy Lee for the text!
Colour in the Black-billed Parrot
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the calls of the Black-billed Parrot
The calls of the Black-billed Parrot include a harsh “mwah” as well as scratchy sounding “uh-luh” calls often given in flight.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Black-billed Parrots are listed as Endangered by the IUCN and their population is declining. Some of main threats to these birds include habitat loss, removal in birds from the wild for the pet trade, and nest predation by invasive predators. (Photo by John Oates)Black-billed Parrots eat a variety of fruits, seeds, berries, blossoms, and even the leaves of trees. They are important seed dispersers in the forest. (Photo by Bobby Wilcox, Macaulay Library-ML415820601)Black-billed and Yellow-billed Parrots on Jamaica are most closely related to the Puerto Rican Parrot. (Photo by Wendy Lee)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Discover the birds of the Caribbean with Origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, and learn how to fold a Parrot out of paper with this video!
All you need is a square sheet of paper – 24 x 24 cm is ideal. The video will show you step by step how to fold and create your Parrot! Enjoy also our photos of the many parrots that are endemic to the Caribbean islands at the end of the video!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Black-billed Parrot in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Oriente Warbler
It is impossible not to stop and marvel at the spectacular hubbub of a foraging flock of Oriente Warblers (Teretistris fornsi). Not only is this warbler is endemic to Cuba where it is known as the ‘Pechero’, these little birds belong to a family known as ‘Teretistridae’—where all the members are only found in Cuba and its surrounding cays!
Its simple but unique plumage instantly grabs your attention. The upper parts of its body are bluish gray which contrast strikingly with the yellow of its lower parts. That delightful lemony yellow extends from around the eyes and throat to the upper belly. The lower belly and undertail are pale gray, and the flanks have a dull brownish wash. Males and females look alike. Don’t confuse this bird with its cousin, the Yellow-headed Warbler, which has a yellow crown and is gray on the belly.
If the Oriente Warbler’s flashes of yellow and gray don’t immediately stop you in your tracks, its melodious song will. It has been described as “buzzy notes interspersed with sweeter notes.” Their call, however, is a shrill “tsi-tsi-tsi.” The Oriente Warbler also emits a series of loud, metallic calls that, during non-reproductive periods, attract several migratory and resident passerines to form mixed foraging flocks.
Orient Warblers can be found in dry coastal scrub and forest habitats along the central-eastern coast of Cuba. They specialize in feeding on all types of insects, but they have also been observed feeding on lizards of the Anolis genus, seeds, and flowers. Their foraging behavior is spectacular—like the Yellow-headed Warbler, they perform vertical and horizontal sweeps through all levels of the vegetation. It is common to find 10 or more individuals foraging together from ground level, up to the branches, trunks, or foliage of the trees!
Oriente Warblers reproduce during the months of March to July with the arrival of spring. Interestingly, researchers from the Eastern Center for Ecosystems and Biodiversity (BIOECO) have observed male Oriente Warblers paired with more than one female! They build cup-shaped nests using rootlets, vines, fine grasses, and ball moss. These nests are found in the branches of thorny plants. Females lay 2 to 3 light blue eggs with brown specks on the wide end. These are attended to by only one parent, most likely the female. The chicks make their wobbly exit from the nest after about a month, but remain with their parents for a few weeks. During this time, parents keep a watchful eye on them, showing them where to find food and stay safe from predators.
The size of the Oriente Warbler population is currently uncertain but it is believed that the population is stable, which is why the IUCN classifies the Pechero as “Least Concern.” If you enjoy nature, do not hesitate to visit Cuba to observe this absolute jewel of its birdlife!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Claudia Mantilla & Carmen Plasencia León for the text!
Colour in the Oriente Warbler
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Oriente Warbler
The song of the Oriente Warbler is a jumbled combination of buzzy “zhip” and chipping “tip” notes.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Outside of the breeding season, which is when they defend a territory, Oriente Warblers are fairly sociable. They can be found feeding in mixed species flocks or will flock together as a single species in groups of up to 10 individuals. (Photo by Michael World)Oriente Warblers feed at all levels of the vegetation- you can find individuals foraging on the ground, on the branches, trunks, or foliage of the trees. They mainly eat insects, but they have also been seen feeding on lizards, seeds, and flowers. (Photo by Ian Burgess, Macaulay Library- ML558957951)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : On Cuba you might spot several different types of warblers. There are two little birds amongst them who look very much alike, but they’re not the same type of bird! Once is today’s endemic bird, the Oriente Warbler, and the other is the Yellow-headed Warbler. Both are mainly gray and yellow! In our activity of the day you need to look carefully at two photos and try to identify the Oriente Warbler. Check the text above for some handy tips.
If you get stuck and feel like you need a bit of extra help then take a look on the second page of this activity. You will find some helpful hints to set you on the right track.
Think that you found the Oriente Warbler? You can check if you are right on our answer sheet here. This activity is perfect to play with school groups or outdoor education clubs etc.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of an Oriente Warbler in the wild!
Wondering about some of the ways we monitor birds like the Oriente Warbler? Read all about the first-ever BirdsCaribbean bird banding workshop in Cuba!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Puerto Rican Mango
The Caribbean is alluring to many people with its tropical climate, picturesque landscapes that look like they’ve been pulled straight from paradise, and of course—mangos! But we’re not talking about the delicious tropical fruit—we’re talking about the dazzling hummingbirds that belong to the Anthracothorax genus. We think you’ll agree that they do nourish the soul and spirit, just like our region’s beloved fruit. There are four endemic mangos in the Caribbean, one of which is the Puerto Rican Mango (Anthracothorax aurulentus). This medium-sized hummingbird has a long, decurved bill and that adds a bit of green glimmer to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
In poor light, male Puerto Rican Mangos can appear all-dark, but when well illuminated, those seemingly unassuming colours transform—allowing us to witness a spectacular special-effects polychromatic show! Getting a glimpse of this magic makes it apparent why the local names for the species are “colibrí dorado” (golden hummingbird) and “zumbador dorado” (golden buzzer). The upperparts and throat gleam bright greenish-yellow, and chest deep indigo with green sides. The lower breast and belly are paler than the chest, and the lower belly is usually white. The tail feathers are a moody maroon-purple with black edging. Females have the same iridescent green upperparts, but drab white underparts with gray flanks. When their tails are folded, the outer feathers usually appear coppery or greenish; when fanned, these feathers show large rusty patches near the base with broad white tips.
Not too long ago, the Puerto Rican Mango and Hispaniolan Mango were considered the same species—then called the Antillean Mango. In 2022, the split was made based on plumage and morphometric (size and shape) differences observed in museum specimens.The male Hispaniolan Mango (Anthracothorax dominicus) has a shimmering green throat and entirely velvet-black underparts, and the female has a purplish tail base.
The species is widespread throughout Puerto Rico where you can spot them in dry forests, forest clearings, scrub, shade coffee plantations, and suburban gardens. Historically it was abundant on Vieques island but is now considered rare there as the last reported sighting was in 1994. The decline of the mango on the islands coincided with both the arrival of the Green-throated Carib, another Caribbean endemic, and the conversion of forest to more human-disturbed habitats—which the carib thrives in but the mango does not. A similar decline occurred on the Virgin Islands where its range is now limited to Virgin Gorda, Anegada, the Beef Islands, Guana Island, and St. Thomas.
If you are from, or visiting, any of these islands, listen for its call—a high-pitched, sharp chip described as “tsick“; or for its song, a high, thin rapid trill or buzz preceded and followed by one or several high pitched “tsit” notes.
Like other hummingbirds, the Puerto Rican Mango is a sugar addict with an insatiable appetite for nectar! It doesn’t only consume nectar though. It is also skilled at capturing and eating insects, including small wasps, beetles, and flies—all while in the air! Males will however still aggressively defend nectar-rich territories from other nectar feeding birds.
Its breeding season extends throughout the year but peaks from March to July. Mama hummingbirds build a deep cup-shaped nest lining the inside with soft plant fibres whereas the outside is covered with flakes of bark and lichen bound together by spider webs. They incubate the two eggs for approximately 15 days. The nestlings are fed a nutritious mix of nectar and insects that is regurgitated straight into their hungry beaks. After about 25 days they are strong enough to leave the nest to start their own lives.
Fortunately the Puerto Rican Mango is not a threatened species! However, we need to ensure we can enjoy their dazzling displays for years to come by planting native flowers that hummingbirds feed on in our gardens, reducing our use of insecticides (most of which kill both the good and bad insects), and supporting local environmental organizations with their reforestation initiatives.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Aliya Hosein and Adrianne Tossas for the text!
Colour in the Puerto Rican Mango
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Puerto Rican Mango
The song of the Puerto Rican Mango is made up of high-pitched, thin rapid trills and buzzing notes, often with high pitched “tsit” calls at the start and end.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Male Puerto Rican Mango. The striking yellow-golden plumage on its upper parts has earned this bird the local names “colibrí dorado” (golden hummingbird) and “zumbador dorado” (golden buzzer). (Photo by Rafy Rodrguez)
Female Puerto Rican Mango at the nest. Females have the same iridescent green upperparts as males, but drab white underparts with gray flanks. (Photo by Alcides Morales Perez, Macaulay Library- ML588237551)
Puerto Rican Mango feeding, with his tail fanned showing off his deep purple tail feathers. (Photo by Rafy Rodriguez)
Enjoy these beautiful photos of the Puerto Rican Mango!
Male Puerto Rican Mango in flight. This species is widespread throughout Puerto Rico and can be found in dry forests, forest clearings, scrub, shade coffee plantations and suburban gardens. (Photo by Peter Hawrylyshyn, Macaulay Library-ML540850091)Male Puerto Rican Mango perched. In addition to eating nectar they are also skilled at hunting insects, including small wasps, beetles, and flies, which they catch on the wing. (Photo by Benny Diaz, Macaulay Library-ML161402841)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : The Puerto Rican Mango is a striking bird with vivid shining colours of glittering green, inky black and vibrant violet!But who says you have to travel to Puerto Rico or the Virgin Islands to see these beautiful colours?In this activity you’ll make a suncatcher—a decoration that catches rays of sunlight and casts them as rainbow hued patterns across the room! You might want to make this beautiful suncatcher as a gift for Mother’s Day!
Here is a list of materials you will need:
empty clear plastic milk jug, washed and dried
permanent markers
scissors
utility Knife
hole punch
twine, string or yarn
You can download full instructions here including a bird template for you to use. This activity involves using a knife and scissors.
Make sure you have an adult to help you with the cutting.
Let’s celebrate moms AND endemic birds!
Mother’s Day is this weekend on May 12th and we’ve got you covered. We have an endemic bird-themed Mother’s Day Cards to download and colour. This is a fun activity for people of all ages to celebrate the mother figure in their life!
Please download and print our card template (letter size will work best but A4 will be ok too). It’s best to use card stock, but regular printer paper will do just fine. Once printed, fold in half horizontally (so the short sides touch) and write your own special message on the inside! Don’t forget to colour in the pictures on the front and on the back. Or if you are feeling really creative be inspired by one our featured birds and draw your own greeting card!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Puerto Rican Mango at its nest in the wild!
Read all about how the Antillean Mango got split into two new species back in 2022! One of these was the Puerto Rican Mango, but do you know which other island also got a ‘new’ species of hummingbird from this split?
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Least Pauraque
You’re enjoying a nice relaxing night in the southwestern dry forests of the Dominican Republic when you hear an eerie “twooorii” from the forest. Is it a ghost?? Or even worse—the fabled Chupacabra!?
Although the avian family name Caprimulgidae does actually hail from myths purporting that these birds suckled (chupa) on goats’ (cabra) udders, the Least Pauraque couldn’t be more of an adorable toasted marshmallow of a bird with no interest whatsoever in drinking goat milk. They are actually far more interested in eating nocturnal flying insects—which is great news for all of us who don’t fancy nights filled with mosquitos!
These birds are locally known as ‘Torico’. Their local names come from their guttural repeated “torico, torico” call.
And while you might wander into the woods seeking to find the source of these spooky calls—you’ll be looking for a long time as these birds are masters of disguise! They are cryptically colored with streaked blackish-brown upper parts and a creamy white belly with feathers laced in blacks and browns. They wear a pearly white collar and search for insects with their huge, dark eyes—all the better for nocturnal foraging! You can tell them apart from Hispaniola’s other nightjar (the endemic Hispaniolan Nightjar) by the band across the end of their tail feathers which is white in males and buffy-cream in females. They also lack the white wing crescents of Antillean Nighthawk and much prefer perching and sallying to actively soaring like the nighthawks tend to do. While it might look like they can’t catch much in their tiny beaks, their mouths actually open very wide to catch unsuspecting insects.
Whilst they do share Hispaniola with several other nightjars, the Least Pauraque is unique in their genus! They used to share their genus with the Jamaican Pauraque, which although discovered first in 1758, has not been seen or detected since 1860. The Least Pauraque on the other hand is newer to science, having been described in 1917 and was later assigned to the same unique genus in 1928 by the notable James Bond.
You can find them in arid or semi-arid lowlands of Hispaniola. They are big fans of scrubby limestone woodlands filled with prickly cactus and thorn scrub, though they have also been recorded in deciduous, coniferous, and other mixed forests spanning from sea level up to 800m in elevation. The best spot to find the Least Pauraque is the Sierra de Bahoruco mountain range in the southwest of the Dominican Republic.
While not globally threatened, these adorable bug-eaters are considered near-threatened. Since they are hard to find and thus hard to count, we can only roughly estimate their population which is believed to be between 6,000-15,000 individuals. This population is suspected to be in a slow decline. Their current status in Haiti is not well known, wide-scale deforestation for agriculture and charcoal production mean they have lost much of their preferred habitat. In fact, there were no records of Least Pauraque in Haiti between 1928 and 1969! They are known at 16 widespread locales in the Dominican Republic—however, their cryptic plumage keeps them well hidden and it is believed that they likely occupy more areas than these. Continued threats include predation from introduced rats and mongoose, and continued forest loss for agriculture.
While decisions about protecting habitats from unsustainable development that can threaten the Least Pauraque are often in the hands of policy makers, you can still help your backyard birds thrive! Just like the Least Pauraque there are other birds, like the Gray Kingbird and Greater Antillean Bullfinch, that like to feed on crunchy and gooey insects. Avoid using insecticides so that these birds will have enough insects to munch on and keep coming back to your garden.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Holly Garrodfor the text!
Colour in the Least Pauraque
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the calls of the Least Pauraque
The calls of the Least Pauraque include a rising whistle “tooooooeeeeeee,” and a three syllable trilled “oo-weee-oo.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Least Pauraque perched. These birds specialize in catching and feeding on flying insects. While it might look like they can’t catch much in their tiny beak, their mouths actually open very wide! (Photo by Kristof Zyskowski, Macaulay Library-ML174412081)Least Pauraque camouflaged in leaf litter. These birds are masters of disguise. The best habitats to look for them in are the arid or semi-arid lowlands of Hispaniola. They are big fans of scrubby limestone woodlands filled with cactus and thorn scrub. (Photo by Dax Roman)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : What facts can you remember about today’s endemic bird – the Least Pauraque? Test your knowledge by filling in the missing words in our Least Pauraque facts! We have given you all the correct words to use but can you put them into the right fact?
You can re-read the information all about this bird above, or search on the BirdsCaribbean webpages or online for more information about the Least Pauraque! Then, when you have completed all the sentences, you can check your answers here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Least Pauraque in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Tawny-shouldered Blackbird
Blackbirds love to hang out with other blackbirds and this beloved endemic is no exception. The Tawny-shouldered Blackbird is considered nearly endemic to Cuba where locals call it ‘Mayito.’ There is a small relict population in Haiti. Like other blackbirds, it belongs to the Icteridae family, which includes other cool endemics like the Greater Antillean Grackle, Cuban Blackbird, and Red-shouldered Blackbird. It forms mixed flocks with these species. It even flocks with Shiny Cowbirds—which are known to parasitize their nests! Being in a mixed flock affords Tawny-shouldered Blackbirds better protection from predators and possibly improves foraging efficiency. At night, their raucous roosts can be immediately identified in parks and tree groves.
Male and female Tawny-shouldered Blackbirds look alike. Both have black plumage, and distinctive tawny (orange-ochre) patches on the shoulders with a yellowish-cream border. This shoulder patch is particularly striking in males during the breeding season. Females are duskier and lack the bluish gloss of the males. These relatively small birds measure approximately 7.5 inch to 8.7 inch.
Not all species of songbirds can sing duets with their mates but Tawny-shouldered Blackbirds rather delightfully can! Both males and females have melodious voices with males usually leading the serenade. Solo songs are a shrill “shuh-riii-iii” and calls are a short and strong metallic “chic-chic.”
Tawny-shouldered Blackbirds are monogamous, nesting in trees or bushes near water, and prefer colonial nesting, with many nests close to each other. They nest from April to August with chicks fledging the nests mostly between May and July. Females take the lead in constructing the nests using dried grass, moss, twigs, hair, and feathers. Clutches comprise 3–4 bluish to greenish eggs with brown spots.
In Cuba look for these black beauties in woodlands and woodland edges, farmlands, and rice fields. In Haiti, they occur along channels of dry open woodlands. They can also be found in Cuba’s cities and neighbourhoods, and are not restricted to wetlands like their counterpart, the Red-shouldered Blackbird. Their omnivorous diet of insects, seeds, fruits, and nectar allows them to adapt to a variety of habitats.
While primarily sedentary, vagrant Tawny-shouldered Blackbirds have been recorded in the southeastern United States and the Cayman Islands, possibly blown off route during storms and hurricanes.
Fortunately, the Tawny-shouldered blackbird is not globally threatened. Although common in larger islands in the Cuban archipelago, it is rare in Haiti, mainly in the western part, and the current status of its populations there is unknown.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Ailén Anido Escalona for the text!
Colour in the Tawny-shouldered Blackbird
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Tawny-shouldered Blackbird
The song of the Tawny-shouldered Blackbird is made up of long buzzing notes, sometimes interspersed with short higher-pitched ‘buzzes’. Both males and females will sing, sometimes together.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Both male and female Tawny-shouldered Blackbirds have melodious voices. Unlike many species of songbirds, where only the male sings to attract a mate, they will sing duets together! (Photo by John Drummond, Macaulay Library-ML27841521)In Cuba, look for Tawny-shouldered Blackbirds in woodland and woodland edges, farmland, and rice fields. They can also be found in Cuba’s cities and suburbs and are not restricted to wetlands like the similar looking Red-shouldered Blackbird. (Photo by Neil Hilton)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : The Tawny-shouldered Blackbird enjoys catching and eating bugs. It searches trees and in bushes, sometimes even on the ground to find tasty creepy crawlies to munch on. Perhaps catching a moth, a tasty worm, or a spider!
Imagine you are a Tawny-shouldered Blackbird in search of a meal. In today’s activity you will go exploring and find out what bugs there are in your backyard in our fun bug hunt!
Follow our instructions and see how many different types of bugs you can find! Perhaps you will spot a butterfly or a bee flitting past? Remember to just look at the bugs and not to touch or collect them.
You can check the ones you see off on our list, and perhaps take some photos of them?
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of Tawny-shouldered Blackbirds in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Jamaican Tody
When you hear the name Robin Redbreast, many birds across many continents come to mind. In Jamaica, it’s the Jamaican Tody (Todus todus). When it comes to names, it seems that nostalgic European settlers have long been prone to naming any bird with a flash of red on the chest “robins” after the beloved little birds they remember from home. However, the Tody doesn’t actually have a red breast—it has a red throat! Being such a compact bird, the anatomy has been conflated by the casual observer.
The Jamaican Tody carries other interesting local names—’Jesus Bird’ and ‘Rasta Bird’. Legend has it that during Christ’s crucifixion, a drop of blood fell on the bird while it was looking up at the cross. This event is said to have left a lasting imprint on the bird’s appearance. As for its ‘Rasta Bird’ moniker, the Jamaican Tody’s brilliant red, green, and yellow/gold colors embody the Rastafarian colours, making it truly iconic of Jamaica!
First described in Jamaica, Todies belong to a genus exclusive to the Greater Antilles and entirely endemic to the Caribbean. There are five species spread across four islands, with one on each island except Hispaniola, which has two.
This vibrant little bird is only about 9cm (3.5 inches) tall and boasts a large head, stout body, and short tail. Imagine a feathered puff with a prominent red, pointed bill. Its back and wings are a bright leaf green, while its throat is vibrantly red. The upper half of the bill is brown, and the lower is orange-red. It has a white mustache that ends in a touch of blue. The iris can be blue-gray, brownish-white, or even a rare half-and-half combination! The breast is white, with some green washing on the sides. There are varying amounts of pink on the flanks and bright yellow or green on the lower belly. The wings and tail are black with green and brown edges, and the legs are brown.
Found in all types of forests, from mangroves to mountains, the Tody is most common at mid-levels. Don’t let its small size fool you—it has a huge personality! You’ll likely see it flitting about in the undergrowth, constantly searching for its next meal. It perches on low branches with its long, broad bill tilted upwards as it patiently scans the vegetation for crawling larvae and flying insects. Once spotted, the Tody swoops down or up to catch its prey in a flash! Prey is hit against the branches or shaken in its bill to kill it before eating.
During the breeding season Jamaican Todies give a loud “beep.” For territorial displays, a rapid, guttural throat-rattling “frrrup” call is used. A loud hissing “cheep” signals danger. However, not all of their distinctive sounds come from inside their beaks! In flight, they also make a characteristic “buzzing” noise with their wings!
When it comes to raising their offspring, a typical nest of leaves and twigs just won’t do for Jamaican Todies. Both males and females tunnel through soil to build nesting burrows where 1 to 4 white eggs are laid!
The Jamaican Tody is not a threatened species but its population is undoubtedly negatively affected by habitat destruction, predation by the invasive Indian Mongoose. This remarkable little bird will benefit from reforestation programs and efforts to stop the spread of its invasive predators.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Damany Calderfor the text!
Colour in the Jamaican Tody
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Jamaican Tody
The song of the Jamaican Tody is a series of scratchy sounding “zheh” sounds often followed by a brief rattling call.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
The Jamaican Tody’s brilliant red, green, and yellow/gold colors also embody the Rastafarian colours, making it a true icon of Jamaica. (Photo by Matt Grube)The Jamaican Tody can be found in all types of forests, from mangroves to mountains. Look for this little bird perched or flitting through the undergrowth in search of insect prey. (Photo by Anthony VanSchoor)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Jamaican Todies feed on insects like beetles, flies, moths, crickets, and grasshoppers. When catching flying insects for a delicious meal Todies will “sally” (swoop) out form their perch on a nearby branch and grab this insect right out of the air! If they are successful they then head back to their perch and tuck into their catch.
Can you help this hungry Jamaican Tody find its way through our maze to to grab some tasty insect food? You can find the correct route here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Jamaican Tody in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Lesser Antillean Euphonia
This tiny flitting endemic icon can be found on not one, not two, not three, but nine islands in the Lesser Antilles (Barbuda to Grenada). The Lesser Antillean Euphonia is a brilliantly colored bird. The male has a sky-blue helmet, olive-yellow underparts, a bright yellow patch on the throat and forehead, a dark mask, and an olive-green back. Although males and females are similar in appearance, the female is more uniformly olive-green and has a smaller yellow forehead patch.
Lesser Antillean Euphonias are predominantly a species of dense forests, from dry lowlands to wet mountain tops. They can be found in most available habitats and adjacent disturbed areas, especially where mistletoe is present. Why mistletoe? Mistletoe berries are their favorite food! Like many other plants, mistletoe are dependent on birds to disperse their seeds but the way this happens is remarkable. Euphonias break open the outer shell of the fruit and swallow the inner portion. They digest the pulp which is rich in fat and protein and then defecate the seeds onto tree limbs where they germinate, thereby helping to “plant” them in another location. The seeds have a sticky film on them which acts as a glue to stick the seeds to the tree limb. Euphonias can be seen quickly “wiping” the seeds onto a branch after pooping them out to prevent them from sticking to their vent feathers! They also occasionally eat other fruits, seeds, and flower buds.
Though one of the most brilliantly coloured and active Caribbean endemics, birders lament that they are rarely lucky to catch even a glimpse of Lesser Antillean Euphonias. But their distinctive song—a jumbled trilling, tinkling “tuc-tuc-tuc…”, punctuated with sharp whistles, can be heard from above, usually pouring out from the labyrinth of mistletoe vines.
The breeding season lasts from January to July, possibly peaking from April to June. Dome-shaped nests, with a side entrance, are constructed using moss and rootlets, with an inner cup of dried grass, strips of bark, and shredded plant material. In St Vincent a nest was placed about 10m up and attached to vines growing against the trunk of a forest palm. The vines most likely provide camouflage and stability for the nest. Eggs (4) are white with mauve or reddish brown spots, especially at the larger end, with the markings sometimes forming a ring.
While not threatened, Lesser Antillean Euphonias are uncommon throughout their range. Populations have been recorded within protected areas in Guadeloupe, Dominica, and St Lucia. But strong winds and tree falls, caused by severe storms and hurricanes can decrease the amount of food available to them. It is important for us to support our local NGO initiatives, like removing invasive species and replacing them with native trees, to increase the resilience of our forests so that Lesser Antillean Euphonias and other forest-dependent birds can continue to thrive.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Aliya Hosein for the text!
Colour in the Lesser Antillean Euphonia
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song and the calls of the Lesser Antillean Euphonia
The song of the Lesser Antillean Euphonia is a jumble of is a rapid jumble squeaky, and whistled notes.
The calls of the Lesser Antillean Euphonia include a high-pitched “wheee”, a more grating “djip”, as well as a “beep” call, sometime in a series, and a rapid “whip-ip.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Female Lesser Antillean Euphonia, Guadeloupe. This little bird is found on nine islands in the Lesser Antilles! (Barbuda to Grenada). (Photo by Anthony Levesque, Macaulay Library- ML140599201)Juvenile Lesser Antillean Euphonia, Guadeloupe. Young birds are even more uniformly olive-green and are less colourful than both the adult males or females. (Photo by Anthony Levesque, Macaulay Library-ML465196671)Male Lesser Antillea on Dominica. These colourful endemic ‘jewels’ are hard to spot, listen out for their distinctive jumbled, trilling song and keep your eyes peeled! (Photo by David Hollie, Macaulay Library-ML595435561)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Honey bees feed on both nectar and pollen. The nectar is for energy and the pollen provides protein and other nutrients. They find their food through sight and smell.
In todays activity you will do an experiment to test how great bees are at remembering where they can find food!
With the help of an adult, you will need to gather the following items before you get started:
Pan or microwave-safe dish
Water
50g sugar
5 clear dishes
4 pieces of white paper
1 piece of red paper
Then download and follow you simple instructions and get started finding out more about bees!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Read all about the latest bird species changes in the Caribbean! This included ‘splitting’ the the former Antillean Euphonia (Chlorophonia musica) has now been differentiated as the Puerto Rican Euphonia (Chlorophonia sclateri), the Hispaniolan Euphonia (Chlorophonia musica), and the Lesser Antillean Euphonia (Chlorophonia flavifrons).
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Vitelline Warbler
Introducing the Vitelline Warbler! If you’re from the Cayman Islands you may know it as “Chip chip.” This little gem might be small, but it’s got some fascinating facts up its wing. Found only in the Cayman Islands and Swan Islands, there are not one, not two, but three wonderful sub-species of Vitelline Warbler! Each one has its own unique flair, adding even more color to these islands’ ecosystems. Spot the S. v. nelson subspecies on the Swan Islands, S. v. vitellina on Grand Cayman, and S. v. crawfordi on Little Cayman & Cayman Brac.
Spotting a Vitelline Warbler can be a treat—here’s what to look for! A small songbird measuring around 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 centimeters) in length, males sport an olive-green crown and upperparts, and median wing coverts edged yellow with greater wing coverts edged olive-yellow, forming two wing bars. The wings and tail are dusty olive, the head is bright yellow with an olive-green eye-line, and a moustachial stripe that curves below the eye (similar to that of a Prairie Warbler). Underparts are yellow, the sides and flanks are a washed olive color and faintly streaked (not visible during winter). Females are similarly colored but tend to be more dull with less distinctive face markings. The Vitelline Warbler has a pointed bill, perfect for hunting insects.
These birds are not really city birds, and instead prefer the peace and quiet of their leafy homes. If you’re looking for a Vitelline Warbler, head to the thick, dry shrublands, woodlands, and forest edges. Keep your eyes peeled though, these birds are like the ninjas of the forest! Their olive-green color helps them blend in perfectly with the foliage, making them tricky to spot.
What’s on the menu for these little guys? Bugs, bugs, and more bugs! They’re insectivores, gobbling up all sorts of creepy crawlies they find in the foliage. They occasionally consume nectar.
Despite their diminutive size, Vitelline Warblers have giant voices! The sweet melody of their songs echoes through the forest. Listen for a buzz with three brief introductory notes followed by a longer ascending note, and then a long descending note: dzz-dzz-dzz-zzzzii-zzzzuu.They use 3 varieties of these chirps and trills, perfect for serenading potential mates or just chatting with their pals.
When it’s time to settle down and start a family, these warblers get busy! The female builds a cozy little nest resembling a small deep woven cup made from grass, cotton, bromeliads, spider webs, and feathers. These nests are very well hidden by leaves and vines. Mama warbler lays her eggs, usually a small clutch of two eggs, and both parents take turns keeping them warm until they hatch.
The Vitelline Warbler is listed as a restricted range species and faces several threats that have contributed to its classification as “Near Threatened” by the IUCN. As human populations expand and develop, the natural habitats of the Vitelline Warbler on the Cayman Islands are shrinking, leaving them with less space to live, breed, and find food. You can help protect their habitats by supporting local environmental NGOs that are working to prevent urban sprawl and restore natural areas.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Kelsey-Rae Smith for the text!
Colour in the Vitelline Warbler
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Vitelline Warbler
The song of the Vitelline Warbler is made up of 4-5 harsh, slurred acsending and descending notes “szwee-szwee-szwee-zee” .
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Male Vitelline Warbler. Look out for this colourful endemic in thick, dry shrublands, woodlands, and forest edges on the Cayman Islands! (Photo by Nicole Martin, Macaulay Library-ML493131001)The female Vitelline Warbler is slightly duller than male, with more uniformly yellow ear-coverts. This bird has a very small range and some of its habitat is under threat of development in the Cayman Islands—it is currently listed as “Near Threatened” by the IUCN. (Photo by Simon Best, Macaulay Library-ML611247300)
Juvenile Vitelline Warblers are pale grayish or grayish-brown on their heads and upperparts. (Photo by Larry Therrien)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : There are two warblers who can both be found in the Cayman Islands and look very much alike, but they’re not the same type of bird! Once is today’s endemic bird, the Vitelline Warbler, and the other is a Prairie Warbler. Both are mainly olive-coloured and yellow! In our activity of the day you need to look carefully at two photos and try to identify the Vitelline Warbler. Check the text above for some handy tips.
If you get stuck and feel like you need a bit of extra help then take a look on the second page of this activity. You will find some helpful hints to set you on the right track.
Think that you found the Vitelline Warbler? You can check if you are right on our answer sheet here. This activity is perfect to play with school groups or outdoor education clubs etc.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Vitelline Warbler in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Bare-legged Owl
Cuba is the home of two tiny endemic owls. The Bare-legged Owl, locally called Sijú Cotunto, is perhaps the lesser known of the pair. That does not mean it is uncommon—in fact, it is easily observed all around the country in wooded areas, mixed palm forest, semi-deciduous forest, and thickets. It is most active at night, which is when you can sometimes hear its series of soft hoots hoo hoo hoo huhuhuhuhuhuhuu, with a bouncing ball rhythm that accelerates at the end. The best chance to see this cute little puffball of an owl during daylight is while it is roosting inside caves or in the crevices of palm trees.
The name of this owl tells us about its most distinguishing characteristic: the lack of feathers on its legs, which are yellow-green in color. If you come across the similar Burrowing Owl, which is very rare in Cuba, you can use this feature to tell them apart! The other tiny Cuban endemic owl, the Cuban Pygmy-owl, also has feathered legs and is more active during the day, unlike its nocturnal bare-legged cousin. Their big, dark brown eyes also distinguish them, as the other species have yellow eyes. Their plumage is mostly rufous to brown on the upperparts, with white spots on the wing feathers. The throat and belly are mostly white, with some brown streaks on the breast and flanks.
Bare-legged Owls feed mainly on large insects and occasionally on frogs and small reptiles. The breeding season occurs from December to June, with a peak around March-April. They use abandoned woodpecker holes or natural openings in trees where they lay two white eggs. They can also be found nesting on cliffs or caves. It is very common to find them in pairs—that observation, coupled with the record of a pair living for seven years in the same territory—has led to scientists suspecting that they are monogamous birds. However, Bare-legged Owls are very secretive, meaning we still have lots to learn about their behavior, especially during the breeding season! This ‘secretiveness’ and the fact they are nocturnal make any sighting a joyful event!
Luckily, Bare-legged Owls do not seem to be in decline. They have a large geographic distribution and have shown adaptive traits in the face of habitat conversion for housing and commercial development. However, as a secondary cavity nester, it is important to protect the holes and dead trees that are an important resource during the breeding season. Dead trees still provide cover and nesting spaces for birds and mammals too, so don’t get rid of the dead trees in your yard just yet!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Daniela Ventura for the text!
Colour in the Bare-legged Owl
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Bare-legged Owl
The song of the Bare-legged Owl is a soft series of “hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo…” notes that accelerate. This bird also sometimes make a screeching sound.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Bare-legged Owls are ‘secondary cavity’ nesters, meaning they use holes made by other birds especially woodpeckers and natural openings in trees, particularly palms. (Photo by Aslam Ibrahim Castellon Maure)Although Bare-legged Owls, like most owls, are most active at night, your best chance to spot one is during the day whilst this tiny owl is roosting. (Photo by Max Schwenne)The Bare-legged Owl is fairly common across Cuba and appears to be able to adapt to live in human modified landscapes. (Photo by John Mangold)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : How much do you know about the life-cycle of our featured bird the Bare-legged Owl? Why not test your knowledge and complete our “Life Cycle of an Owl” activity?
First spend some time learning about owls on the internet or at your school library. Then carefully cut the ‘missing’ images and paste in the correct order to complete this owl’s life cycle! Don’t forget to label each stage.
You can check your completed life cycle against the correct one, which can be found here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Bare-legged Owl in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Puerto Rican Oriole
If the early bird gets the worm, the Puerto Rican Oriole (Icterus portoricensis) really has an edge on the competition! These charismatic birds (called Calandrias in Spanish) mainly sing in the darkness of the early morning, before first light. Both male and females sing lilting, whistling songs until sunrise, after which they mainly produce sharp tchu and buzzy wink calls. Mated pairs often stay close together all day long, and use those calls to keep track of each other, like a game of Marco Polo.
The Puerto Rican Oriole is a member of the Icterus genus, and used to be called the Greater Antillean Oriole. In 2010, the Greater Antillean Oriole was split into four distinct species: the Cuban Oriole (Icterus melanopsis), the Hispaniola Oriole (Icterus dominicensis), the Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi), and the Puerto Rican Oriole.
Puerto Rican Orioles are endemic to the island of Puerto Rico where they can be found across the island in gardens, mangroves and other wooded areas. They forage in pairs or family groups for insects, spiders, fruits, nectar, small lizards, and frogs. Their pointed beaks are sharp and strong, perfect for prying into small cracks in trees or pulling off pieces of breadfruit.
They have beautiful, unmistakable plumage—adults of both sexes are mostly black, with patches of intensely yellow feathers on their shoulders, rump, lower belly, and thighs. Juveniles are olive-green or yellow, with patches of black feathers appearing as they age. It is impossible to tell males and females apart just by looking at them. But only females build the nest, so if you see a Puerto Rican Oriole building a nest you can be certain it’s a female!
Females weave the fibers of palms into a cup-shape nest, which hangs underneath palm fronds or banana leaves. Typically, they prefer to nest and forage on the edges of forests, especially in areas with palms. If you live in Puerto Rico and have palm trees, check under the fronds, from March to June, where you may find their basket-like nests! But remember to be a good host and give her space and privacy. Their oval-shaped eggs are pale white with brown speckles on them, and both parents raise the chicks after they hatch. Nestlings are fed more insects than fruits.
Though classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, preliminary research indicates that the population may be declining. Unfortunately, Puerto Rican Oriole nests are favorite targets for parasitism by Shiny Cowbirds (Molothrus bonariensis), who lay their eggs in the nests of other birds for them to raise. As a result, Puerto Rican Orioles often raise cowbird chicks instead of their own, and their reproductive success is low. They may be more successful in more densely forested areas where there are fewer cowbirds.
Overall, the Puerto Rican Oriole is a beautiful, fascinating bird that any visitor to the island should be sure to seek out. If we protect their natural habitats and monitor their population, this endemic songbird can continue its early morning serenade for generations to come.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Michelle Moyer for the text!
Colour in the Puerto Rican Oriole
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Puerto Rican Oriole
The song of the Puerto Rican Oriole is a series of high-pitched whistles , mixed with buzzes and warbles.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Female Puerto Rican Orioles weave the fibers of palms into a cup shape, which hangs underneath palm fronds or banana leaves. Typically, they prefer to nest and forage on the edges of forests. (Photo by Michael Ocasio, Macaulay Library-ML599415791)
Immature Puerto Rican Orioles look very different from the adults being mainly olive or yellow in colour. Patches of black feathers will start appearing as they age. (Photo by Ricardo Sanchez)Puerto Rican Orioles like to get started early in the day. Both male and females sing lilting, whistling songs in the hours of darkness in the early morning, before sunrise. (Photo by Ken Pinnow)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Can you find the words in our Puerto Rican Oriole word search? Remind yourself of some of the interesting facts about this endemic bird as you look for all 15 hidden words!
Remember the words may appear forwards and backwards, as well as horizontal, vertical and diagonal!
Need some help? Or want to check your answers? You can see where all the words were here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Puerto Rican Oriole in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: La Sagra’s Flycatcher
Weep. A pause. Weep. A pause. Weep. You hear the sound of wings fluttering briefly and the clickety-clack of a beak snapping shut. The weeping continues.
You peek outside and see a medium-sized, nondescript flycatcher perched, leaning forward, on a low branch. It has a brown-gray head, back, and wings (with two inconspicuous wingbars), a grayish-white underside (sometimes tinged with yellow), and reddish-brown tail and primaries. Perhaps its short crest, reminiscent of a Troll doll, is puffed up, but otherwise the bird is unremarkable…until it launches itself from its perch, snags an insect you didn’t even notice from a branch, U-turns with a backflip, and neatly returns to its perch, displaying acrobatics that would rival the Cirque du Soleil.
The La Sagra’s Flycatcher (Myiarchus sagrae) is a member of the tyrant flycatcher family, which is the largest family of birds in the world, comprising more than 400 species. The La Sagra’s range includes The Bahamas and Grand Cayman (local name Tom Fool) and Cuba (local name Bobito Grande). Across these islands, it inhabits nearly all ecosystems including pine forests, mangrove wetlands, and coppice (evergreen broadleaf forests). There are also records of it in southern Florida, where it is considered a rare vagrant. Typically identified first by its one-note weep call rather than by sight, listen out also for its weep–piri song.
This bird really lives up to the name ‘flycatcher’! First, its diet consists primarily of insects. Beetles, caterpillars, moths, katydids, and even dragonflies are favourites, but they are also known to eat fruits and seeds when necessary. Second, the La Sagra’s Flycatcher hunts via “hawking” or “sallying,” where a bird watches for insect prey from a perch, flies off to grab it on the wing, and returns to devour its catch.
During the breeding season, April to July, they build cup-shaped nests using hair, plant fibers and other soft materials in the cavities of tree trunks, broken branches, and even bamboo stalks! Clutch size varies from 2 and 4 eggs.
The La Sagra’s Flycatcher is not threatened but as noted by the IUCN, its population is decreasing. This is likely due to habitat destruction caused by catastrophic hurricanes and unsustainable development. A decrease in the supply of its favourite food—insects, caused by excessive use of insecticides for pest control, is also responsible for its decline.
You can take action to conserve both birds and insects. Whether you have a backyard, garden, or just a balcony planter, provide a haven for the right insects by planting with native plants. And if you do spot any pests in your garden, use nontoxic methods to get rid of them (e.g., neem oil). If we all do our part, birds like the insect-loving La Sagra’s Flycatcher will continue to thrive and provide enjoyment to all.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Giselle Dean for the text!
Colour in the La Sagra’s Flycatcher
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the call of the La Sagra’s Flycatcher
The calls of the La Sagra’s Flycatcher include a quick “sweet” and whistled “whit-it, did-id-oo.”
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
La Sagra’s Flycatcher in The Bahamas. The La Sagra’s range includes The Bahamas (home to the subspecies lucaysiensis), and Cuba and Grand Cayman (subspecies sagrae in both islands). (Photo by Beth Hamel)La Sagra’s Flycatcher mainly perches in and hunts insect from the understory. They use their acrobatic flight skills to snatch insects out of the air. (Photo by Greg Lavaty)La Sagra’s Flycatcher belongs to the ‘tyrant flycatcher’ family. This is the largest bird family in the world, with over 400 species! (Photo by Michael World)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Have you ever wondered what birds live in your backyard? Have you thought about how many birds might be there? Well, today’s “Backyard Bird Blitz” activity is going to help you answer those questions!
Telling the difference between different species of birds can be tricky but we have some tips to help you sort them in them into ‘types’ of bird, which is a really great starting point. We’ve also got some great advice on the best way to count the birds in your backyard. Just download our simple instructions, find a comfy spot with a great view of the birds in your yard or garden and get started!
If you need more help trying to identify birds down to which species they are you could try looking in a local bird field or ID guide or take a look on eBird Caribbean to see if you can find the birds you have been seeing. If you live in the Caribbean you may also spot one of your wonderful endemic birds enjoying your backyard!
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a La Sagra’s Flycatcher in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Blue Mountain Vireo
The Blue Mountain Vireo is not blue in colour, doesn’t sing the blues, and is not restricted to the Blue Mountains in Jamaica as its name suggests. However, it is known for its distinctive song, a long trilling whistle, and its alarm call, a harsh “brrrr” which drops in pitch at the end. They are very secretive and are often heard before being seen.
The Blue Mountain Vireo is described as a plain, chunky vireo with a blue-gray head, heavy dark bill, and yellow underparts. It has no facial markings or wing bars, unlike the Jamaican Vireo, which is smaller with conspicuous white wing bars.
This lovely vireo, endemic to Jamaica, is an uncommon resident in humid forest, especially in montane regions. Its habitat ranges from the low elevations of Windsor in Cockpit Country to the high elevations of the Blue Mountains (500-2000m). They are also found in degraded woodlands, farms, gardens, shade coffee plantations, and along roads in higher and wetter areas in Jamaica. They often forage in dense foliage, searching leaves, lichens, and under tree bark for juicy and crunchy insects (beetles, grubs, and spiders), or close to the ground where they glean insects off flowers. They also eat fruit. They usually forage alone or in small mixed flocks with other insectivorous birds.
Their nesting period runs from March to July, during which time Blue Mountain Vireos build a cup-shaped nest using mostly moss. Their nests can be seen dangling from trees or even medium height saplings. Eggs are spotted, but information about clutch size, incubation, and fledging are currently unknown.
The Blue Mountain Vireo is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Habitat loss is the main threat to this species. Trees within its habitat are cut down for charcoal burning, small-scale farming, and development. Bush fires also limit the area of suitable habitat available for Blue Mountain Vireos and other wildlife. It is important that we protect their habitats by not clearing large areas in the forest, and that we work towards restoring degraded parts of their habitats by planting native trees.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Damion Whyte for the text!
Colour in the Blue Mountain Vireo
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Blue Mountain Vireo
The song of the Blue Mountain Vireo is a loud, musical trill.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
The Blue Mountain Vireo is a plain-looking bird. You can tell it apart from the Jamaican Vireo by its lack of facial markings and wing bars, and larger size. (Photo by Bobby Wilcox, Macaulay Library-ML515352281)Blue Mountain Vireos love forest with dense vegetation and prefer higher elevation and wetter forests. (Photo by Eric Hynes)Blue Mountain Vireos are listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Habitat loss due to farming and development are the main threats to the species. (Photo by Michael Woodruff, Macaulay Library-ML138683421)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS : Do you know what the different parts of a bird are called? Knowing them can help you to learn how to describe and identify birds, as well as colour them in. Learn the names for the parts of a bird by checking out the diagram in this page.
Test your knowledge on today’s endemic bird by matching the correct names to the correct ‘parts of a Blue Mountain Vireo’ and completing this sheet.
Want to check your answers? You can see where all the words matched up to here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS : Enjoy this video of a Blue Mountain Vireo in the wild!
Find out more about Jamaica’s endemic with this fantastic poster made by BirdLife Jamaica featuring ALL the endemic birds on the island!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Hispaniolan Emerald
See them sparkle. See them shine. These birds are looking mighty fine. Both in name and in plumage, the Hispaniolan Emerald is a literal gem of a bird!
True to their name, both males and females boast glittering green feathers. Females have a bronzy glint to their green and can be distinguished from males by their pale white chest and throat. Males have a dark chest and a green gorget (throat patch) which shimmers brilliantly when awash with light. Look for the little white spot behind their eyes which gives them an extra cute face!
How does the emerald stand out from Hispaniola’s other hummers? Fortunately there are only three other resident hummers to tell it apart from. The first key is habitat. The Hispaniolan Emerald prefers higher elevation montane tropical forests. Usually they won’t be found below 200m, but can be found as high as 1,500m! The higher into Hispaniola’s mountains you venture, the more emeralds you’re likely to see. Listen for their sharp metallic chipping notes next time you go for a mountain hike in Hispaniola.
The second clue is to look at their bill and tail shape. The Hispaniolan Emerald has a straight bill, unlike the decurved bill of the Hispaniolan Mango. If you catch it in a bit of sun, you might even see that the lower bill is actually red. Next check the tail shape—emeralds have a dark forked tail, whereas the Hispaniolan Mango has a rounded tail with orange-purple feathers.
The Hispaniolan Emerald is also perfectly sized in between the teeny tiny Vervain Hummingbird and the larger Hispaniolan Mango. This has given it one of its local names—Zumbador Mediana. It is also referred to as Zumbador Esmerelda or Zumbador Verde in the Dominican Republic. In Haiti, they’re known as Wanga-nègès mòn.
Although emeralds themselves are not a Caribbean specialty, our Caribbean emeralds are unique! Most other emerald hummingbirds in the neotropics are in the genus Chlorostilbon. While Caribbean emeralds had formerly been classified as such, recent molecular studies have shown that they are distinct! As such, Caribbean emeralds were placed in the recently resurrected genus, Riccordia, named to honor French surgeon-naturalist Alexandre Riccord. This genus now contains all Caribbean endemic emeralds including the Puerto Rican Emerald, the Cuban Emerald, the Blue-headed Hummingbird, and of course our featured Hispaniolan Emerald. It also includes the extinct Brace’s Emerald, formerly of Grand Bahama.
These hummingbirds are trap-liners, which means that they usually have a preferred flower route. They love common Caribbean flowers like Inga, Heliconia, and Hibiscus. They are also quite adept at snatching insects in the air when they need a little of that extra protein boost!
Like other hummingbirds, the female does all of the work when it comes to nest-building, weaving together a cozy cup of moss and ferns, lining it with lichens, and tying it all together with a bit of spiderweb. She lays two white tic-tac size eggs which usually hatch after a little over two weeks of incubation and fledge about 20 days later.
While Hispaniolan Emeralds are still a common sight around much of the Hispaniolan highlands, they are losing much of their habitat to deforestation, especially in the Haitian mountains, though they persist in La Visite National Park and Pic Macaya Biosphere Reserve.
You can get the opportunity to see these sparkling gems for yourself this summer at our annual conference in Santo Domingo! Be sure to sign up for a trip to Ebano Verde Scientific Reserve or get yourself into the mountains for a good chance to see the Hispaniolan Emerald!
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Holly Garrod for the text!
Colour in the Hispaniolan Emerald
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the calls of Hispaniolan Emerald
The call of the Hispaniolan Emerald is a sharp “tic” often repeated in a series.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
A female Hispaniolan Emerald feeds her chicks at the nest she built. Like other hummingbirds, she doesn’t get any help from the male! Chicks will fledge about 20 days after the eggs hatch. (Photo by Alberto Rojas)A beautiful male Hispaniolan Emerald. Look for these hummers at higher elevations—the higher you venture, the more emeralds you’re likely to see! (Photo by Bradley Hacker)Male Hispaniolan Emerald in Flight at a flower. As well as feeding on nectar, they will also eat insects—snatching them out of the air! (Photo by Cameron Rutt)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Our 2024 Caribbean Endemic Bird Festive theme is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”. What better way to help protect insects than by giving them somewhere to live? In today’s activity you’ll be making a bug hotel. Bug hotels are a great addition to your garden, back yard, or community space. They attract and protect bugs that keep your plants healthy. And don’t forget what is good for bugs is good for birds!
For this activity you will need:
Toilet paper rolls
Milk Carton
Acrylic paint
Large straws or rolled up pieces of paper
Natural materials for bugs to hide in e.g. moss, dried grass, pinecones, twigs, leaves
Stones
Rolled paper
Craft knife (optional)
Black dot stickers or black paint
Just download our handy instructions and get started. Note that this for this activity you will need a parent or trusted adult to help you!
Enjoy this video of a Hispaniolan Emerald in the wild!
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2024 is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”—highlighting the importance of protecting insects for birds and our environment. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy learning about and celebrating nature!
Endemic Bird of the Day: Cuban Gnatcatcher
Did you know that in Cuba we have a miniature endemic mockingbird? That’s right! It’s the Cuban Gnatcatcher, known locally as ‘Sinsontillo’—which means mockingbird! Just in case you wondered—no, it doesn’t belong to the same family as the well-known mockingbird—but its name fits perfectly! Its appearance, tail, habitat, and even its song are almost identical to those of the mockingbird.
The Cuban Gnatcatcher is one of the smallest birds in Cuba. Both sexes have a similar blue-gray and white plumage, but the male stands out for its beautiful song. They spend the day in small family groups or pairs, mainly looking for small insects and occasionally smaller reptiles. Along with the Cuban Vireo, it is one of the most confiding species we have in Cuba. It is not afraid of humans, providing us with the opportunity to appreciate its beauty up close and enjoy its presence in our natural environment.
This small bird is considered relatively common in particular isolated patches of coastal scrub habitat with medium-height trees. It can be found in the north of Holguín, Camagüey, the northern Keys of Ciego de Ávila and Santa Clara, and in the southern region in Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Trinidad, and Cienfuegos.
Whilst the Cuban Gnatcatcher is often confused with the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, a migratory species that visits Cuba in winter and is found throughout the country, they can actually be easily distinguished! Cuban Gnatcatchers usually stay in low and thorny terrain in small families—while the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is found anywhere, from gardens to parks, often in small groups in August when it begins its migration south.
Additionally, the Cuban Gnatcatcher has a loud melodious song and a black crescent behind the eye to the ear, features that are not present in the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. So if you are away from the coast and see a small bird with these characteristics in the winter months, you have most likely spotted the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, rather than the Cuban Gnatcatcher.
The naturalist Juan (Johannes) Gundlach first named the Cuban Gnatcatcher in 1858. Its scientific name, lembeyei, was a gesture of humility and gratitude from Gundlach to his friend and colleague, Spanish naturalist Juan Lembeye, with whom he shared many field expeditions and valuable information about Cuban birds. This led Lembeye to include them in his book of 1850, long before Gundlach published his first work in 1876.
The nests of the Cuban Gnatcatcher are built at the end of March and resemble those of the Cuban Emerald hummingbird, but are slightly larger. It is one of the few endemic Cuban species whose natural history has recently been well studied by Cuban researchers. However, we still need to find out more about the limits of its distribution. This little bird is restricted to specific areas along the coast, habitat that is under increasing pressure for tourism development. It is therefore important for us to learn more about its habitats, and actively protect these to preserve its populations.
Thanks to Arnaldo Toledo for the illustration and Yaroddys Rodriguez for the text!
Colour in the Cuban Gnatcatcher
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of Cuban Gnatcatcher
The song of the Cuban Gnatcatcher is a loud and melodious series of whistles and trills.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
At a size of between 10-11cm, Cuban Gnatcatcher is one of the smallest birds in Cuba! (Photo by Roberto Jovel)The Cuban Gnatcatcher’s black crescent behind the eye to the ear distinguishes it from the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. (Photo by Aslam Ibrahim Castellon Maure)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: During our 2024 celebration of Caribbean endemic birds we will be sharing a beautiful colouring page for every single bird we feature! These lovely pages were created for us by Arnaldo Toledo, who also created a coloured in version of each bird as inspiration. Get your colour pencils ready, and read these super helpful colouring in tips below. Then go ahead, download and print each bird, and get colouring! Enjoy!
These tips are also available in Spanish:
Enjoy this video of a Cuban Gnatcatcher in the wild!
Aliya Hosein, Co-Regional Coordinator of the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival.
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 Endemic Bird Festival Co-Regional Coordinator, Aliya Hosein chats with Hannah about fond memories of watching backyard birds with her father, growing and nurturing a bird watching community, how bird watching provides moments of wonder and encourages mindfulness, and the achievements that can be made when local and international conservationists join forces to reintroduce an extirpated native macaw in Trinidad in this insightful episode!
Blue-and-yellow Macaw in flight. (Photo by Luc Viator)
Aliya graduated from the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus with a B.Sc. in Biology and M.Sc. in Sustainable Development and Conservation in the Caribbean (with Distinction). Her master’s thesis focused on the abundance of Red-bellied Macaws in relation to fruiting Moriche Palms in an edaphic savanna ecosystem. She is an alumna of the Conservation Leadership in the Caribbean (CLiC) Program. In 2017, Aliya attended our International Conference in Cuba and presented her research studying patterns of interaction between humans and Blue and Gold Macaws within farming and urban communities. Before joining BirdsCaribbean she worked on multiple projects applying social science tools to influence behavior towards more environmentally-friendly practices, including a behavior-change project to reduce the illegal buying and keeping of wild parrots in Trinidad and Tobago.
Red-bellied Macaws feeding on Moriche Palm fruits. (Photo by Neil Bowman)
Moriche Palms in the Aripo Savannas. (Photo by Nandani Bridglal)
Red-bellied Macaws in flight.
Aliya now works full-time for BirdsCaribbean on our Communications Team, writing, editing, and developing exciting content to educate and engage people year-round in learning about birds, and as Co-Regional Coordinator of the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF). Here Aliya works with a team of bird educators and coordinators across the region to raise awareness about our endemic birds and the actions that can be taken to reduce threats to their survival and habitats.
Grab yourself a drink (might we suggest Hannah’s Blue and Gold Macaw cocktail below?), kick back, and settle into happy hour with Hannah and Aliya! It’s an inspiring podchat about the mentors and experiences that helped shape Aliya’s career in bird conservation and communicating science to motivate action to protect birds and their habitats.
Enjoy!
Listen
Choose your preferred podcast platform to listen to Aliya’s interview by clicking the image above or this Buzzsprout link.
Delight your taste buds with this tropical Blue and Gold Macaw cocktail
Hannah Buschert, host of the Women Birders (Happy Hour) Podcast.
In case you missed Hannah’s podcasts with our President, Dr Adrianne Tossas, and Caribbean Bird banding Program Coordinator, Holly Garrod, check them out here:
We’re buzzing with excitement! The Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) returns this spring to offer an immersive experience that combines the region’s iconic birds and mesmerizing ecosystems with the vibrant energy of our diverse cultures.
The festival begins on April 22nd (Earth Day) and runs through May 22nd (International Biodiversity Day). This annual regional event highlights the amazing birds that live only in the Caribbean—their natural history, the threats to their survival, and how we can help reduce these threats. This year’s theme is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds.”
Yummy! Bugs for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and growing baby birds
While some people may shriek at the sight of these tiny creatures (and rightfully so because our brains confuse fear with disgust, and some insects are actually harmful to us), they are an important delicacy for birds. For our dazzling hummingbirds, our captivating todies, swooping swifts and swallows, darting flycatchers, pewees and potoos, drilling woodpeckers, and many other birds—insects are an essential protein source. They keep up birds’ energy and body mass, and are also critical for nurturing healthy baby birds.
Black-crowned Palm Tanager with chick. (Photo by Dax Roman)
The Cuban Oriole will feed on soft fruits, nectar, and insects too. (Photo by Aslam Ibrahim)
Guadeloupe Woodpecker. (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
A female Vervain Hummingbird feeds her chicks. (Photo by Eladio Fernandez)
The Bahama Swallow feeds mainly on flies and beetles. (Photo by Elijah Sands)
Insects are on the decline… But what can we do?
Unfortunately, a study published in the Journal of Biological Conservation reported that 40% of all insect species are declining globally. Loss of natural areas like forests and grasslands that have been converted or degraded by intensive agriculture as well as urban development and pesticide use have all contributed to this downward population trend. The decline of insects has led to a worldwide population decrease among birds, especially insectivorous birds. A scarcity of this protein-rich food source can reduce reproductive success, lead to weakened immune systems, and increased mortality rates for both adult birds and their offspring. In addition, scientific literature points to climate change and its stressors as posing a growing global threat to insect and bird diversity. This decline in insect populations adversely affects the ecosystem services that they provide to us all.
A male Carmine Skimmer. (Photo by Charles J Sharp)
This CEBF, we would love for you to join us in taking proactive conservation measures for insects: for example, by reducing your use of pesticides and herbicides, growing native plants, and limiting the use of exterior lighting around your house at night. And please, do also use your voice to counter the negative perceptions of insects, that they are “scary” and “gross.” Insects are pollinators, prey, physical decomposers, they advance progress in science and technology, and they provide pleasure. Writing blogs, newspaper articles, essays for school, taking interesting photos, and posting informative videos about insects on social media are ways to change these perceptions, and to increase appreciation within your community. Writing about, for example, their incredible adaptations, is one way of getting the message across about how important insects are to our ecosystems—and how fascinating!
Female Monarch Butterfly. Monarch Butterflies feed on poisonous milkweed. The toxins accumulate in the butterfly without harming it but are effective at deterring predators. (Photo by Kenneth Dwain Harrelson)
Cuban subspecies of the bird grasshopper. (Photo by geosesarma)
Ladybirds provide a natural way to control insect pests like aphids. (Photo by Charlotte Descamps)
Art for conservation: Supporting the protection of Caribbean birds and nature
The CEBF team has been busy preparing another stellar line-up for Endemic Bird of the Day! Our lips are sealed when it comes to this year’s selected species! But we are more than thrilled to share that Cuban ornithologist, photographer and scientific illustrator, Arnaldo Toledo, is currently busy sketching birds and mixing colors to create this year’s endemic bird coloring pages!
Artist, Arnaldo Toledo, at work.
Phase 1: Sketches of the Puerto Rican Tody begin the design by Arnaldo Toledo.
Phase 2: Painting begins with inspiration from the initial sketches.
Phase 3: Finishing touches are added to the bird and its surroundings.
Arnaldo skillfully captures the beauty of our natural world. His drawings bring a sense of wonder, joy, and appreciation for nature to children and adults. He was the artist behind our popular AOS-BC Conference t-shirt in 2022 and the grand prize winner of our first-ever Zine Competition for our Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival in 2021.
Alongside Arnaldo’s drawings, we will provide natural history information, range maps, puzzles, photos, videos, and activities, all designed to stimulate curiosity, creativity, and enjoyment for both adults and children.
Celebrating birds, biodiversity, and beautiful Caribbean people
For over 22 years our amazing CEBF island coordinators and educators have been celebrating with festivities on their respective islands through in-person and online events. Thousands of people, of all backgrounds and abilities, flock to these events to explore nature, share knowledge about birds, and strengthen their commitment to environmental stewardship. Birdwatching trips, presentations, arts and crafts, bird fairs, habitat clean-ups, and birdscaping of home gardens, schools, and parks with native plants are just a handful of the events that will take place across the region this year. You don’t want to miss this feathered fiesta!
Find a CEBF event and celebrate!
We encourage you to get in touch with your local conservation organizations to find out what events are taking place near you—and this includes forestry departments too!
Looking for a CEBF event on your island? Check our map below for what is going on near you!
If you are a CEBF event organizer and would like to add your in-person, virtual or hybrid event(s) to this map please use this Google form to register your event with us. The information you provide will then be used to populate the map above. If your event is a presentation being held at a school or university and is not open to the public you can still fill out the form, but state that it is closed to the public.
You can also get together with your friends and family, or community groups, and plan your own event. We have lots of activities on our website and on our YouTube page: quizzes, ‘Learn to Sketch’ and origami tutorials, bug hunts, upcycled crafts, outdoor games, and many more that you can do in small or large groups.
Birding along L’Anse Aux Epines road, Grenada. (Photo by Gaea Conservation Network)
Justin Saunders of Birdlife Jamaica helps with bird identification at Hope Gardens. (Photo by Stuart Reeves)
Students from St. Martin Primary School in Dominica planted native plants for CEBF 2018.
Winning submission by Scarlett Evans for the Kids Art Contest (8-12 years) titled “Yellow Belly.” (Image courtesy Cayman Birding)
Yaritza Bobonis with Lola the Puerto Rican Parrot mascot. (Photo by Fundación Amigos De El Yunque)
Cadets plant bird-friendly trees at Battle of Las Carreras Military Academy in the Dominican Republic.
The Conservation Opportunity cleanup crew. (Photo by Conservation Opportunity)
Student bird poster on display at the Botanical Gardens, Dominican Republic. (Photo by Grupo Acción Ecológica)
How long are your ‘wings’? A member of Conservation Opportunity measures her arm length against a bird wingspan poster. (Photo by Conservation Opportunity)
We did it! Students display the results of their BirdSleuth Caribbean Scavenger Hunt in Salt River, Jamaica. (photo by Emma Lewis)
Bird nests on display at CEBF event at El Yunque Forest. (Photo by Fundación Amigos De El Yunque)
Children and ARC Conservation members wear their hand crafted masks.
Don’t forget to tag us in your photos and videos @birdscaribbean on social media with #CEBF #FromTheNest #ProtectInsectsProtectBirds
CEBF Small Grants—Apply Now
Thanks to our generous donors, BirdsCaribbean is able to offer small grants to help cover some CEBF expenses! To apply, send a short proposal via this form, no later than Friday, March, 8th, 2024: bit.ly/CEBF-Grant-2024
Here are some CEBF events we funded in 2023 and 2022. All projects submitted for consideration must be relevant to this year’s theme, “Protect Insects, Protect Birds,” and BirdsCaribbean’s mission to protect birds and their habitats through science and education. All registered non-profit, civil society, or community-based organizations operating within local communities across the Caribbean are eligible for funding. Organizations directly funded from state budgets such as environmental departments or agencies within government ministries are also eligible for funding. Remember to include in your budget any in-kind funding you can offer such as volunteer staff time, materials, etc.
Dr. Lourdes Mugica and the Bird Ecology Group share educational materials on birds with the local community and children in Cuba for the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival.
If you are unable to submit your application for a small grant via the google form (see link above), you may send your proposal to CEBF Co-Coordinators: Eduardo Llegus (CEBF@BirdsCaribbean.org) & Aliya Hosein (Aliya.Hosein@BirdsCaribbean.org), and Lisa Sorenson (Lisa.Sorenson@BirdsCaribbean.org) with the subject line: CEBF Small Grant Proposal 2024.Please contact Eduardo Llegus if you have any questions about submitting an application. We are looking forward to hearing about the many exciting activities you will be organizing this year.
The Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival is a great way to learn more about birds and connect with nature. Your support ensures that our resources, which help both adults and children learn about how to protect birds, remain free and accessible. If you would like to make a contribution, please click here.
BirdsCaribbean switched into top gear for 2023. With a lot of ground to cover, we were quickly up and running! Here are some of the highlights of the year…
Focus on one adorable but elusive waterbird…
Our Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) region-wide count, from January 14 to February 3 2023, included an ‘added’ Caribbean-wide Piping Plover survey. This species is listed as “Near Threatened” by the IUCN with an estimated global breeding population of just 8,400 birds. The search was enhanced by beautiful graphics and merchandise by Josmar Esteban Marquez. Sightings were tracked live and plotted on a map. During the survey, these attractive but vulnerable birds were spotted in The Bahamas (a great success!), the British Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Word of our search spread far and wide and we also received sightings from the Caribbean coast of Mexico! Please continue to keep a sharp eye open for these small, round birds, which are often seen in small flocks on sand flats and might also be found in mangroves, mudflats, and other shoreline areas.
A Piping Plover in winter plumage with an all-black bill.
A Piping Plover chick. Piping Plovers breed in restricted areas of North America.
A small flock of Piping Plovers in winter plumage. (Photo by Walker Golden)
Just how do you spot those easily camouflaged, tiny plovers? Graphics from Josmar Esteban Marquez shared all the tips!
click to download as a pdf
During CWC 2023, an abundance of waterbirds were spotted across the region by diligent birders, young and old, as they kept their eyes peeled for the elusive Plover! Some of the wonderful waterbirds seen on our 2023 census included a white-morph Great Blue Heron on Bonaire (a rare sight outside Florida and Cuba); a diverse gathering of shorebirds on Cuba (including Dunlins, Sanderlings, Short-billed Dowitchers, Least and Western Sandpipers, Semipalmated and Wilson’s Plovers and many others); and and some ducks enjoying some winter sun on Jamaica (including Green-winged Teals, Ring-necked Ducks, and Lesser Scaups).
Survey team in Cuba searching for Piping Plovers during CWC2023. (Photo by Daniela Ventura)
Looking for landbirds…
After the volcanic eruption of April, 2021, St. Vincent’s landbirds, especially two vulnerable endemic species, the threatened St. Vincent Parrot, and endangered Whistling Warbler, faced new dangers—both in the short and long term. We thought it fitting to continue building the capacity of Caribbean conservationists to identify and monitor landbirds using standardized survey protocols.
Thanks to funding from theCritical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and BirdsCaribbean members, partners and donors, we organized a Landbird Monitoring Workshop on St. Vincent with 24 participants, including from neighboring islands(Grenada, St. Lucia, and Montserrat).
Participants and facilitators of the Caribbean Landbird Monitoring Workshop at Montreal Gardens, St Vincent.
Maya and Todd checking cables. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Demonica and Bob Davies digging the hole for the base of the tower at the Lucayan National Park. (Photo by Maya Wilson)
Grand Bahama Motus Installation team: Lisa Sorenson, Todd Alleger, Bradley Pinder, Cesar Montero, Maya Wilson, Demonica Brown and, David Cooper. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Demonica Brown and Maya Wilson assemble the Motus antenna. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Cesar and Todd attaching the antenna to the Motus tower at the Lucayan National Park. (Photo by Maya Wilson)
Bob and Maya constructing the base frame. (Photo by Demonica Brown)
We were out and about again! Celebrating our beautiful endemics
Did you know we now have 180 endemic birds in the Caribbean region? And we celebrated these one-of-a-kind birds during our Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) from April 22 to May 22, 2023—with a special emphasis on water conservation. What would our birds (and we humans) do without water? With the increased heat (it was a very hot summer) we may have seen our birds drinking at bird baths—they get thirsty like we do! With the climate change crisis pressing on us, this was a very important theme to emphasize, and our partners across the region took it on enthusiastically.
A Conservation Opportunity member sensitises participants about the threats posed by marine pollution. (Photo by Conservation Opportunity)
A young girl plays a bird game during the CEBF festivities as a member of the Luis-Munos Marin Foundation looks on. (Photo by Eliezer Nieves Rodriguez)
Ashy-faced Owl, Dominican Republic. (Photo by Jay McGowan- Macaulay Library-ML162362421)
Yaritza Bobonis with Lola the Puerto Rican Parrot mascot. (Photo by Fundación Amigos De El Yunque)
Birding along L’Anse Aux Epines road, Grenada. (Photo by Gaea Conservation Network)
Students help plant native trees for birds and other wildlife at the National Botanical Garden.
Information about the festival and endemic birds of Cuba was shared via radio interviews.
Felix Raul Figueroa, photographer and member of Grupo Ecología de Aves, looks on as students from Ciénaga de Zapata color the Cuban Parrot. (Photo by Grupo de Ecología de Aves)
Children and ARC Conservation members wear their hand crafted masks.
Jamaican Mango, perched. (Photo by Clive Daelman)
In 2023, the CEBF once again hosted in-person events and the response was tremendous—over 10,000 persons participated from The Bahamas down to Trinidad and Tobago! Our citizen scientists of all ages were out in numbers, with mangrove explorations, BirdSleuth Caribbean’s learning activities, school visits, habitat cleanups, art workshops, a birding for kids excursion, and even a floating classroom field trip!
On the Caribbean Birding Trail in Turks and Caicos
As the year-end drew closer, discovery, learning, and empowerment were words that came to mind during the Caribbean Birding Trail (CBT) Interpretive Guide Training Workshop in Turks and Caicos Islands, which took place from October 23 to 27, 2023. Twenty-four participants were trained in the Islands’ beautifully unique environment during an intensive five-day workshop. The trail now includes 138 birding sites and ten hotels and eco-lodges in 24 countries—all combining amazing birding experiences with learning and information on ecosystems, cultural and natural heritage, and more.
Beny leads the group along the Bird Rock Point Trail. Several field trips throughout the week allowed participants to get acquainted with TCI’s best birding sites! (Photo by Christel Mohammed)
Tangles of red mangrove prop roots at Wheeland Pond. This extensive wetland is a haven for birdlife and a true shorebirder’s delight!
Flamingo Pond is a must-visit spot for American Flamingo lovers! Depending on the time of the year, flocks at this wetland on North Caicos can number in the thousands!
Class is in session! 24 participants from a range of backgrounds formed our CBT TCI cohort.
Ecotour guide and participant Geneile Robinson thumbs through her Birds of the West Indies field guide while distinguishing between waterbirds!
Lisa gives the class one of the toughest pop quizzes of all! How many different species of shorebirds are in the picture?
Participant and Biology teacher Amanda Brittain consults her Seabirds of the Caribbean card for gull ID support.
Rick’s demonstration of an interpretive talk where he played the role of a hammock salesman was so transportive that the class was convinced that he really was trying to hawk them hammocks for a while!
This was our seventh CBT training. We are deeply thankful to our Turks and Caicos sponsors—the Sandals Foundation, the Turks and Caicos National Trust, Darwin Plus Initiative, the Turks and Caicos Department of Environment and Coastal Resources, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Marshall Reynolds Foundation, Shika Shika, and Vortex Optics.
Bonding over Bird Banding! Workshop #2 in the Dominican Republic
Bird banding is an essential component of birding science worldwide. It is a complex and technical issue that requires longer training sessions. We returned to the Dominican Republic again in March of last year (the location of this year’s International Conference), continuing our work of nurturing a committed community of trained banders. The response from our highly intelligent group of trainees was enthusiastic.
Participants learned to set up and close mist nets during the workshop. (Photo by Josh Covill)
Participants at the banding workshop, earlier this year, in the Dominican Republic. (Photo by Joshua Covill)
Daniela Ventura del Puerto (Cuba) provides instruction on bird molt to workshop participants Giselle Raganoonan (Trinidad) and Elvin Manual Vargas Estevez (Dominican Republic).
Caribbean bird banders have gone abroad!
We sent some of our bird banders off to the United States and Brazil for immersive banding experiences. The interns reported back to us (Grenadian Zoya Buckmire at Klamath Bird Observatory in Oregon, Puerto Rican Dayamiris Candelario at Willistown Conservation Trust in Pennsylvania) on their exploration of new landscapes, new ecosystems—and, of course, new birds! We would like to thank all our partner organizations and generous donors who supported these internships. Once again, we were happy to add new dimensions to our young trainees’ experiences, so they may return to their countries to establish new programs and projects. Empowerment is key!
Seabirds under pressure
Despite a range of challenges, our dynamic Seabird Working Group has been addressing the critical state of Caribbean seabirds for some time now. The first-ever Caribbean-wide Seabird Census is ongoing, for 2023 and 2024. Over 300,000 pairs of breeding seabirds have already been counted at over 58 sites! Caribbean seabirds, like those in other areas of the world, are threatened by human activities—including pollution (especially plastics), climate change, invasive species, and unsustainable fishing practices. The Census continues! Please contribute your thoughts and findings, watch the webinar updates, and follow the admirable work of our Seabird Working Group this year!
Map 1: Countries participating in the Caribbean Seabird Census. Note that for large countries, the whole country is colored even though only a few localized sites may be censused.
Juliana Coffey identifying seabirds with seabird patrol volunteers, Union Island. (Alison DeGraff Ollivierre)
Grenadines Guardians seabird survey. (Photo by Juliana Coffey)
Magnificent Frigatebird nesting colony. (Photo: Jeff Gerbracht)
Masked Booby adult and chick. (Photo by Ann Sutton)
More direct funding for research and conservation work!
From combating the illegal bird trade in Cuba, to surveys of our most endangered endemic Caribbean hawk in Haiti, thanks to our grant awards, 10 innovative new projects are helping us to protect and learn more about the region’s understudied birds and habitats! Stay tuned for our upcoming blogs sharing exciting project results and accomplishments.
The 2023 cohort of grantees under our three named awards, the David S. Lee Fund for the Conservation of Caribbean Birds, the Betty Petersen Conservation Fund, and the new James A. Kushlan Research and Conservation Fund.
Have we forgotten something? Oh, yes…
Last but by no means least, Global Big Day 2023 was another huge success, with increased numbers of Caribbean birders participating. Our region saw more birds (a total of 515 species) and more humans (511 posting on eBird) than on any other Global Big Day. Once again, competition among our teams was heated—and once again, our Executive Director Lisa Sorenson’s multinational “Flying Pintails” dominated! Hmmm…
NOTE: Please remember to record ALL your bird sightings, whether in your backyard or out on a birding excursion, on eBird Caribbeanvia their website or phone app. Your bird notes make a difference in helping scientists identify the “what, when, how many, and where” of our region’s birds!
Networking is key…
As you can see, building and strengthening networks across the region has always been a significant part of our work, and it was the same in 2023. Our network of scientists (including citizen scientists), students, educators, non-governmental and community organizations, as well as nature-friendly companies and government entities, continues to grow.
Talking birds: Justin Saunders lends a listening ear to a young birder. (Photo by Stuart Reeves)
Daniela and Elvin take a closer look at a bird’s wing while another participant John Holas looks on. (Photo by Josh Covill)
Yvan Satge discusses birds at sea with fishermen. (Photo by Jacob Gonzalez-Solis)
María Paulino hosts a group discussion with students at the National Botanical Garden.
Levardo, Estefania, and Junel discuss the finer points of binocular adjustment.
In addition to the Caribbean Bird Banding Network, the Caribbean Motus Collaboration, and the Caribbean Landbird Monitoring Network, we are also building a vibrant group of trained interpretive guides through the Caribbean Birding Trail. This person-to-person aspect of our work is important for knowledge-sharing, interaction, and “comparing notes” with each other. A great deal of teamwork goes into all these endeavors, as you can see from our reports. All of this creates a positive and nurturing environment. We have great faith in our newly-trained Caribbean citizens, who are both enthusiastic and action-oriented. They want to see progress and improvements for our wonderful birds and their habitats.
We look forward to keeping in touch with you all! Here’s to 2024!
A huge thank you to all of our members, partners, and donors. This work would not be possible without your dedication, passion, hard work, and financial support.
