The Bahama Nuthatch is finally declared a full species. Sadly, due to recent hurricanes, it may now be extinct. (photo by Bill Hayes)
The Bahama Nuthatch (Sitta insularis), formerly considered a subspecies of the Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla), has finally been split from the Brown-headed Nuthatch. This elevates the Bahama Nuthatch to a full species, meaning we now have a new Caribbean and Bahamas endemic!
The Bahama Nuthatch was split from the Brown-headed Nuthatch due to research showing differences in vocalizations. The calls of the Bahama Nuthatch are strikingly different from those of the Brown-headed Nuthatch, including a unique, rapid, high “warble.” In addition, there is a weak response of each species to playback of vocalizations of the other species. In other words, each species does not recognize the other as members of the same species. Additionally, there are some physical differences that distinguish the Bahama Nuthatch such as a much darker brown facial stripe, much longer bill, and considerably shorter wings.
Bahamian Biologist, Scott Johnson commented, “After many years and a lot of research, the Bahama Nuthatch has been elevated to full species status (although many of us knew and recognized it as such for a while now). Sadly, we are not sure if it is still alive. Hurricane Dorian destroyed the only place on Grand Bahama where it was found. I will be keeping an eye and ear out for this species during my next trip to GB.”
More surveys are urgently needed. We hope we can still find this incredibly special bird and find a way to bring it back. In the meantime, conserving its pine forest habitat is paramount!
St. Kitts Bullfinch granted full species status
Since it was first described by George Lawrence in 1881, the St. Kitts Bullfinch was considered a sub-species of the Puerto Rican Bullfinch (Milopyrrha portorinsis). This bird, locally known as the St. Kitts Bullfinch (Melopyrrha portoricensis grandis), was living in St. Kitts with a restricted distribution on the upper slopes of Mt. Misery.
However, the AOS have formally amended the status of the St. Kitts bird from a subspecies to a distinct full species, now officially named the St. Kitts Bullfinch (Milopyrrha grandis). This gives St. Kitts its first and only endemic bird! The catch – this bird has been extinct for almost 100 years!
Thanks to a few specimens and a PhD study on this unique bullfinch, the St. Kitt’s Bullfinch was differentiated from the Puerto Rican Bullfinch by a larger size of about 25%, bigger and heavier beak, and differences in coloration. The St. Kitts Bullfinch has consistent black markings on the undertail coverts that the Puerto Rico birds do not have. In addition, the plumage of St. Kitts birds is more glossy black and the throat and upper breast patch is more extended and darker reddish-brown.
What caused the extinction of this species? It’s hypothesized that the St. Kitt’s Bullfinch likely existed with a very restricted range on Mt. Liamuiga. It was thought to be common in the 1890s but when two large hurricanes struck in 1899, the bullfinch disappeared. You can read more about the St. Kitt’s Bullfinch here and here.
Museum specimens showing the marked difference in size between a male St. Kitts Bullfinch (upper) and male Puerto Rican Bullfinch (lower). (photo by Douglas Wechsler)
Mounted specimen of a St. Kitts Bullfinch. (Naturalis Zoology andGeology catalogues)
Other Caribbean taxonomic updates
Additionally, there were a few interesting broader reclassifications published in the AOS Supplement. The Antillean Piculet (Nesoctites micromegas) is reclassified as no longer belonging to the Piculet subfamily. Recent genetic evidence shows that these unique Caribbean picids are more closely related to woodpeckers (subfamily Picinae) than to the smaller South American piculets. However, the Antillean Piculet still lacks some classic woodpecker features such as stiffened rectrices (tail feathers) and adaptations for drilling, making it unique among both piculets and woodpeckers.
Antillean Euphonia, Puerto Rican Subspecies (Photo by Aldredo Irizarry)
Another Caribbean classic, the Antillean Euphonia (Euphonia musica), has been reclassified with the genus name—Chlorophonia musica. Recent genetic analyses have distinguished Antillean Euphonia as well as its cousin, the Elegant Euphonia, as more closely related to the Chlorophonia finches than the Euphonias (all within Family Fringillidae).
Another generic change—Jamaican Owl has been moved from Pseudoscops grammicus to Asio grammicus.
Finally, Crested Caracara (Caracara cherway) and Southern Caracara (Caracara plancus) have been lumped into a single species Caracara plancus.
We are excited to welcome the two new species of endemics to the BirdsCaribbean family, and hope beyond hope that they somehow still survive. Caribbean birds remain understudied and we hope future research will help us solve some other taxonomic mysteries in the Caribbean.
Scott Johnson of the Bahamas National Trust bands a Black-and-white Warbler. Banding birds gives us a picture of what condition birds are in. Together with surveys and tracking birds, these monitoring tools can help fill the knowledge gaps we have about landbirds in the Caribbean. (photo by Giselle Dean)
BirdsCaribbean is excited to announce that we were recently awarded a Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) Grant! With the help of matching funds from our partners, we were awarded US$200,000 to implement a project that will increase capacity to monitor landbirds in the Caribbean!
So the next step, of course, is landbirds! Landbirds spend the majority of their lives over land, and include birds like parrots, hummingbirds, songbirds, woodpeckers, todies, and raptors. Many landbird species are declining, including our resident and endemic birds, as well as over 100 migratory species. Monitoring is essential to filling gaps in our knowledge about the status, trends, and habitat use of their populations.
Our new Landbird Monitoring project will increase capacity to monitor landbirds in the Caribbean using three different, yet complementary, monitoring tools: standardized surveys, bird banding, and the Motus Wildlife Tracking System.
Caribbean Landbird Monitoring (CLM) Network
A group carries out a bird survey in Adelaide, The Bahamas, at a past BirdsCaribbean Workshop. Using standardized monitoring protocols means we can compare data from different places and observers and helps build a better picture of how birds are doing. (Photo by Deb Reynolds)
Currently, there is not a standardized set of protocols for observing and recording landbirds in the Caribbean. The Programa de América Latina para las Aves Silvestres (PROALAS) Manual was developed in Latin America, and was designed specifically with the tropics in mind. We plan to further adapt these protocols to fit our unique Caribbean ecosystems. The multi-level survey protocols in the manual also incorporate the use of eBird, which will help us get a more complete picture of how our Caribbean birds are faring! Standardized surveys are one of the best ways to monitor landbirds, and entering survey data into eBird ensures its longevity.
These standard protocols will be made available as soon as they are ready, and we will be offering several training workshops to our Caribbean colleagues to get hands-on experience using them.
Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) Network
Carefully measuring and banding a Broad-billed Tody in the Dominican Republic. Bird banding can provide extra information about birds, like body condition and survival rates, that surveys cannot provide. (Photo by Holly Garrod)
Bird banding is a monitoring technique used throughout the world to gain valuable demographic and health information from birds in the hand. While surveys give us a broader picture of landbird communities, banding gives us deeper insights into how these birds are doing, allowing for assessments of body condition, survival, and more. Birds are captured and given bands with unique identifying numbers so they’ll be recognized if they are captured again, no matter where they travel to. There are several ongoing and pending bird banding operations in the Caribbean, and we are hoping to unite them under the Caribbean Bird Banding (CBB) Network!
As part of the CBB Network, we will create Caribbean bird bands and distribute them to permitted and qualified banders in the region. Our system will be similar to the USGS system, which no longer distributes bands outside of the U.S. Our bands will be stamped with contact information so that anyone can report a bird band or banded bird they find. The banding network will also include a database so that banding data can be collected consistently across the islands, and compiled to easily find recaptured birds.
Joining the network will connect banders to the other banding operations throughout the Caribbean, enabling them to discuss, share information, and learn about topics like banding techniques and molt patterns. NMBCA funding will allow us to develop the CBB Network and also offer training workshops and internships so people can learn how to band birds and improve their banding techniques.
CLICK ON EACH PHOTO BELOW TO VIEW LARGER.
A Bahama Warbler in the hand during banding. (Photo by Scott Johnson)
Banding a Broad-billed Tody in the Dominican Republic.
Black-throated Blue Warbler during banding in the Dominican Republic (Photo by Holly Garrod).
Motus Wildlife Tracking in the Caribbean
The Cape May Warbler is a declining landbird that winters in the Caribbean; increased monitoring will help fill gaps in knowledge of the species. (Photo by Hemant Kishan)
Motus (Latin for movement) is a collaborative research network managed by Birds Canada that allows us to better understand bird migration patterns. The powerful tracking technology uses automated radio telemetry stations to detect tagged birds (and other small flying animals like bats and insects) as they move across the landscape.
Motus stations have been popping up all over the Eastern U.S. and Canada, and the network is starting to expand in Central and South America. The Caribbean is one of the remaining empty gaps in the network – but that’s soon to change! Thanks to NMBCA, we now have enough funding to put Motus stations on multiple Caribbean islands and train local conservation groups to help maintain them! We’re also going to tag some of our shared migratory birds on their Caribbean wintering grounds to get a better sense of where exactly they migrate to.
In addition to the Motus component of our Landbird Monitoring project, we’ve accelerated our efforts to expand the network in the Caribbean through our Caribbean Motus Collaboration. Special thanks to everyone who participated and donated to this initiative during our Global Big Day campaign!
Thank you!
We are very excited to officially launch our Caribbean Landbird Monitoring project in partnership with our widespread collaborators! We look forward to working with you!
If you are interested in getting involved, be sure to join our BirdsCaribbean Monitoring Working Group listserv to receive updates and learn about upcoming training workshops and other opportunities. Simply send an email to MonitoringWG+subscribe@BirdsCaribbean.groups.io (Note: this will also subscribe your email address to our main BirdsCaribbean listserv).
Red Knots are known for their extraordinary long-distance migrations. On the Atlantic Flyway they head north from their main wintering areas in South America to breed in the Arctic, traveling as far as 15,000 km each way! Here in the Caribbean, they winter in small numbers on various islands, and we see them also during Fall and Spring migration. Counts of birds on northward migration are way down from previous years, causing great concern. Did something different happen this year? Where are the missing Red Knots? We need your help to find out!
Target count dates are July 10-20, but counts at any time during July are welcome!
When Red Knots migrate north to their breeding grounds they will stop along the way to refuel, gathering in large flocks at key sites to rest and feed. These sites are vital for Red Knots and other shorebirds to re-build fat reserves before completing their long journeys north to breed. Counting birds at these sites can give us an indication of how the populations of these birds are faring.
You may have heard that this year, on spring migration, a very steep decline in Red Knot numbers was recorded at one such site. The count of Red Knots at Delaware Bay (New Jersey, and Delaware) where knots gather in huge numbers to gorge on the eggs of spawning Horseshoe Crabs, was just 6,800. This is an alarmingly low count compared to the 19,000 seen last year, and 30,000 seen in 2018 and 2019. In fact, this year’s count was the lowest recorded since the 1980s when the population was about 90,000.
Help Us Find Out What Happened: CWC count July 10-20
We are asking for your help in July to try to understand what happened. It is possible that some of the ‘missing’ Red Knots decided not to migrate north and spent the breeding season in their wintering areas or stopped their journeys before reaching this key stopover site. As part of an international coordinated effort, we would like you to carry out a Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) count at wetlands and beaches you know are good for shorebirds, from July 10 – 20. These are the key dates for the coordinated count, but if you cannot make it out during this period doing a CWC count atany time in July will also help.
Red Knots in Trouble
A Red Knot, in in September still showing some remnants of breeding plumage. (Photo by Hemant Kishan)
We already know that Red Knots are in trouble, like many other shorebirds. They are threatened by climate change, loss of habitat, reduction in food resources, human disturbance, and hunting. The birds using Delaware Bay as a stopover site are of the Rufa sub-species of Red Knots, listed as Threatened since 2014. This sub-species also migrates through the Caribbean on the Atlantic Flyway and winters in small numbers in the islands. The population of rufa Red Knots is estimated to have declined by 75% in recent years and the USFWS say threats to this sub-species put it “in danger of extinction in the next few decades.” So, it is vital that we try to understand what has happened to Red Knots this year!
Ornithologists report that although horseshoe crab eggs were abundant at Delaware Bay, numbers of some of the other migratory shorebirds that stop there, like Ruddy Turnstones, Semipalmated Sandpipers, and Sanderlings were also lower than expected this year. One factor that may have contributed to low numbers of knots was poor reproduction on the breeding grounds last year (there is some evidence for this). Or perhaps migration was delayed due to poor weather, or there was abundant food at another stopover site and so not as many birds used Delaware Bay.
It’s also possible that more birds than usual may have stayed in the Caribbean or other parts of their nonbreeding range instead of migrating north—some juvenile Red Knots do not reproduce in their first year and spend the breeding season in different places across the Americas. Or perhaps some unknown factor (e.g., disease, a storm, etc.), caused the demise of a large numbers of birds. We hope that this is not the case!
Red Knot ID Tips – Click on each photo below to view larger.
Red Knot in breeding plumage. (Photo by Rick Evets)
Red Knots molting from breeding to non-breeding plumage. (Photo by Stephen Buckingham)
Red Knot in winter plumage. (Photo by Beth Hamel)
Your CWC Count Data is needed!
We need our CWC monitors throughout the Caribbean to help this international effort to try and understand why numbers of Red Knots and other shorebirds are down this year. Please carry out as many counts as you can during the period July 10-20. When you do your CWC count, remember to keep an eye out for other shorebird species at the same time, and that you should count all the birds you see (of any species, including “landbirds”) on each count—doing a complete count greatly increases the value of your data to science and conservation.
Don’t forget to enter your data in eBird Caribbean using one of the CWC protocols on Step 2 of data entry. If using eBird mobile, set your portal to eBird Caribbean to access the CWC options for your checklists/ counts at wetlands and beaches). Thanks to you, we now have 11+ years of CWC data and counting, and are able to look at status and trends for many species at different sites and in the region overall. Remember that CWC counts can be done at any time of year—whenever you are conducting a count at a wetland, mangrove, salt pond, or beach, make it a CWC count.
Share this special CWC July Count, Red Knot edition, with your networks!
As mentioned above this is an international collaborative effort, thus, we would like people to carry out counts throughout the Caribbean and the Americas! We have prepared promotional graphics (portrait, landscape, square) in English, Spanish, and French for our partners in the Caribbean – you can download them here. If you would like to use and adapt these graphics for your country, you are welcome to do so! Contact Lisa.Sorenson@BirdsCaribbean.org.
Please, do remember to follow any COVID rules and precautions in your country when doing surveys.
Thank you for contributing to our knowledge base, as we try to solve the mystery of the missing Red Knots.
Happy World Rainforest Day! We want to take today to appreciate some of the Caribbean’s beautiful tropical forests and the unique birds residing within them, as well as provide you with some tips to help conserve the world’s rainforests.
Did you know that the poop of these birds helps keeps these forests growing? Birds are some of the most important seed dispersers, especially in the Caribbean where many of the typical tropical mammals such as monkeys and peccaries are lacking. As birds fly around the forest eating many a tropical fruit, they poop out the seeds, planting many future plants. Some studies have even used birds to help reforest areas using perches and feeders to encourage extra pooping!
The biggest rainforest in the Caribbean is the El Yunque Forest in Puerto Rico. Several years ago this forest took a hard hit during Hurricane Maria. Many of the Caribbean rainforests are actually adapted to the annual hurricane season, tropical plants such as Cecropias are some of the first recolonizers. But climate change has made recent hurricanes far more destructive than many rainforests are accustomed to.
Only 25% of the rainforest remains in the Caribbean. And with continuous destruction for agriculture and growing development we might continue to lose the lush, tropical hills of the Caribbean.
Take a look at our infographic for some ideas on how you can make some of your daily habits more rainforest friendly. Feel free to download and share with others!
Wilson’s Plover parent and two downy chicks. This species breeds on beaches and in mangrove areas in the Caribbean. (photo by R. J. Wiley)
It’s beach season! That means vacationers, boaters, photographers, and beach-lovers will be heading to the seashore to enjoy the water and beat the heat. But remember this is also the time when shorebirds are nesting and raising their adorably fluffy chicks. These shorebirds have travelled very long distances and we want to reduce the additional challenges that they face upon reaching our shores.
Eggs and chicks are at risk of being crushed or trampled over because these fluffy little beach bumblers have a knack for blending in. You will definitely want to double or even triple check where you set down your beach chairs, umbrellas, bags, and coolers. Vulnerable young birds and adults can be stressed or killed by predators when they are flushed from their areas. Some adult birds may abandon their nests altogether!
Here are some easy tips for sharing the shore with shorebirds this summer and making your trip more enjoyable:
Watch your distance. Sure these birds know how to camouflage but if you do find a nest, give them space, at least 100 feet. Getting too close can alarm the parents causing them to use precious energy in nest defense behavior that would have been used to forage for food. Some parents will do a broken wing display – where they may appear injured by dragging their wing along the ground. If you see this, the bird is likely fine and just trying to distract you from a nearby nest! Walk away and give these birds space.
Respect posted areas. Do not wander into roped-off or fenced-in areas where birds are nesting.
Never force birds to fly! These birds spent a lot of energy arriving here—shorebirds and seabirds make some of the most impressive migrations! Don’t chase these little beach runners.
Keep pets away from nesting areas. Even the most well trained dogs can be tempted to chase birds. They also do not know that these birds need space to comfortably nest. It is therefore always best to keep your pets on a leash near nesting sites.
Help keep the beach clean. Seabirds and shorebirds have some of the highest ingestion rates of plastic – help those little fluffs get the proper nutrition they need by using bins, if provided, or taking a garbage bag with you to the beach.
Do not feed the wildlife. Growing fluff balls have specific nutrition requirements that only parents can provide.
Spread the word! If you see people disturbing nesting shorebirds, gently remind them that shorebirds’ survival depends on our actions. Some areas even have hotlines to report offenders.
Together we can share the beach and give shorebirds and their adorable growing fluffs the best chance of survival!
Here is an infographic that you can use to encourage others to #ShareTheShore this beach season:
There will be many different species nesting on the shores, but they have similar behaviors and reactions to being disturbed. Here are some notable shore-nesting birds in the Caribbean and the US.
American Oystercatcher with two chicks (photo by J. Gray)
Black-necked Stilt with four chicks. (photo by Rick Evets)
Killdeer performing a broken wing act to lure potential predators away from its nest.
This young Killdeer chick is growing its characteristic black breast band. (photo by Dave Irving)
Piping Plover downy chick, vulnerable to predators and people as it blends in perfectly with its sandy environment. (photo by Dave Irving)
Respect posted protected areas for shorebird or seabird nesting. (photo by Erika Gates)
This Snowy Plover chick and egg blend in perfectly with the sandy beach substrate. (photo by Antonio Ros)
Snowy Plover chick running on the sand. Shorebird chicks are precocial, meaning they are born with downy feathers and can walk and feed themselves soon after they hatch. (photo by Hartmut Walter)
Wilson’s Plover nest in the Bahamas. Most shorebird species nests are a simple scrape in the ground, lined with a few shells and rocks. (photo by M. Zdravkovic)
We are excited to announce that the David S. Lee Fund for the Conservation of Caribbean Birds will fund 9 projects in 2021! In the previous 4 years (2016-2020), the fund has provided assistance for 15 projects in 6 countries for work on dozens of species in the Caribbean.
This fund was created by generous donations from the family, friends, and collaborators of David S. Lee to continue his inspiring legacy of conservation in the Caribbean. You can help us to continue supporting these invaluable projects by making a donation here.
Congratulations to these exemplary researchers, and we look forward to hearing about your results in future blog articles and publications!
Investigating variation in cooperative breeding behavior between Puerto Rican Tody populations
Amber Wendler, Virginia Tech
Cooperative breeding occurs when some individuals, known as “helpers,” assist with raising their siblings, rather than reproducing themselves. This breeding strategy is used by many bird species, including the Puerto Rican Tody (Todus mexicanus). However, only some individuals of this species breed cooperatively, and differences are thought to be linked to habitat. Amber’s research will examine how the Tody’s cooperative breeding behavior differs in rainforest and dry forest habitats. By increasing our understanding of the Tody’s natural history, her work can help manage and conserve this endemic species.
Territory use of the Critically Endangered Bahama Oriole across the annual cycle
Michelle Moyer, University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)
The Bahama Oriole (Icterus northropi) is a Critically Endangered species that is found only on Andros Island in The Bahamas. Thanks to recent work by the Bahama Oriole Project — a collaboration between UMBC and the Bahamas National Trust (BNT)— we have learned a lot about this species’ breeding habitat, including that it uses the native pine forest much more than previously thought. However, it is unknown how Orioles use the pine forest and other habitats outside of the breeding season. Using tiny, solar-powered transmitters (CTT Life Tags™ ), which will be attached to Orioles and detected by a central receiver (CTT Node), Michelle will track their movements throughout the full annual cycle. The results of her research will inform BNT’s conservation management strategies for the Oriole.
Caribbean psittacines as indirect controllers of ecosystem dynamics through commensal feeding associations and ecosystem engineering
Damion Whyte, University of the West Indies at Mona
Parrots and parakeets are notorious for not finishing the fruits that they open. As a result, they are often viewed as wasteful pests, and are feared by farmers. However, we do not have a great understanding of the impacts that this behavior can have on the local ecosystem, such as providing easier access to the fruit by other species and dispersing seeds. Damion’s research will quantify the ecosystem-wide effects of foraging by parrots and parakeets on the island of Curacao. Using observations and camera-traps, he will identify which species visit fruit that has been opened by, and how their behaviors vary. By providing insight into these species interactions, his work will support bird conservation and management in protected areas.
Pre-reproductive survival, movements, and habitat use of the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus) in Southwestern Puerto Rico
Jean P. Gonzalez Crespo, University of Wisconsin
The Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus) is an Endangered species that is endemic to Puerto Rico. Although conservation measures such as artificial nesting structures increased the reproductive success of this species, populations have continued to decline. Using CTT Life Tag™ transmitters Jean will track Blackbirds after they fledge from the nest and estimate their survival during this critical period. His work will help local and federal agencies determine whether survival rates before breeding are contributing to population declines, and identify the factors that influence survival.
Establishing a long-term banding program for migratory birds in Isla Contoy National Park, Mexico
Jonathan Nochebuena Jaramillo, Estación de Anillamiento Parque Nacional Isla Contoy
Isla Contoy National Park (PNIC) is a small Caribbean island (238 hectares) near the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The island is an important site for many migratory birds to rest and refuel on their long journeys between North, Central, and South America. In 2019, Jonathan personally initiated a banding program in PNIC. He will continue and expand this program to document and spread awareness of the importance of the island for a wide diversity of birds, and provide information to conserve birds and their habitats on the island.
Understanding nestling diet composition of Roseate Terns (Sterna dougallii) through fecal DNA Metabarcoding
Luis Ramos, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez
Environmental changes such as rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification pose many threats to seabirds and the marine food sources that they depend on. The Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii ) is a species of conservation concern in the Caribbean, including in Puerto Rico. Yet we know little about foraging behavior, ecology, and population trends of this species. Luis’s research will use an advanced molecular method (DNA metabarcoding) to assess the diet composition of chicks in Tern populations on the southern and northern coasts of Puerto Rico. His work will identify the fish and other prey that are available to Terns in different colonies, and advance our understanding of DNA metabarcoding as an important biomonitoring tool.
Evaluating the effects of greening actions on avian diversity on tropical urban landscapes
Julissa Irizarry, Penn State University
Expansion of urban areas contributes to loss and fragmentation of habitats across the globe. These drastic landscape changes can negatively impact biodiversity, especially on islands. Large-scale tree planting efforts, such as those planned in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria, have the potential to increase the suitability of urban areas for native wildlife. Julissa’s project will investigate the benefits of urban reforestation for resident and migratory birds. Using an experimental approach, she will compare how birds use newly planted trees—“functional” tree species that are known to be important for foraging and “structural” plants that are traditionally used for landscaping. Her work will inform best practices for implementing urban greening projects in order to maximize conservation benefits.
Current status of the breeding colonies of Red-footed Booby, Brown Booby, and Masked Booby in Los Roques Archipelago, Venezuela
Los Roques Archipelago National Park is in the Caribbean Sea 130 km north of Venezuela. It has 42 islets and 200 sandbanks arranged around an internal lagoon. It is home to all the typical ecosystems of tropical maritime and coastal areas: sandy beaches, coral formations, salt and brackish water lagoons, seagrass meadows, and mangroves. This archipelago was declared a National Park in 1972, and its Use Regulation and Management Plan was finalized in 1990. Los Roques is home to a great diversity of seabirds and is a priority area for conservation. Conserving seabirds in the Caribbean is essential, as their numbers have been decreasing over time. Documenting their status and trends is needed to develop conservation plans. Two species of boobies have breeding colonies in Los Roques: Red-footed Booby and Brown Booby. Masked Booby’s presence has been documented, but their reproduction has not been confirmed. 20 years have passed since the last assessment of the population of seabirds in the Los Roques Archipelago. Since then there have been many political, economic and environmental changes in Venezuela—changes that may put the Los Roques Archipelago and the booby colonies at risk. We propose to survey and evaluate the reproductive colonies of boobies in 4 keys of the archipelago. We will also explore other cays to look for confirmation of breeding activity. We will integrate the local “Roqueños” communities in the censuses and outreach activities.
Population dynamics, conservation and management of the American Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) on Margarita Island, Venezuela
Anahy Marcano , INPARQUES / AveZona / PAAVe
Venezuela has about 38% of the total population of American Flamingos, Phoenicopterus ruber. It is considered a resident species on the Isla de Margarita in Venezuela. Although its population has shown variations in size and distribution, historically, American Flamingos have been observed on the Isla de Margarita since the beginning of the last century. Recently, a new flamingo nesting area has been identified on Margarita Island in the Laguna de las Marites Natural Monument. However, its population status is unknown and currently there is no plan for its conservation and management. As the first stage of this project we will estimate the size of the breeding population, the reproductive success, and the demographic parameters in two of the nine areas occupied by the American Flamingos on Margarita Island, las Marites Lake Natural Monument and La Restinga National Park. Visual observations will be conducted from a safe distance so as not to disturb the breeding areas. After the breeding season, the area used for the nests will be evaluated. As part of this project, we will involve local communities in the censuses and an educational campaign will be established.
The David S. Lee Fund for Conservation seeks to continue David’s passion for protecting wildlife. The fund supports direct, innovative conservation work in the Caribbean Region for birds and their habitats. The fund is managed by BirdsCaribbean and used for annual small grants. We are grateful to all those who have supported the fund, and also to our David S. Lee Fund Review Committee who carefully reviews proposals each year and makes recommendations on funding.
You can you help us to continue to fund invaluable research to conserve Caribbean birds by making a gift to the fund.
If you prefer to donate with a check, please make the check out to “BirdsCaribbean” and in the memo section, note that it is for the David S. Lee Fund. If you have questions or to make other arrangements for donating, please feel free to contact Jennifer Wheeler, BirdsCaribbean Financial Officer (jennifer.wheeler@birdscaribbean.org)
Checks can be mailed to: BirdsCaribbean, 841 Worcester St. #130, Natick, MA 01760-2076
Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2021 is “Sing, Fly, Soar—Like a Bird!” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.
Endemic Bird of the Day: Bahama Warbler
Wandering through the pinelands of the northern Bahamas (specifically, the islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco), you might be lucky enough to come upon the charming Bahama Warbler (Setophaga flavescens). The male has a bright yellow throat, breast, and underparts with black stripes on his sides. His black face mask is broken up by a yellow lore (that’s the area between the eye and the upper base of his beak) and white stripes surround his eye. He also sports the longest bill of any wood-warbler species, which he uses to find tasty insects in the bark of pine trees. The grey on his crown and back are accented by two white wingbars. The female looks similar, but is not as bright.
How do you tell the Bahama Warbler apart from a Yellow-throated Warbler – which visits the Caribbean in winter? Well, it’s confusing. They are close relatives and look very much alike; however, the Yellow-throated Warbler’s breast and sides are white, and the forehead is blackish-grey.
These species also have different songs. From a perch in the canopy, the male Bahama Warbler sings sweetly: short, loud, and clear whistled notes that increase in pitch. The Yellow-throated Warbler, on the other hand, has a descending song.
This bright little warbler loves pine trees. Grand Bahama and Abaco include large areas of Caribbean pine forest – just perfect for the Bahama Warbler, which is often seen creeping up and down the tree trunks, feeding on insects. It also breeds in these forests in spring and summer, but its breeding behavior remains a mystery.
However, there is a sad story. The Bahama Warbler is now listed as Endangered. In 2019, Hurricane Dorian slammed into Abaco and Grand Bahama, causing massive destruction. Grand Bahama lost most of its pine forest habitat due to heavy winds, rain, and storm surges. No Bahama Warblers have been found there since then, despite intensive searches by researchers from the Bahamas National Trust and the American Bird Conservancy.
The island of Abaco is now perhaps the last refuge for this Bahamian endemic, and conservation is critical. Already hit by Hurricane Dorian, this lovely bird faces other threats, including habitat loss, predation by introduced feral cats and raccoons, and frequent fires. Let us hope this beautiful endemic survives these dangers, and thrives once again! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Bahama 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 Bahama Warbler
The song of the Bahama Warbler is an ascending “chutty, chutty, chutty, swee, swee, tsoo, tsoo”
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 Bahama Warbler has recently be listed as Endangered by the IUCN. In 2019, Hurricane Dorian caused massive destruction to this species’ pineland habitat. Sadly, Grand Bahama lost most of its pine forest and the Bahama Warbler has not be found since on Grand Bahama despite intense searches. (Photo by Larry Therrien)The Bahama Warbler is a habitat specialist, being found only in the pinelands. It is often seen creeping up and down the trunks of Caribbean pine trees, where it feeds on insects. (Photo by Beth Hamel)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS: What facts can you remember about todays endemic bird – the Bahama Warbler? Test your knowledge by filling in the missing words in each of our Bahama Warbler facts! We have given you the correct words 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 for lots more information about the Bahama Warbler! Then, when you have completed all the sentences, you can check your answers here.
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: There are 37 warbler species recorded on the island of Abaco in the Bahamas. You can find about more about them here, especially the five species that are resident in Abaco (live there all year round), including today’s endemic bird, the Bahama Warbler!
Enjoy the video below of a Bahama Warbler in the wild! This bird was filmed on Grand Bahama (before Hurricane Dorian); you can see it creeping up the trunk of a Caribbean pine tree, probably searching for food.
Learn how to draw and colour a Yellow-throated Warbler! Draw along with artist Josmar Esteban Marquez- who created all the pictures for the birds featured in our 2021 Endemic Bird Festival! The Yellow-throated Warbler is also found on the Bahamas and looks at lot like a Bahama Warbler. But the Bahama warbler has a yellow throat and belly, and shorter wings. The adult male Bahama Warbler also has a less black forehead than the Yellow-throated Warbler and its wingbars are shorter and thinner.
Find out from Jean Gonzalez-Crespo, all about how a project aimed at restoring mangroves destroyed by Hurricanes Irma and Maria will help protect part of Puerto Rico’s coast-line and its wildlife, whilst also helping the people that live there.
Puerto Rico’s fragile coastline needs help, badly.
With the support of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, BirdsCaribbean, and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), the University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla’s Center for Coastal Restoration and Conservation, known locally as Vida Marina UPR, is about to start work on the restoration of four valuable mangrove forests in the Northwest region of Puerto Rico. These forests were destroyed after the two storms – Hurricanes Irma and Maria – hit the island in 2017, a “double whammy.” Critical infrastructure was left at the mercy of future storms, future hurricanes, and in danger of future destruction.
Secret Spot- Basin Mangrove in the Municipality of Isabela. This mangrove suffered close to 100% mortality due to the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Maria. On its left is PR Road 466, an important evacuation route (Photo by Vida Marina UPR).
However, thanks to funding provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Coastal Resilience Grant, our center is now able to help in the recovery of these remarkable ecosystems—bulwarks against the impact of climate change. We are scheduled to start planting mangroves by the end of May 2021, but we already taking a look at the current conditions of our restoration sites, preparing for our work, and coordinating future activities that will integrate local communities into the restoration process.
What’s in it for humans?
Well, where do we start? There are actually so many important benefits. It’s a win for humans.
The restoration of these mangroves will reinstate the primary line of defense against storm surges for local communities, that increasingly threaten their livelihood and economies. Main access to roads and sanitary infrastructure, essential for those living on the coast, will be protected. The restored mangroves will also provide habitat for many species that, when carefully managed, will be sustainably harvested for local consumption or sale.
Also, thanks to the aid of UW-Madison’s Latino Earth Partnership’s training, we will get communities involved. Citizens on the ground will take “ownership” of the project, and the work will create a sense of stewardship that will result in stronger and more resilient coastal communities. The training will help create community groups that are empowered to identify and respond to threats to their homes and their livelihoods – swiftly and effectively.
Caño Madre Vieja Nature Reserve in the Municipality of Aguada. On the right is the Barrio Espinar community, which was heavily impacted by both storms in 2017. Many houses were flooded during these events as well as the only road that gives access to this community; something that left many families stranded and unable to be rescued (Photo by Vida Marina UPR)
Making life better for birds
It will take time, but the aim is to bring them back.
Our project will restore 59 hectares of severely degraded Basin Mangroves that serve as habitat for a wide range of species, including waterfowl. This should improve the diversity of waterfowl species, which appears to have decreased after the storms of 2017. We are currently carrying out periodic bird surveys, and will continue to do so throughout entire restoration process. If we are to be successful in this restoration, we should, among other things, be able to reach levels of waterfowl diversity like those before the hurricanes.
Efficient mangrove and wetland plant germination
It’s all about getting those seeds going. Now, we have the opportunity to grow and plant more trees, by improving our greenhouse arrangements.
A germination table installed inside Vida Marina UPR’s greenhouse in the University of Puerto Rico at Aguadilla. This design adds to the integrity of the table and allows us to germinate multiple species without the risk of mixing them. Furthermore, these divisions also let us test different treatments that may increase seed germination rates (Photo by Vida Marina UPR).
We expect to plant at least 11,500 mangrove trees to be successful; it will take a great deal of time and effort. However, thanks to funding from BirdsCaribbean and ECCC, we were able to significantly increase the rate at which we can grow mangroves and other wetland plants in our greenhouse. With the construction of two seed germination tables, we will be able to grow mangroves more efficiently by maximizing our greenhouse’s limited space. Normally, we would have let all seeds germinate in flowerpots. Not all seeds planted will germinate, so this would result in unsuccessful pots occupying a space that a growing tree would have used. Our new germination tables will give a great boost to tree production. They will not only reduce the amount of time and effort invested in producing mangroves. They will also help us plant more trees in our sites than we initially planned.
Putting the green in greenhouse
Water is always a major concern.
Thanks to this funding, our greenhouse’s irrigation system is now able to run almost exclusively with stored rainwater. This “greener” alternative allows us to save a considerable amount of water each year. It’s a simple way in which we can help protect our country’s water supply and the environment. Additionally, this will give our plants enough water to survive through droughts that can result in the rationing of water.
Heriberto working on the installation of a water pump into the rainwater tank for the irrigation system. (Photo by Vida Marina UPR).
Training the next generation of ecologists and restoration practitioners
Young people will learn practical, hands-on techniques.
Under the mentorship of experienced researchers, undergraduate and high-school students involved in our project will be able to develop valuable research skills. Also, since they will take an active role in the monitoring of animal diversity, they will learn multiple survey techniques as well as the fundamentals of native plant and animal identification.
Our trainees will also have the opportunity to learn how to operate unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), as well as other types of technology, to solve different conservation issues. They will also learn how to interpret and analyze multiple types of data. Most importantly, they will be able to play a part in the planning and implementation process of wetland restoration. It will be a rich and rewarding learning experience for them.
Members of Vida Marina UPR’s taking a small break after finishing the construction of the large, germination table. In the picture, from left to right, are: Jean P. González Crespo, Heriberto Martir Vargas, and Jose J. Vera Rodriguez. Missing in this photo is Arianna Lopez Rodriguez, whose help was vital to the success of this project. (Photo by Vida Marina UPR)
It really does take a village to restore mangroves
Team work is everything. It is only through our partnerships with local communities, environmental groups and agencies, and both state and municipal governments that we will be able to achieve our restoration goals. Without their support, this project, like many others, would be close to impossible to complete. We are as excited as our partners as we get to work to bring back these wonderful forests, which make a tremendous difference to Puerto Rico’s coastal defenses. This is a project that will benefit both humans and wildlife in years to come.
Jean Gonzalez-Crespo is a PhD student from UW-Madison who works as a project assistant in this study. He has worked on multiple bird conservation projects in Puerto Rico since 2017. In addition to overseeing the anuran and avian monitoring of this project, Jean also works in the conservation of the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird—an endangered species unique to Puerto Rico.
On Saturday, May 8th, birders and BirdsCaribbean members around the world went outside birding to celebrate Global Big Day—the biggest birding day of the year which is timed to coincide with peak spring migration for many places in the USA. Approximately 53,000 participants joined in the fun—with 365 observers representing the West Indies and submitting 1,995 checklists—way to go!
This year, observers found 364 species in the West Indies—beating last year’s record by a whopping 19 species! (see Figure 1). Cuba clinched the lead for most species seen—161, followed by Puerto Rico at 139 species, The Bahamas coming in hot at 131 species, Dominican Republic close behind at 127 species, Jamaica swinging in at a nice 104, and Cayman islands finishing with a solid tally of 94 species.
And more Caribbean “eBirders” too…
The number of eBird observers in the West Indies—365—increased by 62 persons from 2020, and the total number of checklists submitted—1,670—increased by a colossal 619! (see Figure 1). This jump in participation helped fuel the increased number of species seen in every country/ island.
Figure 1. The top graph shows that the total number of eBird Observers in the West Indies, total species seen, and total number of eBird checklists submitted increased from 2020 to 2021. The bottom graph shows the number of species observed on Global Big Day for the top 6 West Indies countries increased from 2020 to 2021.
Inspired by last year, many of us continued to bird together from afar on teams that raised funds for bird conservation. This year, those funds will target new Motus bird monitoring stations in the Caribbean. Our Global Big Day was hugely successful on all fronts, with 15 teams participating, including 10national teams!!! (up from 7 teams in 2020). And we raised $19,113 USD, very close to our goal of $20,000 USD—congrats and thank you to everyone for your participation and support! Read on for all the exciting details and final team stats…
The Bee Hummers Mighty Achievements – Congratulations to our Cuban Friends!
How did our BirdsCaribbean teams fare? Once again, the indomitable, multinational Flying Pintails, led by Executive Director Lisa Sorenson, claimed the title for the most species observed: 714 (see Figure 2). President’s Perch, led by Past President Andrew Dobson, and the Bee Hummers Dream Team, the Cuban national team led by BC board member Maikel Cañizares, came in second and third with 597 and 465 species seen, respectively. The Bee Hummers swept three other categories, however, with the most eBird checklists (241), most eBird observers (65), and most West Indies endemics (48). Congrats to the team named after the smallest bird in the world for all of these great achievements!!!
Figure 2. Global Big Day results for our 15 BirdsCaribbean teams, which included 10 national teams. The numbers in red show which team had the highest number for each category. A total of 1,348 species and 136 West Indies endemics were observed by all 15 teams combined. ( a total of 147 West Indies endemics were seen by all eBirders, i.e., including those not on a team).
Tracking the Endemics on our GBD Teams
This year, with our 10 new national (Caribbean country or island) teams, we were excited to see which national team would see the highest proportion of their endemic birds on Global Big Day (a category created to control for differences in the number of endemic species on each island – see Figure 3). There were two winners for this title: the One Love Jamaica Birders, whose well-organized sub-teams and individuals fanned out over the entire island and managed to see all 28 Jamaican endemics, and the Bajan Birders who also worked hard and made sure to get their one endemic (Barbados Bullfinch) on their lists! 😉 The Peeping Cuckoos (Puerto Rico), Bee Hummers (Cuba), and Team Jaragua (Dominican Republic) also did well finding their island endemics.
Figure 3. The 7 teams who saw the highest proportion of their island endemics on Global Big Day 2021. The One Love Jamaica Birders managed to see all 28 of their endemics – congrats! And the Bajan Birders easily checked off their one endemic, the Barbados Bullfinch.
Small was Beautiful
Smaller and more local teams also had their advantages. When the total number of species seen was divided by the number of people on the team, Far Flung Flock came in first, with an average of 27 species observed per person (see Figure 4). The Statia Tropicbirders were a close second with 23 species per person, followed by the Flying Pintails (19), Abaco Island Big Day Birders (17), WANSIRI (16), and Turks and Caicos Island Blue Jays (14). The accomplishment of the Abaco Island Big Day Birders is especially impressive, since this was a small team of 5 persons birding on a relatively small island that had been largely decimated by a hurricane less than 2 years ago!
Figure 4. The average number of species observed per person for each of the 15 Global Big Day teams. Far Flung Flock of Friends was the winner in this category with an average of 27 species per person. Statia Tropicbirders came in 2nd with 23, followed by the Flying Pintails (19), Abaco Island Big Day Birders (17), WANSIRI (16), and the TCI Blue Jays (14).
Congratulations and thank you to all the teams for your enthusiastic participation. We will be sharing more about our experiences, including photos and prizes, in a second Global Big Day 2021 blog article.
Handing out Bouquets to these eBirders
The most distinguished eBirders from our Global Big Day campaign were Holly Garrod and Josh Covill (birding together in Costa Rica) of the Flying Pintails, who over 16 hours recorded an incredible 208 species! Richard Korpi and Phil Lehman, both on the Barefoot Bobwhites team, came in 2nd and 3rd with 138 and 136 species, respectively. Holly and Josh both win a year’s membership in BirdsCaribbean and some awesome BC swag!
Special commendations go out to the following birders who had 20 or more West Indies Endemics on their GBD checklist on May 8th:
Maria Paulino (gray shirt) leading a group of urban birders in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on Global Big Day.
Maria Paulino (Dominican Republic) – 30
Lyndon Johnson (Jamaica) – 27
Wendy Lee (Jamaica) – 27
Adrian Cobas (Cuba) – 26
Ana M. Suárez (Cuba) – 25
Maikel Cañizares Morera (Cuba) – 24
Miguel Landestoy (Dominican Republic) – 23
Tania Piñeiro (Cuba) – 23
Alina Perez (Cuba) – 22
Wayne Arendt (Puerto Rico) – 22
Noelia Nieves (Puerto Rico) – 21
Robert Jovel (Cuba) – 21
Wisdenilde Navarro (Cuba) – 21
Alondra Medina Charriez (Cuba) – 21
Karlos Ross (Cuba) – 20
An Exciting Finish to our Fundraising, and Thank You!
After the success of last year’s fundraiser we have carried the tradition onward. This year’s donations will help fund our newly launched Caribbean Motus Collaboration, which is part of our Caribbean Landbird Monitoring network.
The final days of our fundraiser were incredible! We were still a ways out from our target goal of $20K when a most generous BirdsCaribbean member on the President’s Perch team stepped up and offered a $5K match. In other words, if the President’s Perch Team could raise $5K in 3 days, the donor would match it with a donation of $5K, giving us the opportunity to double the funds!
We quickly put out the call and many generous people answered it! With a few hours to spare before the deadline, we reached the $5K goal on President’s Perch team, which was then promptly doubled by our generous supporter! Thus, to date, thanks to your generous donations and support we have raised a total of $19,113, which will help to install at least 4 Motus stations in the islands!!! (note: it is not too late to donate if you want to help us reach our $20K goal).
2021 BirdsCaribbean Global Big Day Teams*
You can visit each birding team’s page profile on eBird to see maps of the team’s countries/ islands where birds were sighted and their checklists. You can also visit each team’s GoFundMe page and donate to specific teams to help them reach their fundraising goal, or donate to the general campaign.
Black-whiskered-Vireo spotted on Global Big Day in the Dominican Republic. (photo by Maria-Paulino)
Kristy Shortte, a Program Officer at the NGO Sustainable Grenadines, Inc.
A local community that understands the value of natural habitats and the wildlife that lives there is key to successful long-term conservation. Find out how this happens from Kristy Shortte, a Program Officer at the NGO ‘Sustainable Grenadines,’ on Union Island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. From building observation platforms at vital wetlands, to garbage clean-ups and installing information signs, to training locals to identify and help monitor birds, Kristy describes the amazing and inspiring range of work carried out by her organization, local partners – and of course, the local community!
At the trans-boundary NGO Sustainable Grenadines Inc (SusGren) we know that conserving the places where birds live is key to their survival. But how do we achieve this? So many of our habitats are under threat—from pollution and degradation by human activities, to outright destruction for development. When there are competing demands on the use of our natural resources, we need to make wise decisions. Sometimes we need to educate our local citizens about the immense value of these areas to people and wildlife, and to get them actively involved in their conservation. It’s a hands-on approach with community partners. Showing people the benefits of managing and protecting habitats is the best way to ensure the long-term health of bird populations and the habitats on which they depend.
Finding the best ways to protect birds and their habitats
Residents of Union island, harvesting salt at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Radio Grenadines).
Here at SusGren, we have taken the initiative to support birds and protect the places they live through two projects – both completed during the pandemic of 2020! SusGren believes that some areas are so special that they need to be protected – no ifs, ands, or buts!!!!
After many years of hard work to restore Ashton Lagoon and develop it as a bird and nature sanctuary for enjoyment by all, we turned our attention to Belmont Salt Pond. This is the second largest ecosystem on the island of Union and one of the last two remaining salt ponds in the entire St. Vincent and the Grenadines (he other salt pond is on Mayreau). Salt picking is still practiced at Belmont, providing economic benefits to locals.
So…what’s so special about Belmont Salt Pond?
The Belmont Salt Pond area is significant, in that it provides habitat to many species of resident and migratory birds. Here you can see Whimbrels, Willets, Blue-winged Teal, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Mangrove Cuckoo, and even the American Flamingo on occasion. Migratory birds use Belmont as a place to rest and feed. This can be for a few days or weeks, before they continue with their migration, while others stay from fall to spring. For other birds, the Salt Pond is ‘home’ all year round.
Blue-winged Teal female spotted at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
American Flamingo Spotted at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
With this rich history and biodiversity and the salt pond threatened by human activities, SusGren decided to enhance the area for enjoyment by locals and visitors alike. This would help ensure the protection of the area’s biodiversity and would increase ecotourism opportunities in Union Island, following our successful restoration of nearby Ashton Lagoon 2 years ago. The platform would also help us to continue the long-term bird monitoring of our wetlands through participation in the Caribbean Waterbird Census.
Taking a community-based approach
The ‘’Clean up Squad’’ at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Zoe Jennett)
Due to a lack of community knowledge of the importance of the area, it was being used for the burning of charcoal and dumping garbage. We knew that over time these activities would damage Belmont Salt Pond and biodiversity would be negatively impacted. So at Susgren we decided to carry out a project in partnership with members of the community, to ensure that such behavior is reduced and eventually eliminated.
As part of this approach, SusGren contributed towards a cleanup organized by a local group of 10 people called “Union Island Cleanup Squad.” They held massive cleaning up sessions at the Belmont Salt Pond on May 7th and May 13th, 2020. A total of 30 bags of trash was collected during the first session, and 40 additional bags of trash were picked up at the second cleanup around the edges of the pond. It was great to see local community groups actively taking up the stewardship mantle of their island!
Follow the signs!
Interpretive sign at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Our project also involved the construction of viewing platforms at Belmont Salt Pond, designed to provide people with a fantastic overview of the wetland and the birds living there. At each of the Belmont Salt Pond platforms – and at the Ashton Lagoon Eco Trail – we installed interpretive signs displaying resident and migratory birds. We worked with BirdsCaribbean to design signs that included land birds, wetland birds, and shorebirds likely to be seen at each of the sites. At Ashton Lagoon, one sign also provides visitors with knowledge about the marine and terrestrial species of animals found in the area.
Our interpretive signs include features on bird identification. Thus, someone using the platforms at Belmont Salt Pond or our bird towers at Ashton Lagoon can receive a “self-crash-course” in basic bird identification. Moreover, there are now three 4 x 6 billboard signs installed at Belmont Salt Pond that explain the history of the area and its cultural and environmental importance. Two ‘rules’ signs also notify visitors about appropriate behavior in the area.
Keeping the trash at bay
“Bird branded” garbage bins and signs at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
To reduce the problem of litter, we installed attractive garbage receptacles at both Belmont Salt Pond and Ashton Lagoon. The bright green receptacles are adorned with images of the various birds one can see in the area. Our hope is that this will help build local pride and community ownership and encourage people to dispose of their garbage in a responsible way.
Since the installation of 4 bins at each location, we are gratified to see that people are using them. The local solid waste management company ‘’Uni Clean’ assists with the weekly disposal of trash from these areas.
Reaching out in different ways
We found different ways of reaching out to our stakeholders and the general public. Normally, we would have been hosting lots of in-person outreach and birding activities and events with the community and schools during the last year. But due to the pandemic and schools closing, we used radio and social media platforms to engage the community and key stakeholders. We made phone calls and delivered letters with updates on our projects. We also sent out a media blast with the local telecommunications company on the island, so that recipients could obtain a poster of the activities being undertaken at Belmont Salt Pond on their phones.
Finally, we had a hugely successful radio interview and webinar with the show, “Conversation Tree” on Radio Grenadines. SusGren’s Program Director, Orisha Joseph and I gave a presentation and discussed our activities with the radio host. This was seen by over 2,000 people and was very well-received.
World Shorebirds Day
Kristy Shortte pointing out and identifying birds on a guided birding walk. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc).
To further community involvement in our work and help people develop a love for the environment and birds, we collaborated with Katrina Collins-Coy, Union Island Environmental Attackers, and celebrated World Shorebirds Day in September, 2020. Eleven students and two teachers from the Stephanie Browne Primary School participated.
The celebration involved a birding walk with Bird Bingo and a Bird Identification tour along the Ashton Lagoon Trail. The children also enjoyed activities in the classroom, such as learning about the Parts of a Bird, bird games, and bird arts and crafts. We were elated to see the enthusiastic students and teachers come out as early as 5:30 am to be a part of the session!
Birds of Belmont Salt Pond – A New Resource!
Through this project (with matched funding from the SVG Conservation Fund) we also developed a booklet entitled “Birds of Belmont Salt Pond.” The booklet includes notes from SusGren’s directors, information on the project’s team, a brief history of the Belmont Salt Pond, photographs of resident and migratory birds found there, and a full checklist and space for taking notes while bird watching and monitoring. Thirty copies were printed and distributed to key stakeholders in the community and other organizations in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. We hope this will be a great resource for visitors.
Belmont Salt Point. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Bird Identification Training Workshop—“Conserving Caribbean Shorebirds and their Habitats”
Participants taking part in a Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) Basic Bird ID Training Workshop. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
We weren’t finished yet! We also held a five-day bird identification training workshop as part of the project, during October 2020. The workshop was facilitated by Lystra Culzac, who is the Founder and Manager of Science Initiative for Environmental Conservation and Education (SCIENCE) and graduate of our Conserving Caribbean Shorebirds and their Habitats Training Workshop in 2019 (as is Kristy!). Those taking part represented a wide range of professions, from Park Rangers, Tourism Division, Environmental Groups, and regular community members. As part of the training, a bird monitoring trip took place at the newly installed platforms, making good use of our new booklet “Birds of Belmont Salt Pond.”
We included training in seabird monitoring as part of the workshop and participants took a trip to Catholic Island and Tobago Cays Marine Park. Here they got the opportunity to learn firsthand how to identify a wider variety of the seabird species in their natural habitats. Following the bird watching trip in the Tobago Cays, SusGren, in partnership with SCIENCE, collaborated on a clean-up effort at Petit Bateau, one of the cays in the Marine Park and a known seabird habitat. A total of 6 bags of trash was collected.
Continued CWC Monitoring
At both Ashton Lagoon and Belmont Salt Pond we have been carrying out Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) surveys for many years. These surveys help us to keep track of which birds are using these sites, while keeping an eye out for any changes or threats to the habitats. During the project we carried out 9 CWC surveys across Ashton Lagoon and Belmont Salt Pond, making visits twice a month. Now that the project is over we plan to continue to monitor the birds at both sites using CWC surveys. With all our newly trained birders on Union island, equipped with binoculars and copies of the ‘Birds of Belmont Salt Point,’ we should have plenty of support to do this!
How did the community respond to our work?
During an Attitude and Perception survey interview done with residents on the island, persons expressed excitement and satisfaction with the new development. One noted interviewee was Benjamin Wilson, a Tobago Cays Park Ranger. Wilson said, “Before the enhancement, I would have passed the salt pond straight – but now I have to gaze at the work that was done.’’ SusGren believes that this project was the first step towards having a local community that value ‘their’ wetland. The wildlife viewing platform is now being regularly used by locals and tourists alike!
Mission accomplished? Yes, for that phase, which is a first step in the right direction towards bird and habitat conservation.
This project was made possible with funding and support from BirdsCaribbean via the US Fish and Wildlife Service NMBCA program and BirdsCaribbean members and donors, with matching funds from the SVG Conservation Fund.
Kristy Shortte has worked with Sustainable Grenadines Inc since 2013, starting out as an Administrative and Research Assistant. Since 2017 she has served as a Program Officer. Kristy has qualifications in Business Studies, and since working at Sustainable Grenadines, she has been dedicated to using her business knowledge and environmental training and experience to empower her community in the Grenadines to protect and develop their resources sustainably. She has grown to love and be inspired by nature and birds since working for SusGren. She comments, “A lot of times I would look at birds and observe how they are so fearless and free in the sky and by looking at these creatures you learn from them about how to create a beautiful life.”
Salt being produced at Belmont. (Photo by Radio Grenadines)
One of the new signs showing the bird of Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
The new platform at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Lesser Yellowlegs at Belmont Salt Pond. (photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Kids with BirdSleuth Caribbean Bird Bingo-cards. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Kids learning about birds with BirdSleuth Caribbean and World Migratory Bird Day materials. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Viewing Platform at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
Viewing Platform at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
American Flamingo Spotted at Belmont Salt Pond. (Photo by Sustainable Grenadines Inc)
If you’re working today, you shouldn’t be. Tomorrow is Global Big Day for crying out loud. There is much to do.
And so, here’s your Friday Checklist:
Global Big Day – May 14, 2022Polish up your binos with one of those sweet microfiber cloths. Nobody knows what microfiber actually is; maybe spider silk, or the amazingly soft armpit hair of a baby goat, or dandelion seed fluffs sewn together. Scholars are mystified, so just be happy it works. Wipe away.
Begin carb-loading. Finding time to eat tomorrow will be challenging, so aim for consuming somewhere around four to five thousand calories today and you should be good to go. Pig out.
Play around on social media. Not just because it’s routine for you to do so at the top of every hour (isn’t working from home nice?!), but because you need to get the down-low on what other birders are up to. Some might already be tailgating in preparation for Global Big Day. Don’t let their cool personas get to you. Stay strong.
Take a nap from at least noon to 3pm. You’ve earned it. Plus, tomorrow is going to be an early one. Sunrise waits for no one, neither do those birds. Sleep easy.
It’s time to plan out the ground that you’re going to cover. Hour by hour planning is fun, but so is winging it. Keep some spontaneity on the docket. Remember that high vantage points can be really advantageous. Even though birds hate being looked down upon, it’s your best shot at seeing a lot of them at one time. Go high.
Refresh your knowledge of intricate molt patterns, especially with gulls. Rumor has it that some gull species have over 300 plumage variations, and that no mortal man or woman could possibly comprehend them all. Good luck.
Avoid people at all costs (unless you like people) because you might encounter other Global Big Day’ers out there. They may look friendly at first glance, but what they really want is information. Act naive, maybe even slightly disappointed, and ask them if they wouldn’t mind giving you advice on how to find whatever the most common species is in your area. They’ll leave you alone after that. Fly casual.
It’s gonna be a long day, so be sure to hydrate like crazy. Electrolytes are all the rage these days, and because they taste like hell by themselves you’ve got a great excuse to mix in a few cups of sugar. Nectar for the birds, and nectar for you. Pace yourself.
Reflect on which sock type to wear: tube socks or low-cuts? Don’t kid yourself, you’re a birder. That choice was made long ago. Tube up!
Tell a family member about Global Big Day. Not your second cousins on your mother’s side, they won’t care. But maybe your sweet aunt or the brother you’ve neglected for far too long. Convince them that birding is fun and that they should join you. Remember that family is obligated to love you and the things you do. Milk that.
Cue up your eBird account, make sure it still works, and take note of your GBD team’s username that you’ll be sharing your final list(s) with. Your role as a citizen scientist makes you awesome. And remind yourself that LBBs (Little Brown Birds) are not an acceptable species entry in eBird. That’s unfortunate.
With all this prep, your Global Big Day will surely be unforgettable. But your memory isn’t what it once was, so you might actually forget a lot of it. Best to document your exploits. While it’s highly likely that Uncle Sam is continuously taking beautiful photos of you from above, some good shots from ground-level of birds and people birdwatching will make you eligible for more prize giveaways—so be sure to pack a camera. Say cheese!
If you’re not having fun, then you’re not birding. And if you’re not birding, you’re definitely not having fun. Let’s make Global Big Day 2022 the best one yet!
p.s. It’s not too late to join one of our 17 awesome teams!!! Just click here to choose a team – or create one of your own! And here’s a link to our Global Big Day blog article with more information about how this fundraiser will benefit conservation of the Caribbean’s AMAZING birds!Any questions whatsoever about your birding mission tomorrow, don’t hesitate to email us! Lisa Sorenson – lisa.sorenson@birdscaribbean.org;Tahira Carter – tahira.carter@birdscaribbean.org; Justin Proctor – justin.proctor@birdscaribbean.org; and Jeff Gerbracht – jeffgerbracht@gmail.com.
St. Vincent’s iconic Parrot still faces challenges from the La Soufrière eruption, but work is being done to help the parrot and relief supplies are on the way (thanks to many generous donors who responded to our emergency appeal)! As the dramatic month of April draws to a close, it is still a mixed picture for the island of St. Vincent, its wonderful parrots and other wildlife, and its people. This level of uncertainty is likely to persist for the foreseeable future, according to scientists, who are monitoring La Soufrière on a daily basis. Their message is that the smoldering, steaming volcano, which is fairly quiet for now, is “still dangerous.” As we have learned, the situation can change rapidly.
Remobilization of ash at surrounding areas of La Soufriere, St. Vincent (Photo by Ilias Papadopoulos, UWI-SRC)
La Soufrière’s destructive path
Since we wrote about the volcano’s first eruption on April 9th, the volcano erupted again on the morning of Earth Day (April 22), with the plume of ash reaching as high as eight kilometers. This created some pyroclastic flows – a mixture of extremely hot volcanic ash and rocks that burns everything in its path. Since then, there have been flows of lahars (these are very fast-moving, dense mudflows or debris flows consisting of pyroclastic material, rocky debris, ash and water) along river valleys and gullies. To make matters worse, torrential rains on April 28 and 29 have created floods and landslides in several parts of the island (including the capital, Kingstown) exacerbating the flow of lahars through valleys. Residents are being advised not to go near rivers or streams, especially in the dangerous Red Zone in the north.
Lahars observed in the Wallibou River (Red Zone, Leeward side of the island) on the morning of 29 April, 2021. The rainfall overnight generated lahars (mudflows) in the red and orange zones. (photo by Richard Robertson, UWI Seismic Research Centre)
Lahars are fast moving, dense mixture of rocks, ash and vegetation and water originating from a volcano. It has the consistency of wet concrete and can cause severe damage to rivers and valleys around the volcano. (photo by Richard Robertson, UWI Seismic Research Centre)
As of the evening of Thursday, April 29, the University of the West Indies (UWI) Seismic Centre reported that the volcano’s activity remained low. However, the lahars (some extremely hot) have caused considerable erosion and damage in all valleys that drain the volcano, bringing down many trees that have been carried into the ocean and are creating a hazard for shipping. In several parts of the island, damage to the forest has been quite extensive and rivers are filled with sediment. Earth tremors have been frequent. A recent survey noted many broken trees, weighed down by the heavy ash falls – even in the southern Green Zone where the danger is less. In some areas (for example, Jennings, Tiberoux, and Perseverance) trees have lost their tops and there was little sign of life in the forest. This is not good news for birds, including not only the St. Vincent Parrot but species such as the endangered Whistling Warbler and twelve other restricted-range endemic species, including the Grenada Flycatcher, Rufous-throated Solitaire, Purple-throated Carib, Brown Trembler, Lesser Antillean Tanager, Antillean Euphonia, and others.
Valley on the Leeward side of St. Vincent showing severe damage to trees and vegetation. (photo by Richard Robertson, UWI Seismic Research Centre)
Vincentians working hard for the birds
However, there is good news! Our partners on the ground at the Forestry Department of St. Vincent and the Grenadines are still seeing and hearing parrots. Local foresters are working hard for the birds; take a look at the photos and great videos below and on their Facebook page, where you will see them preparing and resupplying fresh fruit to the tall, spindly, but sturdy feeding platform stations that they constructed in the island’s Orange Zone (the central area where many of the parrots are located). Forestry staff have been clearing paths through the damaged forest, looking for stressed parrots and where they are concentrating, clearing waterways of fallen trees and branches in order to restore water supply in several areas, and at the same time doing humanitarian work – helping out their fellow Vincentians with supplies for shelters. Kudos to these brave and hard-working foresters!!! Forestry reports that they have a number of farmers that work with them and they are sympathetic to the plight of the parrots and putting our fresh fruit for them. Forestry is helping to supply this fruit. Members of the public are also calling in to Forestry to report that parrots, hummingbirds and other birds are showing up in areas where they do not normally occur. This shows that parrots are moving around searching for food – thank goodness they have wings! Hopefully, much of the population has been able to escape the eruptions and most damaged areas – time will tell as surveys continue in the coming weeks and months.
Help is on the way!
Thanks to the generous donations from friends and donors to the BirdsCaribbean fundraising effort, and the great support of international partners, we have shipped off supplies for the Forestry Department: a range of field equipment, including binoculars, respirators, backpacks, machetes, GPS units, walkie-talkies, cameras, and head-lamp flashlights; also tools and supplies such as hand drills, aviary wire, tarps, and hardware to repair and enhance the Forestry Department’s facilities for breeding captive parrots at the Botanical Gardens. The shipment also includes supplies to treat and care for rescued parrots—two veterinary “go-bags” (field kits containing all the critical care supplies needed to treat parrots in the field), Vita Seed Top Parrot Mix (300 pounds), hand-feeding formula and medicines to treat rescued parrots, and a portable oxygen generator and St Vincent Parrot-sized mask to help parrots in respiratory distress. The first shipment including all of the above items (1,625 pounds) is now en route to St. Vincent via Tropical Shipping sea freight – it will arrive on May 5th! Additional items still to be sent include nectar feeders for hummingbirds (many flowering plants have been badly damaged), seed feeders for other birds, and camping supplies to allow Forestry to spend the night in the field during parrot survey watches.
Recovery and relief supplies in the first shipment to St. Vincent include field equipment, supplies to care for rescued parrots, and hardware to repair and enhance the St. Vincent Parrot Aviary at the Botanical Gardens. (photos by Paul and Karen Reillo).
In these uncertain times, our caring local partners will continue to need our support. They are working hard in very challenging, often dangerous conditions to ensure that some of our most vulnerable Caribbean birds are assured of a safe and secure future. Later on, there will be a great deal of restoration work to do. At the moment, the volcano remains “in a state of unrest,” according to the UWI.
Jan 2022 Update
Our crowdfunding platform for this appeal, GoFundMe Charity, a separate arm of GoFundMe, unfortunately closed down this site, with a plan for all charities to operate fundraising pages on their main site, thus our crowdfunding page for this fundraiser is no longer available. However, you can donate here and designate your donation in the comments to help with the continued recovery of the St Vincent Parrot, Whistling Warbler, and other wildlife in St Vincent. We owe it to the gorgeous St. Vincent Parrots and their beautiful island home!
Thank you to all of the incredibly generous donors to our fundraising campaign for your support. This has been critical to allow us to purchase and ship relief supplies as well as send funds to our local partners in St. Vincent. A huge thank you also to our international partners who are supporting this relief effort, including Rare Species Conservatory Foundation, Caribaea Initiative, Fauna & Flora International, Vortex Optics, and the Farallon Islands Foundation. We thank our amazing local partners SCIENCE Initiative, the St. Vincent & the Grenadines Environment Fund, and the Forestry Dept for your support and hard work.
Some of the recovery and relief supplies sent to the St Vincent Forestry Dept in the first shipment (April 2021). (photo by Paul and Karen Reillo)
Portable oxygen generator with a mask adjusted to fit the St Vincent Parrot. (photo by Paul and Karen Reillo)
Aviary wire and other relief supplies loaded up and ready to take to the port in West Palm Beach. (photo by Karen Reillo)
Relief supplies (1,200 pounds) ready to go the port to get on Tropical Shipping’s next boat to St Vincent on 28 April. Huge thanks to Paul and Karen Reillo for assembling and repacking all of the supplies for shipping! (photo by Karen Reillo)
Scientists studying the impacts of the volcano in the Wallibou River area on 26 April before lahars hit the area on 29 April. (photo by Prof. Jenni Barclay)
The Wallibou River area on 29 April AFTER a lahars hit the area on 29 April. Never underestimate the power of a lahar! (photo by Prof. Jenni Barclay)
St Vincent Parrot in better times, eating monkey goblet fruit (Clusia major), May 2018. (photo by Glenroy Gaymes)
Map of La Soufrière danger zones in St. Vincent. The St Vincent Parrot’s main habitats are in the forests in the orange and yellow zones.
Field technicians at the Loma del Toro colony in happier times (Photo by Grupo Jaragua)
Jennifer Wheeler of the International Black-capped Petrel Conservation Group shares some shocking and sad news on the Black-capped Petrel in the Dominican Republic.
In mid-March 2021, researchers from the environmental organization Grupo Jaragua arrived at Loma del Toro, located in the Dominican Republic’s Sierra de Bahoruco National Park. The team’s mission was to check up on the Black-capped Petrel, an endangered seabird endemic to the Caribbean.
The trip to the field site was long and taxing, the final hours of bumpy travel up a steep, unpaved mountain road. Nevertheless, the team was in an upbeat mood, anticipating evidence of the first chicks to be hatched this year.
A shocking sight
Sadly, the researchers’ hopes were soon to be crushed. In the early morning, the forest of Hispaniolan pines that is home to the Black-capped Petrel nesting sites would normally have been full of life, with a noisy dawn-chorus of migrant and resident birds. Instead, the woods seemed a bit quieter than usual. When they reached the nesting sites, the team was met with a scene of carnage. The colony’s burrows were torn up, petrel feathers scattered around, and the remains of eggs and adult petrels dotted the ground. Predators had decimated the colony.
Analysis of camera traps at thirteen nests revealed that several dogs had been visiting the colony regularly since the end of November, and the depredations were the work of one particularly determined dog. This individual killed a minimum of seven adult petrels, likely more were attacked off camera.
Dog invading a Black-capped Petrel burrow at the Loma del Toro colony. An adult petrel was killed outside this burrow in early March. (Photo by Grupo Jaragua)
Rare and vulnerable nesting sites
Only about 100 nests of the Black-capped Petrel have ever been located, after years of searching. These are all in the mountains on Hispaniola (the island comprised of Haiti and the Dominican Republic). Loma del Toro, in the Dominican Republic just east of the Haitian border, hosted 28 of them. Of the 28 known burrows, at least 22 were invaded by the dogs (based on camera traps, visual inspection of nests, and observation of carcasses.) Field teams expect that there were additional yet-to-be-found burrows in the area; these may have been affected as well.
The site has been monitored regularly since 2011. Adults claim burrows in November and December, and usually a high proportion (~70%) of chicks fledge from Loma del Toro in the summer months. There have been disappointments and setbacks before. In 2018, the presence of a cat resulted in the failure of nine nests at Loma del Toro. The loss of breeding adults and destruction of burrows, however, made this year’s scene especially tragic.
An adult Black-capped Petrel in a Loma del Toro burrow in early 2014. Black-capped Petrels nest in colonies in underground burrows located on forested slopes and cliff sides on Hispaniola, generally above 1500 m. They lay just one egg. (Photo by Grupo Jaragua).
Introduced mammals – a destructive threat
Worldwide, animals introduced by humans – rodents, mongoose, cats, dogs, pigs – have devastated native island bird populations. The seabirds that evolved on islands free of mammalian predators are ill-equipped to withstand the pressure of animals evolved to take prey.
Not that Black-capped Petrels and other seabirds are helpless – these are tough birds that spend their lives in the winds and waves of the marine environment. Camera footage shows them battling each other as well as rats. However, seabirds are typically clumsy and slow on land, and nests on or in the ground are easily accessed by predators.
In an endangered species such as the Black-capped Petrel, any death of an adult can have extreme consequences for the health of the entire population. For this reason, the Conservation Action Plan currently being updated by the International Black-capped Petrel Conservation Group (IBPCG) identifies predation by introduced mammals as a key threat, and reduction of predator pressure as a top strategy. In fact, Grupo Jaragua’s deployment of multiple camera traps was a step in understanding the specifics of the threat at known colonies.
Dog standing over dead Black-capped Petrel. Another petrel, presumably a mate, returned to this burrow in early January (Photo by Grupo Jaragua).
Tackling the challenges
What now? Of course, the park authorities in the Ministry of the Environment have been notified about the specific threat posed by the recently documented group of dogs. The International Black-capped Petrel Group (IBPCG) had already begun to pilot trapping activities for smaller predators such as rats and mongoose. It will also pursue the idea of restoring the Loma del Toro colony using buried nest structures (“artificial burrows”) to provide more secure nesting locations.
Reducing the predation pressure at Loma del Toro and other Black-capped Petrel colonies will be a challenge given the costs and logistics of operating in a remote, mountainous location. Accessing the Black-capped Petrel colonies can only be done by rough unpaved roads that take a heavy toll on the research teams’ trucks. Finally, the IBPCG must also combat the threats of fire, collisions, habitat loss and degradation from agricultural expansion, all while continuing to seek out and study the species in colonies elsewhere in the region.
The Working Group and partners fight on…
Yet, this group’s efforts have always been notable for the level of shared dedication and collaboration to benefit this special bird. The IBPCG has strategies in place to offset many of the conservation threats that the Black-capped Petrel faces annually; some have already shown positive outcomes for the species. The tragedy at Loma del Toro only strengthens the resolve of Grupo Jaragua and its IBPCG partners, which include BirdsCaribbean, the American Bird Conservancy, Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) and others – to protect the species and allow it to thrive across its range.
…and need your support
The IBPCG continually strives to raise funds for its work. If you would like to contribute to keeping the Grupo Jaragua field team in the field and support the work to reduce predation pressure and other threats, please give directly to Grupo Jaragua at http://www.grupojaragua.org.do/apoyanos or you can route through a gift through BirdsCaribbean: http://bit.ly/GiftForCaribbeanBirds
More bad news! At press-time, a raging wildfire threatens the remaining birds and burrows of the Loma del Toro colony. We await more information…
It’s that time of year again—spring migration! And that means birders from around the globe will be gathering for Global Big Day, happening on May 8th, 2021. This year, BirdsCaribbean is excited to be hosting another fundraiser that harnesses the energy, excitement, and comradery of Global Big Day (GBD), and uses the money to further conservation work in the Caribbean!
Last year’s GBD, at the peak of our pandemic lockdown, was a welcome respite from isolation as we connected with each other through birding. We want to do it again this year and make it even bigger and better! Read on for more details!
What is Global Big Day (GBD)?
Twice a year, during peak migration times (once in spring and once in fall) birders gather (often in teams) and travel around an area trying to observe as many bird species as they can in a 24-hr period of time.
BirdsCaribbean virtual teams will bird “together” and engage in friendly competition to (1) raise the most funds, and (2) collectively see the most species of birds on Global Big Day.
This year we’re excited to announce all the money raised from participating BirdsCaribbean GBD teams will benefit BirdsCaribbean’s exciting new Caribbean Motus Collaboration! And new this year, all funds raised by Caribbean island teams will go directly to fund Motus stations in their countries.
Because of continued safety concerns with COVID-19, many of us will be birding again individually, and from a safe place*.
If you choose to create a team, personalize it with a fun name, photos and your own lingo. NOTE: if you are outside the US or Canada, we will need to assist you with the first step of creating your own team; after this you will be able to manage the team (email Lisa.Sorenson@BirdsCaribbean.org and she will get you set up pronto!)
All team leaders and members should then invite family, friends, colleagues, and members of your birding community to join your team and/or donate to your team. It helps to set your own personal fundraising goal to help your team reach it’s overall goal!
By inviting people to your team, you are (1) raising awareness for BirdsCaribbean and the Caribbean Motus Collaboration, (2) helping to raise funds for Caribbean Motus, and (3) promoting Global Big Day, citizen science, and the importance of conserving birds and their habitats.
and/or . . .
Simply making a donation to one of the birding and fundraising teams.
By doing so, you will have (1) helped advance knowledge and conservation through supporting Caribbean Motus Collaboration, and (2) encouraged that team to bird as hard as they can on Global Big Day.
and/or . . .
Committing to spending some time (or the entire day!) birding on Global Big Day (May 8), being sure to keep track of what you see and then entering that information into eBird. We hope everyone will do this, whether or not they join a team or fundraise.
This will be a fun event to fundraise for and get excited about birds! Be ready to visit birding hotspots or set yourself up in a safe place* and bird for as much of the day as possible, knowing that all of your teammates, friends, and BirdsCaribbean community members are doing the same!
Why This is Important
The insular Caribbean is a critical region for birds. There are 171 species that occur here and nowhere else in the world! In addition, the islands provide essential habitat for over 100 migratory birds. Many stay 6 months or longer while others rely on the islands as stopover sites to rest and refuel during their long journeys.
As vital as the region is for birds, we still lack basic information on many species. In addition, Caribbean birds face a whole range of threats, including habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, invasive species, and climate change.
We plan to address these issues by identifying the most critical sites and habitats for our birds. We will use an exciting new monitoring tool: the Motus Wildlife Tracking System. Motus, Latin for movement, is a powerful collaborative research network that uses automated radio telemetry to monitor the movements of small animals. The system consists of hundreds of receiver stations and tens of thousands of deployed bird tags.
Motus is also a great tool for engaging the public and youth in science and conservation – we plan to involve local communities and schools in our efforts!
Data from the Motus network has already expanded our understanding of bird migration. The Motus network is widely established in Canada and the US, and beginning to spread throughout Central and South America. Currently, however, there are no active receiver stations in the Caribbean, and many species of conservation concern have not yet been tagged. We want to fill this critical geographical gap!
Our plan is to raise funds for Motus stations and work with our partners to install them in priority areas throughout the islands. We need your help to do this!
We need to raise funds to install and maintain Motus receiver stations in strategic locations throughout the islands. The components of stations cost approximately ~$4,800, and the total cost of a station (including shipping, installation, maintenance, etc.) is ~$10K.
Keep in mind that each station is able to detect thousands of tagged birds flying by, every second of the year, and that the more stations we install, the more detailed information we learn about critically important migration flyways and stopover sites throughout the Caribbean.
We also need to deploy nanotags on priority bird species in the islands to track their movements. Each tag costs ~$225.
Any amount that we can raise is helpful! This is a highly tangible way to get involved in the conservation of Caribbean species.
As with everything in the Caribbean we will be successful when our whole community pitches in, so let’s do this together. We know we can count on you to help!
About Global Big Day
Global Big Day is organized by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Last year, more than 50,000 people across 175 countries collectively reported an astounding 120,000 eBird checklists. Learn more here about this citizen scientist initiative.
Prizes will be Awarded to
(1) the team that raises the most funds
(2) the team with the most creative name and stylish fundraising page
(3) the team that sees the most bird species on Global Big Day
(4) the “country/island team” that sees the highest proportion of their birds on Global Big Day (to control for differences in the number of species on each island!)
(5) the team with the best “find” of the day (unusual, rare, plumage aberration, etc.)
(6) the team with the best bird photo of the day (must be posted on eBird along with your list)
And others, TBD! Remember that all funds raised by island/country teams will go to support Motus in that country!
*Safety
While COVID is decreasing in some islands and more and more people are getting vaccinated, it’s still important to be cautious. Be sure to choose birding locations that (1) comply with your municipality’s COVID-19 safety guidelines (i.e. social distancing, wearing a mask, and travel guidelines), and (2) comply with your personal safety preferences. And so whether you will be birding at local parks, reserves, wetlands, beaches, neighborhood or backyard, we will all be enjoying the opportunity to distract ourselves with some safe, fun birdwatching. Additionally, we will all be birdwatching “together” for a great cause that unites us!
Thanks in advance for participating and supporting our fundraiser, however you can! We hope to see lots of teams forming throughout the Caribbean, US, Canada ,and beyond! We will keep you updated with more news and details about our Global Big Day, such as how to keep a count of your birds and enter your data on line – stay tuned!
BirdsCaribbean is very excited to announce that we are launching a new bird monitoring initiative — the Caribbean Motus Collaboration. And we need your help and involvement! Read on to learn more about this program and how you can help.
What is Motus?
Kirtland’s Warbler fitted with a lightweight nano-tag. These tiny transmitters, which weigh as little as 0.2 g, allow researchers to track the movements of small animals with precision across thousands of miles. (photo by Scott Weidensaul)
The Motus Wildlife Tracking System is a powerful collaborative research network developed by Birds Canada. Named after the Latin word for movement, Motus uses automated radio telemetry arrays to study the movements and behavior of flying animals (birds, bats, and insects) that are nano-tagged and tracked by Motus receivers.
Motus’ main objective is to enable conservation and ecological research by tracking the movement of animals. The system consists of hundreds of receiver stations and thousands of deployed nanotags on 236+ species, mostly birds. Data from this network have already expanded our understanding of bird movements, including pinpointing migration routes and key stopover sites, as well as movements, habitat use, and behavior during breeding and non-breeding seasons. We are only just beginning to tap into the enormous potential of this new technology and growing network of partnerships and data sharing for conservation.
Motus technology is also a valuable educational tool that can advance conservation education both in and out of the classroom. Birds Canada and the Northeast Motus Collaboration have developed a curriculum that combines interactive classroom activities with Motus tracking tools that can be used to teach local children about birds, migration, and conservation.
Expanding the Motus Network in the Caribbean
Motus is widely established in Canada and the US, and beginning to spread throughout Central and South America; however, there are currently no active receiver stations in the Caribbean. The more Motus stations we can put up, the more we can increase our understanding of where tagged birds are moving. In addition, many species of conservation concern that live in or migrate through/ to the region have not yet been tagged. We want to fill this critical geographical gap.
Yellow dots represent the active Motus receiver stations. The white box outlines the insular Caribbean. A few Motus stations that were put up in several islands have been damaged by storms and hurricanes, and need repair.
The Caribbean Motus Collaboration (CMC) is developing a multi-pronged strategy to expand the Motus network by installing and maintaining receiver stations in strategic locations throughout the islands, deploying nanotags on priority bird species, and implementing a specially adapted Caribbean educational curriculum.
Why is this Important?
Our birds are declining at alarming rates.
The Painted Bunting is a declining songbird that winters in FL, Cuba, the Bahamas, Mexico, and Central America. (photo by Ray Robles)
The insular Caribbean is a global biodiversity conservation “hotspot” that is home to over 700 species of birds. Roughly half of these bird species are residents in the Caribbean, including 171 that are endemic – meaning they are found nowhere else in the world! The other half are migratory, splitting their time between temperate and tropical habitats in the Americas, and shared among multiple countries along the way.
For some migratory birds, the Caribbean islands are the perfect winter retreat — they arrive in early fall and stay until spring. Others use one or more islands as stopover sites to rest and refuel as they fly between their breeding and wintering grounds further south. Whether they stay or move on, they are much-loved visitors, reflecting the seasons and inspiring our cultural expressions.
Unfortunately, bird populations are declining. Fifty-nine Caribbean species are at risk of extinction, listed as Vulnerable (30), Endangered (24), or Critically Endangered (5) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A recent study found that nearly 30% of the bird populations in North America since 1970 have been lost, and Caribbean species are among the many that are in trouble.
Birds in the Caribbean face an entire suite of threats, including habitat loss and fragmentation, pollution, and invasive species. In addition, climate change has become a constant danger to the region, not only to people, but also to wildlife. The Caribbean is experiencing increasingly intense hurricanes, long droughts, and dramatic changes to the marine environment. The threats are growing for our vulnerable birds, and we can’t afford to lose any more.
Needed now: An effective bird monitoring system in the Caribbean
Research on our birds has progressed considerably in recent decades, but we still lack basic information on many species. We need to understand them better if we are to save them.
We need to identify the most critical sites and habitats for our migratory, resident, and endemic birds, and we need to assess the threats they face. Importantly, we need to raise awareness about why all of this matters.
At BirdsCaribbean we partner with international, regional, and local partners to develop long-term monitoring programs, e.g. our Caribbean Waterbird Census program. We are using several strategic tools for doing so, and we are confident that the Motus Wildlife Tracking System will become an invaluable resource for strengthening our efforts.
Motus receiving stations function similar to automated toll booths on a highway – every time a bird passes over the station it’s recorded, just as automated toll booths record license plates. The stations have a range of about 9 miles or 15 km. (Ruddy Turnstone photo by Maikel Cañizares)
The Caribbean Motus Collaboration (CMC) can inform and promote bird conservation
Colleagues from the Northeast Motus Collaboration stand by a newly installed Motus station in Pennsylvania. (photo credit: Northeast Motus Collaboration)
Our partners are eager to build the Motus network in the Caribbean. The initiative is gaining momentum quickly and the time to act is now! As a regional organization, BirdsCaribbean is keen to facilitate this effort and assist our partners.
Our collaboration will enhance the efforts of those working to grow the network in other regions of the Americas. And it will shed light on the movements and habitat use of bird species of conservation concern. This knowledge is essential to safeguarding birds throughout their full life cycles and reversing population declines.
Caribbean natural resource managers, including many of our partner organizations throughout the region, will be able to use information from the Motus network to identify the most important sites and habitats for our resident and migratory birds. Once identified, those in the Caribbean network and beyond will be able to focus our work on these most critical areas, alleviating threats and protecting these sites. By building the capacity to use this powerful tool, we will also be contributing to the development of local research and environmental education programs. The knowledge, skills, and appreciation for birds will multiply. It’s a “win-win” for the birds, and for those who work to conserve them in the region.
We Need Your Help!
To grow the CMC, we are seeking funding from granting agencies and private donors, and looking to establish partnerships with international and regional organizations, landowners, and businesses in the Caribbean.
Can you suggest a good site for a Motus receiver station? Stations should be located in secure areas that are optimal for detecting movements of birds (e.g., migration flyways, prime habitat for resident and migratory birds). Receivers can be installed as independent structures that are powered by solar panels. However, installing a station on existing structures (e.g., building roofs, fire towers, abandoned telephone towers, radio towers, etc.), especially those with access to electricity, can significantly reduce costs.
Would you or your organization be willing to maintain Motus receiver stations on your island? Motus stations should require minimal maintenance. However, depending on the station setup, data might need to be downloaded a few times each year. It is also important to regularly check that the stations are in working order, particularly following a storm or other disturbance.
Are you interested in sponsoring a Motus receiver station or nanotags, or know of an individual, organization, or business who would be? The components of receiver stations cost approximately ~$4,800, and the total cost of a station (including installation, maintenance, personnel, etc.) is ~$10k. Nanotags, which will be deployed on priority species to track their movements, cost ~$225 each. But any amount is helpful! This is a highly tangible way to get involved in the conservation of Caribbean species.
*NOTE: This year, our fundraiser for Global Big Day (May 8th, 2021) will raise funds for the Caribbean Motus Collaboration. We hope that you will participate – stay tuned!
If you are interested in contributing to the CMC in any capacity, we want to hear from you! Please fill out this short survey so that we can gather information and follow up with you.
Special thanks to the Northeast Motus Collaboration for their generous help, advice, and encouragement in developing this project!
Steven Latta assessing the condition of a banded Louisiana Waterthrush. Photo by Bob Mulvihill.
The Louisiana Waterthrush is a neotropical migratory warbler that links North America, where it breeds, to the Caribbean, where is spends the winter. Steven Latta PhD has worked on this species for more than a decade. Here he shares some fascinating insights into how water quality impacts the health and survival of this small bird, and what this means for people as well as birds.
Clean water is something that is essential to each and every one of us. There is, however, a rising tide of water quality threats facing Neotropical migratory birds – both in their North American breeding grounds and their Caribbean wintering spots. Water pollution and water diversions can wreak havoc on the quality of the water that supports plant, animal and aquatic life. This also negatively impacts the health and welfare of humans who also depend on that water resource.
I have used a migratory songbird, the Louisiana Waterthrush, for more than a decade to monitor changes in water quality, and to understand the impacts of water quality on birds and other life that depend on riparian ecosystems – that is, rivers, streams and wetlands.
Although somewhat reminiscent of a thrush, the Louisiana Waterthrush is actually a large, mostly terrestrial warbler. It is uniformly dark olive-brown above and white below, with dark brown streaks on its breast and sides, and flanks washed buffy. Distinctive field marks include a white supercilium (eyebrow stripe) which flares and broadens behind the eye, and an unspotted white throat. In both its breeding and wintering grounds, the waterthrush inhabits freshwater streams and associated riparian vegetation in forested hills and mountains. The Louisiana Waterthrush is considered a Species of Conservation Concern in several Bird Conservation Regions. Its dependence on a specialized habitat, now threatened by a number of environmental stressors, makes the species more vulnerable.
The Louisiana Waterthrush, Parkesia motacilla, a bioindicator of water quality and ecosystem integrity in forested headwater streams. Photo by Mike Doughtery.
Waterthrush Warnings
Long-term studies in Pennsylvania and the Dominican Republic have sought to understand the role of water quality and other factors in determining the population size of the Louisiana Waterthrush
In the Caribbean, Louisiana Waterthrush are solitary and territorial. They forage mostly on the ground by walking in a deliberate manner along the water’s edge, jumping over obstacles, characteristically bobbing and teetering, as they capture aquatic insects and similar prey.
I have worked closely with my colleagues, Danilo Mejía and Maria Paulino, from the Dominican environmental organization, Grupo Acción Ecológica, in a long-term study of this charismatic species. Every year, our work has taken us from studies in wintering areas in the Cordillera Septentrional of the Dominican Republic, to research in the breeding grounds in the Laurel Highlands of Pennsylvania.
At both ends of the annual cycle, we have shown how the waterthrush can serve as a warning sign, pointing to the deteriorating condition of waterways, and the presence of toxins and harmful chemicals. In areas where the bird breeds such as Pennsylvania, water quality is affected by acid precipitation, acid mine drainage from abandoned coal mines and agricultural run-off. Most recently. metals associated with hydraulic fracturing for natural gas deposits have impacted the condition of the fresh water. On the wintering grounds, the sites we visit suffer adverse effects from sedimentation and run-off from agriculture and human settlements.
Water Quality: A Critical But Deteriorating Factor
By tracking nesting, breeding success, and survival of individual birds, we have been able to quantify the impacts of reduced water quality. Contamination may directly impact the Louisiana Waterthrush. For example, we have shown that because of its position at the top of the food chain along rivers and streams, the waterthrush will accumulate within its body the metals associated with hydraulic fracturing of deep shale layers for natural gas. Studies with our collaborator, Mack Frantz, have further suggested that this shale gas development may even result in epigenetic effects on gene expression in waterthrush. This means there may be changes in the genetic structure itself that may affect long‐term population survival and fitness.
Dominican field crew sets out to survey and capture Louisiana Waterthrush returning to overwinter territories in the Cordillera Septentrional. Photo by Steve Latta.
But reduced water quality can also have more subtle effects on birds. For example, Louisiana Waterthrush that nest on acidified streams are fewer in number and hold larger territories, presumably because they need more space to find enough food. Notably, the birds in contaminated areas delay nesting, producing fewer, smaller chicks, and fewer of these nesting adults return to the same stream the following year. These results suggest that waterthrush suffer pronounced declines in populations as the result of poor water quality.
A similar situation exists on the Caribbean wintering grounds. Louisiana Waterthrush on lower quality streams require longer territories, and pass the winter in poorer body condition. Fewer birds from low quality territories return the following year as compared to high quality territories. This suggests that reduced water quality in wintering grounds also reduces the birds’ survival rates.
How Does Poor Water Quality Affect the Birds?
Collaborating with two graduate students, we have been able to show why water quality affects Louisiana Waterthrush so dramatically. Brian Trevelline and Brandon Hoenig have combined traditional habitat sampling with advanced molecular techniques such as DNA metabarcoding of feces to analyze diets. They have demonstrated that when water quality declines with increased acidity or other contamination, the availability of preferred aquatic insect prey, such as mayflies, declines. The waterthrush compensate for this by altering their typical aquatic foraging behavior and diet. They venture further away from the stream to consume more terrestrial prey such as crickets, moths and spiders.
While these findings suggest that migrants may be able to adapt to environmental degradation, such behavioral changes may carry additional costs. Alternative food sources may have less nutritive value, resulting in physiological impacts on nestlings or adults. The breeding season is one of the most energetically demanding periods for birds; flying further away from the nest in search of alternative food in unfamiliar places could incur physiological costs. Moreover, it makes the predation of eggs, nestlings, or even adult birds more likely.
Aquatic stream insects are collected in the Cordillera Septentrional of the Dominican Republic to assess availability of food resources. Photo by Steven Latta.
“You Are What You Eat:” The Waterthrush’s Evolving Diet
On the Dominican wintering grounds we also found shifts in diet among the streams that form the birds’ habitat. The diet of Louisiana Waterthrush in the Caribbean consists of fewer aquatic prey species and more terrestrial beetles, flies, and caterpillars. While the wintering waterthrush appears to feed on a wider range of species, these data suggest that on the wintering grounds, it is more of a dietary generalist. This highlights the importance of studying birds across their entire annual cycle to better understand their ecology and conservation needs.
These changes in the birds’ diet, which depend on the quality of habitat and the seasons, have vitally important consequences. On the breeding grounds, we have shown that nestlings from high quality streams that feed largely on mayflies grow faster and larger, and this has survival consequences. On the wintering grounds, variation in diet is also thought to impact survival. We showed that birds occupying higher quality territories with better food resources achieve a better body condition (i.e., they gain more muscle and fat) during the overwinter period. Body condition, in turn, was important in determining whether birds return the following winter, with the healthier birds returning at higher rates.
Brian Trevelline from Duquesne University collects Waterthrush fecal samples to analyze diet. Photo by Danilo Mejía
Good Quality Fresh Water: Important for the Birds, and Humans Too
This body of work links water quality to availability of preferred food resources. Our findings provide linkages among events during the breeding season and the overwintering period that affect the birds’ physiological condition, reproductive success, and annual survival. These studies show that changes in water quality from human activities, impacting the aquatic creatures that form the birds’ diet, can carry over across seasons. These changes accumulate over more than one life-history period, before manifesting themselves in a pattern of reduced survival.
The community of La Joya comes together to clean up trash from streams near their homes. Photo by Danilo Mejía.
Taken together, these studies emphasize the critical importance of water quality as it affects aquatic insect prey and as a result, impacts Louisiana Waterthrush at both ends of its annual migratory cycle. However, water quality also affects human communities. This is a message we have communicated through annual summer fairs and other activities in rural communities near our Dominican stream sites. Clean water is something that is essential to each and every one of us; we are pleased to be using birds as a tool, helping to protect watersheds and water quality across the range of the Louisiana Waterthrush.
Dr. Steven C. Latta is the Director of Conservation and Field Research at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh. He obtained his Ph.D. in Avian Ecology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has worked in the Caribbean islands and Latin America for more than 25 years where his research has focused on the winter ecology of migratory birds, and understanding how migrant and resident species respond to natural and anthropogenic changes to their habitat. Dr. Latta has authored several books on the birds of Hispaniola, has published over 125 articles and book chapters, and is dedicated to training young biologists in developing countries in field research and monitoring techniques, and to educating the general public on the importance of conservation.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS from Steven Latta:
Almonte-Espinosa, H. and S. C. Latta. 2011. Aspectos del comportamiento de forrajeo de la cigüita del río Parkesia motacilla (Aves: Passeriformes: Parulidae) en época no reproductiva. Novitates Caribaea 4:100-108.
Frantz, M. W., P. B. Wood, S. C. Latta, and A. Welsh. 2020. Epigenetic response of Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) related to shale gas development. Ibis 162(4):1211-1224. https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.12833
Latta, S. C. and R. S. Mulvihill. 2010. The Louisiana Waterthrush as an indicator of headwater stream quality in Pennsylvania. Pp. 246-258 in S. K. Majumdar, T. L. Master, M. C. Brittingham, R. M. Ross, R. S. Mulvihill, and J. E. Huffman (eds.), inAvian ecology and conservation: A Pennsylvania focus with national implications. The Pennsylvania Academy of Science, Easton, PA.
Latta, S. C., L. C. Marshall, M. W. Frantz, and J. D. Toms. 2015. Evidence from two shale regions that a riparian songbird accumulates metals associated with hydraulic fracturing. Ecosphere 6 (9):1-10. http://www.esajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1890/ES14-00406.1
Latta, S. C., S. Cabezas, D. A. Mejia, M. M. Paulino, H. Almonte, C. Miller-Butterworth, and G. R. Bortolotti. 2016. Carry-over effects provide linkages across the annual cycle of a Neotropical migratory bird, the Louisiana Waterthrush. Ibis 158:395-406
Mattsson, B. J., S. C. Latta, R. J. Cooper, and R. J. Mulvihill. 2011. Latitudinal variation in reproductive strategies by the migratory Louisiana Waterthrush. Condor 113:412-418
Mulvihill, R. S., S. C. Latta, and F. L. Newell. 2009. Temporal constraints on the incidence of double brooding in the Louisiana Waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla). The Condor 111:341-348
Mulvihill, R. S., F. L. Newell, and S. C. Latta. 2008. Effects of acidification on the breeding ecology of a stream-dependent songbird, the Louisiana Waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla). Freshwater Biology 53: 2158-2169.
Trevelline, B., T. Nuttle, B. A. Porter, N. L. Brouwer, B. D. Hoenig, Z. D. Steffensmeier, and S. C. Latta. 2018a. Stream acidification and reduced aquatic prey availability are associated with dietary shifts in an obligate riparian Neotropical migratory songbird. PeerJ 6:e5141; DOI 10.7717/peerj.5141
Trevelline, B. K., T. Nuttle, B. D. Hoenig, N. L. Brouwer, B. A. Porter, and S. C. Latta. 2018b. DNA metabarcoding of nestling feces reveals provisioning of aquatic prey and resource partitioning among Neotropical migratory songbirds in a riparian habitat. Oecologia 187:85-98
Trevelline, B. K., S. C. Latta, L. C. Marshall, T. J. Nuttle, and B. A. Porter. 2016. Molecular analysis of nestling diet in a long-distance Neotropical migrant, the Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla). Auk 133:415-428.
Perhaps it all started with chickens! Orlando with two Rhode Island Red chickens in Third grade. A gift from his father for being in the top 10 of the class.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our dearest friend and colleague, renowned Cuban Biologist and Ornithologist, and living legend, Orlando H. Garrido Calleja, on the occasion of his 90th birthday, March 1st, 2021! Orlando, you are a jewel in the crown of Caribbean ornithology, and a treasured friend to so many!!! We wish you excellent health and many more years of happiness enjoying your work, passions, and company of dear family and friends!
In this article, Nils Navarro Pacheco pays tribute to Orlando in honor of his birthday, describing his many contributions to science, taxonomy, and natural history in Cuba, as well as his personal qualities of humility, generosity, and kindness. (scroll down for español) Many of Orlando’s colleagues also give testimonials about Orlando’s many achievements and contributions in a wonderful video by AvesPuertoRico (scroll down to view video).
I thank my BirdsCaribbean colleagues for giving me the opportunity to write this tribute to my beloved and admired friend and teacher, Orlando Garrido Calleja, on his ‘first’ 90th birthday. And I say ‘first’, because (simply) Garrido, as everyone calls him, is History, and history outlives human beings forever and ever.
Emeritus ornithologist and living legend, Orlando Garrido, sharing stories from the field while showing us his endemic bird collection; BirdsCaribbean Cuba Bird Tour. (Photo by Susan Jacobson)
Natural sciences in Cuba has in Garrido one of their most illustrious sons, whose awards have transcended national borders to become a symbol for generations of Caribbean naturalists. Nobody else has been able to explore each landscape and each animal entity of this archipelago and beyond in the same way; venturing into a great diversity of zoological groups, ranging from beetles to mammals, and it is in birds and reptiles, where his greatest scientific contributions lie. All in a historical context where there were no books or field guides like there are today. When he went to the field it was almost “blindly,” only with a backpack full of the passion and spirit of a “discoverer,” a word that would define him as a man of science. These were times when neither GPS nor digital technology existed, and the Internet had not even been thought of. His bibliographic reviews are incredible and even today I often ask him how they could do it in those days, to which he only responds with his characteristic smile.
Garrido is an example of greatness, simplicity and humility, as is common from greatest men of science, and also he is a person with great insight and irreverent sense of humor. Garrido does not skimp on sharing his knowledge and discoveries with other colleagues. When I met him, many years ago, I saw him as something unattainable; I remember the first time when Alfredo Rams, a mutual friend and former director of the Holguín Natural History Museum, took me to his house. That was precisely when I began to become more interested in herpetology, on that occasion Garrido, with that spontaneity that characterizes him, provided me with all the basic and necessary information to be able to delve into what later were new species that we would describe together, from that moment he has been my mentor and enduring advisor.
It is surprising how this nonagenarian sportsman turned scientist, mind is still so clear and fluid, personally, I consider it as we call here ‘mataburros’ (donkeys’ killer = encyclopedia), when I have any questions I just call him by phone. Garrido still remembers details from any of his publications, from expeditions in the 1960s, and describes them with the same passion as in those days. Anyone would think that Garrido is an excellent teacher, nothing could be further away, because they do not ask him to give them a class. His patience would not allow it, neither his nor yours… However, with Garrido, you learn by his side, with his example; Garrido is a school unto itself.
Orlando Garrido, Nils Navarro and Herb Raffaele at the 21st International Conference of BirdsCaribbean, in Topes de Collantes, Cuba, July, 2017. Orlando was awarded a BirdsCaribbean Lifetime Achievement Award.
I will not do the story of his life, but we attach his full biography so that it is available to all. From that boy who raised chickens, to that boy who dropped out of biology at the University to become an internationally famous tennis player (he played six times at Wimbledon and still has the sweater from 1958!), representing Cuba in countless national and international competitions of the highest category. And from there he went on to become the pride of Cuban science.
I would like to summarize in a paragraph the greatness of his research. Garrido has to his credit the discovery of four mammalian taxa and the description of: 58 insect taxa, 21 birds, 90 reptiles (37 of them at the species level), and he holds the world record in species description of the genus Anolis. Also 78 new records among birds, reptiles, and coral fish, 23 taxa have been dedicated to him, and in total he has 298 publications.
Orlando, today I want to congratulate you with all my heart for having reached such an advanced age, with such energy and clarity, and also extend it to that person who by your side has allowed you to be who you are, to Gloria, your wife, that sweet and kind being who has “put up with you” for all these years, because as the saying goes: Behind every great man there is always a great woman…!
Personally, I would like to give you the dedication of my new book (in prep), for which you are and will continue to be an inspiration, and your legacy is inextricably linked to each of its pages:
Dear Orlando, this is my gift for your first 90 years. I dedicate this new “Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba” to you on behalf of all those who in one way or another love and enjoy the nature of Cuba and the Caribbean. In its pages and illustrations are engraved your countless teachings, adventures, studies, and discoveries. To you who have always been our example, with your enthusiasm and infinite energy, your invaluable contributions to science, your simplicity and your friendship. To you who are Great among the Greats, with the pride of being your disciple and friend!
Hover over each photo to see the caption – click on any photo to view the photos as a slide show. Thank you to Orlando’s wife, Gloria, for providing most of these precious photos to us!
Orlando and Reynaldo Garrido Calleja
Orlando, on the roof of the house of Perseverancia 258 between Neptuno and Escobar. Havana
Orlando Garrido Calleja
With the medal of the Sacred Heart
Orlando Garrido Calleja.
Perhaps it all started with chickens! Orlando with two Rhode Island Red chickens in Third grade. A gift from his father for being in the top 10 of the class.
Finalist in singles and doubles with Eduardo Zuleta, Ecuador. Rey Garrido when he won the Quebec, Canada Open. 1959.
Playing ball at El Vedado Tennis
Clandestine historical photo. Coffin of the Egyptian Pharaoh Cheops, in the Pyramid of Cheops, Cairo, Egypt. 1958
In front of the Pyramid of Cheops, Cairo, Egypt
Humboldt Expedition. Cuba-La Rada.
On a street in Calcutta, India, taking notes to include in my memoirs while Eduardo Argón, from Uruguay, took the photo. 1958
After a hunt with Warren, Popeye, Jacques. Australia.
La Fe, Pinar del Río, a future new subspecies. With the taxidermist Felino González
Cochabamba. Bolivia, with a sloth
With Florentino García Montaña and Telmo Naranjo, taxidermist, in Cayo Pugas, Tunas de Zaza.
Common Loon, Gavia Immer. First Record for the Antilles and Cuba.
With an Iguana, Juan García Cay, San Felipe Keys.
With Florentino García Montaña and Felino González, la Fe, Pinar del Río
Bare-necked breed of chickens created by Orlando Garrido
Bare-necked breed of chickens created by Orlando Garrido
Celebration of the First Anniversary of the Collections Department of the National Museum of Natural History. 1988.
Recording bird songs with George Reynalds
Orlando and Ornithologist George Reynalds. Recording bird songs.
Orlando and Ornithologist George Reynalds. Recording bird songs.
Orlando recording bird songs.
With ornithologist Lester Short, entomologist Esteban Gutiérrez. Arachnologist Giraldo Alayón, Jennifer Horne, wife of South African ornithologist Lester Short
Zapata Swamp. 1982
Isla de Pinos, March 1984
With George Reynard March 1984
With George Reynard March 1984
Ornithologist George Reynard, Ornithologist from Kenya, South Africa, Mrs. Jennifer Horne, wife of North American ornithologist specialist in woodpeckers Lester L. Short and Orlando
Holguín – Guantánamo. 1 April 1986.
Holguín, Río Jaguaní
Holguín, Río Jaguaní
With Jorge de la Cruz
Key West Florida- 1993
Key West Florida-1993
Key West Florida-1993
Key West Florida-1993
Monte Verde, Costa Rica, Marzp 1994
With Florentino García Montaña, tourism specialist
With George Reynard, 1994
Puerto Rico. Orlando Garrido, Alberto Areces, Antonio Pérez Asso, Riberto Arencibia and Víctor L. González.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Caracas, Venezuela.
Caracas, Venezuela.
Orlando Garrido and Mario Llamas, former Mexican National Tennis Champion. Acapulco, November 1995
Tribute to Gilberto Silva Taboada. José Fernández Milera and Orlando Garrido Calleja. University of Havana
Tribute to Gilberto Silva Taboada. José Fernández Milera and Orlando Garrido Calleja. University of Havana
Tribute to Gilberto Silva Taboada. José Fernández Milera and Orlando Garrido Calleja. University of Havana
With Rogelio García, El Pelao, Orlando’s first guide in Zapata Swamp.
With Rogelio García, El Pelao, Orlando’s first guide in Zapata Swamp.
With bird watchers in Santo Tomás, Zapata Swamp.
With bird watchers in Santo Tomás, Zapata Swamp.
International Congress of Zoology. Topes de Collantes, Trinidad, 15th November, 2007.
International Congress of Zoology, with Luis Diaz. Topes de Collantes, Trinidad, 15th November, 2007
International Congress of Zoology, with Arturo Kirkconnell. Topes de Collantes, Trinidad, 15th November, 2007
International Congress of Zoology, with Luis, Arturo, Alayón, Silva, Ivonne y Esteban. Topes de Collantes, Trinidad, 15th November, 2007
International Congress of Zoology, with Luis, Arturo, Silva, Esteban y los otros. Topes de Collantes, Trinidad, 15th November, 2007
Group photo at the third NAOC Conference in Baton Rough, Louisiana, in September 2002. (photo by Mike Sorenson)
Victor Joseph (Antigua), Orlando Garrido, and Leo Douglas (Jamaica), At the third NAOC Conference in Baton Rough, Louisiana, in September 2002. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
International Congress of Zoology, Trinidad, 15th November, 2007
International Congress of Zoology, Trinidad, 15th November, 2007
Orlando signing “The Birds of Cuba”. November 2014JPEG_420
Orlando Garrido in his Wimbledon sweater from 1958
Esteban Gutiérrez, Orlando Garrido, Arturo Kirkconnell and James Wiley
Group photo during the 21st International Conference of BirdsCaribbean, in Topes de Collantes, Cuba, July, 2017
From left to right: Vicente Berovides, Orlando Garrido and Nils Navarro. 21st International meeting of Birds Caribbean, in Topes de Collantes, Cuba, July, 2017.
From left to right: Vicente Berovides, Pedro Regalado, Orlando Garrido and Hiram González. 21st International meeting of Birds Caribbean, in Topes de Collantes, Cuba, July, 2017.
During the award ceremony for Orlando Garrido’s lifelong work and presentation of a documentary about his life and work. 21st International conference of BirdsCaribbean, in Topes de Collantes, Cuba, July, 2017. Maikel Canizares and Lisa Sorenson present a BirdsCaribbean Lifetime Achievement Award to Orlando.
Orlando Garrido, Nils Navarro and Herb Raffaele at the 21st International Conference of BirdsCaribbean, in Topes de Collantes, Cuba, July, 2017. Orlando was awarded a BirdsCaribbean Lifetime Achievement Award.
From left to right: Nils Navarro, Orlando Garrido and Esteban Gutiérrez. During Illustration event in Cuba, Antonio Núñez Jiménez Foundation for Nature and Man, April 2019.
From left to right: Orlando Garrido, Vicente Berovides, Alberto Estrada, Santos Cubilla, and Aslam Ibrahim Castellón, Garrido’s home.
From left to right: Orlando Garrido and Nils Navarro. During the launch of the Cuba Endemic Birds Field Guide. Felipe Poey Museum, University of Havana, 2015.
Visit with Orlando at his home in Havana (2016) – Lisa Sorenson, Jim Wiley (RIP), Orlando, and Ann Sutton.
Emeritus ornithologist and living legend, Orlando Garrido, sharing stories from the field while showing us his endemic bird collection; BirdsCaribbean Cuba Bird Tour. (Photo by Susan Jacobson)
Orlando Garrido regales our group with stories of his Cuban adventures as a biologist and tennis pro! BirdsCaribean Cuba Bird Tour (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Orlando Garrido and Herb Raffaele, at Orlando’s home in Havana, January 2017 (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Joanne Justo-Gaymes, Orlando Garrido, and Glenroy (Pewee) Gaymes at the BirdsCaribbean Conference in Topes de Collantes, Cuba, July 2017 (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Lisa Sorenson and Orlando Garrido – It’s always a delight to visit with Orlando, who is so vivacious and full of stories!
Group photo with Orlando at his home in Havana. BirdsCaribbean Cuba Bird Tour, January 2019.
Group photo with Orlando at his home in Havana. BirdsCaribbean Cuba Bird Tour, January 2020.
Tribute video to Orlando Garrido, presented at the BirdsCaribbean 21st International Conference in Topes de Collantes, Cuba, July 2017:
Presentation of a lifetime achievement award to Orlando Garrido, at the BirdsCaribbean 21st International Conference in Topes de Collantes, Cuba, July 2017:
Homenaje a Orlando H. Garrido en sus 90 años
Agradezco a los colegas de BirdsCaribbean por darme la oportunidad de escribir este homenaje al querido y admirado amigo y maestro Orlando Garrido Calleja, en sus primeros 90 cumpleaños. Y digo primeros, pues Garrido (a secas), como le llaman todos, es Historia y la historia simplemente sobrevive a los seres humanos por los siglos de los siglos.
Las ciencias naturales en Cuba tienen en Garrido a uno de sus hijos más ilustres, cuyos lauros han sobrepasado las fronteras nacionales para convertirse en símbolo para generaciones de naturalistas caribeños. Nadie como él ha sido capaz de adentrarse en cada paisaje y en cada entidad animal de este archipiélago y fuera de él, incursionando en una gran diversidad de grupos zoológicos, que va desde los coleópteros hasta los mamíferos. Y es en las aves y los reptiles, donde radican sus mayores aportes científicos. Todo en un contexto histórico donde no existían libros ni guías de campo como ahora, cuando se iba al campo casi “a ciegas”, solo con una mochila llena de la pasión y el espíritu de un “descubridor”, palabra que pudiera resumirlo como hombre de ciencia. Eran tiempos donde ni existía GPS, ni tecnología digital y menos se pensaba en la Internet. Sus revisiones bibliográficas son increíbles y aún hoy le pregunto, a menudo, como fue que las pudieron hacer en aquellos tiempos, a lo que él solo responde con su característica sonrisa.
Garrido es un ejemplo de grandeza, sencillez y humildad, como es típico de los grandes hombres de ciencia y, además, una persona con una gran perspicacia e irreverente sentido del humor. Garrido no escatima en compartir sus conocimientos y descubrimientos con otros colegas. Cuando lo conocí, hace ya muchos años, lo veía como algo inalcanzable. Recuerdo la primera vez, cuando Alfredo Rams, amigo común y antiguo director del Museo de Historia Natural de Holguín, me llevó a su casa. Ahí fue precisamente cuando comencé a interesarme más por la herpetología, en esa oportunidad Garrido, con esa espontaneidad que lo caracteriza, me brindó toda la información básica y necesaria para poder profundizar en lo que luego fueran nuevas especies que describiríamos juntos, desde ese momento ha sido mi mentor y consultor permanente.
Es sorprendente como este hombre nonagenario devenido en científico desde el mundo del deporte, posee su mente aun tan clara y fluida. En lo personal, lo considero, como decimos acá, un “mataburro”, cuando tengo alguna duda simplemente lo llamo por teléfono. Garrido aún recuerda detalles de cualquiera de sus publicaciones y de expediciones de los años 60, describiéndolos con el mismo apasionamiento que en aquellos días. Cualquiera pensaría que Garrido es un excelente profesor, nada más alejado de eso, pues no le pidan que les dé una clase, su paciencia no se lo permitiría, sí, ni la de él ni la suya… Sin embargo, con Garrido se aprende, a su lado, con su ejemplo, Garrido es una escuela en sí mismo.
No voy a hacer la historia de su vida, sino que adjuntaremos su biografía completa para que esté disponible para todos. De aquel niño que criaba pollitos, hasta aquel muchacho que dejó la carrera de biología en la universidad para llegar a ser un tenista internacionalmente famoso, representando a Cuba en un sinnúmero de certámenes nacionales e internacionales de la más alta categoría y de ahí pasó a convertirse en gloria y orgullo de la ciencia cubana.
Quisiera resumir en un párrafo la grandeza de sus investigaciones. Garrido tiene en su haber el descubrimiento de cuatro taxones de mamíferos y la descripción de 58 taxones de insectos, 21 de aves y 90 de reptiles (37 de ellos a nivel de especie), ostentando el récord mundial en la descripción de especies del género Anolis. Ha realizado 78 nuevos registros entre aves, reptiles y peces coralinos; 23 taxones le han sido dedicados y en total posee 298 publicaciones.
Orlando, hoy quiero felicitarte de todo corazón por haber llegado a tan avanzada edad, con tal energía y claridad y además hacerlo extensivo a esa persona que estando a tu lado ha permitido que seas quien eres, a Gloria, tu esposa, ese ser dulce y amable que te ha “soportado” todos estos años, porque como dice la frase: ¡Detrás de todo gran hombre siempre existe una gran mujer…!
A título personal quisiera regalarte la dedicatoria de mi nuevo libro, para el cual tú eres y seguirás siendo inspiración y tu legado está ligado indisolublemente a cada una de sus páginas:
Querido Orlando, este es mi regalo por tus primeros 90 años. Te dedico esta nueva “Guía de campo de las aves de Cuba” en nombre de todos los que de una forma u otra aman y disfrutan de la naturaleza de Cuba y del Caribe. En sus páginas e ilustraciones están grabados tus incontables enseñanzas, aventuras, estudios y descubrimientos. A ti que has sido siempre nuestro ejemplo, con tu entusiasmo e infinita energía, tus inestimables aportes a la ciencia, tu sencillez y tu amistad. ¡Para ti que eres Grande entre los Grandes, con el orgullo de ser tu discípulo y amigo!
Nota: Hemos dispuesto un espacio para todos los colegas que deseen enviar mensajes de felicitación a Orlando. Los que lo conocen, saben que todos los que hemos interactuado con él tenemos siempre una anécdota que contar, ¡Bienvenidas sean entonces también sus anécdotas!
We are pleased to share with you the new edition of the Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Cuba, number 4, 2021, by Nils Navarro Pacheco.
The Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Cuba is an annual publication that constitutes the most complete and updated official list of Cuban avifauna. It is the result of a deep and thorough bibliographic review and updating from the field. It serves as a basis for generating regional and global listings and is standardized for use with eBird.
In this new issue Nils urges us to pay special attention to the final comments he always include, with the aim of clarifying important information, taxonomic status, as well as other information of interest.
This year the cover is rich with a beautiful photo of the Cuban Tody, aka Cartacuba, taken by Karlos Ross. The beautiful cover design by Scott Schiller. From 2021 on, each edition will be published in both Spanish and English, and available in PDF for free download from the BirdsCaribbean website (see below). The printed version is available on Amazon at a good price.
The 2021 edition includes details of the status of 398 recognized species on the main list, and for the first time, a list of the late Quaternary extinct birds of Cuba. It is not intended to be a field identification guide. It is a checklist, updated in accordance with the 60th supplement of AOS. Nils and the publisher, Ediciones Nuevos Mundos, hope this publication fulfills its role and is useful to all persons interested in Cuban birds and ornithology. Nils welcomes questions or suggestions about the checklist (Nils Navarro)
If you are looking for a Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba, you can purchase it here or on Amazon.Read about the first checklist published in 2017 here:
It’s that time of year when Caribbean waterbirds get a chance to shine! Between the 14th of January and the 3rd of February, despite the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic, binoculars, cameras and scopes were turned in their direction as they pottered about along our coastlines. Yes, it was the 12th annual Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC), an opportunity not only to count but also to learn and to raise awareness of these fascinating birds.
Learning the finer points of waterbird and shorebird ID on one of BirdsCaribbean waterbird ID webinars (image from Waterbirds ID Webinar Part II: Shorebirds; photo by Hemant Kishan)
This past year, it has been hard to meet in person and many events have ‘gone virtual.’ In keeping with this, BirdsCaribbean kicked off the 2021 CWC with a series of three online CWC webinars. The first focused on the importance of the Caribbean Waterbird Census, and explained how to participate. Our other two webinars concentrated on how to identify wetland birds, with a whole session dedicated to Shorebirds – a group that can tricky to identify, and are certainly a challenge when starting out! These webinars provided helpful reminders to those who have participated before and were an introduction to those new to the CWC. If you are looking for waterbird survey and ID tips, all three webinars are available to watch on BirdsCaribbean’s Youtube channel. In Puerto Rico, Sergio Colón and José Colón of Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña (SOPI) also presented a webinar on the common waterbird species in Puerto Rico to help people brush-up on their bird ID before doing CWC surveys.
Many of our partners took part in the 2021 CWC across our region. In Venezuela, with support from dedicated volunteers and BirdsCaribbean, Ave Zona carried out CWC surveys across an impressive number of different sites on several offshore islands and cays that are important to shorebirds and waterbirds, including some of the important wetland habitats on Margarita Island. They shared some of the species seen during their surveys on social media, including Laughing Gulls, Comb Duck, Great Blue Heron, Wilson’s Plover, and many other shorebird species. This is an amazing effort by Ave Zona given the logistical difficulties involved in travel in Venezuela.
Birders across our region took part in CWC 2021 (click to enlarge photos)
Birders from Ave Zona on on of their CWC surveys (Photo by Ave Zona)
Paula-Anne Porter and her birding group. Celebrating World Wetlands day with CWC surveys (Photo by Paula-Anne Porter)
BirdLife Jamaica celebrated Word Wetlands Day (2nd February) a few days early, with a weekend of wetland-themed activities including Caribbean Waterbird Census surveys in locations in and around Kingston Harbour. Sanderlings, Ruddy Turnstones, Belted Kingfishers, and a Louisiana Waterthrush were amongst the birds recorded. One of the surprises of the weekend, shared on Twitter by radio broadcaster and avid birder Paula-Anne Porter, was the sighting of a Brown Booby in the fishing village of Port Royal near the entrance to the harbour – “a rare sight in these parts” as it largely breeds on outlying cays. Additionally, several banded birds were spotted; one Sanderling, when reported, was recorded as having been banded in Saskatchewan, Canada, in 2019.
Piping Plover with a Snowy Plover spotted on Anguilla- can you tell which is which? (Photo by Nature Explorers Anguilla)
On Anguilla, Nature Explorers Anguilla wrapped up their CWC by identifying an impressive 53 species on their surveys! Their sightings included the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, with a beautiful photograph of this bird shared on social media (see Gallery at end for this and other photos taken during CWC2021). Nature Explorers also shared an exciting and rare sighting, when a birding group spotted a Piping Plover hanging out with some Snowy Plovers, at Cove Pond Important Bird Area. The two species look similar but the Piping Plover can be picked out by its bright orange legs and short ‘stubby’ bill. Piping Plovers are not often seen on Anguilla, but this might be a favourite location for them, as one was seen in the same spot last year.
Garganey seen on Guadeloupe during CWC 2021 (Photo by Anthony Levesque )
Other rare waterbirds seen during this year’s CWC included a Garganey spotted on one of his CWC surveys by Anthony Levesque in Guadeloupe. This is only the second record of this species for the Island!
In Antigua the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) and their ‘ Wadadli Warblers’ Birding Club split into teams and organised several CWC Level 2 counts at three different sites. During their census they managed to count a fantastic total of 42 bird species. The EAG used the need to wear face masks during COVID as an excuse to get creative. They challenged people to join in their bird ‘mask-erade’ by designing bird-themed face masks to celebrate the finale of their CWC. The results were some wonderful, fun, and colourful creations. The winning prize went to Auriel Hunte for her Snowy Egret-inspired Mask. Read more about the EAG’s CWC activities and check out some more of the bird masks in our blog post from Shanna Challenger and Britney Hay.
EAG’s Mask-erade Competition for the 2021 CWC – click to enlarge photos
Flyer for EAG’s Bird Mask-erade
Winning mask of the EAG’s Wadadli Warblers “Mask-erade,” designed by Auriel Hunte after the beautiful Snowy Egret
Over in Grenada, a wonderful flock of 92 Blue-winged Teal was spotted on La Sagesse Pond; and 3KC Birding Adventures recorded some nice footage of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks on Antoine Lake.
Challenges there were, but this year’s CWC yielded some interesting results. Most importantly, many of our partners did get out and about and enjoyed an array of species, while counting furiously!
A huge thank you from BirdsCaribbean to all those who took part in the Caribbean Waterbird Census this year- your survey results help us keep track of what is going on with waterbirds in our region and identify trends and important sites for waterbirds. Big thanks also to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, Canadian Wildlife Service, and our members and donors for supporting our Caribbean Waterbird Census! Don’t forget you can do CWC surveys at your wetland all through the year, find out more about CWC and how to take part here and find fantastic resources to help you here.
More photos from our partners during CWC 2021 – ENJOY!
Flock of Laughing Gulls in flight in Venezuela (Photo by Ave Zona)
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron seen by Nature Explorers Anguilla during their CWC survey (Photo by Nature Explorers Anguilla)
Piping Plover, spotted on Anguilla- a rare sighting (Photo by Nature Explorers Anguilla)
Orange Valley Mudflat in Trinidad during CWC2021 (photo by Mark Hulme)
CWC survey on the West Coast Mudflats Trinidad (Photo by Mark Hulme)
Identifying shorebirds during a CWC survey on the West Coast Mudflats Trinidad (photo by Mark Hulme)
Shorebirds spotted by Ave Zone during one of their CWC surveys (Photo by Ave Zona)
One of the fun entries in EAG’s “maskerade” contest!
The Snowy Egret in its natural habitat, which Miss Hunte’s mask was designed after. (photo by Nick Hollands)
Lovely artwork on a mask from EAG’s “maskerade” competition for the CWC 2021.
Another clever mask from EAG’s competition – can you tell what species this is?
Shanna Challenger shows off her White-cheeked Pintail mask – we love it!
The #McKinnonsMallards conducting their bird surveys at the McKinnon’s Saltpond for the Caribbean Waterbird Census. (photo by Shanna Challenger)
The EAG Bird Club “Wadadli Warblers” celebrating the completion of another successful CWC count in Antigua.
This Brown Booby was spotted on Jamaica during CWC surveys.
A banded Ruddy Turnstone seen during CWC2021 on Jamaica
This Sanderling, seen in Jamaica was banded in Saskatchewan, Canada in 2019
Enjoy this video of the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks seen on Antoine Lake, Grenada
Some birders posted about their CWC surveys on instagram
This female Common Eider was spotted at Cooper’s Island, Bermuda during the 2016 annual Christmas Bird Count, and was the first record for the island. (Photo by Andrew Dobson)
For over 100 years, North American Birds and its predecessors have delivered regionalized summaries of bird populations — including the West Indies. These regional reports arenow being housed online which means they can be available much more quickly than the traditional printed copies. If you are already an eBirder*, you should be able to find your unusual records very easily.
For about three years, publication of reports unfortunately ceased altogether due to staffing and management issues at the journal. But with a new team on board, things are happening fast!
BirdsCaribbean members Robert Norton, Anthony Levesque, and Andrew Dobson have been compiling seasonal reports for the West Indies and Bermuda region for many years. We are keen to maintain these reports but can only do this with your help.
What records are required? — rare sightings, unusually high numbers, the effect of hurricanes on local bird populations, etc. We are especially keen to receive news of the ‘first record’ of a species or the ‘first breeding record’. There is the opportunity of show-casing more photos online than in the printed copy, and so if you have a great photo of a rarely seen bird please submit that, too.
We need your unusual records from 2018 onwards. Simply email us a list indicating:
A Spotted Crake was reported from Desirade Island, Guadeloupe in 2014. This species was only the second record for the Caribbean. (Photo by Anthony Levesque)
Any other comments (e.g. first record since 1995, first known wintering record, earliest spring arrival)
All contributors will be listed and credited with sightings.
Many thanks if you are able to help. To speed up the process, please feel free to copy all three regional co-editors listed below when you send the email.
Thank you,
Andrew Dobson (Past-President, BirdsCaribbean)
Andrew Dobson (Bermuda)
andrewdobs@gmail.com
Robert L. Norton (Greater Antilles, Bahamas)
corvus0486@aol.com
Anthony Levesque (Lesser Antilles)
anthony.levesque@wanadoo.fr
*For those of you that are new to eBird, it’s a fun and easy (and very powerful!) platform to record your bird sightings, find the best places to bird, and more. And your data helps scientists better understand and conserve birds. If you’re in the Caribbean, be sure to use our portal, eBird Caribbean, to enter your data which offers birding protocols (e.g., the Caribbean Waterbird Census) and news stories unique to the region. We encourage you to get started and create an account; follow the quick instructions here. The eBird mobile app, available for both IOS and Android, is also great for entering your data straight from the field. Be sure to choose “Caribbean” as your region in the eBird app settings (“Settings” –> “Portal”).
Ajhermae White helps students of the Grade 5 class of Look Out Primary School with shorebird ID during their field trip at Marguerita Bay. (Photo by Stephen Mendes)
Enthusiasm is a key ingredient when observing, teaching, and talking about birds. For Ajhermae White, organizing a shorebird education initiative funded by BirdsCaribbean on her native Montserrat was a learning experience for her as well as her audiences, and a deeply satisfying one all around. Here is Ahjermae’s account of her journey as a shorebird educator – with young children, frigatebirds, and Government officials thrown into the mix.
The ‘Education on Shorebirds in Montserrat’ project is an initiative carried out by the island’s Department of Environment and sponsored by BirdsCaribbean. The aim is to spread awareness of shorebirds and their habitats. Once island residents learn more about these birds and understand their significance, the likelihood of threats to shorebirds, such as habitat destruction and human disturbance, will be reduced. As the project leader, I was really excited about the possible outcomes of this initiative.
The journey of being a shorebird educator has been a fulfilling experience. It has been a real privilege for me as the project leader to be given the opportunity to educate the local populace, in schools and among the general population about this fascinating topic. This has afforded me personal growth in addition to the enormous pleasure of sharing my passion for birds and their habitats.
Cleaning Up the Beaches Where Shorebirds Hang Out
Young girls participating in the clean-up. (Photo by Stephen Mendes)
The first major activity of this project was hosting a beach clean-up, in August 2020. Together with my colleagues from the Department of Environment, we brought the local community together to clean a shorebird habitat ahead of the migratory season.
We chose Marguerita Bay, which is located on the eastern side of the island, for this clean-up. Debris is constantly deposited on this beach as a consequence with the tides of the Atlantic Ocean. Nonetheless, this beach has been a popular site for shorebirds on Montserrat during the migratory season.
It was a good turnout of volunteers of all ages, from various community groups. I found it quite surprising to see the various types of items that were collected from the beach. These included items such as fishnets, clothing items, shoes, and even a 20 pound propane bottle! This clean-up was a success. An amazing 1,300 pounds of trash was removed from the beach. As such, the beach was much cleaner for the 2020 fall migrants.
Click on photos to enlarge
Some of the participants of the beach clean-up. (Photo by Stephen Mendes)
Participants collecting trash at the beach clean-up. (Photo by Stephen Mendes)
Working in Schools and Communities
Ajhermae White giving a shorebird presentation to the Grade 6 students of the Brades Primary School. (Photo by Rianna Thomas)
During the month of October 2020, we were out in the schools and communities, conducting outreach sessions. We gave presentations and organized field trips. We conducted outreach sessions with The Rotaract Club; grade classes in three primary schools; two groups with members of the public; and last but not least, an After School Club of four to six-year-olds.
For most of the school engagements, we made presentations in the afternoons. The following morning, we took the students out on the field trip, as soon as the school day started.
The students listened intently and participated actively in all the presentations, which was impressive. We talked to them about “What is a shorebird?” and went on to discuss their habitats, feeding habits, and threats to their survival. We then described some common shorebirds on Montserrat.
Semipalmated Sandpiper at Marguerita Bay during the field trip with the Grade 6 students of the Brades Primary School.
We made sure that these presentations included many pictures and videos of shorebirds and their habitats. Some classes had interesting questions. I specifically recall that during one presentation a student asked whether the Killdeer was the adult version of the Semipalmated Plover. When the student asked this, I felt a sense of gratification. This not only demonstrated that they were paying attention but that they were engrossed sufficiently to spot the similarities and differences and between the different species.
After every presentation, we gave the students a short quiz with spot prizes. After the quiz, every student was given a token (badge, sticker, pamphlet, or bird band). Needless to say, they were very excited to be “little ambassadors” for migratory shorebirds with their stickers and other tokens.
Meanwhile, Out in the Field…Frigatebirds Were a “Hit”
Our first stop for every field trip was the recently-cleaned Marguerita Bay, where students were thrilled to see shorebirds like the Sanderling, Pectoral Sandpiper, and the Semipalmated Sandpiper. However, as the month of October progressed, there were fewer sightings, as the shorebirds were moving on.
During every field trip at Marguerita Bay, we could count on the Magnificent Frigatebirds to put on a show by flying very low and putting on acrobatic performances when swooping down to drink water from the pond. It was as if they enjoyed the attention from the young bird-watchers, who could observe the sexual dimorphism in this species.
Even if there weren’t many shorebirds to see at the beach at the time of the visit, the Frigatebirds captivated the students. The After School Club birders (4-6 year olds) were mesmerized by the Magnificent Frigatebirds. I recall that I wasn’t certain whether these little ones would understand terms like “female”, “male” and “juvenile,” so to simplify for these kindergartners, I told them which frigatebirds were “girls”, “boys” and “babies”. They kept shouting out “That one’s a baby bird!” They were so funny.
Some of the information about the shorebirds was in Spanish, so I made sure that any student who spoke Spanish as a first language was able to see the Spanish names as well for the various species. Those students also received a Spanish Shorebird poster.
All Went Well With the Student Birders!
Students from the After-School Club are excited to identify shorebirds with Scriber at Marguerita Bay, Montserrat (photo by Ajhermae White)
The second stop during the field trips was to Carr’s Bay. This area is near a busy road so we always took extra precautions when visiting this area. Students spotted species like the Sanderling, LesserYellowlegs, GreaterYellowlegs, SolitarySandpiper, and others wading in the water. There were also a few other wetland bird species that the students were able to identify, such as the Common Gallinule and the Snowy Egret.
When we returned to the classroom we distributed refreshments and provided additional tokens. I gave students a shorebird word search that I created online, to help them remember the names of the shorebirds of Montserrat.
Students of the Brades Primary School identifying shorebirds at Carr’s Bay. (Photo by Ajhermae White)
Although I always felt a little anxious before leading a field trip, I felt relieved afterwards, because they were successful and went ahead without mishaps. This was quite a responsibility for me, especially with the smallest bird enthusiasts. The students were able to see shorebirds and many other birds. Fortunately, there were no accidents during the field trips and even if it was a rainy day, the rain stopped long enough for the field trips to take place.
Engaging with the students was really gratifying. After the first few educational events, I started feeling more confident about putting myself out there to educate more students and the public. The enthusiasm that the students displayed showed me how much potential there is to impart knowledge to the younger generation, so that they can become more intensely aware of the avian biodiversity on Montserrat.
Students of the Grade 6 class of the St Augustine Primary School showing their shorebird identification cards after their field trip. (Photo by Thiffanie Williams)
Radio, a Powerful Medium for Reaching People
We used radio a great deal during this project. We recorded a few radio spots to inform the public about shorebirds, their habitats and migration, playing shorebird calls to grab the listeners’ attention. The spots also informed listeners about some of the threats that these birds face, such as habitat loss and pollution. A few of our outreach activities were scheduled around World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) so this celebration got coverage on the local news and the public was informed about the activities planned.
The Department of Environment was featured on the Ministry of Agriculture’s radio program called “MALHE VIBES” in October. On this live program, James ‘Scriber’ Daley (Forest Ranger) and I spoke about shorebirds and their habitats, informed listeners about our activities throughout the month, and used the opportunity to invite people to a public shorebird educational event. (See the end of this post for links to all Ajhermae’s radio appearances during this project!).
Great Support for Public Events – and a Government Minister, Too
We hosted public events to educate people in the community about shorebirds and give them opportunities to see shorebirds in their habitat. We advertised these events on the radio and on Facebook. I was really grateful to my co-worker, Thiffanie Williams, who created digital flyers to advertise the public events of this project.
Digital flyer for the first public shorebird educational event. Created by Thiffanie Williams, Montserrat Dept of Environment.
For the public events Scriber and I conducted presentations, starting at 6:30 am. This presentation covered the same topics as the school presentations – but this time, people of all ages attended these sessions. We also gave a mini-quiz to participants, with the opportunity to win a BirdsCaribbean tote bag. After stocking up on refreshments and equipping them with binoculars, the participants boarded a bus at 7:00 am. Just like the school field trips, we took the participants to Marguerita Bay and then to Carr’s Bay. At Marguerita Bay we didn’t see as many shorebirds as we had hoped to see but some seabirds were present.
The Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Crenston Buffonge, looking at shorebirds in the spotting scope. (Photo by Ajhermae White)
The radio sessions had clearly paid off, as residents of all ages attended the public birding events. I was particularly grateful that the Minister of Agriculture, Lands Housing and the Environment (MALHE), Hon. Crenston Buffonge and the Parliamentary Secretary, the Hon. Veronica Dorsette-Hector, each attended one of our public outreach sessions. It made me really pleased that these members of Parliament took part in these educational events and publicly showed their support for the project. This gave me hope for the future of wetlands on Montserrat.
Shorebirds at Carr’s Bay during the first public field trip on October 17th 2020. (Photo by Ajhermae White)
Carr’s Bay never disappointed us! On the first public birding trip, we saw fifteen different bird species at this site, including various species of shorebirds, like the Spotted Sandpiper and the Least Sandpiper! The first public birding trip was quite fulfilling for me because I saw two bird species that I had never seen before: the Merlin, and one that had eluded me many times – the Belted Kingfisher. The Minister jokingly commented that perhaps he and the other participants brought the good luck that allowed me to see these species.
It was quite satisfying to see when someone got an ‘aha moment’ after learning something new or finding out the name of a bird that they’ve often seen. A young girl, Kearah Ryan, who joined the second public birding trip, wrote a lovely blog about her experience. During that trip, Scriber and I were interviewed live on the radio by phone, informing the listeners about shorebirds, their habitats, migration, and the importance of protecting these birds. To my further delight, this clip was featured on ZJB Radio on the local news the following Monday. This served to boost my confidence as a shorebird educator.
Kearah Ryan looking through the spotting scope at Carr’s Bay. Be sure to check out Kearah’s lovely blog and photos on her first shorebirding experience! (link above) (Photo by Ajhermae White)
An Impactful Project, a Great Personal Experience
Participants of the second bird watching trip. (Photo by Ajhermae White)
Overall, this project has been a resounding success! The Covid-19 pandemic had minimal impact on this educational project, as we have been fortunate in that Montserrat recorded no active cases between July 2020 and February 2021. With the use of the radio spots, the radio program, and the news, we effectively reached and educated many people locally about shorebirds and raised awareness about the threats that this group of birds face. So far we have directly engaged 145 persons, including two elected politicians. The feedback has been positive!
It is fair to say that I experienced personal growth while undertaking this project. It allowed me to sharpen my organizational skills, as quite a lot of planning and coordination was required to organize the clean-up and field trips. Additionally, with the wide coverage through the media and in-person presentations, my communication skills were also enhanced. As a direct consequence of this and the feedback I received, I am more confident to take on other projects in the future. I am therefore thankful to BirdsCaribbean for firstly, igniting my interest in birds, which allowed me to gain knowledge about avian species. Secondly, through their generous funding of this project I had the opportunity to educate Montserrat about this fascinating group of birds.
Ajhermae White and James ‘Scriber’ Daley with the participants of the first public shorebird outreach session. (Photo by Stephon Hixon)
Ajhermae White is an Environment Officer from the Department of Environment in Montserrat. She received a small grant from BirdsCaribbean to support her in this project to help educate people on Montserrat about shorebirds, their habitats and conservation. Thank you to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, Canadian Wildlife Service, and Manomet for supporting our Caribbean Waterbird Census and Shorebird Monitoring and Conservation Projects!
Check out the awesome live interviews of Ajhermae White and James “Scriber” Daley (Montserrat Dept of Environment) for their shorebird education events:
On Thursday 22nd October 2020, the Department of Environment were the guests on the Ministry of Agriculture’s radio program “MALHE Vibes” where they spoke about out shorebirds and the activities that they had been conducting for the Shorebird Education project (start at 2:34):
While on the Public bird watching trip at Carr’s Bay, Ajhermae got a chance to go live on ZJB Radio to let everyone know about our birding trip. Here is a link to that snippet of the radio program:
One of the mini-birders on the public birding trip, Kearah Ryan, wrote a lovely blog post and shared photos about her shorebirding experience on Saturday. Here is a link to her blog:
BirdsCaribbean note: We are so proud of Ajhermae White, a young conservation leader in Montserrat! Ajhermae attended our Conservation Caribbean Shorebirds International Training Workshop in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico in February 2019. Thank you to the Dept of Environment and James Scriber Daley for their incredible support! Many thanks also to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Fund, Vortex Optics, Optics for the Tropics, and to our generous members and donors for supporting this project.
One of the species found at all CWC sites, the bold Green Heron. (photo by Britney Hay)
This year marked the 12th anniversary of the Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC). Shanna Challenger and Britney Hay from the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) update us on the highlights of this years CWC activities on Antigua. Find out what the group saw during their citizen science surveys and who made the winning mask in their fun and creative ‘Bird Mask-erade’ !
We’ve all heard the age-old saying “birds of a feather flock together” – but when counting birds, we realize that birds not of a feather will still flock together, making counting an even more challenging experience, requiring a sharp eye, and close attention to detail.
The aptly named Lesser Yellowlegs, one of the many migratory bird species spotted at the Fitches Creek Mangrove during surveys conducted by the #FitchesCreekFalcons. (photo by Nick Hollands)
It’s a beautiful Sunday evening, and the sun is beginning to make its descent. You arrive at the mangrove, armed with your mask, binoculars, reusable water bottle, and most importantly, insect repellent. White feathery heads dot the lush mangrove, and you get into position, ready to count the mysterious colony of egrets or “garlings”. As you look through your spotting scope and begin your count, you take a closer look and realise that the seemingly monotonous flock of egrets also includes other species, such as Yellow-Crowned Night Herons, Brown Pelicans, and Little Blue Herons. As you excitedly record the numbers of birds seen, you look around for the final three minutes, and a majestic Osprey flies overhead just in time to be included in your count.
What’s described above is a typical experience of being a birder and participating in the annual Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC). This year marked the 12th anniversary of this region-wide wetland bird and waterbird monitoring program, spearheaded by BirdsCaribbean. The CWC, which took place between January 14th and February 3rd across the region, aimed to raise awareness of wetland birds and their habitats by engaging different agencies and individuals in monitoring and conservation. Across the Caribbean, avid birders took to their favourite wetland bird sites to record the number and species of wetland birds in the spirit of conservation.
The #McKinnonsMallards conducting their bird surveys at the McKinnon’s Saltpond for the Caribbean Waterbird Census. (photo by Shanna Challenger)
Members of the EAG’s birding club, the Wadadli Warblers, and friends were sure to get involved in the CWC action this year. The 21 participants were split among three different wetland sites: the Fitches Creek Mangrove, McKinnon’s Salt Pond, and Nevis Street Mangrove. Except for the Nevis Street Mangrove, each of these sites are considered Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) because of the notable species and numbers of native and migratory birds that they regularly support.
At each site, CWC Level 2 counts were conducted by the respective teams, affectionately named the “Nevis Street Noddies”, the “McKinnons Mallards” and the “Fitches Creek Falcons”. During the census this year, a whopping 42 species of birds were seen between the three sites. Preliminary findings showed the evidence of nesting White-Cheeked Pintails, as ducklings were observed at McKinnons; and the surprising presence of Laughing Gulls, which are not usually seen until later in the year. Collecting this data is invaluable for monitoring the health of waterbird populations and their habitats in our Antiguan wetlands. It is beneficial to both birds and people, since we rely on the same habitats for our health and well-being.
The EAG Bird Club “Wadadli Warblers” celebrating the completion of another successful CWC count in Antigua.
Unfortunately, each of these sites were under pressure, threatening the bird species that lived there. Pollution through illegal dumping, noise, invasive species, and infrastructural developments were all examples of this.
This year’s census was the most robust CWC data collection effort to date and we applaud our teams for their contributions as citizen scientists. For the grand finale of the CWC activities, the EAG encouraged the Wadadli Warblers to participate in a Bird Mask-erade, where members were tasked with designing a face mask inspired by their favorite wetland bird. In addition to celebrating the CWC, the friendly competition sought to link our culture with our love of the environment, while providing a keepsake of our current times during the pandemic. The winner of the competition, Auriel Hunte, won a Birds of the West Indies field guide (new Second Edition!), written by renowned author Herb Raffaele, and a $50 food voucher for her feathery Snowy Egret-inspired mask.
Click on the photos below to view them larger.
Winning mask of the EAG’s Wadadli Warblers “Mask-erade,” designed by Auriel Hunte after the beautiful Snowy Egret
The Snowy Egret in its natural habitat, which Miss Hunte’s mask was designed after. (photo by Nick Hollands)
More fund photos from EAG’s ‘bird Mask-Erade’ (click on the photos below to see the them larger in a gallery).
Flyer for EAG’s Bird Mask-erade
One of the fun entries in EAG’s “maskerade” contest!
Shanna Challenger shows off her White-cheeked Pintail mask – we love it!
Lovely artwork on a mask from EAG’s “maskerade” competition for the CWC 2021.
Another clever mask from EAG’s competition – can you tell what species this is?
The Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) works to raise awareness about the importance of waterbirds and the need for conservation efforts to improve their habitat, especially in local Important Bird & Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) like the McKinnon’s Saltpond, and the Fitches Creek Mangrove. Our work is possible through support provided by BirdsCaribbean, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. BirdsCaribbean also thanks the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, Canadian Wildlife Service, Manomet, and our members and donors for supporting our Caribbean Waterbird Census and Shorebird Monitoring and Conservation Projects!
Find EAG on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/EAGAntigua
Trinidad and Tobago has a rich abundance and diversity of shorebirds and provides vital habitats for them during migration and over winter.Martin Gebauer, the recipient of a small grant for work on shorebirds from BirdsCaribbean, gives us a historical perspective and an update on shorebird populations and their habitats on the island of Trinidad.Find out from Martin if using drones can help us to count and monitor shorebirds.
Trinidad has a rich diversity of Shorebirds. This mixed group, using Trinidad’s west coast during spring migration has six different shorebird species. Can you find and name them all? Scroll down to see the answers. (Photo by Jerome Foster)
TAKING A DEEPER LOOK AT MIGRATING SHOREBIRDS IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Arctic-nesting shorebird populations have shown serious declines on breeding grounds, and at staging and wintering areas across their range. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS), BirdsCaribbean (BC), and others have been looking into threats – including hunting – to shorebirds in the Caribbean through the Atlantic Flyway Shorebird Initiative (AFSI). It is clear, however, that more research is needed on the abundance, diversity, distribution, and habitat use of shorebirds migrating through or wintering in Trinidad and Tobago (TT), as well as the location of staging and wintering areas in the country. To support the AFSI, shorebird surveys (including the use of a drone) were conducted from 2018 to 2020. To determine the scale of shorebird declines, survey data were compared to data from aerial surveys on fixed wing aircraft conducted by Morrison and Ross (CWS) in 1982. The current work was supported by the USFWS and BirdsCaribbean.
Part of a group of Western and Semipalmated Sandpipers resting on Trinidad’s west coast during spring migration. (Photo by Jerome Foster)
THE RICH DIVERSITY OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO’S SHOREBIRDS
Shorebird diversity in Trinidad and Tobago is particularly rich. Of the 48 shorebird species recorded to date, some of which are European vagrants, 23 species were observed during the 2018 to 2020 surveys. Our surveys, and those by Morrison and Ross and others, found that the Semipalmated Sandpiper is by far the most common species, representing around 90% of shorebirds tallied in the country. Other common species are Western Sandpiper (see photo), Semipalmated Plover, Lesser Yellowlegs, Stilt Sandpiper, Whimbrel, and Willet. Historical accounts suggest a similar mixture of species
SADLY, SHOREBIRDS IN DECLINING NUMBERS
The February 1982 aerial survey of Trinidad by Morrison and Ross documented more than 13,600 Nearctic shorebirds. But there is worrying news. The maximum number of birds seen on the 2018 to 2020 surveys was 4,174 (September 2018). This disturbing decline, which is described in more detail below, matches up with the USFWS and CWS findings. Although an accurate estimate of the percent decline is difficult, current shorebird populations are likely only between 20 to 30% of 1982 levels.
WHERE WERE WE LOOKING FOR SHOREBIRDS?
Some of the most important habitats for shorebirds are on the west coast of Trinidad. In fact, the west coast mudflats are designated as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International. The area between the southern end of Caroni Swamp and south past the Couva River mouth to around Pointe-à-Pierre seems to be particularly good for shorebirds. Where the mudflats look greenish in color, there is a thick slurry of biofilm (i.e., diatoms, bacteria, organic detritus, and benthic invertebrates), a very important food source for Semipalmated and Western sandpipers. Morrison and Ross found that about 99% of all shorebirds observed on their aerial surveys were on the west coast mudflats, which aligns with the approximately 95% of shorebirds documented from 2018 to 2020. Very few shorebirds have been observed on the northern, eastern, or southern coasts.
Aerial image, taken from a drone, of the mudflats at Orange Valley, looking south towards Point Lisas. (Photo by Nicolaas Kersting)
Another important area for shorebirds is the Caroni Rice Fields. Regrettably, since 2003, rice farming has been abandoned in large portions of these fields and the overall habitat for shorebirds has declined. However, in some years – for example, in 2020 – large numbers of shorebirds can still be found here.
Active rice farming in Caroni Rice Fields provides habitat for shorebirds. (Photo by Martin Gebauer)
WHAT DID THE DRONE SURVEYS SHOW?
The drone surveys provided an excellent overview of habitats at each of the sites surveyed. Unfortunately, because the images were not sufficiently high resolution, a detailed analysis of shorebird use, whether manual or software-driven, was not possible. Another challenge was that birds were disturbed and often flew away, even when the drone was at a height of 100 m. We did find that drones may be suitable for surveying larger species such as gulls, skimmers and terns, as shown in the adjacent picture (Brickfield, 40m, 05 April 2020).
Still image from drone footage. The birds have been marked for counting. This image contains 878 Black Skimmers, 1001 Laughing Gulls and 19 Large-billed Terns. (Image by Nicolaas Kersting)
ARE SHOREBIRDS LOSING THEIR OLD HANGOUTS?
The area with the highest shorebird numbers during the 1982 Morrison and Ross surveys was the Point Lisas industrial development (see photo). However, currently this area is not accessible by foot or drone. Nevertheless, a review of recent aerial imagery suggests that habitats in this area have been dramatically altered through dredging and land reclamation activities.
Drone footage of Point Lisas on the west coast of Trinidad (Photo by Nicolaas Kersting)
Aerial image of Point Lisas
Apparently, this loss of the mudflats that provide so much food and foraging for small shorebirds (Semipalmated and Western Sandpipers) appears to be a cause of the considerable declines of these charming, once abundant little birds between the 1982 and the 2018-2020 surveys.
Following the construction of the Orange Valley fishing pier, there has been a dramatic decline in the surrounding mudflats, with a rapid expansion of mangroves in the area.
Aerial image of Orange Valley in 2004
Aerial image of Orange Valley in 2018
There are local factors that are contributing to the declining numbers of shorebirds in Trinidad. Previously rich areas where they foraged for food are disappearing. In some areas, an increase in mangrove growth has affected the mudflats that shorebirds love. We must also take into account the global picture; across the flyway shorebirds are declining. What lessons can we learn from other countries? One thing is clear: To ensure that these losses of habitats for the wintering shorebirds do not continue in Trinidad, protecting and restoring remaining mudflat areas on the west coast of Trinidad has to be a critical goal in shorebird management.
This downward spiral has to be slowed or better still, turned around.
Martin Gebauer is an ornithologist and president of Gebauer & Associates Ltd., an environmental consulting firm. He is currently working on his PhD at the University of Oxford. He carried out research on shorebird hunting in the Caribbean for his MSc from Oxford.
Here are the six species of shorebirds with labels to identify them. Good for you if you were able to name some or all of them correctly! (Photo by Jerome Foster)
To learn more about shorebird ID, check out this training webinar:
With this year’s Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) in full swing BirdsCaribbean recently held some webinars to help out those who want to get involved. One attendee, Emma Lewis, shares her thoughts with us on why counting birds matters so much, and the trials and tribulations (sometimes humorous) of learning to identify shorebirds and waterbirds.
The devil is in the details, they say, and as birders across the region gird themselves up and go out to muddy, sandy, wet places to spot birds, figuring out what is what is no joke. The birds are – what’s the word, indefinable? – at times.
As I may have mentioned before, it’s always important to find birds, but it’s also very important to count them. This helps scientists figure out populations – what, when, where, and how many – and to map them to see how these populations are moving around the planet. What has become apparent in recent years is that waterbirds, especially shorebirds, have been declining in numbers around the world for decades now. In the UK, for example, waterbird numbers have declined by 25 per cent in just the past ten years, according to one survey. There are many reasons for the global decline (some 40 per cent since the 1970s in our hemisphere), with climate change and coastal development high on the list in the Caribbean.
Population trends of different species groups since 1970. Shorebirds have declined by 40%. (Screen shot from BirdsCaribbean Shorebird ID webinar).
Bearing in mind that we need to understand more about our waterbirds, by observing and recording them, in order to conserve them, BirdsCaribbean has organized the Caribbean Waterbirds Census (CWC), now in its twelfth year (January 14 to February 3; including World Wetlands Day on February 2). This year, three webinars were organized to help confused birders identify those delightful birds, of all shapes and sizes, that potter around on our beaches, salt flats, marshes, mangroves, mudflats,and riversides at this time of year.
In descending order… Big, little and…smaller still, like the Least Sandpiper. Last, but not least. Full guide and other resources available here (Screenshot from BirdsCaribbean shorebird ID webinar)
Ducks a-dabbling. These are Blue-winged Teals, which are the most common migratory duck to visit us in the Caribbean. The male has a distinctive white crescent on his face & both sexes have a large blue-wing patch. (Photo by Sharon Cardin)
The thing is, you see, there are ~185 species of waterbirds around the Caribbean. These include dabbling ducks and diving ducks, tall stately herons and small crouching herons, egrets with various colored legs and bills, and a baffling (and disconcertingly large) group of sandpipers and plovers – breeding, non-breeding, and in between (sometimes they are molting in or out of their breeding plumage). Males, females, and immature ones. Most of them actually are super-migrants, breeding way up in the Arctic and making their way all the way down to the Caribbean in winter to just hang out, rest, feed, and prepare to migrate back again.
I took this photo in Portland Bight, Clarendon, in 2019. Could it be…? Is it…a Lesser Yellowlegs? **see end of post
I had some little chuckles to myself during the webinars. It was harder than the most difficult New York Times crossword at times – the Sunday one. We had regular quizzes throughout to “test our knowledge,” during which I felt increasingly desperate and took wild guesses. Is A or B a Semipalmated Sandpiper? Or could it be a Spotted Sandpiper? Is it “front heavy” (it could be a Western Sandpiper)? Is its back the color of wet sand, or dry sand? What is the difference between a Greater Yellowlegs and a Lesser Yellowlegs (if you saw just one of them)?
Look for clues, our presenters urged. Sometimes the differences can be “very subtle.” Indeed.
So, next weekend, all being well, I will be taking the “Waterbird Challenge.” Why don’t you try it too? If you need some inspiration, go to BirdsCaribbean’s YouTube page (see links below). The webinars were all streamed live on Facebook, so you can find them there, too. I would also recommend downloading the free Merlin bird ID app from the Cornell Lab on your phone! And of course, don’t forget to enter your birding checklists on eBird Caribbean (be sure to choose one of the Caribbean Waterbird Census protocols – see instructions here) – your data are invaluable to science and conservation.
Ultimately, as for so many things in life, the best advice is “practice makes perfect.” In other words, the more you get out there and tackle those waterbirds, the better. Spend hours with them!
And, as Jeff Gerbracht from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, who gave us those finer points, reminded us: “Waterbirds need the Caribbean.”
We learned the finer points of waterbird and shorebird ID – many valuable tips were provided. Now I just need to study! (image from Waterbirds ID Webinar Part II: Shorebirds; photo by Ray Robles)
If you would like to become a member of BirdsCaribbean, you do not have to be an expert at all! What unites us is our love of birds. For students and Caribbean nationals, the membership is only US$25 annually. If you are a Caribbean institution, the membership is US$60. Your membership helps BirdsCaribbean’s efforts to raise awareness, train and mentor conservation professionals, support research and monitoring, advocate for birds and their habitats, and engage people in citizen science and conservation actions. One big plus is that as a member you get free access to Birds of the World, a fabulous online resource which costs more than your membership fee to subscribe to!
**This shorebird does have yellow legs but it is in fact a Spotted Sandpiper. It has shorter legs than a Lesser Yellowlegs and a heavier bill. Note the white “smudge” or wedge at the shoulder, another good field mark. It also shows the typical ’tilted forward’ posture of a Spotted Sandpiper and lacks the speckled plumage on the back, you would expect on a Lesser Yellowlegs.
Many thanks to Emma Lewis for this inspiring and fun article. Emma is a blogger, social and environmental activist, and avid birder based in Jamaica. She also recently joined the board of BirdsCaribbean. Thank you to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest Service, Canadian Wildlife Service, and our members and donors for supporting our Caribbean Waterbird Census and Waterbird-Shorebird Education, Monitoring and Conservation Projects!
Size of Award: Several grants up to $1,000 each Application Deadline: February 19th, 2021 at 5 p.m. EST. Address Questions and Send Application to: Will Mackin, BirdsCaribbean, willmackin@gmail.com with copy to info@birdscaribbean.orgAnnouncement of Awards: March 15th, 2021 Donations to the Fund: Tax-deductible (U.S.) at this link. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dave Lee holding a White-tailed Tropicbird in the Bahamas. (photo by Mary Kay Clark)
David S. Lee (1943-2014) was a pioneering naturalist and conservation biologist who helped get BirdsCaribbean started nearly 30 years ago. He inspired many naturalists with his work and his writing. He was a man of many interests, and with respect to the Caribbean, published numerous papers and articles in the popular press on seabirds, Bahamian fish, turtles, snakes, bats, and orchids.
Donations from Dave’s wife, Mary Kay Clark and his mother, June Bash, allowed the establishment of the David S. Lee Fund for the Conservation of Caribbean Birds that will award money to conservation projects in his honor. The money is being held in a trust and will be used to award annual grants for innovative projects that protect Caribbean birds and their habitats.
Goal of the Fund: The David S. Lee Fund for Conservation seeks to continue David’s passion for protecting wildlife. The fund will support direct, innovative conservation work in the Caribbean Region for birds and their habitats. The fund will be managed by BirdsCaribbean and used for annual small grants. Applicants should demonstrate how their project will work with conservation groups and local communities in the Caribbean.
Eligibility: Scientists/naturalists working in the Caribbean, in conservation organizations or academic programs, may apply. Applicants should be students or early career ornithologists, conservationists, or wildlife professionals (i.e., not established faculty or senior staff of a conservation organization, less than 10 years post-graduation). A student must be enrolled in accredited Masters or PhD program in ecology, biology, conservation, or related field to be eligible. Applicants must be paid or sponsored members of BirdsCaribbean at the time of application.
Use of Funds: The funds can cover travel to field sites, living expenses in the field, or costs for equipment and supplies to conduct conservation projects. Examples of equipment and supplies include traps, cameras, automated recording units, nest boxes, etc. Ineligible costs include salary or other wages, overhead fees, etc. Projects that foster collaboration between scientists/naturalists in different island groups of the Caribbean, such as joint projects to test conservation techniques for similar species, will be favored. Application Guidelines:
Proposals may be submitted in English, French, or Spanish. All should have an English version of the abstract.
Applications should be emailed as a Microsoft Word document.
The application should include a cover page, proposal (download guidelines below), and a curriculum vitae for the applicant.
Separately, by email, three individuals who can attest to your effectiveness in previous work should submit letters of recommendation. For students, this would include your academic advisor.
Evaluation:
A committee appointed by BirdsCaribbean will review the proposals and award the grants.
The awardee will be required to submit a report one year from the day of the award explaining how the award money was spent and the results of the project to that point. The awardee is also asked to write an article for BirdsCaribbean’s blog about their work (informal article for a lay audience).
Eligible applicants can download the application here. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Help support the Dave Lee Fund by being a sponsor!
Reddish Egrets (dark morph). (photo by Tania Thomson, Shutterstock)
This fund will be for the conservation of any bird in the Caribbean as a reflection of Dave’s diverse interests. He was an important part of many projects, ranging from those of the Black-capped Petrel and Seabird Working Group to the scholarly debate leading to the elevation of the Bahama Yellow-throated Warbler to a full species. At the moment the fund contains $12,000. Our initial goal is to raise $25,000 so that we can award $1,000 every year to a worthy student or early career ornithologist, conservationist or wildlife professional. Not only will this fund encourage creative field work for projects that make a difference, but it will also help build the knowledge and skills of young conservationists that are urgently needed to make sure that the Caribbean birds and habitats that Dave treasured are still around for future generations to enjoy.
Cuban Parrot surveying his domain. (photo by Elliotte Rusty-Harold, Shutterstock)
At the 2015 BirdsCaribbean meeting in Kingston, Jamaica, a round of beers was purchased in Dave’s honor, since he always seemed to have a cooler full when people wanted one (and even when they didn’t). Think of this fund like a cooler full of refreshing beverages that Dave would have around if he were here. We owe it to Dave to stock that cooler—to vitalize naturalists and empower them in their work to help wildlife. Please give a tax deductible donation to the David S. Lee Fund. Give generously. The more we put into the fund, the more we can give out each year. Thanks to all those that have contributed to the fund!
If you prefer to donate with a check, please make the check out to “BirdsCaribbean” and in the memo section, note that it is for the David S. Lee Fund. If you have questions or to make other arrangements for donating, please feel free to contact Jennifer Wheeler, BirdsCaribbean Financial Officer (jennifer.wheeler@birdscaribbean.org) Checks can be mailed to: BirdsCaribbean, 841 Worcester St. #130, Natick, MA 01760-2076
Thank you for your participation and support!
Reports from Projects Supported with Dave Lee Fund Scholarships:
West Indian Whistling-Ducks swimming through duckweed at Negril Royal Palm Reserve in Jamaica. WIWDs are endemic to the West Indies. Their long-term survival is threatened by destruction and degradation of their wetland habitats from development, climate change, and pollution, as well as poaching and predation by invasive species. (photo by Ann Sutton)
We are pleased and proud to announce that Inauguration Day, 20th January 2021 was the start of a new and wonderful initiative. This big event happened far from Washington D.C., in a remote wetland near Negril, Jamaica. On this day, two West Indian Whistling-Ducks, nicknamed “Joe” and “Kamala”, became the first of their kind to bear GPS trackers. From now on, like their namesakes, these birds will be the focus of constant scrutiny and international attention. Their solar–powered backpack trackers will report their locations every hour. Read on as Dr. Ann Haynes-Sutton shares more with us about this exciting new initiative.
West Indian Whistling-Ducks (WIWD) are one of the rarest ducks in the Americas. We know very little about the behavior and movements of these secretive ducks, which are found only in the northern Caribbean (including the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, Antigua and Barbuda; extirpated, very rare, or vagrant elsewhere). WIWDs are classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as “Near Threatened.” Threats to these ducks include destruction of their wetland habitats, climate change (severe droughts, storms, and flooding), predation by invasive species (e.g., mongoose), poaching, and pollution from agriculture and other sources. BirdsCaribbean members have long reported declines in the population of Whistling-Ducks and their habitats throughout their range, which led to the creation of the WIWD and Wetlands Conservation Project. Jamaican populations are among the worst affected in recent years.
Three GPS trackers ready for application. (photo by Ann Sutton)
About 10 years ago, I regularly saw more than 150 in the Negril wetlands but over the years I heard reports that their numbers had declined catastrophically. The reports reached the Jamaican Government, who made the recovery of the WIWD the focus of part of their Global Environment Facility Project “Integrating Water, Land and Ecosystems Management in Caribbean Small Island States – Jamaica sub-project Biodiversity Mainstreaming in Coastal Landscapes within the Negril Environmental Protection Area of Jamaica.” The Government hired me as the lead expert for the West Indian Whistling-Duck component.
In order to plan for the ducks’ recovery, I needed detailed information, for example, how many there are, where they feed, nest, and roost, and the threats they face. I couldn’t find any such data, for Negril or any other part of Jamaica. I set out to survey the ducks from the ground, from roads, and by boat, using tapes, drones and cameras. All these approaches failed. Apart from one location, I could not find any ducks, although with the help of the Negril Environmental Protection Trust I received some reports from local community members.
Thus, I was more than delighted when BirdsCaribbean and Hope Zoo Preservation Foundation supported the purchase and importation of some GPS trackers from Cellular Tracking Technologies. These state-of-the-art trackers, used successfully on species like Peregrine Falcons and Greater Sage Grouse, will plot the positions of the ducks every hour to within a few metres.
BirdsCaribbean Executive Director, Lisa Sorenson commented, “We are thrilled with the launch of this exciting project. I expect it will lead to major improvements in our knowledge of the ducks’ movements and habitat use. If so, BirdsCaribbean will seek to do tracking in other parts of the Caribbean. WIWDs populations are small on every island where they occur (with the exception perhaps of Cuba) and they have been extirpated from several countries. We hope to ramp up our knowledge and conservation of this important regional endemic.”
Brandon Hay and Ricardo Miller taking measurements on one of the two WIWDs that were captured. (photo by Ann Sutton)
On 20th January 2021, our small team – composed of Ricardo Miller of the National Environment and Planning Agency, D. Brandon Hay of the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation, and myself – captured two West Indian Whistling-Ducks in Negril and fitted them with transmitters. It was an amazing thrill to hold these beautiful birds in our hands and very carefully attach the devices. Gina Kent from the Avian Research and Conservation Institute in Florida and Lisa Sorenson of BirdsCaribbean were on hand remotely to provide us with technical advice and support.
With excitement and trepidation we set the ducks free. Now we are looking forward to see what we can learn from them. The information I gather will support my work with the local and international communities to develop and implement measures to preserve West Indian Whistling-Ducks in Negril. No doubt our findings will promote initiatives to assess and conserve the ducks in the rest of Jamaica, and throughout their range.
We decided to call the ducks “Joe” and “Kamala” in honour of the very auspicious date and our hope that they can help to save the species. Go for it Kamala and Joe – we wish you well!
Dr. Ann Haynes-Sutton is a Conservation Ecologist and Co-Chair of BirdsCaribbean’s Bird Monitoring Working Group and Seabird Working Group. She has been a long-time member of BirdsCaribbean’s WIWD Working Group and is also the senior author of Wondrous West Indian Wetlands: Teachers’ Resource Book, published by BirdsCaribbean and used in over 145 Wetlands Education Training Workshops since 2002.
Acknowledgements: We are thankful to BirdsCaribbean members and donors whose financial support made this project possible. We are also thankful to National Environment and Planning Agency, Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation, Avian Research and Conservation Institute, Hope Zoo Preservation Foundation, and Cellular Tracking Technologies for support and assistance with this exciting project.
If you would like to donate to support this project, please click here. Thank you in advance!
WIWDs are a secretive duck, difficult to survey and study, as they typically roost in mangroves or other dense vegetation during the day. They become active at dusk, flying around to different wetlands to feed. (photo by Ann Sutton)
First data coming in from “Kamala” showing her movements around the Negril Royal Palm Reserve in Jamaica.
WIWD with GPS tracker attached using a backpack style harness. The tracker weighs about 20 g, which is about 2% of the species’ body weight. The batteries are solar powered. (photo by Ann Sutton)
Brandon Hay with Joe, one of the two WIWD. (photo by Ann Sutton)
The team at work, taking measurements on one of the two ducks that were fitted with GPS transmitters.
Shanna with critically endangered Antiguan Racer (Photo by Chaso Media)
BirdsCaribbean is delighted by the news that the Environmental Awareness Group’s (EAG) Shanna Challenger, based on the island of Antigua, has received the Euan P. McFarlane Environmental Leadership Award. The award, which honors young Caribbean environmental leaders under the age of 30, was announced recently by the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI). Puerto Rican water specialist Amira Odeh was also a recipient.
Lisa Sorenson, Executive Director of BirdsCaribbean, noted that EAG has been a long-standing partner of the organization on several important projects.
“Shanna is truly a star!” said Sorenson. “We have worked closely with her for the past four years and have been impressed by her energy, her enthusiasm, and her leadership skills. Shanna participated in our surveys of the Barbuda Warbler, following the devastation of Hurricane Maria on Antigua’s sister isle in 2017. We congratulate Shanna on her outstanding work on the Redonda Restoration Program, which was tremendously successful.”
An Honors graduate in Ecology from the University of the West Indies in 2016, Shanna went on to study for her Master of Science in Conservation Biology, which she achieved with Distinction at the University of Kent in the UK under a Chevening Scholarship. She joined EAG in 2016, managing the Redonda Restoration Program, and working on plans for a proposed protection area on the small island with government, regional bodies, and international non-governmental organizations.
Redonda Tree Lizard (Anolis nubilus). (Photo by Ed Marshall).
She now coordinates the Offshore Islands Conservation Program, which was responsible for saving the world’s rarest snake, the Antigua Racer, from extinction. Shanna is developing a ridge-to-reef program, working with communities to conserve species and habitats. As if that is not enough, she continues to volunteer with a local youth non-profit organization.
Lisa Sorenson noted Shanna’s dynamic personality, which enlivens meetings of BirdsCaribbean’s Media Working Group meetings, as well as our training workshops and conferences. Shanna helps to promote the value of Antigua and Barbuda’s ecosystems and wildlife on local media, planning and implementing BirdsCaribbean activities such as the Caribbean Waterbird Census, Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival, and World Migratory Bird Day, particularly in Antigua’s extensive mangrove areas.
Shanna dressed as Barbuda Warbler for the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (Photo by Rudolph Zachariah)
“Shanna has been known to enthusiastically impersonate a Barbuda Warbler in full costume for children during the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival. This past May, Shanna and her talented EAG colleagues Natalya Lawrence and Andrea Otto, presented a six-session Zoom course for beginning birders on bird identification and monitoring. As a result, the study group formed a birding club, the Wadadli Warblers, which keeps in touch on the WhatsApp platform and meets regularly for birding trips. Club members are also undertaking Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) surveys in Antigua for this year’s census. This is quite an achievement when COVID-19 restrictions are still in place,” added Sorenson.
“There is no doubt that the Caribbean needs more “home grown” youth activists in the conservation field. We commend the CFVI on offering this award, which we feel sure will inspire other young people across the region to take up the reins in the field of biodiversity conservation. We are equally convinced that Shanna will keep on growing as a leader. We look forward to continuing our vibrant partnership with her and with EAG.”
Shanna about to board the helicopter to Redonda (Photo by Sophia Steele)
Male Brown Booby with nest in vegetation (Photo by Shanna Challenger)
Barren landscape on Redonda in 2012 before invasive rats and goats were removed (Photo by Jenny Daltry)
Shanna diving on Redonda’s reefs (Photo by Ruleo Camacho)
Redonda transformed from bare rock to a carpet of vegetation in 2020, after removal of invasive species (Photo by Cole White)
Find out more about the Euan P. McFarlane Environmental Leadership Award winners & The TransforMAtion of Rodonda Island:
Despite the challenges of the year 2020, JCO’s Volume 33 includes 16 publications, 3 book reviews, and a review of the recent ornithological literature from the Caribbean. The volume includes articles on a diversity of topics and taxa from 11 island territories and one Caribbean basin continental site. The content is a credit to all of the authors, reviewers, and JCO staff who overcame the pandemic challenges to contribute to the publication effort in a timely fashion. We thank all involved in this effort for their contributions, which have advanced our knowledge of Caribbean birds in 2020.
Please take some time to enjoy all of Volume 33. We should all take pride in this work and make the time to congratulate each other on all of these accomplishments, especially during this challenging year. If you enjoyed reading a publication, please send the authors a quick email letting them know. That is what makes Caribbean ornithology special—a sense of community and comradery unlike anywhere else.
— Joseph M. Wunderle, Jr., JCO Editor-in-Chief, and Justin Proctor, JCO Managing Editor
P.S. More good news: we have a lot of great manuscripts at various stages in the pipeline right now, which means that V34 is already off to a strong start!
Map depicting research locations of the studies published in Volume 33.
Cristina Sainz-Borgo, Jhonathan Miranda, and Miguel Lentino
In Henri Pittier National Park, Venezuela, the low-lying Portachuelo Pass provides essential habitat for both resident and migratory bird species. Despite this, information about the composition of the bird community is scarce. In this study, Sainz-Borgo et al. survey and describe the species inhabiting Portachuelo Pass, highlighting key characteristics of the avifauna in this important ecosystem.
On 13 October, 2016, Hurricane Nicole made landfall over Bermuda. Mejias and Meijas acted quickly, utilizing the hurricane as an opportunity to document a species fallout event. Here, they present the results of their post-hurricane songbird surveys, documenting a significant fallout of Blackpoll Warblers and underscoring the importance of remote oceanic island refuges for fallout migrants.
While historically, Bermuda was home to lush, native, evergreen forests, human colonization in 1612 led to progressive habitat fragmentation and introduction of exotic trees. In this study, Mejías and Nol explore the impact of woodland size and vegetation features on species richness and bird abundance, specifically emphasizing the effects on White-eyed Vireos. Critically, they show that larger, less-fragmented woodlands are essential for supporting abundant and diverse bird communities.
Early accounts from the Bermuda Islands suggest the presence of myriad nesting tern species on the islands; however, only the Common Tern survived into the 20th century. Here, Wingate and Nisbet review both the historic and recent records of terns on Bermuda, shedding light on the prospect of restoration and species recolonization using modern conservation techniques.
Louise M. Soanes, Judy Pierce, Daniel Nellis, Susan Zaluski, and Lewis G. Halsey
Due to a severe decline in the North Atlantic Roseate Tern populations in the 1900s, countries worldwide initiated conservation plans. However, few studies have focused on the Caribbean population of Roseate Terns. Using three decades of survey data, Soanes et al. detail the abundance and distribution of Roseate Terns in the Virgin Islands, identifying key breeding sites, reporting a gradual population decline, and calling for further conservation and research efforts.
Though the Antillean Nighthawk is a relatively common species in the Caribbean, its migration routes and non-breeding location remain a mystery. In an effort to identify these locations, Perlut and Levesque attach a geolocator to a female Antillean Nighthawk, tracking and documenting her movements throughout a one-year period.
Antonio García-Quintas, Laritza González Leiva, and Ariandy González González
The second breeding record of Audubon’s Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri) and the fourth breeding record of Common Tern (Sterna hirundo), were detected in the Felipe de Sotavento and Barlovento cays of northern Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. These seabirds are uncommon in the country; so, new records of nests with eggs and chicks indicate the need for increased sampling in northern cays of the country. The studied cays are among the most important nesting sites for seabird colonies in Cuba in terms of number of species and breeding pairs.
An error was found in the García-Quintas et al. manuscript published earlier in this volume, in which the photographs of an egg and chick in Figure 2 represent Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii), not Common Tern (S. hirundo).
Adrianne G. Tossas, Osvaldo Rullán, Robert J. Mayer, and Jean P. González
Throughout the 20th century, Finca Nolla, a wetland on the northwestern coast of Puerto Rico, was severely disturbed by agricultural and industrial practices. However, in 2011, the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources purchased the land, designated it as a protected area, and began restoration activities. By thoroughly documenting the avifauna within Finca Nolla, Tossas et al. establish a baseline for future avian assessments and propose an upgrade of the conservation status to nature reserve.
Wayne A. Smart, Natalia Collier, and Virginie Rolland
Historically, overexploitation has contributed significantly to seabird population declines. Though protective laws have since been enacted, the extent of continued, illegal seabird harvest is unclear. Through their survey of the fishers and recreationists at the Fisheries Division office in Sauters, Grenada, Smart et al. shine a light on the persistence of seabird harvest in Grenada, highlight the sociodemographic factors that are associated with seabird harvest, and propose a possible community-based monitoring program. Photo
Fernando Simal, Adriana Vallarino, Elsmarie Beukenboom, Rutsel Paula, Henry Beaumont, George Zaragoza, Esther Wolfs, Patrick Holian, and Elisabeth Albers
After anecdotal reports suggested that the seabirds roosting on the northwestern coast of Bonaire had been reduced to less than 60 individuals, Simal et al. began to investigate. From 2008–2010, they conducted roost counts at seven sites in Washington-Slagbaai National Park. Here, they document substantially higher seabird counts than previously suggested, with a maximum of 240 Brown Boobies in July 2009.
Juliana Coffey, Natalia Collier, Vaughn Thomas, and Romould Compton
Though historically considered very rare in the West Indies, Lesser Black-backed Gulls have become fairly common non-breeding visitors to many Carribean islands, including most of the larger Lesser Antilles. Continuing this trend, here, Coffey et al. document the first records of Lesser Black-backed Gulls on both Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada.
Despite the rarity of Burrowing Owls on Abaco, The Bahamas, today, many Pleistocene Burrowing Owl fossils have been recovered from the island. Using skeletal measurements, Patel and Steadman compare these fossils to modern specimens from western North America, South America, and Florida. Their results shed light on possible morphological adaptations of the Abaco owls to the island’s biogeography.
Briana M. Yancy, Janine M. Antalffy, Michael G. Rowley, Cierra N. McKoy, Daniel C. Stonko, Lebron E. Rolle, Jennifer L. Christhilf, Scott B. Johnson, Shelley Cant-Woodside, and Kevin E. Omland
Building on the first documentation of Bahama Orioles nesting in pine forests on Abaco, The Bahamas, in this study, Yancy et al. further characterize these nest sites. By identifying specific habitat characteristics that are important for pine forest nests, this work not only enhances our understanding of Bahama Oriole nesting ecology, but also helps inform critical conservation efforts.
Ruby Bagwyn, Kylen Bao, Zuzana Burivalova, and David S. Wilcove
The widespread use of the citizen-science database eBird offers a unique opportunity to analyze trends in bird populations. Here, Bagwyn et al. use eight years of eBird sightings toidentify Bahamian bird populations that have recently gone unrecorded. Through this, they find 43 populations, representing 25 species, that are potentially declining or extinct, suggesting areas that should be of key conservation concern.
Qwahn D. Kent, Maia Edwards, Tim Wu, and André A. Dhondt
While other communal-nesting species show clear nest tree preferences, little is known about whether Palmchats prefer to nest in certain palm species over others. To investigate this gap, Kent et al. characterized Palmchat nest trees in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Overall, Palmchats nested more frequently in royal palms and Hispaniolan silver thatch palms compared with cana and coconut palms and in taller, thicker trees, regardless of tree species.
The author sets out to bring attention to an ongoing misidentification problem between Roseate Terns (Sterna dougallii) and Common Terns (S. hirundo) on their breeding grounds in the West Indies and Bahamas. Observers should pay special attention to: adult bill color and breeding plumage, clutch size, and characteristics of nestling down feathers as well as leg color.
Article by (1) Simon Campo – Editor for the Journal of Caribbean Ornithology and a Graduate Student at the University of California, Berkeley; Connect with Simon via LinkedIn or email; (2) Justin Proctor – Managing Editor for the Journal of Caribbean Ornithology; and (3) Joe Wunderle –Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Caribbean Ornithology.
Journal of Caribbean Ornithology relies on donations to keep all of our publications free and open-access. If you’re interested in supporting our mission and the broader goal of giving a voice to Caribbean ornithologists and their work, please consider becoming a supporter of JCO. Thank you in advance!
Sales of music and merchandise by Shika Shika have raised just over U$30,000 so far
Since the launch of their “A Guide to the Birdsong of Mexico, Central America, & the Caribbean” album Shika Shika have raised an amazing $30, 000 USD for bird conservation! The digital album and single tracks are available online as well as limited numbers of the vinyl album, posters, prints and t-shirts. Profits go to BirdsCaribbean and three other conservation organizations in Mexica, Central and South America.
It’s musical activism! Listen to the call of the endemic (and elusive) Jamaican Blackbird with a hypnotic beat. The Zapata Wren of Cuba sings sweetly, accompanied by delicate electronic notes. The Keel-billed Motmot of Central America emerges from behind gentle rhythms. The cries of Mexico’s Thick-billed Parrot blend with a finger snapping background.
These are some of the exciting tracks on the album, A Guide to the Birdsong of Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Released online in June by Shika Shika, sales of the music and merchandise have raised just over U$30,000 to date, the non-profit label announced. Profits will go to BirdsCaribbean as well as three other bird conservation organizations in Mexica, Central and South America.
A limited number of these vinyl records are available from Shika Shika
A unique fusion of music and birdsong with a purpose, the ten-track electronic music album, incorporating the songs and calls of endangered birds, is still available, along with vibrant and attractive merchandise. Single tracks, the full digital album, limited numbers of the vinyl edition as well as limited edition posters, prints and T-shirts with the album’s colourful artwork, can be purchased on the Shika Shika website and Shika-Shika’s Bandcamp website.
In celebration of this fund-raising milestone, Shika Shika has produced a podcast in English and Spanish, The podcast includes interviews with the directors of the four non-profit organizations it has partnered with to produce this musical gem. BirdsCaribbean Executive Directer, Lisa Sorenson, and the others explain how the funds will help in their conservation efforts.
“We are delighted to learn that the album is such a success, and we are extremely grateful for the partnership with Shika Shika and the funds raised so far. We encourage music lovers and bird lovers to continue to purchase this wonderful music for gifts or for themselves, in support of our birds,” said BirdsCaribbean’s Executive Director Lisa Sorenson. “All these bird species, many of them forest dwellers, are threatened by development and the destruction of their habitats. BirdsCaribbean is committed to working with local partners for the conservation of habitats for birds such as the highly endangered Bay-breasted Cuckoo of Hispaniola, one of the birds featured on this album.”
Zapata Wren and Jamaican Blackbird designs
The project is the brainchild of Robin Perkins, also known as El Búho (“The Owl”) , a UK-born musician music producer, and environmental campaigner. It is a follow-up to A Guide to the Birdsong of South America, released in 2015. Perkins first researched the most endangered birds in various countries and then invited locally based electronic DJs and composers to produce one track each featuring the song of a particular bird. The contributors include some who are passionate birders themselves, like the Belizean guitarist and manager of the well-known indigenous group Garifuna Collective, whose song features the Black Catbird.
Listen to the album, learn more about the project and artists, and shop here and Here. You can also listen and buy using the links below.
T-shirts with the album artwork are available for sale.
Radio spots about the album on various BBC World Service programmes. Here are the links to listen:
BirdsCaribbean is deeply concerned about the proposed changes to the United States Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). The rule changes will significantly increase the hazard levels for our migratory birds. We are asking you to please take action by signing and sharing the petitions below as soon as possible & by December the 27th at the latest!
Prairie Warbler numbers have declined in recent years due to loss of their preferred habitats. Along with many other migratory birds, they also face threats such as collisions with glass and predation from free-roaming cats. (Photo by Beth Hamel)
BirdsCaribbean, the largest non-governmental conservation organization in the Caribbean, is registering its strong opposition to proposed changes to rules governing the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). In its Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on Regulations Governing the Take of Migratory Birds dated November 2020, the U.S. Department of the Interior claims that the new regulation “would provide legal certainty for the public regarding what actions are prohibited under the MBTA.” In effect, however, it would reduce liability for the accidental “take” of migratory birds by corporate entities such as oil and gas companies, construction firms and the like.
“We are deeply concerned by the persistent efforts to undermine the MBTA, which has protected our birds for well for over a century,” said Executive Director of BirdsCaribbean, Lisa Sorenson. “Many of the 350 migratory bird species that breed in North America and winter further south are already endangered. This proposed action is another setback for the many international conservation organizations such as ours that are working diligently together to protect these species. Scientists, researchers, and governments across the region have been collaborating to create networks such as the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network that are critical to the birds’ survival.”
Red Knots breed in the far north, in the Arctic & can spend the winter as far south as the southern most tip of South America. This means they make some amazing migratory journeys of tens of thousands of miles overall. Red Knots gather in large groups in some places during autumn and winter; this makes them vulnerable to threats like sea-level rise and hunting, their population is currently declining. (Photo by Matt Grube)
BirdsCaribbean believes that these rule changes will significantly increase the hazard levels for the birds themselves. Migratory birds already have to contend with numerous obstacles, including the growing impacts of climate change and a spectrum of human activities that damage their habitats and cause their deaths, such as oil spills and collisions with infrastructure. They must be protected throughout their annual cycles, including where they breed, overwinter, and stop to refuel during their remarkable journeys.
“Migratory birds are the life and soul of the Americas,” noted Sorenson. “Not only do migratory birds bring diversity and an irreplaceable balance to our ecosystems, they bring happiness to individuals and communities across the region, who look forward to their arrival each year. Whether tiny warblers, birds of prey, or shorebirds, migratory birds are embedded in the cultures—and oftentimes livelihoods—of all the countries they visit. Every year on World Migratory Bird Day we celebrate their unique qualities and recognize the amazing natural phenomenon which is migration, about which there is still so much to learn.”
This is not the first attempt that the U.S. Department of the Interior has attempted to weaken the MBTA rule. The proposed efforts have already been rejected by a federal district court back in December of 2017. However, if successful this time, this change will add to more than 125 environmental policies that have been undermined by the Trump administration, causing untold harm to the environment and bird habitats.
How You Can Help
The Bicknell’s Thrush population is small and numbers are declining. Classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN, it is considered one of North America’s most at-risk breeding songbirds. They migrate through North America and spend the winter on only four Greater Antillean islands – Hispaniola, Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. (Photo by Dax Roman)
Please sign and share the action alerts/ petitions below, which will let your state representatives know that you do not agree with weakening the MBTA. (note – you need to be a US resident to participate in the action alerts).
Osprey catching a fish. This species was endangered by the effects of pesticides in the mid-20th century. It relies on wetlands for it food during migration, as well as its breeding habitat. (Photo by Bernie Duhamel)
