Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Cuban Pygmy-Owl

The Cuban Pygmy-Owl is one of the two pocket-sized owls of the Cuban archipelago. At just 17.5 cm, it is considered the smallest West Indian owl. It is the most common of Cuban owls. There are two color phases: one with grayish-brown upper-parts (more common) and one with cinnamon-brown upper-parts. Their underparts are off-white with brown spots and streaks. The head is dark brown with tufts of white and it has large yellow eyes. Their short legs and feet are yellow, covered with white feathers. The Cuban Pygmy Owl can turn its head almost completely around, showing markings on the back that look like two dark, menacing eyes. This adaptation of “eye” markings is meant to ward off predators of the owl. Cuban Pygmy-Owls live in woodlands across the main island, the Isle of Youth and some northern cays. Like most pygmy-owls It is active during the day so easy to see and hear. You can easily find it by listening for its call, a low repeating whistle uh, uh, uh… or an increasingly loud and shrill hui-hui-chiii-chiii-chi-chi-chi... It is usually found in pairs, spread out from one another. Cuban Pygmy-Owls nest from December to May. They lay 3-4 almost round white eggs in tree-holes, often palm trees, that have already been used and abandoned by woodpeckers. Their diet is lizards, large insects (such as moths and beetles), and small birds. Other species commonly “mob” the owl with vigorous jabbering and chasing, attempting to scare it off from the area. It is a curious bird, often allowing humans to approach within 2 meters from its perch! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Cuban Pygmy-Owl!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Cuban Pygmy-Owl

The Cuban Pygmy-Owl’s call is a low, repeating a short uh, uh, uh… (you can also hear a Bare-legged Owl hooting in the recording) Cuban Pygmy-Owl second call, an increasingly loud hui-hui-chiii-chiii-chi-chi-chi… often given when alarmed.

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Learn about Caribbean endemic birds and how to draw them with our talented artist, Josmar Esteban Marquez. Josmar is based in Venezuela and studies and monitors shorebirds on the offshore cays and islands of Venezuela. He loves working with communities and children on wildlife art projects. He’s a fantastic teacher!!! (subscribe to our Youtube channel to follow the video series!) Click on the “CC” at the bottom to see the subtitles in English.

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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 Woodstar

Resourceful, brave, energetic, full of life, beautiful – these are words that perfectly describe the little superstar… the Bahama Woodstar (Nesophlox evelynae).  It is about 8-9.5 cm long. It is green above with males sporting a glittering purplish-pink gorget, white breast band, and a cinnamon-brown belly. It also has rufous and black tail feathers, black wings, and a long, thin, slightly curved beak. Females have a white throat and breast and rufous belly. When they fly you can see that males have forked tails and females have rounded tails. Although they are nectarivores (feed primarily on nectar), they will consume small insects to supplement their protein needs.

Like other species of hummingbirds, Bahama Woodstars are polygynous with males having multiple partners. During courtship, males engage in several courtship displays, one of which is a dive. During the dive, males make a metallic sound using their tail feathers. Bahama Woodstars build their nest using lichen, spider webs, cotton, and other plant fibers, and the papery bark from Gumelemi (Bursera simaruba). They lay two small white eggs. Females build the nest and raise the chicks. Males take no part in the rearing of offspring. Nesting has been observed year-round in this species. Despite their small size, Bahama Woodstars can be very aggressive and will defend their chicks as well as feeding territories from other birds. 

The Bahama Woodstar is endemic to the Lucayan archipelago. It is a common resident on most islands in the Bahamas except for Great and Little Inagua islands, where it is replaced by the closely related Inagua Woodstar (N. Lyrura). It is also resident in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It occurs in all island habitats, including pine forests, gardens, and parks. Their call is a sharp tit, titit, tit, tit, titit, often speeding up into a rapid rattling sound. Their song is a dry rhythmic prititidee, prititidee, prititidee. Many native and cultivated plants depend on the Bahama Woodstar for pollination. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Bahama Woodstar!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Bahama Woodstar

The Bahama Woodstar’s call is a sharp tit, titit, tit, tit, titit often speeding to a quick rattle.

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Scott Johnson, Bahamas National Trust Science Officer, captured this awesome video of a male Bahama Woodstar courting a female.

 

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Antillean Euphonia

The Antillean Euphonia is a colorful, small bird of the Fringillidae family. It has a remarkable variety of melodious calls and jumbled songs that includes sharp whistles whee, trilling, tinkling notes tuc-tuc-tuc, and a hard metallic chi-chink, hence it’s Latin specific name musica. It is endemic to the islands of Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and much of the Lesser Antilles (Antigua south to Grenada, absent from Barbados). These three areas host three distinct subspecies and some authorities even consider them separate species. The three subspecies differ in color, as well as the size of the beak and tail. 

The males of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico have a turquoise blue crown and nape, blackish-violet face, back and wings, a small band of tawny-yellow on the forehead, and rich tawny-yellow underparts and rump. However, males in Puerto Rico have a yellow throat while males from Hispaniola have a dark blue throat. The females of all the groups are lighter overall, with yellow-greenish body and wings, turquoise crown and nape, and the forehead nicely adorned with a spot of gold. The males of the Lesser Antilles have female-like plumage, except for a sky-blue forehead, crown and nape.

The Antillean Euphonia lives in all forest habitats at sea level and up to an altitude of more than 2,000 m, but it seems to prefer humid mountain forests. It can also be found in shade-coffee plantations. Euphonias are seen in pairs during the breeding season (Jan to July) and in small flocks at other times of the year, sometimes with warblers and tanagers. It flits about in the dense forest canopy and can be difficult to see—listen for their musical songs to locate them!  These small birds feed on a variety of plants and berries but have a clear fondness for mistletoe berries (Phoradendron) and are an important disperser of its seeds. 

While the species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, deforestation throughout its range is a concern. It has experienced a particularly worrying decline in Guadeloupe over the past thirty years where it could be classified locally as Endangered or even Critically Endangered according to IUCN criteria. It has become extremely rare in St. Vincent and may even have disappeared from Saba. The AMAZONA association has been studying it in Guadeloupe for the past three years. Further research and monitoring is needed to understand and protect this delightful bird so that it persists in abundance across the islands. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Antillean Euphonia!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo 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 Antillean Euphonia

The Antillean Euphonia has a remarkable variety of melodious calls and jumbled songs that includes sharp whistles whee, trilling, tinkling notes tuc-tuc-tuc, and a hard metallic chi-chink, hence it’s Latin specific name musica. 

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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Test your knowledge of what kinds of nests Caribbean endemic birds build and use to lay eggs and raise chicks with our Nest Matching Activity! Draw lines from the colouring book drawings to match each Caribbean endemic bird with its nest type. And here is the Answer Key – don’t look until you have completed the activity!!! More information about our Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book is here. We are sharing a new colouring page from the book each day of our Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival 2020, From the Nest, Virtual Edition.

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Grenada Dove

One of the rarest birds in the world – the Grenada Dove – is found only in Grenada. It is a shy and elusive bird, staying well hidden within the forested hills and valleys of its dry forest habitat. It is a medium sized (~200g) dove with brown upperparts, buffy cinnamon-coloured breast and neck, and grayish forehead, face and crown. Its legs and feet are bright pinkish-red. The belly is white with a strip of white feathers that extends from its side up around the bend of the wing (key field mark!). It is a thrilling experience to get a glimpse of one of these rare birds, walking under the canopy looking for food or calling from a branch. Make sure to observe them from a distance of course so that they are not disturbed! 

The Grenada Dove is Critically Endangered. The entire population is estimated at less than 160 individuals*. It lives in just 2 small parcels of remaining dry coastal forest in the southwest and west coast of Grenada. Like most doves, the Grenada Dove spends most of its time scouring the ground for seeds. If you aren’t lucky enough to get a glimpse of this dove, you will most certainly hear them calling during the breeding season. Its characteristic call is a single descending note hooooooo that is repeated every 7-8 seconds, sometimes for long periods during the breeding season when males are territorial. The nest is a platform of twigs constructed in a tree, palm or bush up to 4 m above the ground.

The main threat to the Grenada Dove is loss of habitat. Its coastal scrub habitats are unfortunately prime areas for development (resort, residential and industrial). The dove’s survival is also  threatened from predation by introduced predators, especially mongoose but also cats, rats, and opossum. While there are two Protected Areas legally established for the conservation of the dove (Mt Hartman National Park and Beausejour Estates), they cover only a portion of where the dove is found. The remaining habitat is both crown and private lands. Predator control programmes have also been taking place in the protected areas. Everyone can do their part to help save this beautiful and unique species from extinction by supporting conservation of its forest habitat. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Grenada Dove!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Grenada Dove

The Grenada Dove’s call is a descending hoooo which repeats consistently every 7-8seconds.

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS & ADULTS: You can see the the Grenada Dove for yourself through a fantastic virtual visit to the Mt. Hartman National Park, established in 1996 to protect the dove in the following videos:

Learn more about Mt Hartman National Park, the dove, threats to its habitat and long-term survival, and the efforts to conserve the dove:

*Frank Rivera et al., 2015. Distance sampling survey and abundance estimation of the critically endangered Grenada Dove (Lepotila wellsi). The Condor: Ornithological Applications 117:87-93.

 

 

 

 

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Puerto Rican Parrot

The Puerto Rican Parrot is one of nine species of Amazon parrots endemic to the Caribbean region. It is the only native psittacid in the island, although 46 species of exotic Psittaciformes have been reported. This species can be distinguished from other green parrots by a red forehead, white eye ring, and brilliant blue flight feathers. It feeds on a variety of wild fruits, like those from the Sierra Palm, but also consumes seeds, flowers and leaf buds.

The Puerto Rican Parrot, locally called Iguaca, was so abundant during Spanish colonial times, that the population was believed to reach about one million individuals, particularly in the coastal forests. Sadly, human activities, mainly development of cities and towns, destroyed the parrot’s native forest habitats. In addition, parrots were captured for the pet trade and shot by farmers who regarded them as pests. All these actions led to a massive decline in the species so  that by 1975 only 13 individuals were left in the wild! 

This led to the Puerto Rican Parrot being listed as Critically Endangered and conservation programs were established to restore their numbers. A captive breeding program in relict habitat at El Yunque National Forest was established in 1973. Careful release of some parrots into the wild rebuilt the total wild population to nearly 200 birds by the middle of 2017. A second captive breeding facility  in Río Abajo State Forest in the north-central karst area began successfully rearing parrots around 1994, and a second wild population was reintroduced there in 2006. This program has been successful in raising many parrot chicks that have been released into the forest and are thriving. After losing the relict wild population in El Yunque to Hurricane Maria in 2017, a new population has been recently reintroduced at the captive-rearing facility there and currently has 28 free-flying individuals and 2 active nests, where none existed less than 4 months ago.

At present, the two Puerto Rican Parrot subpopulations add up to more than 600 individuals, including approximately 180 living and breeding around Río Abajo. But small populations have extra concerns when it comes to conservation. Fewer individuals means less genes to share, resulting in a limited capacity to evolve with a changing environment. They are also more vulnerable to random events like disease and storms. Despite these barriers, thankfully the population is increasing. We hope someday, that with continued efforts to grow the population and restore its habitats, enormous parrot flocks will once again move through the tree tops, flashing their brilliant blue flight feathers for all to enjoy.  Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Puerto Rican Parrot!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Puerto Rican Parrot

The Puerto Rican Parrot’s call is raucous squawks and distinct bugling during flight.

Puzzle of the Day

Click on the image below to do the puzzle.  You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8,  or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Test your knowledge of where Caribbean endemic birds live with our Colouring Map Matching Activity! Draw lines from the colouring book drawings to match each Caribbean endemic parrot with its home island. And here is the Answer Key – don’t look until you have completed the activity!!! More information about our Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book is here. We are sharing a new colouring page from the book each day of our Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival 2020, From the Nest, Virtual Edition.

 

FOR ADULTS: Read the dramatic story about  the impacts of Hurricane Maria in 2017 on the Puerto Rican Parrot, and ongoing efforts to save it from extinction.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans release of endangered Puerto Rican parrots in El Yunque National Forest

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Bee Hummingbird

The Bee Hummingbird, endemic to Cuba, is the smallest bird in the world! In Cuba they are called Zunzuncito. They measure between 5 cm and 6 cm and weigh 1.6 to 1.9 g, less than the weight of a dime! The male has deep blue to metallic turqouise upperparts and a grayish belly with flecks of blue on the sides. The head and throat are iridescent ruby-red, with feathers changing to a dark metallic sheen color, depending on the viewing angle. During the breeding season these iridescent feathers extend down the sides of the neck, increasing the birds’ attractiveness. When males sing, the elongated feathers of the cheeks vibrate and shimmer with color. The tail is short and rounded, with a slight fork. The female is a little larger than the male and more plain. Her upperparts are turqouise blue combined with green tones and her underparts are more pale. In the non-breeding season, males are similar to females but with a more intense blue color. 

The Bee Hummingbird’s distribution in Cuba is in patches, with very small populations. It has been reported in wooded areas in the west, central and eastern parts of the country. Bee Hummingbirds nest between March and June. The tiny nest is constructed with cotton, grass, hair, and other soft materials, held together with lichens and spider webs. Females lay two tiny white eggs, the size of coffee bean. Bee Humingbirds feed mainly on nectar but they also eat spiders and insects that they catch in the air. In flight their wings making a buzzing sound similar to bumblebees.  

Bee Hummingbirds are shy and solitary. Males spend a lot of time perched on high branches,  devoid of leaves, and may use the same perch for years. During the breeding season, males court females with an elaborate U-shaped aerial display—flying vertically straight up in the air and then descending abruptly. They are aggressive and territorial during the breeding season. Seeing this tiny gem, not much bigger than a large bee, is the thrill of a lifetime! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Bee Hummingbird!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Bee Hummingbird

The Bee Hummingbird’s song is mixture of high-pitched warbling phrases  and a high-pitched long and noisy sizzling buzzy note, very strong for such a tiny bird.

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS & ADULTS: 

Let your creativity flow with bird-themed poetry! Try out these two different poetry styles: a vertical poem using a focus word that guides the first letter of each line, or a cinquain, a five-lined poem with a set structure. Choose your favorite endemic bird, create a vertical poem or cinquain, and then post it to us on social media (Facebook or twitter) by tagging us @BirdsCaribbean and/or use hashtag #CEBFFromtheNest. Or, send your poem to us via email (info@BirdsCaribbean.org). We’d love to see what everyone comes up with!

 

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Guadeloupe Woodpecker

The Guadeloupe Woodpecker is a stunning bird found just on the island of Guadeloupe and no other islands in the Guadeloupe archipelago. Its plumage is entirely black except for a reddish hue on the  chest. The male is a little bigger than the female and the birds even vary in size within the island. The birds found on the peaks of Basse-Terre are a little bigger than those of Grande-Terre. They are 25–29 cm long and weigh 70 to 96 g.

The Guadeloupe Woodpecker is found from sea level to around 1,000 meters, in all types of forest habitat including humid forest, swamp forest, mangrove, and semi-deciduous forest. They are monogamous and pairs remain in their territory throughout the year. They mainly feed on insect larvae but will also consume fruit and even take small vertebrates. When breeding season arrives, the woodpeckers excavate a cavity in a dead tree in order to nest and lay 3 to 5 white eggs. After 15 days, the eggs hatch. The young fledge in about a month but juveniles spend several months with their parents.

This large dark Melanerpes woodpecker, is the singular endemic bird of the Lesser Antillean island of Guadeloupe. However, this was not always the case. Before their extinction in the 18th century, Guadeloupe was home to three other endemic birds: Guadeloupe Parrot Amazona violacea, Guadeloupe Parakeet Psittacara labati, and the Lesser Antillean Macaw Ara guadeloupensis. Habitat loss and fragmentation (especially the removal of dead trees), and predation by rats are the biggest threats for the Guadeloupe Woodpecker. Thankfully, its IUCN status was amended from Near Threatened to Least Concern in 2019 and the bird is legally protected. Continued protection of this species and conservation of its habitats will help ensure that this beautiful species survives for future generations to enjoy! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Guadeloupe Woodpecker!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Guadeloupe Woodpecker

The Guadeloupe Woodpecker’s call is a wa-uh or wa-ah and a staccato cht-cht-cht-cht-cht-cht-cht-cht.

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS & ADULTS: 

Let’s celebrate moms AND endemic birds! Mother’s Day is this weekend on May 10th and we’ve got you covered. We have two styles of endemic bird-themed Mother’s Day Cards to download and color. This is a fun activity for people of all ages to celebrate the mother figure in their life.

Each page has two cards on them (Bahama Woodstar and Black-crowned Palm-Tanager). Please download and print in the paper size you normally use: US Letter or A4 Size. It’s best to use card stock, but regular printer paper will do just fine. Once printed, fold the sheet in half (so the short sides touch) then cut along the fold. Now, you will have two cards to fold and color. Don’t forget to write a special message on the inside!

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo

How do birds get their names? Take the case of Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoos. They are definitely Jamaican, for they are found nowhere else in the world. They in no way resemble lizards but they do dine on lizards, and it is this that gives them their middle name. Their last name is “Cuckoo”, which some people find surprising because unlike the European Cuckoo, and like most other New World Cuckoos, they build their own nests—rough platforms of sticks high in the forest canopy.

 Many millions of years ago, the New World Cuckoo ancestors of the Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo flew across the ocean from the mainland to the Caribbean. There they found islands with an abundance of lizards. Mammalian predators were absent—so birds like the lizard cuckoos evolved to take their place. Today, Jamaica, Cuba, Bahamas, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico all have their own endemic species of lizard-cuckoos.

 This spectacular group of birds specializes in eating lizards in the forest canopy. They also eat small birds, eggs and insects. They all have long straight bills; large dark eyes surrounded by brilliant red orbital skin; pale throats; rufous patch on the primary wing feathers, and pale reddish-brown underparts; but their most distinctive features are their long dark tails with large, paired, white spots along the edges. They use them for balance and fan them wide in mating displays. 

The behaviour of Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoos is unmistakable – look for them running up branches in the canopy, like very large rats or squirrels, or gliding silently between trees with wings and tails spread out. They can be hard to see in their leafy forest habitats but their calls are loud and distinctive—like the rapid sound of a machine gun being fired. They are generally solitary. They may come out to feed before or after rain; thus they are sometimes called Rain Birds.

 Few Jamaicans think of these birds as Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoos, rather as Old Woman Birds. Country people say that they sound like old women nagging. The (probably male) scientists who named them seem to have agreed—because they gave them the scientific name Coccyzus vetula. Coccyzus is Latin for cuckoo, and vetula means old woman! Birds get their names in many ways—and some of them are not politically correct.

Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo

The Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo’s call is a trailing, low, rapid cak-cak-cak-ka-ka-ka-k-k.

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS & ADULTS: 

Complete our Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo Crossword Puzzle! How many words do you know? Be sure to read about the Jamaican Lizard-Cuckoo, our Endemic Bird of the Day, for clues to the puzzle. If you need help, also check out our Glossary for some definitions that will help you complete this puzzle. And here is a the Answer Key to the puzzle.

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Black-crowned Palm-Tanager

Meet the Black-crowned Palm-Tanager, or locally known as Cuatro Ojos (“four-eyes”). This striking bird is a medium-sized passerine endemic to the island of Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic) and some satellite islands. Commonly found throughout the island, these birds are easily identified by their olive back contrasting with a gray nape and  underparts, and a black head bearing a unique pattern of four white spots, hence its Spanish name Cuatro Ojos. Interestingly, while these birds are called tanagers, they are not in the same family as many of the other tropical tanagers, Thraupidae. They actually reside in their own family (Phaenicophilidae), along with several other of Hispaniola’s unique endemics. 

The species is common in nearly all habitats, from urban to remote, from wet forest to dry forest, and both low and high elevation. They feed opportunistically on many different foods, including insects, small vertebrates such as lizards, many species of wild fruits, and occasionally nectar. Though they have several vocalizations, the presence of a Black-crowned Palm-Tanager is often announced by a cascading series of soft whistle calls as they move between perches in flight or by an almost cat-like alarm call used when agitated or detecting a predator. Where you find one, you can be almost certain that there is another close by. Mated pairs stay together year-round, and often forage together. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Black-crowned Palm-Tanager!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Black-crowned Palm-Tanager

The Black-crowned Tanager’s vocalizations include a high thin tseeoo and ts as well as a nasal byu. You can also hear the loud call of a Black-whiskered Vireo towards the end of the recording.

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS & ADULTS:  Check out this short video of a Black-crowned Tanager in the wild in the Dominican Republic, such a distinctive and beautiful bird! This video was taken as the Indigenous Eyes Ecological Reserve, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; the second bird shown is a Red-legged Thrush.

FOR ADULTS:Learn more about the Black-crowned Palm Tanager and other endemic birds in the Dominican Republic! Check out these articles on Spencer Schubert’s adventures into the remote corners of the Dominican Republic, all in the name of science and conservation. He is studying how important these birds are in the forest ecosystem as seed dispersers.

Birdy Hear, Birdy Do: Does Playback Attract Seed Dispersers to Restoration Sites?

Forest Restoration in the Dominican Republic: How I Got the Birds to Work for Me

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Barbuda Warbler

A little bird with a big attitude, meet the Barbuda Warbler, known to Barbudans as the Christmas Bird! This gregarious bird, packed with energy and curiosity, is the sole endemic bird of Antigua & Barbuda. The Barbuda Warbler, though near-threatened, outnumbers the entire human population of Barbuda 5:1! This warbler measures between 12 and 13.5cm and weighs about 7 grams. It is characterized by bluish-gray upperparts and yellow throat and breast. It also bears a distinct yellow eyebrow stripe and a yellow crescent just below the eye. Females are slightly duller in appearance than males. 

The Barbuda Warbler has a restricted range on Barbuda, preferring dry shrubland near wetlands. Besides its physical attractiveness, another nice thing about this endemic bird is that it is extremely easy to find when visiting the island. Barbuda Warblers are often found in the company of the Yellow Warbler although it appears that they have a competitive rather than friendly relationship with them. 

Barbuda Warbler populations have suffered from loss of habitat. Though Barbuda remains largely undeveloped, in recent years the government has pushed for large scale development projects to boost the country’s economy. In 2017, the Barbuda Warbler population suffered a significant decline following the passage of catastrophic super Hurricane Irma. A surprising number of these tiny warblers survived, however, and have thankfully made a recovery since then. The sounds of the warbler’s sweet, melodic trill can again be heard when one wanders the paths through tropical dry shrubland on Barbuda.
Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Barbuda Warbler!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Barbuda Warbler

The Barbuda Warbler’s call is a loud trill varying in pitch and speed as well as a mid-strength chick.

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Endemic birds face many threats and dangers in their daily life—from habitat loss to storms to non-native predators like cats, rats and mongoose, it’s a challenge for birds to stay alive every day!  Read about some of the threats that our birds face and how you can help birds. Then do our maze—Hazards Birds Face—help the bird get past the hazards back home to its nest!

FOR ADULTS: Learn The Truth About the Chickcharney in this fun webinar by Scott Johnson, Science Officer with the Bahamas National Trust.

The Caribbean is home to many different cultures, with intriguing folklore about creatures and spirits such as Bre Bouki and Bre Rabbi, the Lougaroo, Lajabless, Lusca, and many others. However, one creature called the Chickcharney is said to still inhabit the pine forests of Andros in The Bahamas. This bird-like creature with the face of a man is said to bring good and bad fortune to anyone who treats it with respect or disrespects it. What is most interesting about this creature… is that it may be based on a real animal!

Join Scott Johnson of the Bahamas National Trust and BirdsCaribbean as they explore the amazing story of the Chickcharney and the bird that is believed to be the basis of the myth. This webinar helped us launch our celebration of the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival 2020, virtual edition, called “From the Nest.” For one month starting on April 22nd, we are celebrating every day with an Endemic Bird of the Day, coloring pages, puzzles, webinars, activities, and much more. All activities are available on our website: https://bit.ly/CEBFFromthenest

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Montserrat Oriole

The Montserrat Oriole is endemic to the island of Montserrat, where it is the national bird. The male of this species is a striking combination of black and yellow: a rich black head, chest and back contrasts with deep yellowish-orange underparts and rump. The female is mostly olive-green above and yellowish-green below. Both have the characteristic sharp beak of the blackbird family, Icteridae; its color is silver-black.  

While the Montserrat Oriole has always had a small range, things took a dramatic turn for this bird – and the entire island – due to volcanic activity in the mid-1990s. Eruptions of the Soufriere Hills volcano destroyed the southern half of this beautiful island. Lava flows and  ash fall drastically reduced the amount of suitable forest habitat for the oriole by two thirds. The population of the oriole rapidly declined to less than 500 birds and the species was listed as Critically Endangered. After many years of conservation work, the birds have rebounded somewhat and the population is currently stable. As a result, it has been reclassified to Vulnerable. It’s survival is still threatened due to its small population size and extremely small range. 

The oriole inhabits just two wet forested areas on the island: the Centre Hills and the South Soufriere Hills. It breeds mostly between late March and September, during the rainfall season. The nest, built entirely by the female, is a hanging basket structure sewn onto the underside of leaves. While we are thankful for the oriole’s recovery, its history shines an important light on how fragile island ecosystems truly are and the need for habitat conservation and management.  Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Montserrat Oriole!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Montserrat Oriole

The Montserrat Oriole’s call consists of loud whistles and a scolding, harsh chuur.

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS:  Test your knowledge of where Caribbean endemic birds live with our Colouring Map Matching Activity! Draw lines from the colouring book drawings to match each Caribbean endemic songbird with its home island. And here is the Answer Key – don’t look until you have completed the activity!!! More information about our Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book is here. We are sharing a new colouring page from the book each day of our Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival 2020, From the Nest, Virtual Edition.

FOR ADULTS: Learn more about the efforts to save the Montserrat Oriole from extinction at this link.

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Blue-headed Quail-Dove

The Blue-headed Quail-Dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala) is the largest and most eye-catching of Cuba’s terrestrial doves. It has a cobalt blue crown, black eye line, white facial stripe, and black medallion on the throat and breast bordered by white. The sides of the throat have iridescent blue lines. The body is a cinnamon-brown color that blends in with dead leaves. This shy bird lives in dense forests where it walks constantly on the ground, often in pairs or small groups, searching for seeds, insects, snails, grubs, berries, and other fruits in the leaf litter.

Blue-headed Quail-Doves are endemic to Cuba. They were formerly common and widespread throughout Cuba but today are rare and classified as Endangered. They are now found in only a few forested areas, including Guanahacabibes Peninsula, Zapata Swamp, and in the Pinar del Río Province. The major threats to this species are hunting and habitat destruction. Although protected, the species is still illegally trapped for its good-tasting meat. Blue-headed Quail-Doves nest on the ground or in cavities and low bushes between the months of March and June, and lay two white eggs. Their flight is clumsy, and they produce a characteristic loud noise when they are frightened, very similar to that of the European Partridge (Perdix perdix). This is probably why Spanish colonizers gave it its local name, Perdiz, which is Spanish for Partridge.

The Blue-headed Quail-Dove’s call, a series of two similar notes, whoooo-up, whoooo-up, seems like a whisper in the forest. It should remind us that the forest is the quail-dove’s only habitat and we must protect it to continue enjoying these beautiful birds—considered a jewel of the Cuban avifuana. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Blue-headed Quail-Dove!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Blue-headed Quail-Dove

The Blue-headed Quail-Dove’s call is a series of  two similar notes, whoooo-up, whoooo-up, with the last syllable rising in tone and then stopping short. During the breeding season, male may call from a low perch for long periods at virtually any time of day. You can also hear the chattering call of the Cuban Tody in this recording.

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS & ADULTS:  Enjoy this short video of a male Blue-headed Quail-Dove courting a female by following her and head-bobbing. Breeding pairs are socially monogamous and defend territories during the breeding season. The nest is built of loosely placed twigs lined with freshly fallen leaves, placed either on the ground or low to it in a stump cavity, the fork of a branch among the roots of trees, and sometimes among tangled vines.

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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 Yellowthroat

The Bahama Yellowthroat is one of five endemic bird species found in The Bahamas. It was first discovered by Dr. Henry Bryant during an expedition to The Bahamas in 1865-1866. It is a relatively large warbler species in the Family Parulidae, about 5.5in (14cm) long. There are three subspecies and they can be found on the islands of Grand Bahama, Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera and Cat Island. There was a population on New Providence, but it is believed to be extirpated.

The Bahama Yellowthroat male has a striking black face mask that makes it look like a bandit. Its back, nape, and tail are olive green, contrasting with a bright yellow throat and belly. The bright yellow coloration may serve as an “honest” signal to potential mates, indicating a healthy mate. The female is duller colored with no face mask. Its song is a loud whichity-whichity-whichity similar to a Common Yellowthroat, but louder and richer. It also has a sharp chip note.They feed on arthropods and nest in low, scrubby vegetation.

The Bahama Yellowthroat is an attractive endemic Bahamian species but it is more often heard than seen due to its skulking behaviour. It can be distinguished from Common Yellowthroats, which are common and widespread winter visitors, by its greater size, longer and heavier bill, and more uniformly yellow underparts. They also live in different habitats—the Bahama Yellowthroat prefers wooded areas while the Common Yellowthroat lives in wetlands. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Bahama Yellowthroat!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Bahama Yellowthroat

The Bahama Yellowthroat’s song is remarkably similar to the Common Yellowthroat, calling loudly and clearly witchity-whitchity-witchity.

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Hone your observation skills and go on a Nature Scavenger Hunt! Print the cards on sturdy paper and use a clipboard or piece of cardboard as a writing surface outside. Younger children can do side 1 of the card, older children side 2. English, Spanish and French versions are available for free download here!

All living things have a habitat—a place that provides the food, water, cover, and space that they need to survive. Cover includes nesting areas, places to sleep or rest, places to hide or escape, and shelter. Space means a big enough area to hunt and feed, find nesting areas, and for some bird species, to migrate safely. If a place does not provide the right food, water, space, and cover in a suitable amount, a plant or animal cannot live there.

Talk about this with your kids and then go outside to investigate your habitat using the Habitat Scavenger Hunt cards. Instead of collecting the items on the list, this is an observation scavenger hunt. Have your child or children check off the items (with a pencil or pen), as they are located. When everyone has had a chance to look for the items listed, come back together to chat about where they were located. Were any difficult or impossible to find? Why do you think that was? For example, it might be impossible to find animal tracks when it is very dry, or certain animals depending on the time of year.

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Puerto Rican Woodpecker

The Puerto Rican Woodpecker (Carpintero de Puerto Rico in Spanish) is one of the eight endemic bird species of the family Picidae in the Caribbean region, and one of the 17 endemic species of Puerto Rico. It is abundant and widely distributed in forest reserves throughout the island, but can also be found in woodlots, gardens, and parks in urban areas. The bright red throat and breast, contrasting with solid black upperparts and a white forehead, make this bird easy to identify. It is possible to tell the sexes apart because females have less red on their underparts than males.

The Puerto Rican Woodpecker is frequently found in pairs or groups of five or more birds, which are easily heard from a distance. Its common call is a series of wek-wek-wek or wicka-wicka-wicka notes, that get louder and faster.

Woodpeckers have a powerful bill that they use to probe insects (larvae and adults) from under the bark of trees, and to carve nest cavities in dead trunks or utility poles. Unlike many woodpeckers this is an omnivorous species, eating a wide variety of animals including insects, worms, spiders, and frogs. Fruits are eaten and fed to the young.

Old woodpecker nests can later be used by other nesting birds like Puerto Rican Flycatchers or Pearly-eyed Thrashers. For its beauty, gregarious habits, and wood-working skills this endemic species has been proposed as a national bird for Puerto Rico. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Puerto Rican Woodpecker!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Puerto Rican Woodpecker

While the Puerto Rican Woodpecker has a variety of calls, it most commonly says a fast and loud wek, wek, wek-wek-wek-wek-wek.

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: How many birds of Puerto Rico do you know? Download a free copy of a beautiful poster, Aves Endémicas de Puerto Rico (Endemic Birds of Puerto Rico).  Then do a Word Search and find all the species! The names are in Spanish so if you are not a Spanish-speaker, this is a good opportunity to practice! Here is the Answer Key  in case you need help.

FOR ADULTS:  Learn all about the endemic birds of Puerto Rico through a presentation by Adrianne Tossas, Ph.D. a Professor at the University of Puerto Rico, Aguadilla, and Board member of BirdsCaribbean. You can view the presentation here for now in Spanish. We will be adding closed caption/ subtitles in English and posting to our YouTube channel as well. Thank you to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment in Puerto Rico for sharing this poster and co-hosting the webinar!

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo

The Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo is true to its common name: it is found nowhere else in the world but the island of Hispaniola, its diet includes lizards (as well as many different insects), and it belongs to the Cuculidae family. On the Dominican side of the island, this cuckoo is known as Pájaro Bobo (“Silly Bird”), while on the Haitian side it goes by the name, Tako. 

Cuckoos are always a delight to see while birdwatching because they are both fun to watch and listen to. They are a little like squirrels—despite their size (~100g and 45cm in length) they are able to swiftly hop, run, creep, and crawl through dense highways of understory branches—sometimes without making a sound. But when they do decide to make themselves known, their long and drawn-out rattling call will get your attention right away. You may not think at first that the rattling sound belongs to a bird, but rather an insect or frog! 

Any birdwatcher will tell you that cuckoos are all about the tail—it’s downright impressive. Not only does it double the length of the bird, the pattern of white spots checkered over a black base is mesmerizing. The Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo’s striking tail pattern is complemented by a rufous belly and throat, offset by a smooth grey chest. Add in the long, dual-colored, hooked bill, and you’ve got yourself a very sleek looking bird. 

Look for this cuckoo almost anywhere in Hispaniola, from the high mountain broadleaf forests down to suburban gardens. Once you catch sight of one, you’ll certainly want to get closer. While doing so you might be rewarded by this species’ inquisitive behavior, as it hops into a better position to look right back at you. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo

The call of the Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo is a throaty descending ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-kau-kau-ko-ko.

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Do a word search about today’s Endemic Bird of the Day: the Hispaniolan Lizard-Cuckoo.  Can you find all 14 hidden words? Here is the Answer Key if you need help!

FOR ADULTS: There’s no question that birds have a special place in the hearts of Caribbean people. The intimate cultural connection between people and birds is reflected in the local names for birds that vary from island to island. They are celebrated in art and literature from the region as well, receiving praise from Bob Marley for “singin’ sweet songs,” and representing the Caribbean spirit in the poems of Derek Walcott.

The true importance of Caribbean birds, however, goes far beyond their beauty and power to inspire. Read about the top Ten Reasons Why Caribbean Birds Matter—The Benefits of Birds to Humans and Nature. Feel free to share with your family, friends and networks!

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Red-billed Streamertail

For a long time there has been much controversy about the taxonomy of Jamaica’s two endemic Streamertail hummingbirds, the Red-billed and the Black-billed; in other words, how closely related were they, and were they one species or two? These two similar hummingbirds were at first considered separate species, but were later lumped into one species: the Streamertail. More recent scientific evidence, however, has suggested that they are indeed two separate species after all—leading them to be split again! Thus, Jamaica hosts two species of this stunningly beautiful bird—the Red-billed Streamertail has a much wider range, covering most of the island, while  the Black-Billed Streamertail is restricted to just a small area in the east. 

Males of both species have two long, thin, fluted tail feathers that flow out behind them when they fly. Their bodies are iridescent, their emerald green breasts contrasting with their black heads with two little tufts at the back of their necks and dark wing feathers. The males of the two species differ, however, in the colours of their bills, their body size, and mating behaviour.  The two species interbreed to some extent in the John Crow Mountains where their ranges overlap, providing a rare example of ‘within island speciation,’ where one species divides into two on a small island ecosystem. 

Confusingly, the females of both species look very similar to each other but completely different from the males. Females have dark bills, white bellies, greenish backs—and no streamers. 

Some people say that the males look like old-fashioned doctors, in their top hats and tailcoats, paying house calls to the flowers to give them injections with their long sharp bills. Perhaps this is why the local name is Doctor Bird. Or maybe it is because the original inhabitants of Jamaica, the Tainos, believed the birds had spiritual or healing powers. The world may never know how these birds got their name!  Regardless, everyone agrees that they are vitally important, both ecologically and economically. This is because of the role they play in fertilizing flowers and fruits in the forests, gardens and orchards, from sea level to the mountain tops, as they fly from flower to flower, feeding on nectar and small insects. That is why they are Jamaica’s national bird.  Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Red-billed Streamertail!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Red-billed Streamertail

The call of the Red-billed Streamertail is sharp, high-pitched, metallic tseet, tseet, tseet, tseet. The wings of the male also produce a low-pitched whrrrrrr sound in flight.

Puzzle of the Day

Click on the image below to do the puzzle.  You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8,  or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Try your hand at writing some bird-themed poetry! Haiku is a form of poetry written in only three lines, each with their own set number of syllables. Windsparks is another form of poetry with 5 lines. Chose your favorite endemic bird, create a Haiku or Windsparks poem, and then post it to us on social media (Facebook or twitter) by tagging us @BirdsCaribbean and/or use hashtag #CEBFFromtheNest. Or, send your poem to us via email (info@BirdsCaribbean.org). We’d love to see what everyone comes up with!

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Imperial Parrot

The Imperial Parrot is only found on the island of Dominica, where it is the national bird. It is the largest of the 32 species of Amazon parrots in the world. Locally, it’s called the Sisserou.

This stunning bird is Critically Endangered—it was estimated at 300-400 birds in 2017, having recovered from a low of 50-100 birds following Hurricane David in 1979. Category 5 Hurricane Maria smashed Dominica and badly damaged the bird’s forest habitat in September 2017. Once again parrot numbers were reduced, perhaps to a similar low as in 1979.  The birds that remain persist in wet, high-mountain forests where they feed on fruits, seeds, and shoots. As the habitat recovers, we hope that the parrot population is again making a steady recovery. Major threats to this species include illegal poaching for the international caged-bird trade (more info here and here) and habitat loss from hurricanes and development (e.g, conversion to agriculture).

Male and female Imperial Parrots look the same. The head and underparts of this bird are dark and beautiful: the chest is an iridescent deep purple, the head is a shimmering mix of dark blues and greens, while the cheeks and forehead are purple/brown. These features are in stark contrast with the bird’s vivid green wings and back. The Imperial Parrot nests in tree cavities of old-growth rainforest trees and the female typically lays just one egg, every other year. It is critical to protect mountain forests so this bird has all the resources it needs for nesting and foraging.

BirdsCaribbean and Rare Species Conservatory Foundation are helping to fund conservation work by the Forestry Department in Dominica to survey the population after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017, and restore the habitat of this rare and magnificent parrot. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Imperial Parrot!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Imperial Parrot

The call of the Imperial Parrot is a trumpeting and metallic-sounding eeee-er that descends in pitch at the end. When it’s perched, it squawks, shrieks, and even whistles in a bubbly trill.

Puzzle of the Day

Click on the images below to do the puzzles.  You can make the puzzles 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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Complete our All about the Sisserou Crossword Puzzle! How many words do you know? Be sure to read about the Sisserou, our Endemic Bird of the Day, for clues to the puzzle. If you need help, also check out our Glossary for some definitions that will help you complete this puzzle. And here is a the Answer Key to the puzzle. (thanks to Stephen Durand, Dominica Forestry Dept. for help creating this puzzle!)

FOR ADULTS: Learn more about the Imperial Parrot—including threats to its survival and recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria in 2017 in these articles:

Dominica Parrot Controversy after Hurricane Maria

After the Storms—How BirdsCaribbean helped the region’s birds after last year’s hurricanes (article in ZiNG, LIAT Airlines in-flight magazine)

ZiNG Caribbean Birds-Sept-Oct 2018-Issue 45-Hurricane Assistance

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Western Spindalis

The Western Spindalis is a colorful songbird that lives year-round in The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cuba, the Cayman Islands, and Mexico. Males have a bold black and white striped head, burnt orange neck, breast and rump, a black or olive back, and black and white wings. Females are much less colourful—grayish olive above and whitish below. Both sexes have short, thick bills. Plumage color varies throughout its range (there are 5 subspecies).

The Western Spindalis feeds mainly on fruits and berries, but it will also eat other plant parts as well as snails. It can live in many different habitats where it is often found in the tree canopy. This species was formerly called the Stripe-headed Tanager with eight recognized subspecies that included birds in Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and Jamaica. Based on differences in coloration, vocal behavior, nesting, and size, ornithologists split the species into four Spindalis species in 2000. In addition to the Western Spindalis, we now have the Hispaniolan Spindalis, Puerto Rican Spindalis, and Jamaica Spindalis. They are all strikingly beautiful! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Western Spindalis!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Western Spindalis

The call of the Western Spindalis is a variable thin and high-pitched trill.

Puzzle of the Day

Click on the image below to do the puzzle.  You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8,  or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Test your Caribbean geography skills: Can you name all of the islands and island groups in the Caribbean? Here’s your chance to try! Fill out each of the names on the Caribbean Map from the Endemic Colouring Book and, if you can’t remember a few, use our Map Activity Key to refresh your memory and learn some new islands. You can colour in the drawings on these pages too!

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Cuban Tody

The Cuban Tody (called Cartacuba or Pedorrera in Cuba) belongs to an endemic family from the Caribbean, the Todidae Family. The five species of this family are confined to the Greater Antilles—one species each in Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico, and two species in Hispaniola. They are among the most remarkable and beautiful birds of these islands. The Cuban Tody (Todus multicolor) is the most colorful of all, and the only one with blue feathers on the sides of the neck. It is a small chubby bird with vivid green upperparts, red throat, mostly white underparts, and pink flanks. The bill is long and flat, red below and dark brown above.

Todies mainly eat insects. They feed by sitting on exposed perches from which they dart out to capture their prey, similar to flycatchers. During flight, a curious whirring rattle may be heard, a sound made with their wings. They are common in forests, woodlands and borders of rivers and streams in the Cuban mainland, Isle of Youth, and several north cays. Their small size and green coloration makes it difficult to see them when perched in vegetation. But they call frequently with a strong repeating chatter, and this makes it easier to find them. Todies have a voracious appetite and can eat almost  40% of their own weight in insects each day! In spring, they build a nest in a tunnel-like hole in banks on the sides of roads, mounds of earth, or natural cavities. The rate at which they feed their chicks is the highest of any recorded insectivorous bird. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Cuban Tody!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photo below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Cuban Tody

The call of the Cuban Tody is a strong, fast and sustained tot-tot-tot-tot tottottottottot tot-tot-tot-tot tottottottottot tot tot ppreeee. 

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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Do you know what the different parts of a bird are called? Knowing them can help you to learn how to describe and identify birds, as well as colour them in. Learn the names for the parts of a bird by checking out the diagram in this page. Then test your knowledge by filling in the parts on this sheet.. You can colour in the drawings on these pages too!

FOR ADULTS: Take a virtual trip to Cuba and enjoy some of the birds, scenery and culture of this marvelous country with this short video on the Birds and Natural Life of Cuba. Thanks to Suzanne Abruzzo, participant in our January 2019 Cuba Bird Tour, for creating and sharing this wonderful video!

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Bananaquit

Sugar Bird, Banana Bird, See-see Bird, Beeny Bird—these are all affectionate nicknames for our beloved Bananaquit. The Bananaquit is a small, friendly songbird found throughout the Caribbean (except mainland Cuba), and parts of Central and South America.

They are distinctive birds with down-curved bills, black upperparts, bright yellow belly, and a conspicuous white eyebrow. Their plumage color varies greatly across the Caribbean, however, with more than 41 recognized subspecies! Features such as the color of the throat (white, gray, or black), length of the bill, and amount of yellow on the belly vary. On Saint Vincent and Grenada, Bananaquits can even be entirely black!

Bananaquits are gregarious and are often found noisily foraging in large groups. Although they occur  in nearly all habitats, they are especially common in gardens, parks, and other suburban areas where flowers are abundant. They are energetic birds, flitting from flower to flower in their search for nectar, their  main diet. They also eat insects and insect larvae.

The Bananaquit’s nickname, Sugar Bird, comes from its fondness for bowls stocked with sugar, a common method of attracting these birds. Bananaquits can hang upside down to reach the nectar from flowers. And they sometimes  “steal” nectar, piercing  flowers from the side, to take the nectar without pollinating the plant. Despite this sneaky behavior, we all love this  friendly songster; note that it is the logo bird for BirdsCaribbean! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Bananaquit!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or 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 Bananaquit

The bananaquit’s song is a rapid series of high-pitched, shrill, unmelodious squeaks which is heard most noisily while foraging in groups.

Puzzle of the Day

Click on the images below to do the puzzles.  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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Many birds can be recognized by their size, the way they stand or fly, or the shape of their body. Depending on the light, sometimes all you can see is the outlined shape of a bird – this is called a silhouette.  Try our bird identification quiz! Try to notice any clues about these silhouettes that may help you figure out what type of bird they are, simply based on their shape! FOR ADULTS: Why are there so many different subspecies of Bananaquits throughout the Caribbean? And how did they become “superstars”? Learn more about this fascinating bird in this fun article published in ZiNG magazine, LIAT Airline’s in-flight magazine. (Birdscaribbean contributes articles on birds and nature to each issue).  Download the PDF.

Click on the image to download the pdf. 

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us in our virtual “From the Nest” edition!  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: Antillean Crested Hummingbird

The Antillean Crested Hummingbird is a small iridescent green hummingbird with a short, straight bill. It is easy to identify as it is one of the few hummingbirds with a tall spiky mohawk, that is, crest. The male is brightly colored while the female is more plain and lacks a crest. This hummingbird is a year-round resident throughout the Lesser Antilles (as well as the Virgin Islands and parts of Puerto Rico).

The Antillean Crested Hummingbird can be spotted in open vegetation like parks, plantations, and the borders of forests. It’s a wonderful visitor to backyard gardens. It spends its day visiting flowers to drink nectar. It also eats small insects and spiders. It breeds year-round but mainly from January to August. The nest is a tiny cup of cotton or fine fibers with lichens coating the outside and firmly bound together with spider webs (see photo below). Hummingbirds have to eat all day because it takes a lot of energy to keep their wings flapping so fast (up to 80 beats per second!).  Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Antillean Crested Hummingbird!

Download the page from Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book. Use the drawing above or photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest

Listen to the call of the Antillean Crested Hummingbird

Puzzle of the Day

Click on the images below to do the puzzles.  You can make the puzzles 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!

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Do a birdy word search from our Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book! The definitions of these words can be found in our Glossary.

FOR ADULTS: On this Earth Day, 50th Anniversary celebration, learn about key native plants that are beneficial to native and migratory birds with our eBook: Heritage Plants: Native Trees and Plants for Birds and People in the Caribbean. The plants highlighted in this book are perfect for backyard gardens, neighborhood landscaping, and other habitat restoration projects big and small.  Browse the book, get inspired, and find new plants to grow in your backyard! Check with your local Forestry Department as they may have some of these plants available at no cost. Available in both English and Spanish!

Download the book for free. (PDF, 24 pages, English)
Partrimonio Vegetal, descarga gratis en español. (PDF, 24 páginas, Español)