The Journal of Caribbean Ornithology (JCO) is excited to announce the release of a Special Issue on the Status of Caribbean Forest Endemics (Volume 30, Issue 1). Inside you’ll find a total of 10 publications, 9 of which focus on different forest endemic birds from central Cuba down to Grenada. The tenth publication provides statistical evidence of the JCO’s invaluable role as a multi-lingual, regional scientific journal that outshines other ornithological journals through its distinct subject strengths, especially in terms of papers published on the distribution and abundance of forest endemic species.
Map showing locations of research on various Caribbean forest endemic birds featured in the Special Issue of JCO.
In this Special Issue, we highlight those strengths with a collection of publications specific to forest endemic birds, many of which have become icons and flagship species for their specific island communities. In some cases, there is good news to report, whether it be population growth or range expansion, while in other cases, there are greater causes for concern and subsequent action on our part. The extirpation of the Golden Swallow from Jamaica, for example, is a stark reminder of the vulnerability of some of our forest endemics, and a prime example of the complexities of the problems that island birds face.
As stewards of island bird communities, we know that we must often be two steps ahead when it comes to making informed decisions with local conservation management practices. Islands are filled with diverse fauna and flora that interact in ways that can’t be seen anywhere on the mainland, but simultaneously their populations can often suffer the most from even the smallest disturbances. Our resilience must make up for those species that have such little of it. And here at the JCO we firmly believe that making the most current and impactful research available to our Caribbean community is one of the many critical steps towards doing exactly that.
The following are brief synopses of each publication you’ll find in our Special Issue, which we hope will quickly spark your interest in reading through each in more detail.
Our Special Issue starts off in the forests of Montserrat, a habitat heavily impacted by volcanic activity over the last twenty years. In Bambini et al.’s Current population status of four endemic Caribbean forest birds in Montserrat, current populations of four endemic forest birds are surveyed for, including the Bridled Quail-Dove (Geotrygon mystacea), Forest Thrush (Turdus lherminieri), Brown Trembler (Cinclocerthia ruficauda), and Montserrat Oriole (Icterus oberi).
To the east, on the island of Puerto Rico, Anadón-Irizarry et al. provide us an invaluable update on the Status and recommendations for the recovery of the Elfin-woods Warbler (Setophaga angelae) in Puerto Rico. In light of devastating impacts to forest habitats by recent hurricanes, this work will be pivotal in helping post-hurricane conservation efforts understand the species’ vulnerability and most pressing needs.
Lastly, we set sail back up towards the Greater Antilles, finding our way to the beautiful island of Jamaica, and in particular its Cockpit Country – a region known for its seemingly impenetrable (yet still vulnerable) geography of karst-limestone hills. Herlitz Davis’ publication on Forest disturbance has negative consequences for the persistence of Jamaica’s threatened and endangered bird species in Cockpit Country brings forth evidence of an association between forest disturbance and bird distribution patterns in a globally important area for bird species that is under pressure from all sides by various types of habitat disturbance.
Pulling back to an island-wide view, Proctor et al.’s time censusing the remote corners of Jamaica for aerial insectivores completes an ongoing effort to determine whether any Jamaican Golden Swallows persist on the island in light of there having been no individuals reported since the 1980’s. The Last search for the Jamaican Golden Swallow (Tachycineta e. euchrysea) confirms the local extinction and highlights the importance of using new knowledge to strengthen conservation plans for the subspecies that persists on the island of Hispaniola to the northeast.
Great Goat Island (foreground) and Little Goat Island.
BirdsCaribbean, the region’s largest conservation organization, warmly welcomes news that the Government of Jamaica is planning to establish a Wildlife Sanctuary at Goat Islands, in the Portland Bight Protected Area (PBPA).
“This is a great Christmas gift to Jamaican and international campaigners, who have advocated in recent years to have Goat Islands protected,” said Lisa Sorenson, Executive Director of BirdsCaribbean. “We wish to congratulate Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ administration for this bold and forward-thinking move.”
Sorenson pointed out that the PBPA was designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) and Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) by BirdLife International. “These are nature’s biodiversity hotspots,” noted Sorenson. “Goat Islands include important and threatened habitats for birds and other species, especially its pristine mangrove systems and dry limestone forest.”
BirdsCaribbean also warmly commended the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), under the leadership of Diana McCaulay, for its determined advocacy, as well as the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation (C-CAM), supporters and advocates from all walks of life. “Diana McCaulay is a staunch defender of Jamaica’s environment,” said Sorenson. “We wish her all the best in her retirement and look forward to working with JET’s incoming CEO Suzanne Stanley, and with all our Jamaican partners in 2018.”
West Indian Whistling Ducks are a threatened regional endemic, resident in the PBPA. They have been declining in Jamaica due to loss of wetland habitat.
The PBPA, including Goat Islands, is home to 17 endemic birds (found only in Jamaica) and many resident birds, such as the West Indian Whistling Duck – one of the most threatened waterfowl in the Western Hemisphere Endemic species include: Jamaican Lizard Cuckoo, Jamaican Oriole, Jamaican Owl, Jamaican Tody, Sad Flycatcher, Jamaican Spindalis and Jamaican Mango. The area is a critical refuge for numerous neotropical migrants, including ducks, warblers, waterbirds, shorebirds and seabirds, that spend the winter or stop off in the area.
“The Caribbean islands are fragile, and increasingly vulnerable to climate change impacts, as well as human activities such as tourism and housing developments. This has been a very difficult year for Caribbean birds on numerous islands, after two devastating hurricanes. We are delighted by this positive news as the year draws to a close,” said Sorenson.
Thanks to all of our members and partners that have supported us in this campaign through writing letters, signing petitions, spreading the word with your networks, and more. Your efforts have paid off and we thank you! – Lisa Sorenson
Read about the decision to save Goat Islands from development in 2016:
Normally lush and green, Trafalger Falls in Dominica, the nature isle, suffered serious damage to natural areas from Hurricane Maria (photo by Mark Lopez)
The islands of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico and the surrounding marine areas provide essential habitats for many migratory and resident birds, including endemics that occur nowhere else in the world. In September 2017, many islands in the eastern and central Caribbean were ravaged by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The impacts on human livelihoods, infrastructure, homes and businesses are being addressed to some extent by governments and the traditional relief agencies. The impacts on natural habitats, species, conservationists and conservation projects are harder to assess and quantify, but no less dire. Thanks to many generous donors to our Hurricane Relief Fund, BirdsCaribbean has established a fund to aid the recovery of birds and bird habitats by supporting conservationists and recovery projects on hurricane-affected islands.
OVERALL OBJECTIVES FOR HURRICANE RELIEF FUND
To provide resources to advance the recovery and ongoing conservation of birds and their habitats on islands affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
To assist conservationists working on these islands regain capacity lost in the hurricane and necessary to undertake recovery and conservation projects.
WHO MAY APPLY TO THE FUND
Grants from the fund are available to BirdsCaribbean members and partners or individuals/groups undertaking work on the islands seriously damaged by Irma and Maria: Dominica, Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Eustatius, St. Barts, St. Kitts, Saba, St Martin/Sint Maarten, British and US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Cuba. Applicants may be non-government organizations, government agencies, or private individuals, based on or off the islands in question.
PRIORITIES FOR THE FUND
Projects must contribute to the conservation of any Caribbean birds and their habitats affected by hurricanes. Preferred projects are those that will benefit threatened endemic species (island or regional), and local or regionally significant populations or species of conservation concern (migrants and/or residents). Activities that help in the recovery of Important Bird Areas, Key Biodiversity Areas, Ramsar sites, mangroves, or Protected Areas are also preferred.
Blue-headed Hummingbird, endemic to Dominica and Martinique. Very few individuals have been seen since Hurricane Maria devastated the island of Dominica. (photo by Paul Reillo)
Other criteria that BirdsCaribbean will consider include:
Does the project address an immediate, short-term conservation issue that was caused or exacerbated by the hurricanes?
Are objectives and activities associated with the expenditure clearly linked?
Is the request realistic and reasonable? Has there been an effort to leverage these funds to raise funds from other sources?
Does the applicant have sufficient experience and organizational skills needed to complete the activities outlined in the request?
Does the request show evidence of thoughtful planning and details?
SIZE AND LENGTH OF GRANTS
The BirdsCaribbean Hurricane Relief Fund is positioned to support small grants – up to US$5,000. Expenditures should be immediate (as soon as funding has been received) and ideally completed within 6-12 months. Larger grants of up to $10,000 may be considered but will require a more detailed application. Matching funds are not required but contributions should be documented where possible.
DATES FOR SUBMISSION OF REQUESTS
Requests may be made of the fund at any time. Requests will be reviewed and granted on a rolling basis (that is, first come, first served) until funds are exhausted.
REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Recipient will acknowledge receipt of funds and confirm their expenditure. Project recipients will be expected to document their activities with photographs and post updates on Facebook if they have access to the internet. A short blog article describing your activities for BirdsCaribbean’s monthly Newsletter is also requested.
PROJECT ADVISORY TEAM
If you have questions about eligible activities or requests for assistance (e.g., advice on how best to carry out surveys and monitoring), please contact BirdsCaribbean Executive Director, Lisa Sorenson (Lisa.Sorenson@BirdsCaribbean.org)
TYPES OF ACTIVITIES THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING*
Funding must be used for short-term activities that are directly related to assessment of or recovery from hurricane impacts.
Assessment of impacts and identification of conservation needs for birds and their habitat post hurricanes; e.g., surveys, assessments, and monitoring of high-priority species and their habitats that may have been affected by the storms.
Implementation of conservation/recovery actions; e.g. habitat clean-ups, clearing of trails, and restoration or enhancement work, such as re-planting of mangroves and native trees lost in the storms.
Emergency support for vulnerable species; e.g., feeding programs for endemic parrots in damaged forests.
Provision of shortfalls to pre-existing projects that are facing issues as a result of hurricane damage; e.g., loss of materials, infrastructure or equipment
Capacity restoration; e.g., office and field equipment which was lost or damaged in the storm, such as binoculars, scopes and tripods, computers, cameras, backpacks, GPS units, etc. or materials for community outreach and education.
Restoration of infrastructure that supports nature-based livelihoods damaged by the hurricane; e.g., repairs to boardwalks, blinds, etc., especially in parks and protected areas.
Implementation of outreach and education events that raise awareness about the impacts of storms and climate change on wildlife and ecosystems and how local people can help; e.g., promoting citizen science monitoring using eBirdCaribbean and iNaturalist (especially important in the wake of hurricanes), feeding birds to help them survive post-hurricane food shortages, planting native trees that are beneficial to wildlife, promoting recycling, planting of native trees, and energy conservation, advocacy for properly-planned post-hurricane development, etc.
Other
*The following list is not in order of priority.
BIRDSCARIBBEAN HURRICANE RELIEF FUND – REQUEST FORM
If request is for materials rather than cash (e.g., equipment or supplies, please provide specifics). Note: BirdsCaribbean can assist with the purchase of discounted binoculars, spotting scopes/tripods and some other items).
EXPLANATION OF ACTIVITIES:
What type of activity is associated with this request? See list of Types of Activities above.
Provide a brief explanation of the request, including an explanation of how will the funds be used, your desired outcomes, and expected benefits (to birds, habitats and people).
If the request supports multiple items or activities, please provide a brief explanation of budget, e.g., a simple table. There is no requirement for matching funds but where they exist in cash or in-kind please document them, as this will help BirdsCaribbean raise further funds.
INFORMATOIN ON APPLICANT
Name:
Title:
Organization:
Address:
Email:
Phone:
Briefly note your experience in managing similar projects:
Provide names of other project leads, partners, sponsors, or any mentors who will be assisting with this project:
**Applicants may request funds for materials, travel, equipment, and repairs or restoration work. Stipends may be requested to pay for someone’s time if they are not already employed and volunteers are not available, or to pay persons who lost their primary source of income due to the hurricane and are willing to work short-term on your project for a small amount of pay (please justify). Stipends should be reasonable, e.g., $50-100/day to complete the work)
Follow Spencer Schubert on his adventures into remote corners of the Dominican Republic and learn how birds (and their poop!) naturally restore forests. And they do this for free!
Bird enthusiasts have long struggled with the challenge of attracting birds to their backyards, often employing the use of feeders, bird baths, or populating their gardens with plants that birds like. There’s something about birds that really captures our attention, whether it’s their impressive bright plumage or the cheery music they produce.
The Palmchat (Dulus dominicus) is one of the most unique birds in the Caribbean region. The species is endemic to the island of Hispaniola. Over the course of our studies, we have found evidence that Palmchats consume more than 40 species of fruits, making them the most generalist and important seed dispersers known to these landscapes. Here, an individual is seen feeding on Wild Guarana (Cupania americana). (Photo by Dax Roman)
But birds have a lot more to offer beyond aesthetics. With an estimated 10,000 species of birds inhabiting our planet, it is perhaps unsurprising that they have adapted to eat just about any type of food found in nature. As it turns out, birds’ choice in cuisine often turns out to be beneficial to environments where humans live. Scavenging vultures limit the spread of pathogens by consuming dead animals. Birds of prey control rodent pests. And many birds feed on insects that can be damaging to farmers’ crops.
Another ecosystem service that fewer people are aware of is the dispersal of seeds in bird feces. That’s right! I am talking about bird poop. But before we all get too excited about bird poop, I need to take a few steps back to properly explain what I mean by this…
Many different kinds of birds have a sweet tooth for the juicy, nutritious fruits of the forest. But do yourself a favor and resist the temptation to try strange fruits that you see birds eating. Many of these are unpleasant and even toxic to people. Our palates are very different from those of birds, and that is no coincidence. Birds have evolved over time in native ecosystems with their plant neighbors, and many plants have adapted to take advantage of birds in a remarkably clever way.
You see, plants are faced with a different set of problems than those facing animals. Most importantly, they can’t really move around. For example, a tree cannot choose where it ends up and where it takes root. Long-lived trees might produce thousands, if not millions of seeds over their lifetime. Most of these fall to the ground directly below their parent, where they either get snatched by insect or rodent predators, fail to germinate, or eventually succumb to the overbearing shadow of their parent. (And you thought your parents were oppressive!).
The Red-legged Thrush is one of more than twenty species at my research site that we have confirmed feeding from fruit-bearing trees. Here, an individual is seen feeding on wild guarana (Cupania americana), one of the most popular fruits during the spring and early summer. (photo by Spencer Schubert)
Some lucky seeds manage to venture away, taking a ride with the wind, through the water, or undamaged in an animal’s gut. Some of these lucky seeds get even luckier still, by landing safely in a nice patch of fertile soil and substrate with moderate lighting from a gap in the forest canopy above.
Birds’ ability to fly long distances and visit a variety of habitats in a relatively short period of time makes them great seed dispersers from the perspective of the plant, and these two groups have evolved a mutualism for which they depend on the other. In exchange for their seed-dispersing services, birds are rewarded with a food supply.
Can a seed, dispersed, create a forest?
For my current research, I am working in the Dominican Republic, where I am trying to collect data to understand how seed dispersal by birds in cattle farms might be important for future forest restoration efforts in the region. Human populations all over the world are ravenous for beef and dairy. And in the tropics, by many estimates, the clearing of forests for livestock grazing lands has historically been the leading cause of deforestation. As a result, many experts see forest restoration in abandoned pastures as a key conservation strategy both in the present and in the future.
Constructing barbed wire fences around isolated trees in pastures allows us to study how birds may contribute to seed dispersal and regeneration patterns on abandoned farms. Some of the different plot types in this experiment included (a) mango trees, (b) open pastures without trees, and (c) Royal Palm trees. (photos by Spencer Schubert)
Having said that, restoration projects are expensive. The costs associated with growing trees in a nursery, transporting them, and caring for them after transplantation are high. It can conceivably cost thousands of dollars to manually reforest an area the size of a basketball court. In regions such as our work site in the Dominican Republic, where economic conditions are such that most working class jobs only pay $10 to $20 dollars per day, it is very difficult to convince organizations to take on these expensive projects.
The first step to my research project began about 18 months ago, when I secured permission to conduct my studies on a single large cattle farm near Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. The land owner agreed to let me fence off small sections of existing pastures to study seed dispersal and forest regeneration in the absence of human management and grazing, simulating abandoned conditions.
Señor Jose Brache is quite the character. An older gentleman on the verge of retirement, Sr. Brache much prefers his peaceful farm over the hustle and bustle of urban Santo Domingo. Like many older Dominican men, he has a lot to say about just about everything. It has become a frequent occurrence that Sr. Brache will encounter us on the main farm road in his truck and “kidnap” us for a ride to a part of the farm where he will tell a story about what the area looked like when he bought the property more than 20 years ago.
The first part of my project has been to study how certain isolated trees can attract birds to venture away from the forests out into the open pasture and how this might result in increased seed dispersal by birds and forest regrowth. Some of these selected trees included colony nest trees of Hispaniolan Woodpeckers and Palmchats, large mango trees, and control plots with no tree.
Perhaps the more interesting finding has been that relatively little forest regeneration has occurred during the study, so far. Below colony trees with many birds attending the tree, for example, both seeds and tiny seedlings are everywhere, but most of them do not survive. While it is still too early in the study to draw major conclusions, there is plenty of evidence to suggest from this and other similar studies that most seedlings end up losing their battle for survival when facing thick, tall grasses that are typical of these pastures. Furthermore, my findings suggest that it’s not so important how many seeds arrive as how good the habitat is when they get there.
The first step before setting up plots is to locate stands of bamboo and to harvest poles, cut them to specified lengths, and pack them up for transport. (photo by Spencer Schubert)
While isolated trees in pastures are not the miracle cure for deforestation that I would have hoped for, even a small effect is potentially valuable, especially when it’s FREE. These findings rattled my brain… the presence of trees as perches for birds potentially begets more trees and biodiversity. So rather than waiting decades to grow a nice tree that birds will use and disperse seeds around, I thought of a shortcut… Artificial perches.
An artificial perch is exactly what it sounds like: any man made object or structure that birds can perch on. From my reviews of scientific literature, I soon learned that this is not a new idea. A handful of studies dating back to the late 90s have attempted various designs for artificial perches to study how birds use them and contribute to seed dispersal and forest regrowth. Results have been mixed with some more successful than others. There is still not a clear consensus on the subject, but I knew it was worth a shot. I began looking for larger scale restoration projects that would provide an appropriate context to carry out this work.
A New Collaboration with Plan Yaque
Plan Yaque technicians assist Spencer in assembling artificial bird perches. Bamboo grows as a feral exotic plant at many many sites surrounding Jarabacoa. Not only is harvesting bamboo poles for perch materials free, but it also helps to control overgrown stands where it has become invasive. Before burying bamboo perches in the ground, we carefully treat the poles over an open fire to prevent resprouting. (photo by Eduardo Infante Sicard, Plan Yaque Inc.)
I did not have to wait long for an opportunity. It was June of 2016. Through a local colleague, I learned about a budding wetland restoration project in the town of Jarabacoa where I was working that was to be taken on by the NGO known as Plan Yaque. This organization is responsible for the conservation of natural resources in the Rio Yaque del Norte watershed, working mostly in rural farm communities.
After a few probing emails to the director, I was invited to attend an event with this organization. From the way they described it to me, it was meant to be something of a ceremony or convocation of a new community project they were undertaking. Put simply, Plan Yaque had convinced one of the community leaders in a rural neighborhood called Piedra Blanca to let them install a small dam structure in a stream running through the farm of one of the community leaders. They called this dam “trampa de agua” (water trap), and the premise of this project was to create a small reservoir in a headwater, spring-fed stream to maintain human-usable water sources from going completely dry during droughts.
Another major focus of this project is planting native tree species alongside this stream to help establish riparian forests with the aim of preventing soil erosion and mitigating the contaminants in the environment. They labelled the whole project with a clever title: “Litro de Agua” (Liter of Water) to communicate their objective of providing a consistent source of clean water to keep their farms going.
Spencer, project technician Joaris Gonzalez, and Cristián of Plan Yaque pose next to a fully assembled artificial perch. (photo by Kim Shoback)
I met up with the director of Plan Yaque and several technicians on a hot June day, and we made our way out to the site riding in flatbed of their pick-up truck along a rural highway through the foothills of the Cordillera Central. Only a day prior, the technicians had finished their makeshift dam, made from a combination of sandbags and old recycled car tires—a clever and low-cost approach for this function. On the near side of the creek, they had enclosed part of the pasture field with a barbed wire fence about 25 meters wide and 60 meters long to keep cattle from disturbing the upper stretch of the stream and their improvised dam construction.
Plan Yaque’s technicians held a short public forum with the family and neighbors explaining the goals of the project and inviting a discussion on how they could improve the project and monitor its success in more meaningful ways. Beforehand, the director had asked that I share my experiences with the farmers and talk about the importance of birds for healthy forests. My Spanish is pretty good. By this point, I had spent a collective eight academic years studying the language and nearly a year’s worth of time working in various Spanish-speaking countries. Dominican farmers don’t see a lot of foreigners, and I could see a lot of curious stares in my direction as I somewhat awkwardly presented, as I now present to you, this idea that birds (and their poop) are protagonists of natural reforestation. If you found my proposition to be a little eccentric, you can imagine how crazy I must have seemed to these people. Nevertheless, I got my message across and it has given my project an opportunity to greatly expand our research efforts.
Community members gather to listen to technicians from Plan Yaque and Spencer discuss how restoring riparian forests can benefit rural farming communities by improving water quality and availability as well as importance of seed-dispersing birds in healthy forest ecosystems. (photo by Holly Garrod)
One of the most remarkable discoveries during these adventures, from my point of view, concerns the Dominican people. Some of the most outspoken conservationists I have met in the country come from its most remote corners of the country. I have spoken to dozens of farmers over the age of 70 who tell me stories of lush green forests covering the hills and how so many birds have practically disappeared since their childhood. Fortunately for me, these individuals have graciously received me and my research project into their community. Together with our partner organization Plan Yaque, we are now incorporating both of our agendas into a single project. While they struggle to improve water availably and quality for farmers, I am recruiting the birds to bring the forest back and restore at least a piece of the glory that was once the tropical forests of Jarabacoa.
With the support of my university, funders, my partner organizations, and local farmers, we have started up a new project to study this untapped potential of fruit-eating birds. Currently our team is halfway complete in our goal of constructing eight plots for the calendar year. We will continue to study these plots over the course of two years with the goal of turning the project over to our local partners and arming them with new cost-effective, bird-friendly techniques for forest restoration.
The Northern Mockingbird is another important seed-dispersing species at our research sites. While most birds only occasionally venture away from the forest into open fields, mockingbirds are quite comfortable doing so. This curious individual was seen exploring the newly-installed fence posts. (photo by Spencer Schubert)
I owe thanks to a handful of individuals and organizations for their role in making my project so successful. Devoted efforts from project technician Joaris Samuel Gonzalez and field assistants Alex Lascher-Posner, Paris Werner, Kim Shoback, and Tyler Glaser helped get this study off the ground and were invaluable for data collection. Dr. Eric L. Walters of Old Dominion University helped advise the project and has been instrumental in the progression of my ideas and my development as a scientist. My fiancé, Holly Garrod, has helped me hold my life together during graduate school and has also contributed substantially to my research project as she pursues her own graduate research in the Dominican Republic. Local organizations Plan Yaque and Rancho Baiguate have provided key logistic support, without which this work would not have been possible. Furthermore, numerous private land owners have generously received us on their farms to conduct our field studies. This research was funded jointly by the Rufford Small Grant (II) Program, the Sophie Danforth Conservation Award from Roger Williams Park Zoo, and the David S. Lee Fund Grant from BirdsCaribbean.
By Spencer Schubert. Spencer is PhD student in the ecology program at Old Dominion whose thesis focuses on the contributions of avian seed dispersal to tropical forest recovery and plant-frugivore seed dispersal networks on farmland landscapes in the Dominican Republic. Spencer was a recipient of the 2016-2017 BirdsCaribbean David S. Lee Fund Grant and is using his research as a platform to raise interest in the ecological importance of birds for restoration projects in the region around Jarabacoa.
The critically endangered Bahama Oriole is found only on Andros, Bahamas. (Photo by Steve Brezinski)
The sun was now enough above the horizon that a few rays made it down to the understory of the pine forest. We walked quickly to our next point then began another nine-minute sampling period. About one minute in, we heard the clear crisp song of a Bahama Oriole, about 100 meters to our south. My student Briana noted this information on the data sheet. While waiting, she also recorded details about the habitat and the surrounding vegetation within a 100-meter radius: number of pines – 100+, number of understory palms – 10-20, number of coconut palms – 0, overall habitat – 100% pine forest.
The oriole sang several more times before the point count ended. Just 18 months prior, when we began the Bahama Oriole Project in October 2015, we would have been extremely surprised if we found an oriole in the pine forest. Previous research suggested that the orioles were concentrated in the settlements, especially around coconut palms, which were thought to be their preferred nesting tree. But in 2016, our team had discovered three different pairs of orioles nesting in this very pine forest, several kilometers from the nearest houses, farms or coconut palms. Now we were conducting an exhaustive population estimate to determine whether the orioles were found in just a few areas in the pine forest, or whether they were utilizing many areas of the pine.
Briana Yancy measuring nest site characteristics. (Photo by Kevin Omland)
We continued to walk along the long-abandoned logging road to the next randomly selected point. As we gained just a few feet in altitude, the pine forest became drier, and the gorgeous understory Key Thatch Palms became shorter and more scattered. I honestly feel ecstatic to be able to work in these vast remote forests, and as we walked along, I asked Briana what she thought of the habitat. She quickly spoke glowingly of the same features that I love so much – the open canopy, the echo of a Bahama Mockingbird song, and the unfamiliar beauty of the understory thatch palms.
This was Briana’s first fieldwork in the tropics, and she was off to a great start. As we walked, I asked her what she wanted to do after she finished college at UMBC. She said that this was exactly the kind of work that she had dreamed about doing – working on a tropical island, studying a critically endangered species, and seeing all these new birds and habitats. She had just finished her sophomore year as a Geography and Environmental Sciences major. Briana is in UMBC’s prestigious Meyerhoff Scholars Program, which is nationally known for its success in increasing underrepresented minority participation in science and technology.
Breeding in the Pine Forest – “Briana’s Nest”
A Bahama Oriole takes off in the pine forest. (Photo by Dan Stonko)
We conducted eight more counts that morning, and we did not hear or see any other orioles during the counts. However, as we continued west toward our meeting point on one of the main logging roads, the land sloped down again and we entered a wet area with many more understory thatch palms (so named because of their local use in roof making). The common species here is the Key Thatch Palm (Leucothrinax morrisii). To me these palms are the most beautiful plants on Andros, and they have intrigued me since my first days on the island. As we walked, suddenly Briana and I both heard a distinctive short “see-you” whistle, which meant a Bahama Oriole was nearby. She pointed as an oriole flew from one low thatch palm to another. Then, a second bird flew in and swooped up to one of the tallest of these understory palms. I whispered excitedly to Briana that maybe there was a nest nearby.
“Briana’s Nest.” Nest is hidden in the hanging dead fronds (yellow arrow). (Photo by Kevin Omland)
The first bird then entered the same tall thatch palm. There had to be a nest in that tree, so we approached and started looking under each of the hanging dead fronds. There it was: a neat tan palm-fiber basket, hanging protected under one of the dried-up fronds. We christened it “Briana’s Nest” and stepped back to observe the parents – two stunning adult Bahama Orioles. Both the males and females in this species sport a striking jet-black and lemon-yellow plumage. Both sexes also sing, so it is impossible to tell the sexes apart in the field. We observed both parents bringing food to the nest – there were clearly nestlings, but with the nest over seven meters up, we do not yet have the equipment to further investigate their age or number.
The project has now documented seven nests in the pine forest – three in 2016 and four in 2017. But we know nothing about what happens to nests in the pine forest. In 2018, we will conduct two main projects to evaluate breeding in the pine forest. First, Brianna will lead a project quantifying the key characteristics of the nesting trees and surrounding forest. Can the orioles nest in any part of the pine forest, or are there certain types of habitat (perhaps with tall thatch palms for example) that are preferred nesting sites that need to be preserved? Second, one of the Bahamian students will lead the effort to quantify nesting success and determine the greatest threats to nests – rats, cowbirds or feral cats. So far, we have little evidence of cowbirds in the pine forest, but preliminary surveys with trail cameras suggest that feral cats are likely widespread across the island. And arboreal rats could be important nest predators. Which if any of these threats are significant causes of mortality that need to be managed?
A Big, Diverse Field Crew
Soon we were joined by the two other teams that had been doing point counts that morning. One was led by Rick Stanley, a Masters student at the Imperial College London. The other was headed by Scott Johnson, a Bahamas National Trust science officer – who has a wealth of knowledge about the flora and fauna of Andros. We showed everyone the nest we just found, then compared notes from the morning. Rick’s team had also heard one oriole during counts in the pine that morning, and Scott’s team had heard two. The orioles are never common, but they seem to be widespread on the island.
The 2017 Field Crew. Left to Right: Kevin Omland, Michael Rowley, Jennifer Christhilf, Ciera McKoy, Briana Yancy, Matt Kane (all UMBC), Rick Stanley (Imperial College London), Daniel Stonko (UMBC), Scott Johnson (Bahamas National Trust).
Before leaving we took time to take some shots of the whole 2017 field crew. I look back upon that photo with a great deal of pride and gratitude. Each one of those young researchers has already made important contributions to the project. It is such a privilege to do fieldwork with students every year. For many of the students, this is the first time that they have traveled outside the US – one had never even been on a plane before this trip! The opportunity to introduce these students to the joys (and challenges) of tropical fieldwork is one of the best parts of this project. I am especially excited when my students get to work with BNT’s Scott Johnson and interact with students from the Bahamas.
Our shot of the field crew differs from many group pictures of field biologists or birders because it includes people of many different backgrounds. By drawing on UMBC’s diverse student population, and by working closely with our Bahamian collaborators, we are trying to bring a broader range of backgrounds and perspectives to fieldwork and wildlife conservation. Work throughout the Caribbean demonstrates the kinds of multinational and multiethnic collaboration that will build capacity in our increasingly diverse US population as well as in the island nations that are the focus of BirdsCaribbean.
Dr. Kevin Omland is a faculty member in the Biology Department at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). In collaboration with Bahamas National Trust, he began the Bahama Oriole Project in 2015. Dr. Omland was recognized as the UMBC Presidential Research Professor for 2016-2019. He is co-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the American Ornithological Society. The Bahama Oriole Project has received generous support from the American Bird Conservancy and an anonymous donor through BirdsCaribbean. Stay tuned for updates from our upcoming 2018 field season.
Dave Lee holding a White-tailed Tropicbird in the Bahamas. (photo by Mary Kay Clark)
David S. Lee was a pioneering naturalist and conservation biologist who helped get BirdsCaribbean started nearly 30 years ago, and 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 an annual grant 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.
A striking male Magnolia Warbler perches momentarily on a branch while foraging for food during its spring migration. (photo by Gerald A. DeBoer, Shutterstock)
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 7 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 (see 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.
Awardees are encouraged to present the results of their work at the biennial International Meeting of BirdsCaribbean and publish in The Journal of Caribbean Ornithology.
But wait! What if you are not eligible to apply for funds, you ask? You can still support this worthy cause 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 Groups 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 Treasurer (jennifer.wheeler@birdscaribbean.org)
Checks can be mailed to: BirdsCaribbean, 841 Worcester St. #130, Natick, MA 01760-2076
Cuban Oriole, one of 26 endemic birds in Cuba, with insect prey. (photo by Aslam Ibrahim)
Cuba has one of the highest rates of endemism in the Caribbean with 26 endemic birds that attract thousands of bird enthusiasts each year. Engaging them to understand the secret lives of these birds is a special skill.From October 9 to 13, the Caribbean Birding Trail Interpretive Guide Training course taught 26 persons how to connect visitors with the cultural and natural resources of the island. Here is the account of one participant, Mariana Pedraza.
Topes de Collantes Nature Reserve Park in the Escambray Mountains in Central Cuba was our home for a week. We were more than thirty people from all over Cuba ready to learn, to share experiences, and to discover a little more regarding the world of birds. With great energy we began the week-long workshop. But what we did not know was that first we had to answer a pre-test! I saw some participants writing. Others, including me, were not writing much. We looked at each other and laughed at our lack of knowledge. The good thing was we were there to learn. I knew that “the professors” (that’s what we called our instructors) were going to do their best to teach us how to identify birds; understand the diversity of birds in the Caribbean and on our Island, and learn how to be an outstanding guide.
Beny Wilson talks about the incredible diversity of birds in Cuba—398 species have been recorded, including 26 endemics and 11 near endemics and over 240 migrants. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Then it was time to introduce ourselves! I was very worried, because I was the youngest and the least experienced in that classroom. I could see that by listening to the rest of the group.
I soon forgot about my nervousness because very quickly we jumped into the course material. Beny Wilson, one of the lead facilitators with a charismatic personality and great sense of humor, began to talk about birds and how to identify them.
We then went outside to learn how to use binoculars correctly and to identify birds, taking into account what had been learned. We had many sessions in the field during the week where we learned and practiced new guiding techniques, such as how to set up a scope and show the bird, how to use a laser pointer and playback, where to stand and how to lead the group when giving an interpretive talk and walk. We also learned about the different types of birders and what they need, how to market ourselves, birding ethics, use of eBird Caribbean, and much more. That was the whole course: we were able to combine theory with practice, which helped to consolidate everything studied.
Presentations by Rosendo Martinez, Maikel Canizares, Ernesto Reyes, and Lisa Sorenson were very well received by all. Each one provided valuable information, such us an overview of the Protected Areas of Cuba, the species of birds threatened on our island, bird ecology and habitats, how to guide photographers and researchers, and the work of BirdsCaribbean and many partners for the conservation of the birds in this region.
Instructor Rick Morales discusses the principles of environmental interpretation. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
With Rick Morales, the other very talented lead instructor, we learned about environmental interpretation—how to tell stories with a message to make the experience memorable for the visitor. The interactive methodology he used to teach us was great. With theory and very clear examples he showed the importance of understanding the needs of our customers and making their experience meaningful through guiding presentations that are engaging, relevant, personal and provocative. And the best thing is that this knowledge can be used whether explaining the history of a plaza during a city tour, or explaining the natural history of a bird on a guided walk.
We all learned from each other too. I suppose that happens in similar events, but in this case we learned with simplicity and naturally, without rivalries, as if we had all been from the same family. During that week, we were a family of birders! It did not matter the origin, nor the language, nor the differences of all the participants.
Mariana works on shorebird ID at Tuna de Zazas, as Mom Tania Peñeiro, looks on. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Free time was the opportunity to know each other and to tell about our lives. Graceful stories and some sad stories were the subject of the long evening gatherings, which I attended, even knowing that I had to get up early to go to Tuna de Zazas to discover the Black-Necked Stilt and fall in love with her, or to get on the trails of Topes to contemplate time and again the beauty of the Cuban Tody.
The hardest thing for me was to prepare the final presentation. I think it was the most complex for everyone, because we had to act before an audience we knew, and knowing that our professors were evaluating us. Presentations such as those of Ningo, Xóchitl and Tania excited us and evoked strong applause. None of us knew who the good actors and actresses were!
Each participant gave a 5 minute interpretive talk on the last day, using what they learned in the course. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Well, the surprise was the final test, the same test we did at the beginning and this time we were able to respond completely. We looked at each other again and laughed, but it was because this time we knew the answers.
The closing dinner was delicious, especially the dessert, and after dinner: good Cuban tobacco and great music. We were proud to receive our certificates and cheered for the presentations that received awards. Most important was dancing, and celebrating all that we learned and experienced, and wholeheartedly thanking the organizers, instructors, and sponsors of the workshop for supporting us to become guides to share our passion for Cuban birds with communities and visitors alike.
Learn more about the Caribbean Birding Trail here; visit the Caribbean Birding Trail website and plan your next birding trip! Mariana Pedrazas is a student at the University of Havana, studying German, English and tourism. She leads guided tours of Old Havana in her spare time. She looks forward to becoming a skilled bird guide too and practices whenever she has the chance. (see more workshop photos in the gallery below)
Workshop participants and trainers at Topes de Collantes. (photo by Aslam Ibrahim)
Comments from the participants
Unquestionably after receiving this workshop I feel that my knowledge to project myself as a guide will improve immensely.
Our instructors were very good teachers and communicators, with excellent command of the subject and very didactic. They have become part of our great family of Cuban birds lovers and protectors.
The exchange of experience between everyone was very rich. The teaching approach used, including many practical activities, was motivating and left us with a desire to continue to surpass ourselves and to remain linked to the conservation of biological diversity in general and of birds in particular. I thank the instructors for their professionalism and their willingness to transmit their knowledge and experiences with humility and passion. It was a privilege.
This course is an excellent start for my work as a guide and it is not that I have guided before, but this week marked a before and after.
I would recommend it because it was a fantastic experience, it raised me to another level as a birdwatching guide and will be of great interest to everyone, even for non-bird lovers. I would like this workshop to continue and be repeated here in Cuba.
I am grateful to the facilitators for the knowledge shared, for their facility to communicate, for their willingness to help at all times, and the magnificent human relationships that they established with the participants.
The course was very complete, because it not only provided us with tools to identify difficult birds, but also instructed us in interpretation techniques. For me, as a biologist, the most valuable thing was the experience in the latter since I really had no idea of the fundamental concepts of interpretation and now I can apply it correctly. I also appreciated the work done by BirdsCaribbean for the conservation of Caribbean birds because we often feel that we are not heard and it was very good to receive support from organizations willing to put a grain of sand for the preservation of our birds.
I think the best thing about this course was the attention to personal/individual needs of each participant.
I appreciated and learned a proper way to perform an interpretation, it was a great pleasure to have the opportunity to receive these contents from people who are highly qualified. I also enjoyed the interrelation with other experienced guides to improve my work as a professional. Excellent!
The possibility of interacting and learning with so many interested people, in one way or another, to care for and preserve Cuban birds was valuable. The ability of coaches to provide us with information and tools to do our job better was excellent. Thanks to BirdsCaribbean, the Caribbean Birding Trail, Optics for the Tropics, and all the sponsors that made this possible.
I found and enjoyed that the teachers showed great interest in the learning of each participant, it was the best way to continue training us.
Excellent team of facilitators: experts on the subject, motivating, inspiring, joyful.
I believe that this workshop is highly recommended for those who intend to start or already lead specialized (birding or nature in general) tours, due to interpretation tools and guiding skills that facilitates us. The course instructors showed at all times great professionalism and communicative capacity to answer participants concerns. Highly recommended!
I liked this course because it taught us to conscientiously interpret the resources we have. In addition to dealing with the subject of birds, we addressed general issues that serve us both in the city and in nature. Bravo!
I am grateful for the excellent and professional work of the instructors and organizers of the course, and for the pleasant way in which they taught the course. This course far exceeded all my expectations.
Photo Gallery – Hover over each photo to see the caption; click on photos to see larger images and a slide show.
Cuban Blackbirds (endemic to Cuba) feeding on berries along the trail at Topes. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Discussing shorebird ID – those %^&#@ sandpipers! (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Merlis receives her certificate. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Chicobags full of goodies for course participants. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Sochi’s final presentation was engaging and fun (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Ningo wowed us with his final presentation (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Cuban Trogon, Tocororo, the national bird of Cuba. (photo by Aslam Ibrahim)
Playing the Zoom game to learn perspective. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Alejandro’s final presentation. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Beny’s fan club. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Tanya telling stories about Cuba’s endemic birds for her final presentation. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Beny talks about use of the scope (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Atila receives his certificate. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Northern Parula, one of many migrant warblers in Cuba.(photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Practicing shorebird ID with scopes at Tuna de Zazas (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Maikel talks about bird diversity and conservation threats in Cuba. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Identifying shorebirds at Tuna de Zazas (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Birding field trip in ancient Russian trucks, essential on the deeply rutted roads in some areas of the park! (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Four chicas, banded and branded – Joni, Lisa, Tanya and Mariana). (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Two participants diligently taking notes on all the birds spotted. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
American Flamingos at Tuna de Zazas (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Carlos Pena receives his certificate. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Bird ID practice using field marks. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Early morning session: learning how to use the field guide. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Spotting different shorebirds at Tuna de Zazas. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Birding along the road at Topes de Collantes Nature Reserve Park (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Alejandro and Carlos happy to receive new Kaufman Field Guides. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Final presentation -Maikel playing the role of an unruly child on a birding walk. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Maikel talks about bird diversity and conservation threats in Cuba. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Beny gives tips on shorebird ID. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Practicing bird ID using field marks. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Alejandro Lopez receives his certificate. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Alejandro Llanes receives his certificate upon completion of BirdsCaribbean’s Caribbean Birding Trail Guide Training Workshop, October 2018. Left to right Instructor Rick Morales, course organizer Maikel Canizares, Alejandro Llanes, Instructors Lisa Sorenson and Beny Wilson. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Cuban Parakeet, endemic to Cuba. (photo by Aslam I Castellan Maure)
Fun at the closing dinner at Topes. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Look up! Practice birding session at Topes. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Rick demonstrates where to stand when giving a talk. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Cuban Pygmy Owl, endemic to Cuba. (photo by Aslam I Castellan Maure)
Edwin receives his certificate. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Aslam receives his certificate. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Hector receives his certificate. (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Listing birds seen on Day 1. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Rosendo Martinez talks about the Protected Area system in Cuba. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Evening social time (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Group photo at final dinner celebration (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Final presentations in the natural amphitheater at Topes (photo by Ernesto Reyes)
Shorebirds – Oh, so fun and challenging! (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Editor’s Notes:The Caribbean Birding Trail (CBT) is a project of the non-profit organization BirdsCaribbean. The CBT is being developed to connect people to the unique birds, extraordinary places, diverse cultures and people of each island. We promote authentic experiences that benefit local people and encourage the protection of the Caribbean’s natural resources, including birds and their habitats. The goal of the CBT Guide Training is to provide interpretive skills that engage the client and add a level of professionalism to guiding bird enthusiasts. Cuba is the fifth Caribbean country to receive this training.
The intensive five-day workshop covered all aspects of being an outstanding bird and nature guide, including knowledge of bird ID and natural history, ethics, marketing, conservation, and guiding and interpretation techniques.Certified interpretive trainers from the National Association of Interpretation (NAI), Venicio (Beny) Wilson and Rick Morales, wowed the participants with in-depth sessions on the birding market, communication skills, and the principles of environmental interpretation.
Thanks to our sponsors, all participants received binoculars, three field guides, NAI workbook, mangrove identification guides, t-shirts, hats, field notebooks, laser pointers, Bird Checklist of Cuba, and more. BirdsCaribbean thanks Maikel Canizares and the Cuban Zoological Society for organizing the workshop logistics. The facilitation team included Beny Morales, Rick Wilson, Lisa Sorenson, Joni Ellis, Ernesto Reyes, Maikel Canizares and Rosendo Martinez. We are grateful to Optics for the Tropics and the Marshall Reynolds Foundation for providing principle funding for this workshop. We also thank Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Vortex Optics, The Friendship Association, Nils Navarro, Gaviota Turismo, and several private donors for providing funding and support. We look forward to continuing to nurture these guides as they develop their skills.Read about the Caribbean Birding Trail Guide Training Workshops in other countries:
The inner slope of the Quill National Park before (top) and after (bottom) Hurricane Irma (photo by Hannah Madden)
On September 6, 2017, record-breaking Category 5 Hurricane Irma pummeled the northern Lesser Antilles, leaving a trail of destruction in her wake. While St. Eustatius (affectionately known as Statia) was spared extensive infrastructural damage and power was restored to most homes within a few days, forest cover in the Quill National Park did not fare quite so well. Immediately after the storm, defoliation of the vegetation was clearly visible across the dormant volcano, which rises to a maximum height of 600 meters and suffered the brunt of hurricane force winds of up to 150 mph.
When we felt it was safe to go out, our initial exploration of the Quill on September 9 revealed a shocking sight from the crater rim viewpoint at 400 meters. Areas that were once covered in lush evergreen vegetation were barely recognizable. Gone were the majestic Silk Cotton trees that once dominated the canopy; instead we were confronted with an almost bare crater wall covered in once-towering trees that looked like they had been snapped in two by an invisible giant.
Two weeks later, Hurricane Maria passed to the south of St. Eustatius and brought over 100mm of rain but less severe winds. Again, residents of St. Eustatius breathed a sigh of relief, but our thoughts were with those who suffered greatly in Puerto Rico, Saba, St. Maarten, Anguilla, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Dominica and other affected islands. Thankfully Maria’s rainfall helped stimulate vegetation regrowth in the Quill. However much of the original canopy was severely damaged, and all fruits, seeds and flowers that normally provided food for wildlife were lost.
Bridled Quail-dove (Geotrygon mystacea) in the Quill (photo by Hannah Madden)
Our immediate concern fell to the Bridled Quail-dove (Geotrygon mystacea), an uncommon to rare resident in a few Lesser Antilles islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. This West Indian endemic forages for fruits and seeds on the forest floor. Little is known about the population status of this species throughout its range, but it is thought to be declining in the Eastern Caribbean due to loss of habitat and other threats. The Quill is the only habitat on Statia that supports the quail-dove.
In May 2017 we had conducted a population assessment of the dove in connection with a rodent control project that is being facilitated through the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute (CNSI). Our initial results were encouraging, with an estimated 1,030 quail-doves (standard error [SE] = 275, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 561-1,621) across its local habitat of 440 hectares. This is possibly the highest known density in the region. With baseline data fortuitously in hand, we were very interested to assess the quail-dove’s population size post-hurricane. Thanks to generous persons that donated to BirdsCaribbean’s fundraising appeal, we were able to repeat the survey in early to mid-November, about two months after Hurricane Irma hit.
The survey team (L to R): Frank Rivera-Milan, Hannah Madden, and Kevin Verdel (by Chris Couldridge)
Our team consisted of Dr. Frank Rivera-Milan (population ecologist with the US Fish & Wildlife Service), myself (biologist with CNSI), and Kevin Verdel (student from the University of Utrecht). We conducted 56 transect surveys of 100 meters, and repeated them 2-4 times. This was fewer surveys than the 70 100-meter transects we had conducted in May because some trails were inaccessible due to downed trees. We also used a playback of the Key West Quail-Dove’s call, given that our surveys took place outside the breeding season, in an attempt to elicit a response from any Bridled Quail-Doves in the survey area. Unfortunately the quail-doves did not respond to the playback, which meant that all the detections during November’s surveys were by sight only. The perpendicular distance of the quail-dove from the transect was measured, and the data collected were brought into program Distance to give a total population size.
Our data analysis revealed an estimated population size of 803 Bridled Quail-Doves (SE = 208, 95% CI = 451-1,229) in November. This is a decrease of about 230 birds from the mean population size estimate of 1,030 birds counted in May. Although this is a decline in the population size of ~22% (SE = 8.2%), statistical tests indicate that this decrease is not statistically significant (Z score = 0.66, P value = 0.51). This is the good news.
Measuring distance from the transect point to where the dove was sighted (photo by Hannah Madden)
The bad news is that there is very little food available due to severe vegetation damage and we are now entering the dry season (Dec-Apr). This means that already scarce foraging resources will be reduced even further, which will likely result in decreased survival and minimum reproduction in 2018. The quail-doves we observed looked lethargic and did not flush far or fast during surveys. There is a real risk that the population will decline further due to lack of food. For this reason we plan to repeat the surveys again in May 2018, during peak breeding season.
We were glad to see that dry forest vegetation on the outer slopes of the Quill was recovering quickly. Inside the crater, however, approximately 50% of the evergreen seasonal forest that once covered this area has been heavily impacted by Hurricane Irma. It will take a few decades before the vegetation fully recovers. We expect this will have a negative effect not only on the quail-dove but also other bird species that rely on this unique habitat for their survival and reproduction. For example, instead of the usual flocks of Scaly-naped Pigeons (which are now foraging for food in coastal areas), we are now seeing smaller species like Bananaquit, Lesser Antillean Bullfinch, and the migratory Black-whiskered Vireo.
Around the Mountain South trail immediately after the hurricanes (photo by Hannah Madden)
Following our initial surveys in May we were encouraged by the density of Bridled Quail-doves on Statia, the highest known density in the region at the time (although many islands that support the dove have not conducted population assessments). However, we now have some concerns for the species given its very restricted range (only found in the Quill National Park on Statia, at elevations of around 200 meters and above) and the fact that its natural habitat suffered extensive damage in some areas from Hurricane Irma. With food resources in scarce supply, competition between the doves and other species, such as the more aggressive and widespread Pearly-eyed Thrasher, could lead to a further decline in the already vulnerable population. We recommend removing predators and domestic animals above 250m to help the species recover and enhance its prospects for long-term survival in Statia.
Irma provided us with a unique opportunity to study the impacts of hurricanes on avian fauna on Statia (and elsewhere in the region). It is a bittersweet privilege to be able to contribute our results to the scientific community. Unfortunately, the frequency and intensity of Caribbean hurricanes are predicted to increase under human-induced global warming. We must do all we can to protect and enhance the integrity of our natural areas to help our birds and other wildlife survive the next hit, and hope to come out unscathed on the other side.
Broken trees in the Quill’s crater. (photo by Hannah Madden)
We are grateful to BirdsCaribbean for funding Dr. Rivera’s travel expenses, to St. Eustatius National Parks for allowing us to conduct surveys in the Quill National Park, and to CNSI for facilitating this ongoing project. We look forward to reporting back to the Birdscaribbean community after we complete our second post-hurricane Bridled Quail-dove survey in May 2018.
By Hannah Madden. Hannah is a Terrestrial Ecologist in St. Eustatius currently leading two projects at the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute. She also works as a bird and nature guide in her spare time, sharing the beauty and diversity of Statia with visitors. Hannah is an active member of BirdsCaribbean and has participated in several training workshops and conferences. She has published papers on different taxonomic groups, but especially enjoys working on birds.
BirdsCaribbean is grateful to everyone that has generously donated to our ongoing Hurricane Relief Fund to help our Caribbean partners, birds and nature recover. This has allowed us to fund bird surveys like this one, replace equipment lost in the storms, send nectar feeders and bird seed to 13 islands, plant mangroves, and other recovery actions.
Forest understory before Hurricane Irma (photo by Hannah Madden)Our companion Chris Couldridge inspects with disbelief the mangled vegetation on the crater floor (photo by Frank Rivera-Milan)St. Eustatius is located in the northern Lesser Antilles and forms part of the Caribbean Netherlands. It has a land mass of 11 square miles and a human population of around 3,500.
Read more about the Fall 2017 hurricane impacts on Caribbean birds:
Download the new ebook Pond Life: Reflections for free.
Each year, the Les Fruits de Mer association hosts the Migratory Bird Festival on St. Martin. The stars of this festival are the birds that travel so far to come here each year, and the wild places and creatures they depend on. This lively cast of characters—birds, crabs, mangroves and the ponds themselves—is featured in the new ebook Pond Life: Reflections. The book is available for free download at lesfruitsdemer.com. The event is part of International Migratory Bird Day, which is organized regionally by BirdsCaribbean and throughout the hemisphere by Environment for the Americas.
“Migratory pond birds—like wading birds and ducks—are common and easy to see on St. Martin,” explained author Mark Yokoyama. “Ponds are also some of the most important places on the island, ecologically and historically. So it makes sense to showcase ponds at this festival, and the new book also does that.”
Pond Life: Reflections has eight chapters that explore St. Martin’s ponds from different angles. It takes the reader across the island from the cemetery pond in Grand Case to the ruins of the Foga pumphouse at the Great Salt Pond. It marks the passing of time, from the change of the seasons to the turn of a century.
The book was created as a companion piece to the upcoming 2017 Migratory Bird Festival. This year’s location is Kali’s Beach Bar in Friar’s Bay, located just beside Guichard Pond. Many of the island’s ponds are inaccessible due to hurricane debris, but this spot offers great viewing of the pond, its birds and other wetland life. Festival guests will have a chance to see and learn about its post-storm recovery.
“Our theme for the festival this year is ‘Welcome back!’ to the birds, and also to the habitats that are recovering from Hurricane Irma,” said Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes. “The island’s ponds have been through a lot, just like the people. As we recover together, this book is a great reminder that people and ponds have been connected since the beginning.”
The 2017 Migratory Bird Festival will be held on Saturday, November 25th from 9am to noon at Kali’s Beach Bar in Friar’s Bay. The festival is brought to you by Les Fruits de Mer, and the 2017 edition is made possible thanks to our sponsors: Caribbean Paddling, Delta Petroleum, Lagoonies Bistro and Bar, Tri-sport, Van Dorp and BirdsCaribbean. It is a free event and people of all ages are invited to attend. Pond Life: Reflections can be downloaded for free at: http://www.lesfruitsdemer.com/resources/books/
The local school was extensively damaged with the roof completely gone (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
On September 6th, 2017, a Category 5 hurricane named Irma made landfall on the tiny island of Barbuda, devastating homes, stripping the forest bare, and inundating parts of the island with seawater. We all looked on in shock as the way of life for many Barbudans was destroyed. We also feared another disaster was in the making.
Barbuda is the only home for the small Barbuda Warbler, a close relative of the Saint Lucia and Adelaide’s Warblers. Scientists and conservationists alike feared that Irma may have caused its extinction. Even if the birds survived the ravages of the wind and rain, the food they needed to survive (caterpillars and other insects) would be greatly reduced immediately following the storm. Hurricanes have triggered extinctions in the past, on much larger islands like Cozumel. There the endemic Cozumel Thrasher is now presumed extinct, following a series of hurricanes beginning with Gilbert.
Unsafe conditions and travel restrictions to Barbuda prevented an immediate population assessment but as soon as was possible, several members of the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) of Antigua, under the guidance and support of the Department of Environment (DoE), visited Barbuda. The group confirmed that some warblers had survived. BirdsCaribbean, EAG, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the DOE quickly teamed up to organize and carry out extensive surveys on Barbuda, to assess both the Barbuda Warbler and Yellow Warbler populations.
An Exciting Journey
Barbuda Warbler (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
On October 15, less than six weeks after the hurricane, a team of 6 left St John’s, Antigua by boat to cross the 40 miles to Codrington, Barbuda. High seas and heavy rain made it an interesting passage, but we arrived at the Codrington port to be greeted by the team from Guadeloupe: Anthony Levesque, Frantz Delcroix, and Eric Delcroix of Association AMAZONA, a conservation organization in Guadeloupe. They had just arrived by plane (read their story here) to conduct counts at the Magnificent Frigatebird Sanctuary. Though the stormy morning quickly turned to a bright, sunny day, our moods turned somber as we saw first-hand the extensive damage done by Irma. Many homes and businesses were completely destroyed, and rebuilding efforts by the handful of Barbudans on the island were only just beginning.
Our home for the next week was the DoE office in Barbuda, where we settled in, organized the surveys and made some last-minute refinements to the distance sampling protocol for data collection. We conducted observer training for the team members and field tested the protocol, which included a playback of Yellow and Adelaide’s Warbler calls. The Barbuda Warbler is very closely related, and was once considered the same species as the Adelaide’s Warbler of the Greater Antilles and the Saint Lucia Warbler. Recent genetic studies have confirmed that these three should be treated as distinct species, though their vocalizations are very similar. The field test, made on the edge of town, was a success and we recorded our first Barbuda and Yellow Warblers, along with a number of migratory shorebirds (view the eBird list).
An International Team Gets to Work
Part of the team that surveyed the warblers, left to right: Sophia Steele, Jeff Gerbracht, Lenn Isidore, Frank Rivera-Milan and Shanna Challenger.
Shortly after sunrise the following day, the two teams of three observers began the survey with a mixture of excitement, hope and dread. Frank Rivera-Milan (US Fish and Wildlife Service) was joined by Kelvin ‘Biggz’ Samuel and Dwayne Philip (Antigua Forestry Unit). Jeff Gerbracht (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) joined Lenn Isidore, (Saint Lucia Projects Coordinator for FFI) and Rudolph Zachariah (Antigua Department of Environment). Nearly as important as the current population assessment was providing that the training and resources to DOE and EAG staff, to ensure that the Barbuda Warbler population can be monitored long term. To this end, we were also joined by Sophia Steele (Fauna & Flora International) and Shanna Challenger (EAG, DOE and FFI), to learn about the methodology and gain the necessary field experience. That first morning both teams observed Barbuda Warblers and Yellow Warblers while surveying 19 points (view eBird list from that first morning). It was a great start but still a long way to go.
Male Yellow Warbler (migrant) (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
Barbuda has about 62 square miles of land and prior to our arrival, Population Ecologist and team member Frank had randomly selected the survey points, which were loaded into our GPS units. Points were at least 400 meters apart. Each team was tasked with covering as many points as possible before late morning arrived, when the warblers became quiet and harder to observe. A typical survey consisted of walking from point to point, covering up to eight miles in a morning. At each point, the team would divide up the tasks. One person would categorize the habitat, food availability and disturbance at each site, while the others would look and listen for Barbuda Warblers. Each observation of a warbler was recorded, along with the distance and direction from the point to each individual bird. “Barbuda Warbler singing between 20 – 30 meters at 110 degrees from North” or “Yellow Warbler seen at 18 meters distance, 35 degrees”. All observations were recorded in detail so that detection probability, occupancy and abundance (density and population size) could be modeled and estimated as precisely and accurately as possible.
Nature is Resilient, But There’s Some Way to Go
One of the survey points deep in the highlands where the forest is green and vibrant with flowers beginning to open (Photo by Lenn Isidore)
During that first morning of surveys, we were all struck by the resiliency of the natural world and how the forests of Barbuda were so well adapted to hurricanes. Weeks earlier the forests had been stripped bare of all greenery; yet the forest was already recovering. Amidst the broken branches and downed trees, life was returning with a vengeance. Trees and shrubs had already put out new leaves and in some cases, flowers and even fruit were in evidence. In addition to the ever-present mosquitoes, we saw lots of other insects and caterpillars, i.e. warbler food. The forest seemed green and alive, in sharp contrast to how it must have appeared just a few weeks earlier.
Lowland forest heavily impacted by the storm surge with little sign of recovery on the south of Barbuda (Photo by Jeff Gerbract)
Unfortunately, other parts of the island weren’t faring nearly as well as the interior. Lowlands on the south of the island were especially hard hit by the storm surge. The forest there was struggling to recover.
To cover as many points as possible, the two teams stayed in different parts of the island. Henry, our driver and guide for the week, made sure that the teams got to where we needed to be. Our daily routine was pretty much the same: Leave for the field early; cover as many points as possible by 10:30; hike back out of the bush to be met by Henry; a quick lunch in town followed by an hour of down time; then back in the field between 2:30 and 5:30. In the evenings, we would review the data collected during the day to make sure everything was in order.
Hopes for Beautiful Barbuda’s Sustainable Recovery
An emotional roller coaster is a good way to describe how I felt throughout the week. Each day we were reminded of the devastation left by the hurricane and the long road to recovery for the Barbudan families. And each day we observed firsthand how the forest is recovering and how well the Barbuda Warbler fared. Barbuda is an island with very little development and miles of natural scrub and forest. The land is communally owned so there are few signs of outside development and that community ownership is reflected in the pride Barbudans feel for their island. I can think of few places where there are still miles of beach or forest with no development or human habitation in sight. This is pristine habitat for the birds. It is also the perfect location for eco-tourism: not only birding, but caving, horseback riding, snorkeling and other pursuits. It’s a rare gem, and the expanse of untouched natural habitat has surely been key in the forest’s rapid recovery.
Dwayne Philip pondering the best route through the damage to our next survey point (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
We had been given permission for one week to conduct these surveys. It came to a close all too soon. With 125 points surveyed once, and 37 points surveyed twice, 50 miles walked and 145 Barbuda Warblers detected, we felt that we had covered as much of the island as possible (eBird list from the final day). Once the numbers are crunched and population models run, we will have a much better estimate of the Barbuda Warbler population (stay tuned!). However, the good news is that all evidence points to a population, which somehow survived Irma’s fiercest onslaught.
As we left the island, we also left part of ourselves there – literally, in the case of the mosquitos and sand flies! In our hearts, there was the sorrow – and also hope – we feel for the Barbudans, their way of life and the island’s natural ecosystems. As more and more of the Caribbean becomes dominated by resort developments, Barbuda is a wonderful and refreshing contrast; a place where the natural world is still evident in abundance. We wish Barbuda a steady, sustainable recovery that will benefit its people and where its beautiful natural habitat will continue to flourish.
By Jeff Gerbracht, lead architect and software engineer at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and co-chair of the BirdsCaribbean Monitoring Working Group. Jeff has assisted Birdscaribbean for many years with eBird Caribbean, and monitoring and training workshops throughout the region.
Frank, Lenn and Jeff would especially like to thank the many individuals who made this population assessment possible, several of whom were also trying to rebuild their own lives on Barbuda:
Kelly Burton and Henry Griffin for ensuring our stay on Barbuda was as comfortable and productive as possible; Wanda for the excellent lunches; and Len Mussington for the exciting boat ride from Antigua to Barbuda.
Lenn Isidore looking out over the coastal scrub near Two Foot Bay (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
We also thank EAG, DOE, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Fauna and Flora International and BirdsCaribbean for their practical support, including the following individuals:
Shanna Challenger and Sophia Steele of Fauna & Flora International/EAG;
Rudolph Zachariah of the Department of Environment, Antigua;
Kelvin Samuel and Dwayne Philip of the Antigua Forestry Unit;
Sasha-gay Middleton of the Department of Environment for organizing our meals;
Matt Young of the Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab of Ornithology for putting together the warbler playback; and
Special thanks to Natalya Lawrence of EAG and Dr. Helena Jeffery Brown and Ruleta Camacho Thomas of the Department of Environment, for organizing so many of the necessary logistics.
BirdsCaribbean is grateful to all that have donated so generously to our ongoing fundraising effort for hurricane relief for our partners and beloved birds that has allowed us to send nectar feeders and bird seed to 13 islands and help our partners with surveys, replacing equipment lost in the storm, and other recovery actions.
Hover over each photo to see the caption; click on photos to see larger images and a slide show.
Toppled trees and broken branches are evidence of Irma (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
Male Yellow Warbler (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
View of the upland forest, beautiful area (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
Sophia and Frank embark on the ‘March of the Penguins’ on their quest to find the Barbuda Warbler (Photo by Shanna Challanger)
(Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
Departing from Antigua, left to right: Rudolph Zachariah, Lenn Isidore, Captain Len Mussington, Frank Rivera-Milan, Jeff Gerbracht, Dwayne Philip and Kelvin ‘Biggz’ Samuel (Photo by Natalya Lawrence)
One of the Rare times when Frank actually sits down (Photo by Lenn Isidore)
Red-legged Tortoise (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
Damage along the south coast (Photo by Lenn Isidore)
Barbuda Warbler (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
Amevia (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
Shows unique Barbuda Warbler habit of cocking up their tail, more like a wren than a warbler (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
White-cheeked Pintail (Photo by Lenn Isidore)
Coastal areas were especially hard by Irma (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
The destruction in Codrington was heart rending (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
Sophia Steele surveying from the heights (Photo by Lenn Isidore)
Built to last, Martello Tower (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
Team ‘Frank’ returning from a morning of surveys, Dwayne Philip, Kelvin ‘Biggz’ Samuel and Frank Rivera-Milan (Photo by Lenn Isidore)
Lenn spotting another Barbuda Warbler (Photo by Sophia Steele)
Coastal habitat (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
Looking over the forest from the highlands, towards Codrington (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
Yellow Warbler (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
Male Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
Lenn and Jeff share a light moment in the back of a truck after completing surveys (Photo by Shanna Challanger)
Barbuda Warbler (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
Yellow Warbler (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
Lenn Isidore looking out over the coastal scrub near Two Foot Bay (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
Barbuda Warbler (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
Martello Tower (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
One of the survey points deep in the highlands where the forest is green and vibrant with flowers beginning to open (Photo by Lenn Isidore)
The pants really take a beating (Photo by Sophia Steele)
Barbuda Warbler (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
Scaly-breasted Thrasher, one of three observed together (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
Female/Immature Yellow Warbler (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
Lenn surveying from the Tower (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
Low coastal scrub along the Atlantic coast of Barbuda (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
‘Which way do I go?’ Dwayne Philip (Photo by Lenn Isidore)
Yellow Warbler (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
Male Yellow Warbler (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht/Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab)
Lenn Isidore inspecting the habitat (Photo by Jeff Gerbracht)
All of us at BirdsCaribbean followed the passing of Hurricane Irma with terror, for the people of Barbuda, and also for its birds. Such is the strength of our community that BirdsCaribbean members from nearby Guadeloupe – Anthony Levesque, Frantz Delcroix, and Eric Delcroix – all members of the organization AMAZONA, offered their help in surveying their neighboring island, alongside a team of ornithologists from the United States, Saint Lucia, and Antigua. Here’s Frantz’s story of their 10-hour expedition to Barbuda.
From Guadeloupe to Barbuda: Our Eventful Journey
Eric Delcroix, avid birder from Guadeloupe and Frantz’s husband, stands in front of the Piper PA28 airplane before take-off (Photo by Anthony Levesque)
The start of our day was scheduled for Sunday, October 15, 2017, around 6:30am. Our transport was a small Piper PA28 airplane, with a capacity of 4 people (the pilot and three passengers). The plane was sturdy enough to transport us, our field equipment, a cooler, and our boots! Despite bad weather for several days—an active tropical wave passing by Guadeloupe and Antigua and Barbuda—our pilot assured us that we could travel. Just before leaving, however, our pilot learned that due to cloud cover, the airport in Antigua (where we had to land first) was closed to all VFR (visual flight rules) flights, and was accepting only flights that can fly under IFR (instrument flight rules). Fortunately, we chose the right pilot; his plane was equipped and certified for this kind of flight!
We took off at 6:50am, landing in Antigua around 8:00am. It was a longer flight than we had anticipated, because we were flying under IFR. After passing through immigration, we went to the control tower to validate the flight plan to Barbuda. As we suspected, we had trouble with the fact that we did not have written authorization to travel to the island. Luckily, with the help of the Department of Environment in Antigua, we had taken the precaution of obtaining the necessary contact information for the authority, Major Michael, in Antigua. After a short discussion, the agent agreed to call the Major, and so was able to validate our flight plan to Barbuda. With a sigh of relief, we took off from Antigua around 9:00am and arrived in Barbuda twenty minutes later.
On Barbuda: The Birds’ Message of Hope
The boat captain, Kelly, (standing), left to right – the airplane pilot, Hervé Pennel, Frantz Delcroix, and Anthony Levesque as they set out for Codrington Lagoon (Photo by Eric Delcroix)
Upon arrival we made our first survey: a few Barn Swallows and a Bank Swallow circled above us and an American Golden Plover wandered around the airport parking lot. We were then greeted by an agent from the airfield, who kindly took us to the port where the rest of the team has just arrived by boat. There we met Jeff Gerbracht (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, USA), Frank Rivera (US Fish and Wildlife Service, USA), Lenn Isidore (Flora and Fauna International, St. Lucia), and others and went to the house that served as home base during our trip, as we did some birding around the neighborhood. Jeff, Frank, and Lenn planned to be in Barbuda for a full week to do an intensive survey of the Barbuda Warbler population (stay tuned for their story!). Our assignment was to visit Codrington Lagoon and carry out a survey of the Magnificent Frigatebirds, to see how the population and sanctuary was recovering six weeks after Hurricane Irma hit. We departed at 11:15am for Codrington Lagoon with our boat captain Kelly – and our pilot (who wanted to discover the avifauna of Barbuda with us!)
Male Magnificent Frigatebirds courting and in flight at the colony Codrington Lagoon. (Photo by Eric Delcroix)
We arrived at the colony at 11:30am and were delighted to see hundreds of frigatebirds in flight, the bare and brown bushes adorned with bright red gular pouches. Within a 4.5 hectare (11.12 acre) area, we estimated 1,710 Magnificent Frigatebirds and 17 Brown Boobies. In a count of seven bushes of 279 frigatebirds, 83 females (30%) and 196 males (70%) were counted. Amazingly, 90% of the females were on nests and some of the birds were observed courting and mating, even males carrying nest materials.
We returned to home base around 12:30pm for a lunch break and then went back to the field. Having no vehicle available, we decided to visit a nearby pond we had observed on the Barbuda map, to search for West Indian Whistling-Ducks and other waterbirds. Along the way, we made several surveys of the species present. In a scrubby area near town, we spotted our first Barbuda Warblers eating caterpillars! The warblers were active and responded readily to our “pishing.”
A Barbuda Warbler alive and well! (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Around the pond, we recorded two Lesser Antillean Flycatchers, two Long-billed Dowitchers, a Stilt Sandpiper, some Semipalmated Sandpipers, a Solitary Sandpiper, and a Scaly-breasted Thrasher. Unfortunately, no West Indian Whistling-Ducks were seen.
We continued our surveys until around 2:45pm before returning to home base to pick up our belongings and walk to the airfield for our 3:45pm takeoff. Skirting some clouds along the way, we arrived home in Guadeloupe at 4:20pm with a list of 36 surveyed species in hand.
Our Hearts are with the People of Barbuda
Complete destruction of a home in Barbuda (Photo by Eric Delcroix)
Although we were there to conduct a birding survey, our hearts ached when we saw all the damage on Barbuda. Such utter desolation! We felt anguish and sadness for the people of Barbuda, who lost everything in this category 5 hurricane and are now living in Antigua awaiting word on when they can return home and rebuild. Witnessing the power of nature—its ability to inflict such damage, but also how it can quickly rebound—was an extraordinary experience.
Before the hurricane, the 4,000–5,000-strong frigatebird colony had chicks in the nest. Surveys just after the hurricane found no surviving chicks and only around 300 birds. Now, one and a half months later, there are more than 1,700 frigatebirds starting a new breeding period with almost all of the females nesting! Even the mangroves that suffered from salt burn and had lost all their leaves were bouncing back, beginning to sprout new leaves.
Magnificent Frigatebirds and Brown Boobies in Codrington Lagoon (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
So, we did not leave without hope. Nature is resilient! It can destroy almost everything, and yet incredibly allow a bird that weighs only ten grams to survive!
We thank all of our partners and friends from Antigua and Barbuda and BirdsCaribbean for trusting us and for providing funding and support for our survey, despite the challenges and the relatively short time we had to mobilize. We extend a special thanks to Natalya Lawrence of the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) in Antigua and Lisa Sorenson of BirdsCaribbean
Frantz Delcroix is the President of AMAZONA, a bird conservation organization in Guadeloupe. She is an avid birder, photographer and conservationist. Thanks to all who donated to our Hurricane Relief Fund which provided funding for this survey. Thanks also to support from the Environmental Awareness Group and Dept of Environment in Antigua, and Fauna and Flora International.
Hover over each photo to see the caption; click on photos to see larger images and a slide show.
Frigatebird Colony in Codrington Lagoon (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Damaged communications building on Barbuda. (Photo by Anthony Levesque)
Map-Location of nesting area on Barbuda-Codrington Lagoon
Pearly-eyed Thrasher (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Barbuda Warbler eating a caterpillar (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
A view of part of the Magnificent Frigatebird colony from a distance. It will take a long time for the formerly lush mangroves to recover. (Photo by Eric Delxcroix)
Female Magnificent Frigatebird on a nest in Codrington Lagoon (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
White-crowned Pigeon (Photo by Anthony Levesque)
Courting male Magnificent Frigatebirds (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Damaged building on Barbuda – the entire population has been evacuated. (Photo by Anthony Levesque) (1)
White-winged Dove (Photo by Anthony Levesque)
A view of the Magnificent Frigatebird colony from a distance. It will take a long time for the formerly lush mangroves to recover. (Photo by Eric Delcroix
Survey boat (Photo by Eric Delcroix)
Counting frigatebirds in the colony (Photo by Eric Delcroix)
Guadeloupe Field Team-Frantz, Eric and Anthony ready to begin the survey on Barbuda. (Photo by Herve Pennel)
Frigatebird Colony in Codrington Lagoon (Photo by Eric Delcroix)
Male Magnificent Frigatebird with Inflated gular pouch (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Landing Magnificent Frigatebird over Colony (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Pigs and dogs scrounging for food in Barbuda (Photo by Anthony Levesque)
Lesser Antillean Flycatcher (Photo by Anthony Levesque)
Long-billed Dowitcher, a rare migratory shorebird in this region (Photo by Anthony Levesque)
Male Frigatebirds in Codrington Lagoon (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Barbuda Warbler (Photo by Anthony Levesque)
Female Magnificent Frigatebird nesting on bare mangroves. (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
List of birds seen or heard on this day (all have been entered in eBird Caribbean)
Helmeted Guineafowl – Numida meleagris
Magnificent Frigatebird – Fregata magnificens
Brown Booby – Sula leucogaster
Cattle Egret – Bubulcus ibis
American Golden-Plover – Pluvialis dominica
Semipalmated Plover – Charadrius semipalmatus
Killdeer – Charadrius vociferus
Stilt Sandpiper – Calidris himantopus
Pectoral Sandpiper – Calidris melanotos
Semipalmated Sandpiper – Calidris pusilla
Long-billed Dowitcher – Limnodromus scolopaceus
Solitary Sandpiper – Tringa solitaria
Lesser Yellowlegs – Tringa flavipes
Rock Pigeon – Columba livia
White-crowned Pigeon – Patagioenas leucocephala
Eurasian Collared-Dove – Streptopelia decaocto
Common Ground-Dove – Columbina passerine
Brown Booby at the frigatebird colony. (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
White-winged Dove – Zenaida asiatica
Zenaida Dove – Zenaida aurita
Belted Kingfisher – Megaceryle alcyon
Caribbean Elaenia – Elaenia martinica
Lesser Antillean Flycatcher – Myiarchus oberi
Gray Kingbird – Tyrannus dominicensis
Black-whiskered Vireo – Vireo altiloquus
Bank Swallow – Riparia riparia
Barn Swallow – Hirundo rustica
Scaly-breasted Thrasher – Allenia fusca
Pearly-eyed Thrasher – Margarops fuscatus
American Redstart – Setophaga ruticilla
Yellow Warbler – Setophaga petechia
Blackpoll Warbler – Setophaga striata
Barbuda Warbler – Setophaga subita
Bananaquit – Coereba flaveola
Black-faced Grassquit – Tiaris bicolor
Lesser Antillean Bullfinch – Loxigilla noctis
Carib Grackle – Quiscalus lugubris
Read more about the hurricane impacts on Caribbean birds:
The Yellow-crowned Amazon belongs to a superspecies of similar, closely related parrots. (Photo by Faraaz Abdool)
Many comic book characters we know and love today can be identified by their signature symbols. In the blink of an eye we can recognize the S of Superman’s shield or the beaming light of the Batman logo when Gotham City needs the Dark Knight to fight its villains. Likewise, when many Trinidadians see a parrot with bright yellow on the head they immediately identify it using the local name, “Venez” Parrot. But few people know that this bird belongs to a superspecies group of Amazon Parrots (genus Amazona) comprising 11 subspecies. A superspecies is a species complex of closely related, very similar species that are often difficult to distinguish. The subspecies are categorized into three groups: 1) Yellow-crowned or ochrocephala 2) Yellow-naped or auropalliata and 3) Yellow-headed or oratrix.
Amazona ochrocephala ochrocephala, the Yellow-crowned Parrot, known locally as the Yellow-crowned Amazon (or Venez Parrot) found on Trinidad belongs to the – you guessed it – “Ochrocephala” group. It was possibly introduced from Venezuela or Guyana but its distribution extends into Colombia, Brazil, Suriname and French Guiana. This medium-sized Amazon weighs about 500 grams with primarily green plumage, a yellow forecrown and white eye-ring. Look carefully and you will see that the bend of the wing and base of the tail are both red. These traits are used to distinguish it from the ever present and ever noisy Orange-winged Parrots (Amazona amazonica). If you can’t get an up-close look at the parrot listen for its call which is a distinctive mellow, rolling bow-wow; this is in contrast to the shrill kik-kik…kik-kik calls of the Orange-winged Parrots.
Yellow-crowned:
Orange-winged:
Like most other parrots, Yellow-crowned Amazons are monogamous and prefer to nest in hollow trees or palms. While other Amazons choose their nesting cavities based on tree species, cavity height from the ground and cavity entrance size, Yellow-crowned Amazons tend not to have a preference for a specific tree species but do require trees in good condition. Because pairs maintain their nesting territories throughout the year, things can get really loud if a bird or pair tries to take over another pair’s nest or even if a neighbour oversteps his boundary. Yellow-crowned Amazons are very aggressive and coordinated in defending their nests. The nesting pair will vocalize while perched next to each other or physically attack an intruder by lunging with beak open and wings extended.
A human archnemesis
The Yellow-crowned Amazon is locally known in Trinidad as the Venez Parrot. (Photo by Lester James)
If Yellow-crowned Parrots and their superspecies are superheroes of the bird world, then poaching of juveniles can be considered the population’s kryptonite. Fledglings over 40 days old are commonly taken from the wild though some poachers remove nestlings from the cavity when they are as young as three days old. Removing young birds from the wild is as bad for the population as it is for the individual birds. The young parrots are taken before they have reached sexual maturity and therefore, the current breeding pool of adults is not being expanded or replaced.
One reason Yellow-crowned Amazons are so popular for the pet trade is their ability to mimic human speech quickly. Because they are so desirable, some poachers in Central America dye the forecrown feathers of Red-lored Amazons (A. autumnalis) and Brown-throated Parakeets (Aratinnga pertinax) yellow and sell them as Yellow-crowneds to unsuspecting customers. Currently, Yellow-crowned Parrots are considered Least Concern by IUCN due to their wide geographic distribution and estimated healthy population size. However, the combination of habitat loss, their low reproductive rate, and poaching for the pet trade remains a major concern.
Vocalizations: an unsung hero
A Yellow-crowned Amazon pair preening in Trinidad. (Photo by Richard Lakhan)
Even I would admit that hearing a parrot “talk” is very entertaining and amusing. However in the wild they use their own dialect with each other and their communication is not limited to repeating the calls of one or a few parrots. Yellow-crowned Amazons use syntax to arrange the structure of calls including those used in territorial disputes. It is plausible that by using syntax, communication among parrots is more flexible than we think. In addition, dialect through duets is used to woo potential mates and successfully reproduce. Males and females have sex-specific notes. These serve to tell the caller’s sex, availability to pair (i.e., spoken for or not) and to facilitate communication with multiple interested parrots . Yes, all is fair in love and war, even for parrots.
Other vocalizations, like contact calls, are used to maintain order within flocks to achieve common goals such as finding food or avoiding predators. Just imagine how little justice would get served if the members of the Justice League were unable to create a strategy to fight their enemies because they didn’t understand each other! Interestingly contact calls may also serve to ascertain a parrot’s regional identity. A survey of 16 Amazon roosting sites in North and South Costa Rica, 18 miles apart, revealed that each region had a distinct type of call. Researchers found that neighbouring roosts within a region shared a common call type and in each roost a single call type was recorded resulting in the mosaic pattern typical of vocal dialects in humans.
When Yellow-crowned Amazons are kept as pets and taught to repeat silly phrases, we undermine so much of their intelligence and even their identity. Out of the cage they speak their own language, one that takes years to develop and runs much deeper than “Hello” or “Who’s a pretty bird?” In order for this beautiful, complex superspecies to thrive in the wild, we all need to be local superheroes and take a stand against wildlife poaching.
How can you help parrots in the wild?
The Blue and Gold Project recently launched their fundraising campaign to protect the Blue and Gold Macaw in Trinidad. This large, charismatic bird was extirpated from the island in the 1960s. A reintroduction program began in 1999, and after several releases, there is a small, stable population with documented breeding success. The Blue and Gold Project is raising funds to host local capacity building workshops to educate community members about wild macaws and the pet trade, monitor the illegal trade of macaws, and conduct much-needed research on the wild reintroduced population. Please donate today!
Aliya Hosein is a 2017 CLiC (Conservation Leadership in the Caribbean) Fellow working on a Blue and Gold Macaw Conservation Project on her home island of Trinidad. She believes that parrots are so colourful and boisterous that without them forests, savannas and swamps would be dull.
Colorful and friendly, the Cuban Tody is one of Cuba’s most beloved endemic birds. (photo by Aslam Ibrahim)
Update—our January and March 2018 tours are completed, however, BirdsCaribbean is partnering with Holbrook Travel to offer a similar tour in November 2018. We invite you to join us – click here for all the details. We are offering similar tours as those described below in January and March of 2019. Click here for details.
Join BirdsCaribbean, the Caribbean Birding Trail and acclaimed Cuban bird guide, Ernesto Reyes Mouriño, on the adventure of a lifetime in January or March of 2018.
Cuba is well-known for its amazing landscapes, vibrant culture and unique biodiversity. According to the new Endemic Birds of Cuba: A Comprehensive Field Guide, 371 birds have been recorded in Cuba, including 26 which are endemic to the island and 30 which are considered globally threatened. Due to its large land area and geographical position within the Caribbean, Cuba is also extraordinarily important for Neotropical migratory birds—more than 180 species pass through during migration or spend the winter on the island.
Our itinerary takes you to several of the best and most beautiful birding locations in Cuba, providing opportunities to see many of Cuba’s endemic species and subspecies as well as many migrants. Along the way, we will meet people in local communities, stay mainly in Bed & Breakfast establishments (casas particulares) and eat in private restaurants (paladars), allowing you to experience Cuba’s rich culture, delicious food, friendly people, and generous hospitality. We will also have the opportunity to meet and have discussions with local ornithologists and conservationists that have been working with BirdsCaribbean for many years.
BirdsCaribbean is offering two tours in 2018: an 8-day trip in January and an 11-day trip in March. Find detailed itineraries for both trips below. Traveling with us helps Caribbean birds as a portion of the proceeds from the trip supports our bird conservation programs and partners in Cuba and the Caribbean. See some of the world’s most beautiful and memorable birds, knowing you are helping ensure their welfare by supporting the people who study and protect them.
Space is limited so sign up now to reserve your spot!
Check out the report and photos from our January 2016 trip here and from our July 2017 trip to Havana and Zapata Swamp here. See trip reviews below. Purchase the new Endemic Birds of Cuba Field Guide here.
NOTE: The recent policy changes in the Cuban Assets Control Regulations do not affect BirdsCaribbean’s birding trips or the requirements of US citizens traveling with us. Their birding trips consist of group travel under the general license that authorizes travel transactions that support the Cuban people (also known as the people-to-people general license.) The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) requires that (1) all people-to-people travel be conducted under the auspices of an organization that is subject to U.S. jurisdiction and that sponsors such exchanges to promote people-to-people contact (BirdsCaribbean), and (2) such travelers be accompanied by a person subject to U.S. jurisdiction who is a representative of the sponsoring organization (the BirdsCaribbean trip leaders). While you are on the trip, BirdsCaribbean will ensure that you have a full-time schedule of activities that engage private citizens (e.g., local guides, Cuban biologists, private business owners), and avoid transactions with the State Department’s List of Restricted Entities and Subentities Associated with Cuba (“the Cuba Restricted List”).
A very damaged native Gaïac tree (Lignum vitae) in Grand Case, St. Martin is already sprouting hopeful shoots after Irma. Partners observe that native trees may be more resilient than invasive or imported species that have been decimated in the storms. Green is already appearing on the hillsides. (Photo by Mark Yokoyama)
It has been an exhausting few weeks for many of BirdsCaribbean’s partners across the region. The hurricane season is not over for another two months, but Caribbean conservationists are hoping for a break. BirdsCaribbean and its wonderful supporters across the region are doing their best to keep up with a variety of urgent needs, from shipping hummingbird feeders for starving birds to organizing assessments and surveys. There is a lot of work to be done, but teamwork and partnerships are making the difference.
We at BirdsCaribbean extend our heartfelt thanks to all those who have donated towards the crowdfunding campaign so far. Your support means so much to us, as we try to help all our dedicated and hard-working partners get back on their feet after this unprecedented series of disasters. We assure you that the funds will be put to good use, and we will never forget the outpouring of kindness and generosity from folks near and far. It is quite humbling!
Time has passed slowly since the passage of Irma and Maria, and we have been extremely anxious for news from the islands most badly affected. Here are some updates on the bird populations. It is a very mixed picture, so far, so be prepared for good news, but some “not so good”:
BARBUDA
After the storm: A group of around 20 Magnificent Frigatebirds on a small island of “burned” mangrove in Codrington Lagoon, photographed on September 22. (Photo by Sophia Steele)
During their visit to the devastated island of Barbuda on September 22, the Environmental Awareness Group’s Andrea Otto and Junior Prosper were thrilled to count eight endemic Barbuda Warblers that had miraculously survived the fierce onslaught of Hurricane Irma – alongside Yellow Warblers. BirdsCaribbean is assisting with intensive surveys in mid-October to assess the population size and actions that can be taken in the short and long term to help the bird.
At Codrington Lagoon – home to the largest colony of Magnificent Frigatebirds in the Caribbean – the team was stunned, however, to find just one small group of 30 adult birds perched on a dead mangrove bush, instead of the usual thriving colony of 4,000 and 5,000 birds in the Sanctuary. The Antiguan team counted about 325 birds soaring in the air above the lagoon. We don’t know yet what has happened to all the other birds. Known as “Weather Birds,” frigatebirds will fly out before the storm hits, so hopefully they are still alive. There were juveniles in the colony not yet able to fly, however. They are known to climb deep into the mangroves and wait out storms, however, no young birds have been spotted. They most likely perished in the storm.
Happier times: The colony of Magnificent Frigatebirds – the largest in the hemisphere – flourishing on the Codrington Lagoon, Barbuda before the storms. (Photo by Karron James)
Otto described the Red Mangrove habitat of the lagoon as “burnt”—there was almost no remaining foliage. “Normally, the mangroves are so dense, lush and green that you have to crane your neck to see between and beyond them, and they are loaded with birds,” said Otto. “Now we could easily see for long distances into the sanctuary.” The trees that remained were shorter and stripped bare. The Barbudans with the team said they “barely recognized the landscape.”
The recovery of the lagoon’s mangroves is of grave concern. The Magnificent Frigatebird, considered one of the most threatened seabirds in the Caribbean, depends on mangroves to nest and roost at night. The sanctuary, which is well managed by the local community and patrolled by wardens, provides critical habitat for this species. It also provides sustainable livelihoods for local bird and nature guides that take people into the sanctuary by boat to witness the spectacular site and sound of frigatebird courtship—males puffing out their red neck pouches and drumming on them to attract a mate.
On Barbuda, the team found most large trees had been uprooted or broken. Trees and shrubs had no green or live leaves and there was “not even grass,” reported Junior Prosper. In other wetland areas on Barbuda, Willets, Brown Pelicans, Green Herons, Lesser Yellowlegs and Spotted Sandpipers, as well as Eurasian Collared Dove and a few Pearly-eyed Thrashers were seen. However, no West Indian Whistling-Ducks, a threatened regional endemic were spotted. An intensive survey effort will take place over the next several weeks.
What are the Barbuda Warbler’s prospects for survival? As with many other species on all the islands, this post-hurricane period is a critical time for the birds, because of the shortage of food. “My fear now is that with vegetation largely stripped of leaves, as photos indicate, insect food will be very hard to come by in the coming weeks. I fear more birds may be lost from food shortage post-hurricane than in the storm itself,” observes Tony Diamond (University of New Brunswick), who together with his graduate students has studied the warbler and frigatebirds. BirdsCaribbean will be working with EAG to look at habitat restoration actions that can be taken for the warbler and the frigatebirds.
In the sister island of Antigua, hummingbirds were “highly stressed” after the storms, according to Facebook posts. The Purple-throated Carib descended from upland forests to feed around towns and homes. In their normal habitats, flowers, fruits and insects are gone, and they have also lost secure space and even other members of their species, it was noted.
BAHAMAS
West Indian flamingos feeding in Inagua, the Bahamas. (Photo by the Bahamas National Trust)
In the Bahamas, which fortunately did not bear the full brunt of the storms on all its many scattered islands – bird species appear to have been moving around quite a bit. The Bahamas National Trust (BNT), a key BirdsCaribbean partner, is on the lookout for Cuban Parrots (Bahama subspecies), which have been “conspicuously absent” from the eastern end of New Providence since Hurricane Irma. They may have moved temporarily elsewhere. “Those of us who live in the East have missed their early morning calls during their flyovers,” our BNT friends report. BNT Warden Randolph Burrows spotted over 100 parrots on the island of Great Inagua, which was hit hard by Hurricane Irma. Residents were also delighted to welcome thousands of American Flamingos on September 14, following the passage of the hurricane. Inagua is home to a breeding colony of 50,000 flamingoes, but there is a question as to whether some of these birds may have been refugees from Cuba and the Dominican Republic. BNT Executive Director Eric Carey, while happy to see the birds, observed: “Hurricanes such as Irma actually make us realize how much we do not know about our flamingos.”
CUBA
As for updates from our hard-working friends in Cuba, due to communication problems, we have received no further updates on the flamingo populations from the first report that thousands were killed in the storm. Nor have we learned how other endemic and rare species have fared such as the Zapata Sparrow and Zapata Wren. The photos show, however, that habitats on the northern coast and cays were severely damaged with many mangroves and other trees uprooted and stripped of vegetation as in Barbuda. We will report as soon as we receive news, which we hope will be positive!
DOMINICA
The Imperial Amazon, national bird of Dominica. This is a Critically Endangered species and although captive birds are safe, there are concerns for those in the wild after Hurricane Maria. (Photo by Rare Species Conservatory Foundation)
The eye of Hurricane Maria passed directly over the tiny island of Dominica, which is still reeling from the impact. The port is not yet fully functional for ships. The normally lush, green country, known as the “nature isle” for its stunning and majestic mountainous landscape is barren and brown at the moment. Stephen Durand reported that the devastation is heartbreaking and they are taking it one day at a time. The Forestry Office was severely damaged by the storm and all of its equipment looted. Several of our partners have lost their homes and there is a shortage of food and water in small, remote communities. Communications remain poor due to the mountainous terrain and the extent of damage to infrastructure, although aid is starting to come in via helicopter. Here there is great concern for the two endemic parrots – in particular the Critically Endangered Imperial Parrot (“Sisserou”)—only 400 of these are known to exist in the wild, with none breeding in captivity.
Lennox Honeychurch reported that he has seen some Red-necked Parrots (“Jaco”) flying around, even down to the coast…clearly disoriented, landing in the road looking for scraps of food. So they at least have survived. The fate of the Sisserou is as yet unknown. No one he has spoken to, even in the Carib territory, have seen any since Maria struck. Durand reports that a search for the Sisserou will begin today – we will share news as soon as it is available. While captive birds have survived, they also need food; a BirdsCaribbean member has taken over a small amount of parrot food, as well as bird feeders and powdered nectar for the hummingbird population.
GUADELOUPE
A rare visitor to Guadeloupe, this Ruff was spotted after the recent hurricanes in the flooded swamp. (Photo by Anthony Levesque)
The island of Guadeloupe did not escape the wrath of the storms, receiving blows from both Irma and Maria and causing much damage to parks and protected areas. During an early survey on September 20, Anthony Levesque noted that the swamp areas were completely flooded. Just a few shorebirds were seen, including Great Egret, Semipalmated Plover, Ruff, Least Sandpiper, White-Rumped Sandpiper, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, and also two Belted Kingfishers. The following morning, a Green-Throated Carib was seen “fighting against the wind…” Since then, more shorebird sightings have been recorded.
ST. EUSTATIUS
Before and after Irma: A mountain called the Quill on St. Eustatius, home to the Quail Dove, showing the destruction of habitat. (Photo by STENAPA)
Although not badly impacted by the hurricanes, the small island of St. Eustatius (aka “Statia”) nevertheless suffered damage to many trees on the island and in the Quill/ Boven National Park, which includes the slopes of their dormant volcano, known as “The Quill.” The impacts on wildlife and ecosystems are not yet known. Hannah Madden is concerned about the impact on the endemic Bridled Quail-Dove population that she has been monitoring. BirdsCaribbean will fund an intensive survey of the dove next month. Hannah reports that they received some surprise visitors: A small flock of American Golden Plovers. This species has never been recorded on Statia before; they were likely blown off course by the hurricanes. Partners in other islands are also reporting vagrants and new species showing up – blown in or off course during migration from the hurricanes.
SINT MAARTEN
In Sint Maarten, conservationist Binkie van Es – who was himself made homeless by Hurricane Irma – reported that hummingbirds were of greatest concern, because of the lack of food. Binkie is excited to receive a shipment of 300 hummingbird feeders, on its way from BirdsCaribbean to Sint Maarten/St. Martin. These will be distributed to schools and homes across the island, with the assistance of Les Fruits de Mer and Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC). “I am afraid we lost half of our Brown Pelican population,” Binkie noted, while observing that White-cheeked Pintails appeared undisturbed. Barn Swallows, he noted, appeared to be displaced from their usual locations. Meanwhile, American Kestrels were finding happy hunting grounds, since the trees and bushes were stripped of leaves. Binkie notes: “Most regular shrubs and trees are sprouting already, but all mangroves took a terrible hit.” The mangrove habitats may take much longer to recover.
ST. MARTIN
A Purple-throated Carib hummingbird has been a regular visitor to feeders at Les Fruits de Mer. Usually they live at higher elevations so it is a rare sight on St. Martin. (Photo by Mark Yokoyama)
On the French side of the island, St. Martin, there was also huge damage to homes and infrastructure. Our partner organization, Les Fruits de Mer, also lost its museum building; fortunately, the contents were packed in a container for removal, so are safe. BirdsCaribbean’s Mark Yokoyama reports that he used ten pounds of sugar in two weeks, as hummingbird feeders he has set up are besieged with birds, including many Bananaquits, Green-throated Caribs, Antillean Crested Hummingbirds and others. Despite the storms’ impact, “hillsides are starting to green up,” our partners report and a few flowers (oleanders) are now blooming. EPIC reports that it will have a renewed focus and will be seeking funds for mangrove restoration in October; BirdsCaribbean will be assisting with these funds.
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
As vegetation recovers, hummingbird feeders such as this one at a residence in BVI are critical for bird survival.
The British Virgin Islands were hard hit by both storms. Trees were stripped of leaves and many larger trees damaged or destroyed. The largest mangrove forest at Paraquita Bay was completely leafless. Elsewhere, small pockets of mangrove were already removed during the post-hurricane cleanup. This raises a general concern that the destruction of bird habitats, especially forested areas (already threatened in many places by development) may be accelerated by post-storm cleanups. A gas station may be built in their place, rather than the habitat being restored and replanted. “As usual, we try to save what’s left…” was the comment from Birdscaribbean member, Clive Petrovich, on Tortola – who also brought sad news that Bananaquit nests with eggs or young around his home were destroyed by the hurricanes, along with the foliage. He saw a few Bananaquits, and Pearly-Eyed Thrashers, Scaly-naped Pigeons, Kingbirds, Smooth-billed Anis and a few other species were spotted.
There are concerns here too for the hummingbird populations; some have been observed eating arthropods to survive. While bird numbers on Tortola have dropped dramatically, a number of trees (mahogany, sago palms) already have new leaves. Our partners in both the British and US Virgin Islands, which suffered similar devastation, are looking forward to receiving hummingbird feeders from BirdsCaribbean to help these nectar feeders survive during this period of severe food shortages.
PUERTO RICO
A Masked Booby killed by Hurricane Maria. (Photo by Ingrid Flores)
We are anxious to hear from our friends in Puerto Rico, and stand ready to assist in any way we can when communications are restored and their needs are established. Of particular concern is the Critically Endangered Puerto Rican Parrot. Reduced population size due to hunting and capture for the pet trade, combined with habitat loss and fragmentation, make this species especially vulnerable to large scale natural disasters. Also of concern is the fate of a number of endemic species in PR following the storm, such as the Endangered Yellow-shouldered Blackbird, Critically Endangered Puerto Rican Nightjar and Vulnerable Elfin-woods Warbler.
What is BirdsCaribbean’s focus in the near and medium term following these terrible storms?
At the moment we are organizing shipments of hundreds of hummingbird feeders and bird seed to our partners on all the islands that have been impacted; several shipments are en route! We will be helping to fund post-hurricane surveys of Bridled Quail-doves in Statia this fall, and also the intensive surveys of the Barbuda Warbler and Magnificent Frigatebird that will take place in mid-October. We will be helping the Forestry Dept in Dominica to replace all their bird monitoring field equipment, including binoculars, spotting scopes, GPS units, backpacks, cameras, and more. We have also been topping up cell phones for our partners so that they can communicate, and anticipate that we will funding mangrove and habitat restoration projects.
Again, we are truly thankful to all that have donated so generously to our ongoing fundraising effort for hurricane relief for our partners and beloved birds that has allowed us to help with recovery actions. We particularly wish our partner Vermont Center for Ecostudies and Kevin Loughlin of Wildside Nature Tours, who are supporting us with a GoFundMe site of their own (please donate as all funds raised up to $10K are matched by Wildside!).
This has been an extremely difficult time for BirdsCaribbean partners, for the birds – and for the people of the Caribbean. However, the islands are resilient, and we are confident that, while it will be slow, a steady recovery is underway. In fact, as each day passes, the region is slowly getting back on its feet. We plan to bring further bird updates as more reports roll in! Stay tuned.
By Emma Lewis and Lisa Sorenson (thanks to all of our partners that have been sending us news and photos – please keep it coming and let us know your needs!)
Scroll over or click on the photos for captions
Hummingbirds flock to a feeder in Grand Case, St. Martin. (Photo by Mark Yokoyama)
Trafalger Falls in Dominica after Hurricane Maria. (Photo by Mark Lopez)
The Les Fruits de Mer Museum in St. Martin was destroyed. (Photo by Mark Yokoyama)
The endemic Barbuda Warbler was spotted after Hurricane Irma. (Photo by Andrea Otto)
Keep an eye out for unusual birds that may have been blown off course! An American Golden Plover on Statia. This species has never been recorded there before and they were likely blown off course by the recent hurricanes. (Photo by Johan Stapel)
Parrots on denuded vegetation in Puerto Rico.
A “Killy Killy” (American Kestrel) has a great view and easy hunting in St. Martin with all the leaves off the trees. (Photo by Mark Yokoyama)
Warbler found! The first Barbuda Warbler spotted by Andrea Otto and Joseph Prosper of the Environmental Awareness Group on their survey trip to Barbuda on Sept. 22nd. No warblers were seen on the first survey trip to the island on Sept. 15th. (Photo by Andrea Otto.)
On Wednesday, September 6, Hurricane Irma engulfed the tiny Caribbean island of Barbuda with 185 mph winds, leaving most of the population homeless and a landscape ravaged by wind and surging waves.
Since the storm passed, the Caribbean birding community has been increasingly anxious about one bird in particular: the endemic Barbuda Warbler, a Near Threatened Species. Had this charming little bird survived the storm?
Well, at last there is some good news. BirdsCaribbean is delighted to report that, during a one-day survey trip to Barbuda on September 22, a team from its Antiguan partner Environment Awareness Group (EAG) and the Department of the Environment discovered a total of eight Barbuda Warblers.
As the only endemic species on the island and country of Antigua and Barbuda, the Barbuda Warbler has a special place in the small community’s hearts. The bird has a perky posture and constantly flits around, searching for insects in trees, thorny scrub and coastal areas. Its estimated population is between 1,000 and 2,500, but before the hurricane its population trends were not determined.
The first bird was spotted by EAG’s Andrea Otto and colleague Junior Prosper in a fallen acacia tree. “I saw a flash of grey…” Otto reports. “I whispered to Junior – it’s a Barbuda Warbler!” They managed to get a good view and confirmation of the smart little warbler’s grey and yellow plumage. After that, “It took us a while to get a clear photograph of the bird as irrefutable proof of its survival,” notes Otto. The team recorded the birds in a relatively small area near the secondary school in Codrington, the main settlement on the island.
Joseph Prosper walking through town in Barbuda surveying the catastrophic damage from Hurricane Irma and searching for Barbuda Warblers. All residents have been temporarily evacuated. (photo by Andrea Otto).
BirdsCaribbean is supporting the EAG and Department of Environment to conduct bird and wildlife surveys over the next five weeks. They are helping the team design a survey plan that will cover the habitat on the island and provide an estimate of the warbler’s population size. Ornithologists and other skilled birders in the region and beyond will assist with an intensive survey effort in the coming weeks and months. The team will also devise a plan to help the Barbuda Warbler and other wildlife on the island recover, such as replanting native trees and mangroves that were destroyed in the hurricane.
Editor’s Note:BirdsCaribbean has launched a fundraising effort for hurricane relief for our Caribbean partners and birds. All the funds will be distributed to bird conservation partners across the Greater and Lesser Antilles islands to help them get back on their feet and replace what was lost in the storm—from notebooks, materials and binoculars to offices and infrastructure. The Fund will also support field surveys to assess the status of endemic, resident and many migrant species, as well as recovery and habitat rehabilitation actions by our partners, such as planting native trees that feed birds and provide habitat. Sincere thanks to those that have donated already!
If you would like to donate to help the people of Barbuda rebuild their homes, schools and businesses following 90% destruction on the island, please click here.
The Scarlet Ibis is the national bird of Trinidad and Tobago. (Photo by Faraaz Abdool)
Flying low over the water and glowing brilliant red in the light of the setting sun, thousands of Scarlet Ibis quietly assemble at their roosting site. While the Tricolored Herons and bright white Snowy Egrets disappear into the cover of the mangroves, the Scarlet Ibis remain perched on top, dotting the dark green with intense bursts of red. To witness this spectacular ritual— a daily occurrence in the Caroni Swamp in Trinidad—is to experience one of the most extraordinary events in the natural world.
The Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) is both culturally and economically important to the twin island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. When the country gained independence in 1962, it was fitting to declare the Scarlet Ibis as the national bird and it is featured prominently on the nation’s coat of arms and one dollar bill. Since at least the early 1970s, bird-watching ecotours in Caroni Swamp were generating over $1 million TTD annually. Today, the swamp and the ibis are internationally known as a “must-see” natural treasure, and the ecotourism industry continues to support the livelihoods of many Trinidadians.
Scarlet Ibis return to their roosting site after a day of foraging. (Photo by Jessica Rozek)
Unfortunately, the Scarlet Ibis is also coveted for another reason: its meat. In an interview last month, the Chief Game Warden acknowledged that the bird is a black market delicacy illegally served at elite parties, driving the motivation for poaching. It has been speculated that eating the national bird is a status symbol. In 2013, a man with 18 ibis carcasses was sentenced to 18 months in prison (though he was allowed to serve them concurrently). And just this summer, three people were arrested in the possession of ibis carcasses and blasted on social media by Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries Minister Clarence Rambharat. His comments were widely shared and sparked dozens of newspaper articles, with the outraged public calling for action.
This image of poached Scarlet Ibis was shared on social media by Minister Clarence Rambharat in August 2017, resulting in public outrage. (Photo by Clarence Rambharat)
The national bird has a long history of persecution and is incredibly sensitive to disturbance. As early as the 1860s, colonial records warn that “a fierce war has been made on this bird…already it comes in fewer numbers and soon it will be very rare.” Other reports from the early 1930s and 1950s acknowledge that the Scarlet Ibis are “shot ruthlessly for food or so-called sport” and that they are very wary as a consequence. Richard ffrench, the neotropical ornithologist based in Trinidad, noted that in the beginning of the 20th century, hunting prevented the Scarlet Ibis from breeding on the island until 1953.
In 2013, poachers were caught with 18 dead Scarlet Ibis. (Photo by Rishi Ragoonath)
Currently, the fine for hunting or possessing the Scarlet Ibis is just $1,000 TTD (~$150 USD) or three months in prison. But due to the vast expanse of the Caroni Swamp and limited manpower, enforcement is difficult. In 2010, six individuals were fined $750 TT each for poaching offences that took place in 2007. Surprisingly, this marked the first time in the country’s history that someone was convicted of hunting the Scarlet Ibis.
Minister Rambharat has petitioned the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) to initiate the process to change the designation of the Scarlet Ibis to an Environmentally Sensitive Species (ESS). Under this protected status, poachers could receive a maximum of a $100,000 TTD fine or up to two years imprisonment. An ESS status would also facilitate interagency and joint patrols in Caroni Swamp, increasing warden and police presence. In addition, the EMA is exploring changing the status of the Caroni Swamp to an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA). The swamp is already designated a Ramsar site (1993) and a Prohibited Area under the Forests Acts.
Young moko jumbie performers in Trinidad raise awareness about the plight of the Scarlet Ibis. (Photo by Alice Yard)
Even young Trinidadians are raising awareness about the poaching of the national bird. In August, 45 performers aged 9-17 years old from the Moko Jumbie Cultural Camp dressed as Scarlet Ibis and marched in the capital’s Queen’s Park Savannah. This Caribbean stilt-walking art form is common during carnival season, and the camp’s mission is to preserve this custom and create cultural legacies by engaging children. It was a fantastic idea to combine this unique cultural heritage with the natural heritage of the Scarlet Ibis! Click here to see the video.
What you can do to help:
Please spread the word that the EMA is requesting information (including observations), research, or data about the Scarlet Ibis to assist with changing its status to an ESS. Information can be submitted here.
The mandatory 30-day public comment period for the change in status to ESS will be announced shortly. Please check the EMA website or Facebook page for updates and send a letter in support of this change in protected status.
Please scroll over or click on the photos for captions
The Scarlet Ibis is featured on the nation’s Coat of Arms, along with the Rufous-vented Chachalaca, the national bird of Tobago.
Scarlet Ibis settle on top of the mangroves at their Caroni Swamp roosting site. (Photo by Jessica Rozek)
The Caroni Swamp ecotour is very popular for residents and tourists alike. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Scarlet Ibis in the Caroni Swamp, Trinidad. (Photo by Jessica Rozek)
These Scarlet Ibis in Trinidad will be worth the wait! (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Scarlet Ibis fly above a pair of American Flamingos. (Photo by Jessica Rozek)
A Scarlet Ibis perched on a mangrove. (Photo by Faraaz Abdool)
Wildlife watchers enjoying the tour in Caroni Swamp. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Jessica Rozek is a PhD student at Tufts University, where she is focusing her research on Caribbean wetland conservation and human-wetland-bird interactions. Learn more about her research here.
Take care of yourselves and, once you and your loved ones are safe, remember our birds and consider their plight.
Flooding caused by Hurricane Irma in Old Havana, Cuba. (Photo by Juvenal Balán)
There is no doubt that the landscape on some islands has already changed, perhaps irreversibly so, after the passage of the strongest hurricane on record in the Caribbean. The Codrington Lagoon on Barbuda, for example – a beautifully preserved RAMSAR site – is home to the largest colony of Magnificent Frigatebirds in the region (around 2,500 pairs). It was breached during the storm and the sea has flowed in. Barbuda itself is now a scene of devastation, with almost all buildings damaged or destroyed and most inhabitants evacuated. So, what of the endemic Barbuda Warbler, a small bird that is Near Threatened (likely less than 2,000 individuals) – did it survive?
Moreover, human activity is already contributing to the changing island landscape on a perhaps unprecedented level. Barbuda itself is the proposed site of a tourism development that has already triggered controversy because of its possible impact on its fragile environment. Other large tourism and housing developments, mining and other industrial activities and urbanization are all threatening bird habitats across the region. The unchecked over-development of the Houston area, which replaced wetlands and woodlands with concrete was a major contributing factor to the excessive flooding.
The Barbuda Warbler is endemic to the tiny island of Barbuda which was decimated by Hurricane Irma. (Photo by Ted Eubanks)
While discussion and research into the impact of climate change on tropical weather patterns (in particular, the link to hurricanes) continues, issues such as rising sea levels and warming seas are becoming increasingly evident in the Caribbean. All of these factors combined increase the chance that a single event like Hurricane Irma may cause a species, such as the Barbuda Warbler to go extinct.
Last year, we recorded the devastating impact of Hurricane Matthew on birds in the Bahamas and Haiti, in particular. We also noted that some species “bounce back” more quickly than others. After the storm passes, those birds that survive face long-term problems. In the path of the storm, trees and shrubs lose all their leaves, buds, flowers and fruits. Trees (often the older, larger trees that provide food and shelter) may be uprooted. Riverbanks are scoured and whole neighborhoods transformed. In hills and mountains, there is the threat of landslides. Damage to reefs and seagrass beds may decrease marine productivity. Nesting beaches may be washed away. Birds may lose their nests, shelter and food. Others get displaced to new areas, where they may not thrive.
What happens to birds in a hurricane?
Casper Burrows, a Bahamas National Trust Park Warden on Great Inagua, home to 40,000+ breeding American Flamingos, was elated to spot resident flamingoes feeding just after Hurricane Irma roared through the island. The flamingos had taken shelter in the mangrove vegetation. (Photo by Casper Burrows)
We know that many species can respond to the indicators that a storm is nearby, such as a drop in barometric pressure, changes in temperature, rainfall and light. In some species these changes trigger them to change location. The Bahamas National Trust notes that its flamingoes, for example, will fly away ahead of a storm and some seabirds on the wing will increase their altitude to try to get above the storm. Many other species respond to threats by trying to hunker down in safe places. Migratory birds may change their plans, and depart earlier than usual. Some very brave Whimbrels have even been recorded flying directly into a storm – for example, one named Chinquapin, braved Hurricane Irene in 2011. Read more here.
During and just after the passage of Hurricane Irma, Bahamian flamingoes were spotted, sheltered by coastal forest and mangroves, in storm conditions on the island of Great Inagua; and Cuban Parrots (Bahamas subspecies) were seen feeding on guinep fruit off the trees, which had somehow managed to retain its fruits. Some birds are true survivors, but with such a large and powerful storm as Irma, nowhere is entirely safe. Evidence is just now coming to light that many birds were killed outright during the storm, including thousands of flamingos in the Cayo Coco Cays of Cuba. Juvenile birds will fare worse than the adults. Often the impacts – on breeding cycles, for example – are indirect and more long term.
In 1998, Hurricane Gilbert displaced Black-billed Streamertail hummingbirds about 35 miles east from the dense wet limestone forests of eastern Jamaica to Kingston. A kind citizen found many of these streamertails on her veranda, weak and hardly able to fly. She went from putting out two or three small bottles of sugar water to supplying more than 2 gallons a day. Her efforts undoubtedly saved hundreds of birds.
What can we do to help birds after a hurricane?
It may take weeks, months or decades for our forests, wetlands and gardens to return to their former glory. In the meantime, you can do a lot to help your local birds.
A Black-throated Blue Warbler feeding on fruit; this species winters in the Caribbean. (Photo by Anne Sutton)
Remember the birds as you stock up with supplies, and maintain your hummingbird and seed feeders and bird baths.
Provide food for birds following the storm. Feeding birds does not require expensive feeders or equipment.
Seeds. Many pigeons and doves will eat cracked corn and small seed-eaters will take cracked rice. Watch out for changes in bird behaviour which may indicate food shortages. For example, White-crowned Pigeons may suddenly start feeding on the ground. If you see this, put out food in suitable places (ideally where birds are not vulnerable to cats).
Sugar water. You can make a hummingbird feeder from a bottle with a screw on cap by piercing a small hole in the cap. Fill it with sugar water (1 part sugar to 4 parts water). Use some wire to suspend the bottle at an angle in a place where hummingbirds will find it. You may need to put something red on the bottle to attract the birds initially.
Fruit. To provide fruit for birds, use a horizontal stake with 2 inch nails driven into it to put out left over fruit skins for birds.
What else can we do?
Unfortunately, many flamingos in the Cayo Coco Cays on the the north coast of Cuba did not survive the hurricane. (Photo by Granma.cu)
We need to document the impacts of hurricanes on birds so that we can determine which species have been affected and what we can do to help them. As soon as you can after the storm, take photographs and videos or take notes about:
the extent of damage to habitats (and the process of recovery);
observations of unusual behaviour by familiar birds;
observations of threatened or rare species in their habitat (that might indicate that they survived);
Note that because birds may travel to or get blown off course to other islands during storms and hurricanes, it’s just as important to survey birds in other islands that were NOT affected. For example, the more southern Lesser Antillean islands (Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines) may serve as a refuge from hurricane events. Please go out and do some surveys and keep an eye out for different birds and vagrants in your islands!
Donate to help our Caribbean partners and birds recover
BirdsCaribbean has launched a fundraising effort for hurricane relief for our Caribbean partners and birds. All the funds will be distributed to bird conservation partners across the Greater and Lesser Antilles islands to help them get back on their feet and replace what was lost in the storm—from notebooks, materials and binoculars to offices and infrastructure. The Fund will also support field surveys to assess the status of endemic, resident and many migrant species, as well as recovery and habitat rehabilitation actions by our partners, such as planting native trees that feed birds and provide habitat. Sincere thanks to those that have donated already!
In the long-term
A Magnificent Frigatebird chick, part of the large nesting colony in Barbuda. (Photo by Ted Eubanks)
We need to take the opportunity to remind our policy-makers of the importance of maintaining and protecting our natural areas, and to continue public education among stakeholders. Intact mangroves provide the most effective protection from storm surge for coastal settlements and infrastructure. Wetlands soak up and store excess rain and protect surrounding areas and property from flooding. Forests prevent land slippage and flash flooding. Caribbean residents – whether town dwellers, farmers or fishermen – are seeing this for themselves in their daily lives.
Hurricane Irma will perhaps serve as a reminder that the delicate balance of our widely varied ecosystems is in jeopardy. As the University of Oklahoma’s Jeremy D. Ross notes in his September 9 article, if we do not maintain a healthy natural environment, “We stand to lose not just an isolated songbird most people have never heard of, but potentially the vibrancy of entire ecosystems that provide the Caribbean its inherent allure.”
Old Havana with it’s beautiful colonial architecture. (Photo by Jessica Rozek)
Seventeen strangers from three countries, Bahamas, Bermuda, and the United States, became fast friends on the BirdsCaribbean 4-day Pre-conference Tour. Naturalists, biologists, students, professors, teachers, accountants, business owners and managers, and retirees all shared one common interest – to explore Cuba and see the birds of Cuba and the Caribbean.
We were met at the airport on Saturday July 8th, settled in to the elegant Meliá Cohiba, and given our freedom for the first evening in Havana to stroll the Malecón and to explore the sights and sounds of Cuba. We were told that walking anywhere, anytime in Cuba was safe, and our experiences verified this truth. On Sunday morning, Atila, our Cuban tour guide, started us off with a walking tour of Old Havana. Ambling along while learning history, seeing colonial architecture, street musicians, and cobbled streets busy with tourists and locals alike made for a lovely morning. Lunch was to the accompaniment of music – music everywhere.
With our tour guide Atila during the walking tour of old Havana. (Photo by Erika Gates)
Between observations around our hotel and our tour of the City we saw the first of our Cuban endemics – the Cuban Blackbird. After lunch, the group piled in to taxis for a walk through the National Botanical Gardens about 30 minutes outside of Havana. There we spotted 13 different species including the Red-legged Honeycreeper, the Great Lizard Cuckoo, and the Yellow-faced Grassquit, not endemics, but exciting none the less. A note here – we were a large group of birders, so numbers of birds observed are from my notes, and many of the more experienced might well have seen more species!
On Sunday evening we were treated to a spectacular Caribbean sunset from the Castillo de San Carlos de la Cabaña. The old fort overlooks the beautiful the Havana harbor, and we watched as darkness fell and the city came to a sparkling enchantment of lights. We had gathered for the re-enactment of the firing of the cannon – a centuries old tradition warning the population that the gates to the fort were about to be closed for the evening.
Red-legged Honeycreeper at the Botanical Gardens outside Havana. (Photo by Erika Gates)
Monday morning we loaded on to our comfortable, air-conditioned bus with Atila, and picked up our bird guide extraordinaire, Maydiel Cañizares Morera, who works for Zapata Swamp National Park. We headed off for Playa Larga in the Bay of Pigs (Bahía de Cochinos) and settled in to our little bungalow accommodations. That afternoon Maydiel took us to “Zunzuncito House” in Paplite, where our hosts Bernabe and Juanita, introduced us to their frequent visitors, the Bee Hummingbirds. The smallest bird in the world – what a treat! There we also saw the Cuban Oriole, the Cuban Emeralds, West Indian Woodpecker, and the ever-present Cuban Blackbirds and House Sparrows.
Our next stop was the forests and savannahs of Soplillar. Despite threatening rain clouds and thick swarms of mosquitos, we intrepidly followed Maydiel, binoculars and cameras at the ready. We were delighted with seeing the Gray-fronted Quail-Dove, the Bare-legged Owl, the Cuban Pygmy-Owl, the Cuban Trogan, the Cuban Tody, the Cuban Green Woodpecker, and the illusive Fernandina’s Flicker. Seeing seven Cuban endemics in one afternoon reflects on Maydiel’s knowledge and skill as a guide. He’s brilliant! This was just day one of birding with Maydiel.
Several female Bee Humingbirds showed off while the group caught fleeting glimpses of two males. (Photo by Erika Gates)
Tuesday morning, ah, Tuesday morning. Our bus took us to the Cocorilla Canals in Santo Tomás, a saw-grass filled swampy area of Zapata. This small hamlet sits back off the grid of power and telephone lines, and it was here that we met the boatmen that would glide us through the swamp. As we drove up to the small cluster of homes, Maydiel commented, “There’s been a lot of rain, and we have to walk to the boats,” a subtle warning that the trail to our boats would be a wet one. Ha! We were headed to one of only two known locations for the Zapata Wren and one of three locations for the Zapata Sparrow (also known as the Cuban Sparrow) so not a single member of the group hesitated to carry on.
As we trekked through thigh-high water I asked the renowned Bermudian octogenarian conservationist, David Wingate, on his journeys to see a particular bird, how did this experience rate? “Oh, right up there at the top,” he commented, “right up there at the top.” It was worth it, though, as we were serenaded by the Zapata Wren, and spotted three more endemics, the Zapata Sparrow, the Cuban Vireo, the Cuban Bullfinch. In addition, that morning we saw another 31 species, including a Crested Caracara on the ride back to Playa Larga.
Heading out into Zapata Swamp. (Photo by Erika Gates)Catching a glimpse of Cuban Vireos and Yellow-headed Warblers in Bermejas. (Photo by Erika Gates)
After a casual lunch near the beach, we were bused 18 miles to Sandero Salinas de Brito. Riding and walking the road surrounded on both sides by salt flats, we added the Cuban Black Hawk to our list of endemics. We also had the pleasure of seeing about 800 American Flamingos, a Stygian Owl, Osprey, Reddish Egrets, a white morph Great Blue Heron, White Ibis, a Snowy Egret, and a lone Roseate Spoonbill – 25 species in all that afternoon. I especially enjoyed watching the hundreds of land crabs scuttling out of the way of our bus as we headed back to Playa Larga.
After our final dinner at Playa Larga, we packed for an early departure in search of the Blue-headed Quail-Dove in the Refugio de Fauna Bermejas. Despite a long quiet walk through the forest we had no luck with the Quail-Doves. Though many in our group had previously seen this bird, it was my first good look at the endemic Yellow-headed Warbler. We saw and heard 14 species on that walk, and long will I remember the sound of the Cuban Trogan echoing through woods, a haunting, whooping call from Cuban’s national bird.
Since we were early for lunch at Caleta Buena, we birdwatched and idled on the beach, swam in the rock formation pools, and sipped drinks in the shade of palm trees while Cave Swallows swooped overhead. We spotted the singular Laughing Gull seen on the trip. After a generous buffet lunch, we continued with our slow, steady climb up to Topes de Collantes for the BirdCaribbean 2017 conference.
What a memorable birding experience! Seventeen amazing, talented dedicated birders sharing and enjoying our four-day trip through the lush, green Cuban countryside. The trip was well-organized, and our tour guide Atila was thoughtful and informative. Food was plentiful and for me, that cold Cristal cerveza provided with our meals hit the spot! Our birding guide, Maydiel, made finding so many endemics look easy, a reflection of his knowledge of his country and its birds. We learned about Cuba, the history, the habitats and the birds. I think I speak for all of the participants when we tumbled in to our hotels in Topes de Collantes, we were blown away with our four-day pre-conference birding experience and it will be a cherished memory of a lifetime.
Please scroll over or click on the photos below for captions.
By Martha Cartwright. Martha is a U.S. citizen who has lived in Freeport, Bahamas for 31 years. After becoming a widow in 2013 she started feeding and studying the fish in her canal. One day she looked up and noticed the birds and hasn’t looked down since. She counts her blessings for the tutelage of eBird’s Erika Gates and for a dedicated birding community on Grand Bahama. She teaches yoga and postural alignment therapy when she isn’t birding.
House of Juanita and Bernabe in Paplite observing the smallest bird in the world. (Photo by Erika Gates)
Captain Erika Gates on the way to see the Zapata Wren and Zapata Sparrow – “a happy adventure, thank you Maydiel!”
The Zapata Wren. (Photo by Erika Gates)
A very lucky view of a Stygian Owl on the way to Las Salinas. (Photo by David Southall)
The male Bee Hummingbird. (Photo by David Southall)
In the Savannah Soplillar of Zapata Swamp, seeking Bare-legged and Pygmy Owls. (Photo by Erika Gates)
Las Salinas. (Photo by Erika Gates)
West Indian Woodpecker at the Botanical Gardens. (Photo by Erika Gates)
Waiting for the Blue-headed Quail-Dove. (Photo by Erika Gates)
The Yellow-headed Warbler, one of two endemic warblers to Cuba. (Photo by David Southall)
Gina and Maydiel on their way to see Zapata endemics – just another walk in the park! (Photo by Erika Gates)
The Cuban Vireo. (Photo by David Southall)
Wading through the waters of Santo Tomás. (Photo by Erika Gates)
The perfectly positioned Pygmy Owl. (photo by Erika Gates)
A boat ride through Zapata Swamp. (Photo by Erika Gates)
A Black-whiskered Vireo. (Photo by David Southall)
Enjoying the pristine waters at Caleta Buena. (Photo by Jessica Rozek)
The most popular bird of the trip: easy to see and hear – the national bird, the Cuban Trogan! (Photo by Ericka Gates)
Wading through Zapata Swamp—on a quest for the Zapata Wren! (Photo by Erika Gates)
On a hike through Refugio de Fauna Bermejas – BirdsCaribbean headwear not only looks good but it is very useful against mosquitoes – modeled here in the Bermejas Refuge! (Photo by Erika Gates)
Our fantastic tour guides Atíla and Maydeil. (Photo by Jen Mortensen)
American Flamingos in Las Salinas – we never got tired of watching and photographing this elegant bird. (Photo by Erika Gates)
White morph American Kestrel in Zapata Swamp. (Photo by David Southall)
A Bare-legged Owl peeks out of his roosting cavity. (Photo by David Southall)
For more fun articles on the BirdsCaribbean 21st International Conference in Cuba, July 2017, check out the following:
World Shorebirds Day logo featuring a Ruddy Turnstone.
World Shorebirds Day, September 6th, is right around the corner. According to the founder of this annual event, Gyorgy Szimuly, “World Shorebirds Day is a special day to celebrate shorebirds and the hard-working people dedicated to saving them.” Since it’s inception four years ago, the event has received a wonderful response with people from all over the planet joining together to enjoy shorebirds and promote their conservation.
One of the main activities of World Shorebirds Day is the Global Shorebird Count—hundreds of enthusiasts, including birdwatchers, educators, conservationists, researchers, politicians, and even hunters, will take part between 1-7 September. “The Caribbean region has been a great supporter since the beginning,” commented Gyorgy. “We hope that people from many different islands plan an event and again participate in the count. It would be fantastic to hit an all-time high in the number of registered sites in 2017!”
Registration is open and available at this link. For committed and returning counters there is even a Loyalty Program – read about it on the blog. Everyone is encouraged to register through the form on this page and have a chance to win one of the fantastic prizes.
Piping Plover on Pedro Pond, Jamaica – spotted during last year’s World Shorebirds Day, first record for the island. (photo by Ann Sutton)
You never know what exciting new birds you might see on World Shorebirds Day. For example, last year Ann Sutton spotted the first Piping Plover ever seen in Jamaica on Pedro Pond! All observations are valuable, however. Many shorebird species are declining and we still know very little about shorebird migration in the Caribbean, such as where birds are stopping to rest and feed on migration and numbers of each species. So be sure to head out and find some shorebirds for World Shorebirds Day and enter your checklists for your Global Shorebird Count in eBird Caribbean. If you’re new to eBird, check out this Quick Start guide.
To make your submitted data visible to World Shorebirds Day, please be sure to share your checklist with worldshorebirdsday eBird username of World Shorebirds Day (WorldShorebirdsDay) or add shorebirdsday@gmail.com email address, to your contact list, and share all your related checklists with us (only checklists made during the World Shorebirds Day count period between 1–7 September 2017 are eligible). Guidelines for sharing checklists are here.
Don’t forget also that any counts carried out at a wetland or beach count as a Caribbean Waterbird Census (CWC) count; enter your data as a CWC count on step 2 of data entry on eBird Caribbean. In addition, your shorebird count can be part of the International Shorebird Survey, which we are just beginning to encourage in the Caribbean – read more here.
Hat’s off to our partner in Puerto Rico, Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña (SOPI), who are going all out this year with their World Shorebirds Day celebration. They have organized the 1st Shorebird Festival—a 3-day event from September 1-3. A variety of exciting activities are planned including educational talks, shorebird identification workshops, activities for children, live music, shorebird artwork, and a photographic exhibition of shorebirds presented by local photographers. According to organizer Luis Ramos, “We want to educate the community about the great variety of shorebirds that migrate to the island and promote the conservation and restoration of habitats for them.” If you live in Puerto Rico, be sure to participate!
Good luck to SOPI on their festival! And we look forward to hearing back from many of you about your findings on World Shorebirds Day!
First Shorebird Festival in Puerto Rico, organized by Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña (SOPI).
Schedule of activities for the 1st Shorebird Festival in Puerto Rico – join the fun!
The endemic Cuban Parrot was a daily visitor to the conference site in Topes de Collantes. (Photo by David Southall)
Standing on the balcony of the Kurhotel in Topes de Collantes, Cuba, it is impossible to ignore the Cuban Martins darting about, the excited chattering of the Cuban Parrots, and the soft tocoro-tocoro of the Cuban Trogon coming from the forest. This location, high in the Escambray Mountains, was the perfect venue for the BirdsCaribbean 21st International Conference.
Hailing from 30 different islands and countries, 240 enthusiastic students, researchers and other professionals came together for five days to support Caribbean birds by networking, learning and sharing. The theme of the conference was “Celebrating Caribbean Diversity” and what better way to start than with the spectacularly diverse host country? Cuba Day included a range of fantastic talks discussing topics from introduced species and their effects to educational efforts of the National Museum of Natural History to the birds of Cuba only known from the archaeological record.
Each morning of the conference thereafter, dedicated individuals met bright and early before the sessions for working group meetings—concentrated discussions focusing on a common theme or species. There was a place for everyone at the table and new ideas were shared about the conservation of Bicknell’s Thrush, Black-capped Petrels, West Indian Whistling-Ducks, parrots, flamingos, and other endemic and threatened species.
Executive Director Lisa Sorenson addresses the conference in the opening ceremony. (Photo by Ingrid Flores)
Another common early morning activity was- of course- birding! Before sunrise every day, birders from different countries would meet in the hotel lobbies, form small groups and walk off together into the morning light, hoping to get a glimpse of one of Cuba’s many endemic species found in Topes de Collantes. “I heard there is a Stygian Owl with young here!” said a duo from Cornell- a rumor that fueled many fruitless searches. The morning trips around Hotel Los Helechos were invariably filled with the call of Limpkins, Cuban Pewees, and new friends eager to be sharing their passion together.
The conference program was filled with outstanding presentations, representing the hard work and dedication to conservation of individuals across the Caribbean. In addition to learning critical information, participants were treated to special media that shared intimate moments of Caribbean avifauna. For example, during the Recent Advances in Seabird Conservation session, the audience was able to see a “bird’s-eye” view of foraging behavior in Magnificent Frigatebirds, with a camera mounted on the back of a wild bird. And who could forget the fantastic up-close photographs documenting the nesting cycle of the smallest bird in the world (a Cuba endemic), the Bee Hummingbird?
An early morning hike in Tope de Collantes yielded a Cuban Pygmy Owl, one of two endemic owls on the island. (Photo by David Southall)
One of the highlights at the conference came from Herbert Raffaele, when he announced that he will be updating the Birds of the West Indies field guide. The new version will include updated information about ranges, changes in taxonomy, and some new illustrations. This announcement is especially exciting because the project is fully supported by Princeton University Press.
On the third day of the conference, participants set off in all directions for a day of field trips to explore the beauty and uniqueness of Cuba. A large contingent took buses down the mountain to the nearby town of Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage site. There they were greeted with a rainbow of brightly colored colonial buildings, unpaved roads and mid-century era cars, all of which evoked a sense that time had forgotten this charming city. The tour gave the history of the area while meandering through the streets, stopping occasionally to admire the exquisite handiwork of local artisans. Some conference goers were even able to try their hand at pottery making themselves!
Two St. Lucian delegates, Valance (Vision) James and Adams Toussaint, pose at the gorgeous entrance of Gruta Batata, a cave with pools and waterfalls. (Photo by Jessica Rozek)
Those participants that did not go to Trinidad headed in the other direction – for the hills – on a variety of gorgeous hikes around the Topes de Collantes Nature Reserve. One group took a hike to picturesque Vegas Grande waterfall, the second largest on the island. With cool, blue water at the bottom of the falls, swimmers were rewarded with a front row seat to White-collared Swifts exiting their roosting site. Groups were also given a tour of a coffee house and learned the traditional ways of harvesting and roasting the beans- and even got to enjoy a small, very strong cup. In addition to all the new life birds seen on the trails, all the hikers from this day will remember the fun of the open-air Russian vehicles that proved to be more like a roller coaster than a truck ride.
A field trip to Vegas Grande was filled with spectacular views and a cold swim. Left to right: Maydiel Cañizares, Jen Mortensen, Jessica Rozek, and Arnaldo Toledo. (Photo by Maydiel Cañizares)
While the days were filled with bird watching and absorbing all the information at the conference, the nights were filled with live music, professional dancers, and dancing. The cool air of the mountains made the outdoor performances a delight and it was difficult to say no when asked to dance with your new (and old) friends.
Leaving the conference after five full days of intense knowledge sharing and exploring the incredible uniqueness of Cuba, participants were clearly motivated and instilled with a renewed commitment to conservation in the Caribbean. We are so excited to hear about all of the great research and outreach this momentum leads to at our next conference in Guadeloupe in 2019!
Learning how to salsa at the welcome reception. (Photo by Arnaldo Toledo)
Our hiking group heads out to Gruta Batata. Left to right: David Southall, Valance (Vision) James, Jessica Rozek, Jen Mortensen, Adams Toussaint. (Photo by David Southall)
Jessica Rozek is a PhD student at Tufts University, where she is focusing her research on Caribbean wetland conservation and human-wetland-bird interactions. Learn more about her research here.
Here’s your chance to win one of four fabulous prizes and support conservation of Caribbean birds!
Raffle prizes include gorgeous endemic bird artwork and a fantastic pair of Vortex binoculars.
BirdsCaribbean’s 1017 Raffle features Cuban Endemic Bird Original Art: the Bee Hummingbird (the world’s smallest bird), the charismatic Cuban Tody, and the gorgeous Cuban Trogon (national bird of Cuba). These paintings are by acclaimed Cuban wildlife artist Nils Navarro and were generously donated by the artist. The giclee prints are signed and numbered, and ~8.5 x 11 inches in size.
The fourth prize is a brand new pair of binoculars—Vortex VIPER HD 8X42 ROOF PRISM BINOCULAR. This premium-quality, award winning binocular is packed with everything you need and nothing you don’t. It is rugged, waterproof, compact and lightweight (one of the lightest full-size binoculars on the market)! In addition, the binoculars come with Vortex’s amazing unlimited, unconditional life-time VIP Warranty! Thanks to Vortex Optics for kindly donating this prize!
The drawing for the Raffle is on Saturday October 21st, 2017. Now is the time to purchase tickets! Proceeds from the raffle support our conservation programs and provide travel support for BirdsCaribbean delegates to attend our workshops and conferences.
Tickets are $5 each or five for $20.Contact us to let us know how many tickets you would like. You can pay for the tickets online, or request other payment options when you contact us. Remember to get your tickets before October 21st, and good luck!
It only takes one to win, but you can’t win without one!
The moment had finally arrived. It was time to add my name to the list for the mid-conference field trip to Trinidad. Leading up to my arrival in Cuba I religiously kept tabs on the mid-conference field trip page. I had an unfounded fear that the trip to the nearby town of Trinidad would be cancelled. I expected that by the third day I would be over-stimulated by the greenery of Topes de Collantes from early morning birding and that visiting a town would be a welcomed change of scenery.
Unfortunately, the comfortable bed at Los Helechos had a stronghold on me and I never joined the early morning birders. To compensate for my lack of will I wrote my name down for the Batata-Codina trip which promised a visit to a coffee house museum, a hike to a cave, lunch at Hacienda Codina and a mini- tour through one of the villages within El Parque Codina. I was quite satisfied by my decision and did not waste time second guessing myself.
Inside the coffee museum (Photo by Aliya Hosein)
The trip started from outside the Los Helechos Hotel where the tour guide had herded everyone and was ticking off names from his list. We were taken to the coffee house museum in an old Russian army truck—the primary mode of transport for conference attendees and really an adventure in itself. Although small the museum allows visitors to sip and enjoy the aromatic local brew while learning about coffee’s boom-bust history in Cuba. It was hard for me to concentrate on history when each window of the museum provided breath-taking vistas of mountain peaks in the park.
While some people were still enjoying their coffee others decided to look for birds. And I was very glad to be part of the latter group. Cuban Parrots were squawking among themselves in some trees across the road. A few minutes later a pair flew out and perched on a mostly leafless tree in the morning sunlight. We also saw a West Indian Woodpecker, Western Spindalis, Smooth-billed Ani, Scaly-Naped Pigeon and an American Kestrel.
Our tour guide taking multiple photos with multiple cameras (Photo by Aliya Hosein)
Further down the road someone saw a Cuban Grassquit which sent the entire group jogging in that direction. But before we got to the grassquit a Cuban Trogon was spotted which prematurely stopped our jog and redirected our excitement. The trogon kept flying from tree to tree until it settled on a branch when we thought it had finally adjusted to our presence. It had not! It flew off again, leaving me, and possibly a few others, with my camera set to take a great shot. By this time the grassquit had also left. Nonetheless the trip started off with much excitement and we were hopeful that it would carry on during our hike through the forest.
Field Trip Route through Topes de Collantes (Map by Aly Ollivierre)
Not too far from where the trogon was spotted we began our trek to the cave. The trail at first was very narrow. We stopped momentarily to smell flowers and inquire about origin and scientific names. I can’t recall seeing any birds at the beginning but we saw lots of trail signs. When we finally reached the La Batata sign a group photo was definitely needed. Our guide offered to take our photo and so he did equipped with about six cameras. Fortunately he had a system after each picture was taken he transferred the camera to his left arm.
Flat slug on trail (Photo by Aliya Hosein)
As the incline began to grow our guide spotted a Cuban Tody. Because of the bird’s small size I spent no less than 15 minutes on this first incline trying to locate the bird. The next bird we encountered was a Great Lizard-Cuckoo. A relatively large bird with a long gorgeous tail when fanned. Like the trogon we saw at the beginning it did not sit still. The cuckoo kept flying up and down the trail and we willingly followed just to catch a glimpse. Not long after we continued climbing up the mountain did we see a Cuban Pygmy Owl. It was amazing to see an owl perched so close to the trail and generally nonchalant about a group of people staring at it.
We began our descent as we got closer to the cave. Mentally and physically I felt fine the air was cool and the only nuisance up until now was mosquitoes. My toes however felt like they were about to burst through the toe cap of my hiking boots. Every so often I had to stop and knock my heels against the floor for some much needed relief.
Entrance to Codina Park (Photo by Aliya Hosein)
Eventually we reached the stream leading into the Batata cave where some brave souls refilled water bottles. Stream rocks are notorious for being slippery and these were no exception. One group member tried crossing the shallow stream on his own and ended up slipping off a rock. In unison we all asked if his camera was okay. He was using a professional camera with the type of lens you think is long enough to see into your soul. Yes, the camera was okay but everything else got drenched as well as I suspect his dignity. I did not venture into the cave as I am not a fan of hiking in wet socks and boots. We were only at the halfway point.
Once cave exploration was completed, we began our second ascent and it was steep! Our birding/photo hiking group was broken into the healthy hikers and summit hikers. The summit hikers were at the forefront with their eyes glued on the prize. I certainly was not a member of this sub-group. Although not terribly drained from the uphill climb and distance the healthy hikers were not interested in bagging a prize. I am really not ashamed to say I welcomed rest stops that allowed me to rehydrate and power on.
Dining area at Hacienda Codina (Photo by Aliya Hosein)
By the time everyone had regrouped by the entrance to Codina Park I was anxious to get to Hacienda Codina to feast on authentic Cuban food. Hacienda Codina is situated in a pine forest clearing and because it is literally off the beaten track it is a tranquil spot. It has a lovely little restaurant and bar surrounded by local flora. I ate one of the best meals at the restaurant. During lunch I also learned about life on islands in the Greater Antilles. BirdsCaribbean has the most diverse group of passionate and absolutely hilarious members.
After lunch it was back on our Russian army truck for a scenic drive through rural landscapes. Although overcast I really enjoyed seeing the houses and villagers trotting down the road on horseback. We stopped by a market/ craft stall ran by a local villager. She offered us samples of her homemade fudge and nut bars. The coffee lovers could not resist purchasing the fresh coffee beans.
Complimentary shot of espresso (Photo by Aliya Hosein)
To end the trip we went back to the coffee museum to enjoy our complimentary shot of espresso. I was a bit hesitant since I had never had it before and I was warned that it would not be able to sleep that night. Casting all fears aside I accepted my shot of espresso and was not disappointed. Although considered taboo in some cultures I added a demitasse spoonful of sugar to it. The only side effect I suffered was the inability to control the pitch of my voice and I had the sudden urge to talk to everyone. If you are wondering, I slept like a log that night. Sleep came easily, most likely from being pleasantly exhausted from a full day of coffee history lesson, birding at an incline, and enjoying a locally prepared meal.
This article was contributed by BirdsCaribbean member Aliya Hosein from Trinidad and Tobago. When she’s not on a BirdsCaribbean mid-conference field trip, she’s often writing about parrots and helping people understand that they belong in the wild.
Mark Yokoyama leads a writing workshop at the BirdsCaribbean International Conference, July 2017, Topes de Collantes, Cuba. (Photo by Jenn Yerkes)
Primaries and ceres, tarsi and rookeries, vagrants and barbules—good words for birders, mumbo jumbo to most folks. Avoiding jargon was one of many tips shared in the writing workshop Reaching People. The workshop was led by Mark Yokoyama as part of BirdsCaribbean’s 21st International Conference in Cuba.
Most people like birds, but many people writing about birds fail to connect with a general audience. We forget to tell a story. Facts are given without context. There is no natural flow from one idea to the next. Often, the writing itself is too difficult for most people to read.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Science writing can be engaging—our favorite writers do it all the time. Complex ideas can be explained simply—great teachers know how. The workshop focused on these two ideas: storytelling and accessibility.
Workshop participants practice and get peer feedback. (Photo by Jenn Yerkes)
Picking key facts and ordering them logically helps turn a topic into a story. Adding details that grab a reader, and knowing what to cut are also crucial. Participants worked on their own stories during the class. Some even worked on a press release about the conference to send out when they got home.
The second half of the workshop focused on accessibility. Many were surprised to learn that the average adult in the US reads at about an 8th grade level. Unfortunately, many press materials are written at college level. This is a serious mismatch.
Luckily, we can be more readable just by using plain language and clear sentences. During one activity, participants found they had written sentences up to 60 words long without knowing it. Want to be easier to read? Find out what’s making your writing hard. There are even online tools that measure readability and suggest what you can change.
In just three hours, the group had a new set of writing tools and some hands-on practice. Jealous? Don’t be! You can download the workshop as a handout and run through it yourself. You can also download a copy of the slides and lead your own workshop. With birds and habitats under threat in the Caribbean, it has never been more vital to spread our message. Writing for everyone is a great start.
Soaring above the tree tops of Los Haitises National Park is the mighty Ridgway’s Hawk. Conflicts with humans and changes in its forest habitat have made it hard for this species to survive. Marta Curti tells us about the work of The Peregrine Fund to save this critically endangered raptor.
Ridgway’s Hawks are critically endangered and found only in Los Haitises National Park in the Dominican Republic. (Photo by The Peregrine Fund)
The Ridgway’s Hawk is endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, but is now considered to be extinct in Haiti. The last remaining population of this species is in a small national park, Los Haitises, in the Dominican Republic (DR). There are only an estimated 350-450 individuals left in the wild.
I have been working as a biologist for The Peregrine Fund for the past 17 years. I have been lucky enough to have been a part of several of their projects helping to conserve birds of prey in many countries around the world. In 2011, I joined the team working in DR to help to save the Ridgway’s Hawk from extinction.
The Peregrine Fund’s Ridgway’s Hawk conservation project has been running since 2002 and has many facets. When I was asked to share a short article about our project on the BirdsCaribbean blog, I spent a long time thinking what to write about. I could focus on the advances we have made to prevent botfly (Philornis pici) infestations in nestling Ridgway’s Hawks – an issue that, if left untreated, could cause over 70% mortality in young hawks.
Or I could discuss the successes of our Assisted Dispersal Program: bringing young hawks from Los Haitises National Park and releasing them in Ojos Indígenas Reserve in Punta Cana in an effort to create additional populations of the hawk in other protected areas on the island. Assisted Dispersal has resulted in the formation of 15 breeding pairs to date and 22 wild fledged young!
Ridgway’s Hawks hatched in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic thanks to The Peregrine Fund’s Assisted Dispersal Program. (Photo by The Peregrine Fund)
Another aspect of the project I could mention is our collaboration with Fundación Grupo PUNTACANA and the Disney Conservation Fund to retrofit dangerous power lines preventing electrocutions of not only Ridgway’s Hawks, but other species of birds as well. A whole other blog post could focus on our program to provide free chicken coops to individuals in small communities, an effort to help avoid conflicts between humans and hawks that sometimes prey on young poultry.
Instead, today I would like to tell you about our community development and our environmental education programs. One important aspect of The Peregrine Fund’s work, is to improve the lives of people in areas where we are conserving birds of prey, whether through training, educational activities, or employment opportunities.
In the communities surrounding LHNP we are working with 17 local technicians that we have trained and hired. Some are in their 40s and 50s and have been with the project since its inception. Others are in their early twenties and are just beginning their careers. In small towns around LHNP, there are limited job opportunities and our project is able to provide economic benefits, employment and valuable training in skills such as tree climbing, data collection, bird banding, nest searching, as well as computer data entry and leadership skills.
A completed painting of a Ridgway’s Hawk, done by one of the local schoolchildren. (Photo by The Peregrine Fund)
We began our environmental education program in Punta Cana in 2013, after three of our released Ridgway’s Hawks were shot in a nearby community. Since then, we have expanded our efforts and now work with over 15 communities and have reached over 7,000 individuals in a wide radius around the release site through door-to-door visits, educational presentations, school activities and teacher training workshops. One of the most fun and successful activities that we do every year (as part of our Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival) is the celebration of Ridgway’s Hawk Day, May 25th.
Thanks to a generous donation from BirdsCaribbean, this year we celebrated Ridgway’s Hawk Day with three separate activities around the country! The first, we held with two of our local partners: the National Zoo (ZOODOM) and Fundación Propagas. Schoolchildren from Santo Domingo were treated to a close-up view of a live Ridgway’s Hawk at the zoo, and also participated in an art project, receiving a raptor inspired mask at the end of their visit.
The second and third Ridgway’s Hawk Day activities took place in Punta Cana, where, with the help of Fundación Grupo PUNTACANA – another important local partner, we hosted two celebrations on June 1st and 2nd. Over 80 children visited our Ridgway’s Hawk release site in Punta Cana and saw young hawks up close, learning about the release process and the importance of protecting wildlife. Participants also learned how to use binoculars on a nature walk while practicing birding in forests and lagoons. The children also created beautiful art, painting and coloring on recycled wood – which focused on Ridgway’s Hawks, nature, and other wildlife observed during their visit. Select pieces will be displayed at an event in a local art museum early next year.
Participants are beginning to paint images of Ridgway’s Hawks and other wildlife and nature scenes from the day. (Photo by The Peregrine Fund)
To end the day, we headed down to a nearby beach where the kids played games in the sand, learning about the importance of a balanced ecosystem for creatures both on land and in the sea. After a picnic lunch under the shade of nearby trees, students clapped hands and swayed to the rhythm of drums during an interactive dance performance by one of our volunteers, in a full Ridgway’s Hawk costume!
We have already begun to see the positive effects of our education efforts in communities, especially in the attitudes of individual people. Most notably, in the community where our three Ridgway’s Hawks were killed a number of years ago, we now have a nesting pair of hawks who just fledged two perfectly healthy young! The entire community knows of the presence of the hawks and is now actively supporting their protection!
Though we still have a long way to go to ensure the conservation of the species, we continue to be encouraged by the changes we see taking place, making great strides each year and we look forward to the day that the Ridgway’s Hawk is no longer an endangered species.
A “Ridgway’s Hawk” comes to visit. (photo by The Peregrine Fund)
Marta Curti works as a biologist with The Peregrine Fund, a non-profit organization whose mission is to conserve birds of prey worldwide.
Dr. Wingate is pictured with BC President Andrew Dobson and BC Executive Director Lisa Sorenson.
At the recently concluded BirdsCaribbean 21st Conference Meeting in Cuba, Dr. David Wingate was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his “exceptional knowledge and contributions to avian knowledge and conservation in Bermuda and the Caribbean”.
David Wingate was born in 1935 in Bermuda, he studied Zoology at Cornell University and went on to become the Conservation Officer for the Bermuda Government Parks Department from 1966 to his retirement in 2000.
For almost 300 years, no Cahows were reported from Bermuda (or anywhere else) until occasional corpses were found on the islands through the first half of the 20th Century. In 1950, David Wingate was a 15 year-old schoolboy in Bermuda, and was certain that the bird survived and must be breeding somewhere on the islets at the entrance to Castle Harbour. He determined to locate the nests and took a kayak across the bay to search for them. The sea was too rough for him to land, but he returned the following year with the eminent seabird biologist Robert Murphy, and nesting Cahows were found.
David Wingate at bird art competition in Bermuda.
However, the species was still critically endangered. There were only a handful of pairs, and in 1951 perhaps eight chicks were reared. David Wingate determined to save this bird from extinction and has spent most of his life spent endeavouring to do so. Problems were faced and surmounted. Nest burrows were frequently taken over by White-tailed Tropicbirds Phaethon lepturus and the contents destroyed. Wingate designed and installed ‘bafflers’ with an entrance too small for tropicbirds but allowing access for Cahows. There were few burrows on the islets. Wingate created artificial burrows – with access ports so the nests could be monitored. By his retirement in 2000, the population had grown to over 50 pairs.
Crucially David mentored and trained Jeremy Madeiros to take over the recovery programme. Birds are now breeding on six islands including birds translocated onto Nonsuch Island. The Cahow population continues to grow with a record 117 pairs and 61 fledglings in 2017.
The re-discovery of the Cahow’s breeding grounds was his inspiration for a life involving birds and natural history. He is also credited with rediscovering the Black-capped Petrel in Haiti in 1963. The restoration of the once barren Nonsuch Island into a ‘Living Museum of pre-colonial Bermuda’ is Dr. Wingate’s lifetime work, and part of his effort to bring back from near-extinction Bermuda’s national bird, the Cahow. He has been a crucial part of Bermuda Audubon Society (since its formation in 1954) and a founder of the Bermuda National Trust. He also served on the board of the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, and as a research associate of the Bermuda Zoological Society.
David Wingate with baffler.
David’s conservation efforts have been wide-ranging, focussing on many species including the Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas, Bermuda Rock Skink Plestiodon longirostris, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea, and Bermuda population of Common Tern Sterna hirundo, Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis, and White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus. It is remarkable that at 81 years old David Wingate remains an active and leading conservationist on Bermuda. He has been responsible for the creation and restoration of numerous wetland habitats in Bermuda.
Amongst his many honours are two from Queen Elizabeth ll and one from the King of the Netherlands. Few Bermudians are known outside their country. David is one of those who commands respect for his conservation efforts. The success of the Nonsuch Island restoration project is used as a model worldwide. The success of the Cahow recovery programme is known throughout the world. He is quite simply the most influential, passionate, knowledgeable and untiring conservationist and naturalist that Bermuda has ever seen.
BirdsCaribbean members learn the latest in bird science and conservation.
Over 240 scientists, teachers and conservationists came together in Cuba this month at BirdsCaribbean’s 21st International Conference in Topes de Collantes Nature Reserve Park. Held every two years, it is the only time when this far-flung community has a chance to work face-to-face to improve how birds are studied and protected. The event included nearly 150 presentations and workshops over five days.
“This year’s theme was Celebrating Caribbean Diversity,” explained BirdsCaribbean Director Lisa Sorenson. “We love the variety of birds here, but the diversity of our members is even more important. We brought people here from dozens of islands. We have different cultures and languages, but we all face similar challenges. The chance to share ideas improves our work all over the region.”
Vegas Grande waterfall was one of the many amazing sites in Topes de Collantes. (Photo by Arnaldo Toledo)
BirdsCaribbean is the region’s largest conservation group. Programs like the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival, which highlights birds found only in the region, reach over 100,000 people each year. At the conference, festival coordinators on different islands share ideas and activities. Others are inspired to launch festivals on their islands for the first time.
Researchers sharing their work give ideas that can help save birds. Members learn how birds recover after hurricanes or prosper when farmers plant shade trees over their coffee. Then they can bring bird-saving tools back to their own islands. This year, one highlight was the large number of Cuban scientists; 69 attended from all over the country.
“For almost 30 years, BirdsCaribbean has helped share the work of Cuban scientists with the rest of the world,” said BirdsCaribbean President Andrew Dobson. “Helping this collaboration has been a very rewarding part of our mission. It was also a joy to spend time with so many Cuban friends in one of the Caribbean’s most beautiful nature reserves.”
Program cover for BirdsCaribbean’s 21st International Conference in Cuba. (design by Rolando Ata)
After five days of sharing stories and bird-sightings, members flew home to their islands. Each one brought back new skills and ideas. Tools developed on one island will soon be helping birds on others. Though many may do their work alone, they have friends and allies across the sea. In two years, the next conference will unite them again.
More information on the conference, including the program (file available for download), is available here.
Enjoying birds and photography in Viñales Valley, Cuba (photo by Lora Leschner, BirdsCaribbean March 2017 Bird Tour).
2017 is the UN’s International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development. So, what better topic to consider than that of Caribbean bird tourism for sustainable development and conservation?
Speakers at the BirdsCaribbean 21st International Conference in Topes de Collantes, Cuba (July 13 – 17) will be digging deeper into the eco-tourism field, and the potential of birding as a tourist attraction. Recent trends suggest that a more discerning and independent traveler in the Caribbean – as elsewhere in the world – has emerged, who is looking for a unique, authentic experience. Much greater sensitivity towards the culture and environment is a critical component of this – and of sustainable tourism in general.
Skip Glenn, Marking Professor at University of Pittsburgh.
So, although Caribbean tourism was built on the “sun, sea and sand” concept, it is evolving. In a highly competitive field some models need to be redesigned to cope with changing demands, says Assistant Professor of Marketing and Entrepreneurship at the University of Pittsburgh Skip Glenn. In Cuba, Glenn will discuss that critical “balance” that will build profit for entrepreneurs, while at the same time ensuring the preservation of natural resources and sustainable growth in communities.
Another recent trend is “sharing” via social media and online in general. Judy Karwacki of Small Planet Consulting in Vancouver, Canada will explore this growing tendency among travelers, many of whom are looking to “live like a local.” At the Cuba conference, Karwacki will provide practical marketing information and tips for birding tourism destinations.
Judy Karwacki of Small Planet travel (photo by Tamea Burd Photography)
One example of a bird tourism model is the Caribbean Birding Trail (CBT), developed by BirdsCaribbean, which aims to raise awareness (and enjoyment) of the remarkable diversity of birds in the region and to encourage their conservation. CBT’s aim is to work with partners on every island to offer training at the local level in bird-centered, sustainable tourism that includes experiencing local culture and heritage.
Holly Robertson and Lisa Sorenson will have plenty to update participants at the Cuba conference on the “latest” from the CBT, which has held interpretive guide trainings in Grenada, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Bonaire to date. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Marshall-Reynolds Foundation have funded supporting activities, including marketing products, an interpretive panel for Jamaica’s Cockpit Country, and improving trails and infrastructure in the Dominican Republic. The CBT is moving ahead!
Trying a Cuban cigar at a tobacco farm in Viñales Valley is part of the fun on the Caribbean Birding Trail in Cuba (photo by Lisa Sorenson, BirdsCaribbean January 2017 Bird Tour)
There is much more to absorb and enjoy at the conference in Topes de Collantes. An informative and interactive Cuba Day will celebrate advances in the study and conservation of the island’s endemic, resident and migratory birds. A specific threat to bird populations on the island is the culture of caged birds; a workshop led by Gary Markowski of the Caribbean Conservation Trust will address this major concern and seek solutions.
The use of technology is something that no conservationist can ignore; the range of available tools expands almost daily. The use of drones for conservation is a fascinating topic, for example. Dr. David Bird, Professor Emeritus of Wildlife Biology at McGill University, will discuss the use of small unmanned aerial vehicle systems in monitoring populations of birds that are hard to access. Other technology-related topics will include how to use a GPS, mapping, and the value of eBird for conservation planning.
Would you like to write more fluently about birds, for a more general audience? The energetic Mark Yokoyama, co-founder of Les Fruits de Mer in St. Martin, will guide participants through a practical and motivating workshop on non-technical writing.
Zapata Wren, a rare Cuban endemic, confined to the Zapata Swamp is a much sought after bird for both avi-tourists on the Caribbean Birding Trail and researchers. (photo by Anne Brooks, BirdsCaribbean January 2017 Bird Tour).
The conference schedule will also include stimulating talks and workshops on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s exciting BirdSleuth Caribbean program, which is making an impact in science education throughout the islands; a symposium on recent advances in seabird conservation in the Caribbean; and a roundtable discussion on long-term bird monitoring and banding in the region.
By the way – it’s not too late to register for the 21st International Conference in the beautiful Topes de Collantes Nature Reserve Park. For more details, please visit the Conference website.
Read more about the conference at this link and more about keynote speakers at this link. Thank you so much to the generous sponsors supporting our conference!
A birding trip to Jobos Bay Reserve in Puerto Rico.Thousands of people throughout the region had fun experiences with birds and nature over the past month during the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival. Dozens of festival events took place on different islands to celebrate the birds that live only here.
Activities were held for pre-school and primary students to adults and families. Bird talks were held on many islands to help people understand the unique birds that live only on specific islands or only in the region. Guided bird walks brought people of all ages out into nature to see these amazing birds firsthand. For many, it was their first chance to get an up-close view of birds through binoculars or a scope.
Games make it fun to learn about birds in Puerto Rico. (Photo by Eliezer Nieves).
Other activities were as diverse as the region itself. In the Dominican Republic, The Peregrine Fund hosted Ridgway’s Hawk Day to celebrate the endangered Ridgway’s Hawk, that lives only on Hispaniola. In Trinidad, bird education was brought to the streets with bird education stand at a local market hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalist Club. In Puerto Rico, a special training workshop at the Centro Educativo del Corredor del Yaguazo gave teachers learning tools about birds to use in classes year-round. On St. Martin, festival attendees planted coconut trees with Environmental Protection in the Caribbean and painted bird feeders with Les Fruits de Mer.
Students go birding in Dominica. (Photo by Stephen Durand)Other groups that held events this year in Puerto Rico included Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Programa del Estuario de la Bahia de San Juan, Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña Inc., Centro Ambiental Santa Ana, Sociedad de Historia Natural de Puerto Rico, Proyecto: Reverdece Tu Comunidad – University of Puerto Rico Ponce Campus, and Universitarios Pro-Ambiente y Biodiversidad (UPABi) UPR-Ponce. In Dominica, the Forestry, Wildlife and Parks Division held events, as did Grupo Acción Ecológica in the Dominican Republic. Environmental Awareness Group hosted events in Antigua and Barbuda. Caribbean neighbors Fundación Científica Ara Macao in Venezuela and the Bermuda Audobon Society also hosted activities.
The Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival is one of the Caribbean’s only regional events about birds and nature. It is organized by BirdsCaribbean each spring, and dozens of non-profits, schools, parks and other organizations develop events in their communities.
On St. Martin, festival attendees painted bird feeders to bring home. (Photo by Tim Chin)Endemic birds—those that live only on one island or within a small range—are at special risk of extinction. The Caribbean is home to many endemic species, and many are already in danger.
Roseate Tern chick, ready for sample collection. (Photo by Paige Byerly)
In the pursuit of wildlife research, I’ve climbed cliffs, dodged black bears, ridden in tiny planes through turbulent mountain air, jumped into surging ocean waters, and hiked alone through remote wilderness. None of these activities have scared me as much as handling my first Roseate Tern chick, a delicate ball of fluff just hours from the egg.
As I prepared to take a blood sample, hands shaking, I carefully stretched out the chick’s back leg, searching for the threadlike femoral vein. Anxious tern parents called and swooped above us in the early morning sky, and the chick peeped quietly in my hand. I angled the needle and, taking a deep breath, slid it gently in. My reward was a perfect bead of red blood. I transferred the blood into a vial of storage solution, handed Daniel the chick to return to the nest, and leaned back to savor the short moment of victory. One sample down, 29 to go.
Paige taking time to enjoy the moment in the LeDuck island colony, chick in hand. (Photo by Chris Pavlik)
This spring I started my first full field season researching Caribbean Roseate Terns. These gorgeous Larids (bird family Laridae includes gulls, terns, and skimmers) are an especially challenging seabird to study, as anyone who’s tried will be quick to tell you. Like many seabirds, Roseate Terns nest on small islands, which offer a relatively predator-free habitat to raise chicks. Unlike many seabirds, they move colony sites almost yearly, for reasons we haven’t yet been able to determine.
In the Virgin Islands, which host ~50% of the Caribbean population, Roseate Terns have over 26 potential nesting cays that they choose from. That means that any research activities must first involve locating the birds, then figuring out a plan for that unique colony site. Caribbean Roseate Terns are also easily disturbed, and are prone to colony abandonment. Too much research activity in the colony could lower their reproductive success, which is the opposite goal of our efforts. For all these reasons, determining colony success through means such regular nest checks is not possible for this population, forcing us to get a little more creative.
Adult Roseate Tern pair displaying courtship behavior in the LeDuck island colony. (Photo by Daniel Nellis)
Because Roseate Terns have such a large range, and aren’t too interested in country boundaries, effective conservation planning for this species requires collaborating across borders. I’ve teamed up with researchers from several organizations in the Caribbean for this project, chief among them Susan Zaluski from the British Virgin Islands’ Jost Van Dyke Preservation Society and Daniel Nellis from the US Virgin Islands Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
In addition to developing a standardized monitoring plan to use between the two territories, we are working to answer some of the basic questions regarding Roseate Tern ecology in the region. Because nesting cays are so difficult to regularly access, we’re using motion-activated game cameras installed at nests to be our eyes in the colonies. This year, we have cameras in six active colonies. We’re hoping that the images from these cameras will help us better understand the role of predation in colonies, as well as incubation behavior and hatching success.
The USVI Division of Fisheries and Wildlife’s trusty boat, the R/V Bananaquit, waiting for us at a colony site. (Photo by Paige Byerly)
Roseate Terns are declining across the Caribbean, and we don’t know why. Are population declines due to low nest success at colony sites, or to low adult survival on wintering grounds? The breeding season is only part of a Roseate Tern’s year, and come August they will leave the Virgin Islands. Band returns have indicated that the birds travel to wintering grounds in South America, but we know very little about their non-breeding movements.
Roseate Terns are smaller and lighter than other terns, and this has made following their movements using technology like satellite tags difficult. To answer some of the larger questions regarding population health and movement, we’re turning to another source: DNA. Caribbean Roseate Terns aren’t alone in North America—there is also a well-studied population in New England. These two populations are believed to share wintering grounds, but aren’t thought to interbreed. Such isolation is unusual for such far-flying seabirds, particularly as it’s thought that the migratory pathway of the Northeastern population takes them through the Caribbean.
We’re partnering with agencies in the US to determine relatedness between Caribbean and Northeastern Roseate Terns through genetic analysis. Genetic information will give us a better idea of the population health of Caribbean Roseate Terns, and will provide some intriguing clues on who they’re mixing with on their wintering grounds, which might better help us understand where they’re going.
Vial of precious Roseate Tern blood, ready for analysis! (Photo by Paige Byerly)
Which brings us back to that first morning of sampling. It’s best to get blood from chicks less than 3 days old. Younger chicks are easier to catch, and their skin is thinner and easier to pierce with a needle. They also seem to heal more quickly, with bleeding stopping within seconds—sometimes too quickly for me to get a full sample. All these sampling considerations make geneticist researchers like myself sound particularly, well, bloodthirsty, and have led to us being characterized as “vampires.” It’s a nickname I’ll proudly answer to, knowing as I do all the amazing secrets hidden in that remarkable substance.
Unlike mammal blood, avian blood is nucleated, meaning that every blood cell contains copies of DNA. That DNA can tell us the history of an entire species and beyond, if only we can find exactly the right questions to ask and the right tools for answering them.
Figuring out the best timing for our DNA sampling required four separate boat excursions to locate the most accessible tern colony and estimate when the majority of eggs would hatch. After deciding that LeDuck island would be the best candidate for sampling, we returned early one morning to swim our gear onto the islands in waterproof coolers, then hiked through waist-length thorny brush to reach the terns. I set up my sampling station on a flat boulder, and Daniel and my visiting husband worked the colony, locating the tiny chicks and bringing them to me bundled up in hats, hands, pockets, and bandanas. We moved between colony sections to allow anxious tern parents to return to their nests, working as quickly as possible to minimize stress to the colony.
Intrepid tern biologist Daniel Nellis swims ashore with research gear. Watch out for sea urchins! (Photo by Paige Byerly)
In all the haste, I still made sure to take a moment to breathe, look around, and enjoy the view. All that research planning, all those questions, came down to two short hours in the field and those 30 precious vials of blood. A year of collaborative effort went into my sitting on that boulder, first chick in hand, and I wanted to make sure that I took the time to appreciate it.
After the Birds Caribbean conference in Cuba (hope to see you there!) I’ll be heading back to Louisiana to lock myself in the lab and get started on analyzing all this data. I’m so excited to see where these results take us, and look forward to sharing my findings with you all in the future!
Paige Byerly is a PhD student at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Her research investigating genetic diversity among Roseate Terns in the Virgin Islands is supported by a grant from the BirdsCaribbean David S. Lee Fund and a research fellowship from the National Science Foundation. The Caribbean Roseate Tern, is a threatened metapopulation of Sterna dougallii dougallii, and thought to be declining across its range. Her research will help conservationists better understand the migratory ecology and population vulnerability of Roseate Terns.
The journal British Birds is keen to highlight Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in the UK Overseas Territories (UKOT) and Crown Dependencies in the Caribbean. Developed by BirdLife International, the IBA program strives to identify, document and protect all places on earth of greatest significance for the conservation of birds. Our members may already know how important IBAs are in the Caribbean – especially for the protection of restricted-range species and endemics. It is fantastic to see these unique areas receiving wider exposure.
Four UKOTs in the Caribbean region have already been featured in the journal: Bermuda, Montserrat, The Cayman Islands, and Anguilla. Each one provides a thorough account of bird life in the territory with over 10,000 words, numerous photos and maps, making them an excellent addition to the region’s ornithological literature. Well done to all the authors. We have included the abstracts of the four reports here; to read the full articles you can subscribe to British Birds or you can buy an individual issue at their website.
A Bermuda Petrel, also known as a Cahow. (Photo by Andrew Dobson)
Important Bird Areas: Bermuda
Published on 08 March 2017 Andrew Dobson and Jeremy Madeiros
Bermuda is a UK Overseas Territory in the western North Atlantic and was uninhabited before being settled by the British over 400 years ago. It is one of the most isolated inhabited islands in the world. Despite its remoteness and its suburban landscape, it has a remarkable avian richness and history. The rediscovery of the breeding grounds of the Cahow, or Bermuda Petrel Pterodroma cahow, in 1951 made international news in an age without social media. The continuing success of the Cahow recovery programme provides hope for similar projects elsewhere. There is a globally significant population of White-tailed Tropicbirds Phaethon lepturus and there are proposals to confer endemic subspecies status on the locally breeding Common Tern Sterna hirundo. Current threats to Bermuda’s biodiversity include climate change, the increasing frequency and intensity of tropical storms, and invasive species.
Important Bird Areas: Montserrat
Published on 16 February 2015 Steffen Oppel, Gerard Gray, James Daley, Stephen Mendes, Calvin Fenton, Gemma Galbraith, Shawn Daniel and James Millett
The Montserrat Oriole is endemic to the island of Montserrat and is the national bird of this UKOT. (Photo by Andrew Dobson)
Montserrat is a small jewel of an island in the eastern Caribbean. After a major volcanic eruption in 1995, two-thirds of the island became uninhabitable, and today Montserrat is off the beaten track for most tourists. The island is easily accessible, however, and a range of habitats support a variety of interesting native biodiversity. Three hill ranges exist on the island, the southernmost being an active volcano and mostly devoid of vegetation. The Centre Hills, an area of semi-natural forest, is home to endemic species such as the Montserrat Oriole Icterus oberi, the Montserrat Galliwasp Diploglossus montisserrati (a skink), and the ‘Mountain Chicken’ Leptodactylus fallax (a frog). Besides the Centre Hills forest, there are dry scrublands in the northern hill range, coastal cliffs, and some unspoilt beaches with scenic reefs suitable for snorkelling and diving. The island’s habitats suffer from the effects of multiple non-native species such as feral pigs, goats, cattle, rats and cats. Efforts to control these are under way, and the Centre Hills forest is protected. Protecting the forest on Montserrat is the most critical target both for native biodiversity and for water supply on the island.
The Cayman Islands, in the western Caribbean, are a UK Overseas Territory. Three main islands support a wide range of birds, with 17 endemic races of breeding landbird. The Grand Cayman Thrush Turdus ravidus, currently treated as the only endemic bird species, was last seen in 1938. However, taxonomic research may mean that ‘Taylor’s Bullfinch’ Melanopyrrha (nigra) taylori, which occurs only on Grand Cayman, is treated as full species. There are many challenges of managing a conservation strategy on small islands such as these. The currently rapid human population growth (with a variety of associated development pressures), and the prospect of increased number and severity of tropical storms, are two of the most important threats to the biodiversity of these islands. Strategies to address these issues by the National Trust and National Conservation Council are discussed.
Important Bird Areas: Anguilla
Published on 04 August 2015 Steve Holliday, Karim Hodge, Farah Mukhida, Clarissa Lloyd, James Millett and Louise Soanes
Anguilla is an important breeding site for seabirds, including Brown Boobies. (Photo by Fiona Dobson)
Anguilla is a UK Overseas Territory, the northernmost of the island groups in the Lesser Antilles, in the eastern Caribbean. It has been long known for its seabirds; 16 species currently breed, with Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus, Brown Booby Sula leucogaster and Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus occurring in globally important numbers. There are 16 Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs), including five of the islands holding the main seabird colonies. The mainland IBAs are identified for populations of breeding seabirds, including Least Terns Sternula antillarum, and/or five restricted-range terrestrial species confined to the Lesser Antilles Endemic Bird Area (EBA). The Dog Island IBA is one of the most important seabird colonies in the Caribbean. Considerable economic growth in recent decades, especially from increased tourism, presents challenges to ensure that new development is sustainable, helping to maintain the rich biodiversity and natural resources upon which the growth is founded.
Our Special Issue starts off in the forests of Montserrat, a habitat heavily impacted by volcanic activity over the last twenty years. In Bambini et al.’s Current population status of four endemic Caribbean forest birds in Montserrat, current populations of four endemic forest birds are surveyed for, including the Bridled Quail-Dove (Geotrygon mystacea), Forest Thrush (Turdus lherminieri), Brown Trembler (Cinclocerthia ruficauda), and Montserrat Oriole (Icterus oberi).
We move to the Greater Antilles where, in the face of recent extirpations from its former range, Peña et al. bring us in-depth news on the endangered Giant Kingbird’s remaining foothold in Cuba with their publication Distribution and abundance of the Giant Kingbird (Tyrannus cubensis) in eastern Cuba.
Moving westward across the Caribbean’s largest island, we are now presented with information on a newly identified population of Palm Crows that may exceed 200 individuals, thanks to recent work by Maikel Cañizares Morera in his publication Nueva localidad para el Cao Ronco (Corvus palmarum minutus; Aves: Corvidae) en Cuba Central.
To the east, on the island of Puerto Rico, Anadón-Irizarry et al. provide us an invaluable update on the Status and recommendations for the recovery of the Elfin-woods Warbler (Setophaga angelae) in Puerto Rico. In light of devastating impacts to forest habitats by recent hurricanes, this work will be pivotal in helping post-hurricane conservation efforts understand the species’ vulnerability and most pressing needs.
In Haakonsson et al.’s Conservation status of Grand Cayman (Amazona leucocephala caymanensis) and Cayman Brac (Amazona leucocephala hesterna) Parrots, we find ourselves ~250 miles south of Cuba amid the Cayman Islands, where alarmingly two subspecies of Cuban Parrot are being found in fewer, more concentrated population sites.
Our journey swings us back east into the Lesser Antilles to the neighboring islands of St. Lucia and Martinique, where Mortensen et al. report on the Current status of the Endangered White-breasted Thrasher (Ramphocinclus brachyurus), a dry forest songbird endemic to Saint Lucia and Martinique. Heavily geographically restricted on both islands and facing myriad threats, new and amplified life history information on the White-breasted Thrasher reviewed in this publication will undoubtedly prove invaluable for new conservation plans underway.
To the south lies the island of Grenada, where Bonnie L. Rusk has been undertaking Long-term population monitoring of the Critically Endangered Grenada Dove (Leptotila wellsi) on Grenada, West Indies. Here Rusk stresses the current critical state of the Grenada Dove based on long-term population trends and multiple obstacles facing species recovery.
Lastly, we set sail back up towards the Greater Antilles, finding our way to the beautiful island of Jamaica, and in particular its Cockpit Country – a region known for its seemingly impenetrable (yet still vulnerable) geography of karst-limestone hills. Herlitz Davis’ publication on Forest disturbance has negative consequences for the persistence of Jamaica’s threatened and endangered bird species in Cockpit Country brings forth evidence of an association between forest disturbance and bird distribution patterns in a globally important area for bird species that is under pressure from all sides by various types of habitat disturbance.
Pulling back to an island-wide view, Proctor et al.’s time censusing the remote corners of Jamaica for aerial insectivores completes an ongoing effort to determine whether any Jamaican Golden Swallows persist on the island in light of there having been no individuals reported since the 1980’s. The Last search for the Jamaican Golden Swallow (Tachycineta e. euchrysea) confirms the local extinction and highlights the importance of using new knowledge to strengthen conservation plans for the subspecies that persists on the island of Hispaniola to the northeast.
The Special Issue’s final publication is an equally important one in which we are empirically reminded of the unique niche that the JCO fills in the wider world of ornithological publications. The role of a regional journal as a depository for valuable ornithological data as demonstrated by Caribbean forest endemic birds, by Devenish-Nelson et al., is an uplifting report of the impact that our community’s journal is having on birds, people, and the bright future of research and conservation.
