Category: News

June 16, 2022

From the Nest – Day 102

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2022 is “Loving Birds is Human Nature”. Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.

Endemic Bird of the Day: Jamaican Woodpecker

In Jamaica, most early mornings boast the iconic soundtrack of the Jamaican Woodpecker at work – boring holes in dead trees or light poles.

Endemic to Jamaica, this bird can be found throughout the island, from the coast to the highest point, 2256m in the Blue Mountains. They are also tolerant to human disturbance, often found in gardens in more urban areas, such as the capital Kingston.

The Jamaican Woodpecker has a red hind neck, white face, and pale underparts with a yellow wash, upperparts and wings are generally black and densely streaked with white and the tail is blackish. Males and females can be easily identified by their forecrown. Males sport a striking red forecrown, while females have a brownish-olive forecrown. Size ranges from 24 to 26 cm. Jamaican Woodpeckers tend to travel alone, but are also observed in pairs or small groups. Their main diet consists of insects on the surface of trees or fruits. They are often seen feeding on the Ackee (Blighia sapida), the national fruit of Jamaica, and commonly also foraging in epiphytes for insects.

Breeding typically occurs from December to August, sometimes in other months. Nests are excavated at ~5–15 m in the trunk or branch of a dead tree or in a utility pole. Clutch size is usually 3–5 white eggs, laid at daily intervals. Incubation is performed by both sexes.

Jamaican Woodpeckers are very loud and vocal, making an auditory detection perhaps more frequent than a sighting. The main call is rolling churp churp churp, however, one call given frequently is very similar to the crok! of a Black-crowned Night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax).

The Jamaican Woodpecker is listed as a Least Concern by the IUCN, however the long-term survival of this single-island endemic is threatened by loss of forest habitat due to deforestation. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Jamaican Woodpecker

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

Listen to the calls of the Jamaican Woodpecker

The calls of the Jamaican Woodpecker emphatic, slightly rasping “urp“

Puzzle of the Day

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

Male Jamaican Woodpecker. (Photo by Tim Avery- Macaulay Library- ML87028941)

Female Jamaican Woodpecker. (Photo by Larry Therrien)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: We hope that you have enjoyed learning all about our Caribbean endemic birds! Sadly some of the birds we have featured are endangered and many others are under pressure, often from human activities. This means our special endemic birds and many of the other beautiful birds that live in or visit us in the Caribbean need your help. Even simple things like picking up litter or being sure never to disturb birds when they are feeding, resting and nesting can make a difference.

You can download and print our pledge to help birds. Then sign your name and get started helping our birds by following some of the simple actions listed in the pledge. You can also colour in the picture on the pledge and perhaps hang it up somewhere at home to remind you and others of how you can help birds.

You can look at all the Caribbean endemic birds we have featured so far, from all our Caribbean Endemic Bird Festivals here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Jamaican Woodpecker the wild!

June 15, 2022

From the Nest – Day 101

Endemic Bird of the Day: Yellow-shouldered Blackbird

If you find yourself birding near the coasts of Puerto Rico, you may be lucky enough to witness the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird (Agelaius xanthomus) showing off its golden epaulets on the base of its wings. The yellow feathers that give it its name contrast beautifully with the shiny dark plumage that covers the rest of its body and boldly announces its rank as the “capitán” (Spanish for “captain” and one of its common names in Puerto Rico) of Puerto Rican birds.

Their size ranges from 20 to 23cm with males usually slightly larger than females. However, both sexes are identical when it comes to plumage. Their common call consists of a short “check” or nasal “chwip,” usually performed while perched on a branch and flicking their tail. Although considered by some as mostly insectivorous (feeding mainly on insects), Yellow-shouldered Blackbirds have a diverse diet that includes mollusks, fruits, seeds, nectar, animal feed, and processed food such as granulated sugar.

At the end of the 19th century, the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird was found throughout the entire archipelago of Puerto Rico. However, it is currently classified as Endangered, its decline due to loss of habitat and brood parasitism by the invasive Shiny Cowbird. Introduced predators like rats and the Indian Mongoose have also had a serious impact on the blackbird’s population size. Currently, due to all these threats, the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird can only be found on coastal habitats scattered throughout the main island of Puerto Rico and Mona Island. The largest population resides in southwestern Puerto Rico with approximately 500 individuals.

The Yellow-shouldered Blackbird’s breeding season typically occurs between the months of March and September but can stretch through November in rainy years. They make a nest in the form of a cup where the female lays between 2 to 5 speckled, light-blue eggs. Nests are commonly built on branches of mangroves or cavities of dead trees. However, they may also place their nests on palm leaves, coastal cliffs, and manmade structures. In southwestern Puerto Rico, to help conserve the species, biologists have been experimenting with providing Yellow-shouldered Blackbirds with PVC structures in which to place their nest. It was hoped that these structures would reduce the risk of predation by mammals and simplify the monitoring and control of brood parasitism. These have been highly successful at helping increase this species’ reproductive success. Nevertheless, multiple studies are being conducted to determine how these could be modified to further increase the reproductive success of this unique species. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird

Listen to the calls of the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird

The calls of the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird include a sharp “chulp” sound.

Puzzle of the Day

Yellow-shouldered Blackbird in flight where you can clearly see the distinctive yellow wing patches which give this bird its name. (Photo by Mike Morel)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Todays featured endemic bird, the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird, builds its nests in on branches of isolated mangroves, in crevices or hollows of dead trees, and sometimes in palm trees. The females build the nest using dried grass, twigs and leaves, making the perfect place in which to lay their eggs and raise their chicks. You could give the birds nesting near your house or in your garden a helping hand with making their perfect nest, with our nest-material activity.

With an adult helping you can gather twigs, grasses and other safe things birds like to use for their nests from around your home and garden. Put out these materials, and see who arrives to make use of them! You can download full instructions here.

Be sure to follow our suggestions for nest materials, these have been selected especially to be suitable for bird nests, some things might be dangerous for birds and their chicks if they put them in their nests. You can keep note of who visits and which things they choose to include in their nests – do some birds have a favourite type of nest material?

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Watch this report from Puerto Rico below about how using man-made nest boxes can help Yellow-shouldered Blackbirds! In this video you can find out about the PVC “drainpipe” like structure that biologists are providing for Yellow-shouldered Blackbirds to nest in. These nest boxes have be very successful in boosting the numbers of Yellow-shoulder Blackbird chicks that fledge! They also make it easier for biologists to monitor Blackbird nests and chicks. For example, via the David S. Lee Fund for the Conservation of Caribbean Birds, BirdsCaribbean are funding Jean Gonzalez Crespo track Blackbird chicks after they fledge from the nest and estimate their survival during this critical period. His work will help local and federal agencies determine whether survival rates before breeding are contributing to population declines, and identify the factors that influence survival.

You can also enjoy this video of a Yellow-shouldered Blackbird the wild!

June 13, 2022

From the Nest – Day 100

Endemic Bird of the Day: Cuban Black Hawk

If you’re lucky enough to visit the beautifully preserved wetlands of the Cuban archipelago, you may be surprised by the call of a large, dark bird of prey that seems to say “Ba-tis-ta.” This call explains why the Cuban Black Hawk is known locally as “Gavilán Batista,” although for English speakers it seems to say “uiit-uiit-uiu.” Although the Cuban Black Hawks is a bird of prey, it is possibly the tamest wild bird in Cuba. If you wait for it to perch, you can approach and observe it – sometimes as close as five meters away – an opportunity rarely offered by birds of prey, which are generally very elusive.

The Cuban Black Hawk ranges between ~43 to 52 cm in length (17-20.4 inches) and weighs ~650 g (22.5 oz). It has broad wings with white patches below and a short and wide tail with a very visible white band. Bill, legs, and feet are orange-yellow to yellow. Juveniles are mostly brown above and pale streaked below. This raptor, endemic to Cuba, prefers to live in wetlands such as mangroves, coastal lagoons, beaches, estuaries and swamps.

It breeds from January to July and both sexes build a cup-shaped nest with sticks and leaves, usually from mangroves, at a height of ~3 to 8m. It lays one to two grayish-white eggs with a bluish-green tint and some dark or reddish-brown blotches. It feeds on crabs, centipedes, lizards, rats, and is even known to hunt some birds.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature considers it Near Threatened. However, in Cuba the bird is considered Threatened due to a 75% reduction in its original distribution range and, above all, because its habitats are threatened by tourism development and the rise in sea level caused by climate change. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Cuban Black Hawk

Listen to the calls of the Cuban Black Hawk

The calls of the Cuban Black Hawk are a loud, high-pitched, thin “weet-WEET-whew”

Puzzle of the Day

An adult Cuban Black Hawk in flight. You can see the white patches below on the wing and the clear white band on it’s short, wide tail . (Photo by Rafy Rodrigues)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: The Cuban Black Hawk is in a group of birds often known as birds of prey or “raptors”. They feed by catching other animals, often using their strong and powerful feet which have sharp talons. In fact, the word “raptor” means “to seize” or “grasp” in Latin! Can you Match the Feet to the correct Raptor in our fun activity? Look at the size and shape of the talons and think about what types of things each bird eats to help you pick the right answers

Once you think you have matched them up you can check your answers here. When you’ve checked your answers you can also learn a bit more about who each bird pictured in this activity is and what their favourite foods are.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Cuban Black Hawk in the wild!

June 13, 2022

BirdSleuth Goes Back to School: Training in St Croix Informs and Inspires

June 8, 2022

From the Nest – Day 99

Endemic Bird of the Day: Thick-billed Vireo

The raspy, hoarse call “zzhhe” of the Thick-billed Vireo (Vireo crassirostris) can be heard echoing throughout the coppice and pine forests of the Greater Antilles. The song is also unmistakable—a bubbly, scratchy, jumbled “chick, didderwid-weee-zhee, chip” repeated over and over.

The distribution of the Thick-billed Vireo is limited to specific islands in the Caribbean basin: The Bahamian Archipelago (where they can be found on all islands); Turks and Caicos Islands (found only on the Caicos islands); the Cayman Islands (Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac); Tortuga Island (Haiti); Cuba; and can be a vagrant/accidental to Florida.

The Thick-billed Vireo can be identified by two white wing bars, yellow spectacles, grayish bill, and underparts varying from dull olive to yellow. This species can be distinguished from the similar migratory White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) as the White-eyed Vireo’s throat and breast color are dull gray, flanks are yellowish, and the silvery-white iris that the Thick-billed Vireo lacks.

These energetic birds are typically found in dense scrubby habitats, as well as mixed pine forests with second-growth understory. They mainly eat insects, gleaning them from leaves and branches. They also eat some fruits such as Gum Elemi (Bursera simaruba).

Thick-billed Vireo nests are primarily made of leaves and grass, although small twigs and spider webs can also be utilized. Nests are typically cup-shaped and positioned in the forks or crooks of trees and bushes. Females usually lay 2-3 eggs and incubation is shared between both the male and female.

The IUCN status of the Thick-Billed Vireo is of Least Concern and populations within The Bahamas and much of their distribution range continue to flourish. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Thick-billed Vireo

Listen to the song of the Thick-billed Vireo

The song of the Thick-billed Vireo consists scratchy jumbled variations of “chick, didderwid-weee-zhee, chip”

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Thick-billed Vireo, and many other birds, enjoy munching on insects. Encourage more insects into your backyard or garden by making our Butterfly Feeder! As well as providing food for birds, some insects can help reduce pests like aphids and caterpillars. They also help to pollinate your plants!

Print out out the template and follow our easy instructions. To make this feeder you will need an adult to help you find and use the following:

An old postcard or any other sturdy material that is easy to draw on and cut (cereal box, shoebox)
A Pencil, Coloring pencils, markers
Screw bottle cap
Straw or craft stick
Glue
Scissors
Sponge or cotton balls
Flower template (optional)
Sugar
Water

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Thick-billed Vireo in the wild!

June 6, 2022

From the Nest – Day 98

Endemic Bird of the Day: Puerto Rican Nightjar

Just look at that mouth!

This is how the Puerto Rican Nightjar got its generic name, Antrostomus – combining the Ancient Greek word “antron,” meaning “cavern” with ‘stoma,” meaning “mouth.” In the late evening, early morning, or at night, this endemic bird feeds on moths and other large insects. It snares them out of the air with that gaping mouth, which has modified feathers called bristles, used to detect insects in flight.

The Puerto Rican Nightjar is cryptically colored; it camouflages itself, resembling leaves and bark, with mottled gray, brown, and black plumage and some reddish tones. Males have a black throat bordered by a white band, and white outer tail feathers. Females have buff-colored throats and outer tail feathers. They are ~22-23 cm in length and weigh ~ 40-41 grams.

Where will you find this rather mysterious bird? If you look closely enough, you will find Puerto Rican Nightjars mainly in dry coastal and lower montane forests with open understory and abundant leaf litter. During the day, they roost on the ground or on tree limbs, perching along the branch rather than across it, blending in perfectly with their surroundings. Heard more often than seen, their song is a repeated “whip, whip, whip, whip…”

This species nests between the months of February to July. Puerto Rican Nightjars do not build a nest; the female lays eggs directly on the ground on a layer of leaf litter. She lays 1 to 2 buffy brown eggs covered with brownish-purplish spots. Both parents incubate the eggs and care for the chicks, taking turns brooding and feeding them. When a predator approaches, the parents try to distract it, flapping their wings and tail as if wounded, to draw the predator’s attention away from the chicks. Juvenile nightjars remain in their parents’ territory for some time after fledging. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Puerto Rican Nightjar

Listen to the song of the Puerto Rican Nightjar

The calls of the Puerto Rican Nightjar are an emphatic, high-pitched and repeated “whip, whip, whip“

Puzzle of the Day

Puerto Rican Nightjar on a tree — Puerto Rican Nightjar perched in a tree. If you see one of these birds in flight look at the outer tail feathers, in male birds these are white, but females only have buff tips of outer tail feathers (Photo by Mike Morel).

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Can you find the words in our Puerto Rican Nightjar word search? Circle the words as you find them and remind yourself of some of the interesting facts about todays endemic bird. There are 15 hidden worlds for you to look for! Remember the words can appear forwards and backwards, and can be horizontal, vertical and diagonal! Need some help? Or want to check your answers? You can see where all the words were here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Puerto Rican Nightjar in the wild!

Puerto Rican Nightjars blend in beautifully with their environment, they are active mainly at night. This means that they can be very hard to spot as they sleep and nest amongst the leaf litter on the ground. Luckily, we have shared this video with you so you do not have to find this difficult to see bird. This Puerto Rican Nightjar is on a nest – keep an eye out for the tiny nightjar chicks!

June 4, 2022

From the Nest – Day 97

Endemic Bird of the Day: Grenada Flycatcher

Connecting the islands from Grenada all the way north to St. Vincent is one special little endemic: the Grenada Flycatcher. This subtly beautiful bird is more closely related to the South American Brown-crested Flycatcher than other Antillean species, forming a bubble of endemism in the southern Lesser Antilles.

The Grenada Flycatcher has the white chest, light wing bars, and upright posture of other tyrant flycatchers in its range. However, a brown back and often vibrant yellow belly set it apart from the Gray Kingbird, Caribbean Elaenia, and Yellow-bellied Elaenia. It is also larger than the elaenias, averaging 20 cm long. Its colloquial nickname (in Grenada) “Johnny Muff” or “Johnny Head” is an ode to its hairstyle – a sleek mohawk of brown feathers that hardly ever appears ruffled. This bird is often heard before seen, with a high-pitched single-note “quip” (think sneakers squeaking on tiles). Once spotted though, it kindly gives you the chance to take in its beauty, staying perched for long periods.

Found in numerous habitats, from high-elevation forests to coastal mangroves, the Grenada Flycatcher is a true generalist. As the name suggests, it is primarily an insectivore, using a technique called “sallying” where it darts from a perch to catch insects midair. It has also been observed eating small lizards and berries to supplement its insect-rich diet.

Grenada Flycatchers nest between March and October, but can be seen collecting nest material as early as February. They nest in cavities, including hollowed-out mangrove snags. Their lifespan is at least 3 years, as revealed by sightings of previously color-banded birds on Grenada. However, more research is needed to shed light on the biology and life history of this unique tyrant. The species is not currently threatened (considered “Least Concern” by the IUCN) but as an endemic and range-restricted species, it is vulnerable to habitat loss from unsustainable development and climate change. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Grenada Flycatcher

Listen to the calls of the Grenada Flycatcher

The calls of the Grenada Flycatcher includes a loud, repeated “quip” or harsh queuk.

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: The Grenada Flycatcher catches and insects to eat. Sometimes this bird will flit between plants searching for its next meal. At other times it will perch perfectly still on a twig or branch and wait to strike its prey – perhaps catching a moth, fly or spider! Imagine you are a Grenada Flycatcher and find out what bugs there are in your backyard in our fun bug hunt! Follow our instructions and see how many different types of bugs you can find! Perhaps you will spot a butterfly or a bee flitting past? Remember just to look at the bugs and not to touch or collect them. You can check the ones you see off on our list and perhaps take some photos of them?

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Grenada Flycatcher in the wild! Listen carefully and you will also hear it calling quip …quip …quip…quip...quip.

To Union and Back: A Week of Developing Skills, Facing Fears, and Building Friendships

June 3, 2022

Inclusivity in Science: BirdsCaribbean Celebrates Black Birders Week 2022

Black Birders Week is a social media campaign which seeks to highlight the important presence of people of color in the birding and conservation communities. It is a week-long celebration, organized by the Black AF in STEM Collective, of Black outdoor enthusiasts, naturalists, and conservationists, focusing on their cultural perspectives of the world in which we live. This year’s theme, “Soaring to Greater Heights”, emphasizes birding as a lifelong learning journey that is enjoyed by Black cultures across the diaspora.

We are extremely grateful to be working in the Caribbean where any person, regardless of race, can enjoy birds and nature. At BirdsCaribbean we truly believe that nature is for everyone and are continuously working to create opportunities for Caribbean nationals to advance their conservation and leadership skills through workshops, mentorship programs and by providing funding for critical research.

However, we know that, beyond the region, Black people are still underrepresented in the natural sciences and academia. Therefore for Black Birders Week 2022, we are shining the spotlight on the following Caribbean leaders:

Ajhermae White- #InTheNest

Environment Officer
Department of Environment
Montserrat
Instagram: @sajhkp

How did you first get interested in birds?

The Conserving Caribbean Shorebirds and Their Habitats International Training Workshop in 2019, hosted by BirdsCaribbean in Puerto Rico, was my first in-depth introduction to birds. Upon returning home, from the workshop, a male Lesser Antillean Bullfinch was nesting at my house, which further ignited my interest in birds. I remember using a field guide I received from BirdsCaribbean to identify it. I was so happy that I found its name. After that, my knowledge of birds skyrocketed. Now in 2022, I can identify just about all resident birds and their calls on Montserrat and many migrants and vagrants. Working in the Department of Environment in Montserrat gives me the opportunity to learn about birds and work with them.

Did you have anyone take you under their wing?

James ‘Scriber’ Daley took me under his wing at the start of my birding journey. He is the best on the island and his knowledge of birds is exceptional. I am grateful that I have been able to learn so much from him.

If you’ve been at it for a while, have you become a mentor to someone else?

Now that I have become so passionate about birds I have gained the courage to go on public platforms to share my knowledge with the community. With the help of BirdsCaribbean and Environment of the Americas, I have been able to organize many educational events on resident and migratory birds. I’m so happy that I have been able to share my knowledge with children and adults on Montserrat.

Johnella Bradshaw- #LearningToTakeFlight

Redonda Ecosystem Reserve Coordinator
Environmental Awareness Group (EAG)
Antigua and Barbuda
Instagram: @jcstarss

What were your first steps into birding on your own?

My introduction into birding began roughly one year ago, when I started working at the EAG. I remember receiving my “Birding Bubble Bundle” that the group had curated, to celebrate the annual Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival in collaboration with BirdsCaribbean. Little did I know, I was about to embark on a journey, as I would be #LearningToTakeFlight in the vast world of birding.

Immediately after skimming through the contents of my bundle I began birding in my backyard. I recorded 4 species and counted 10 birds around my home. I was beyond excited to see my backyard “magically” turn into an ecological haven before my eyes. After identifying birds such as the Antillean Crested Hummingbird, adorned with its vibrant hues of greens and blues and its distinctive mohawk crest, I found a deeper appreciation for the environment around me, and I knew I wanted to learn more.

I wanted to learn more about the different birds in my country and there was no better opportunity than during the EAG’s Bird and Lizard Surveys on our offshore islands. I quickly had to learn about land birds, seabirds, and shorebirds. Who would have thought that there are so many different types of birds? NOT ME!

I love that birding is an activity for any and everyone!

When did you feel comfortable enough to call yourself a birder?

Birding not only connects people to nature but it also connects people to people. Although I consider myself to be a “baby birder,” I am happy to be learning from the birding enthusiasts, and experts in the field that I work with on a daily basis. I have been exposed to so many new opportunities and skills, ranging from bird photography to bird banding, that this journey has, so far, been nothing short of amazing.

So, what are you waiting on? It is time to take flight!

Shanna Challenger- #LearningToTakeFlight

Offshore Islands Conservation Programme Coordinator
Environmental Awareness Group (EAG)
Antigua and Barbuda
Instagram: @specieswithshanna

What were your first steps into birding on your own?

My very first step of course was obtaining a pair of binoculars – you got to be able to see the birds! Second was strengthening my ID skills – I found as many bird ID guides and resources as possible and focused on the unique identifiers of a few familiar birds. I would use these “core birds” as my measuring stick for how others differed from them e.g. is it larger than a bullfinch but smaller than a grackle?

Lastly was getting out there and going birding – starting off in my backyard, around my workplace, and then expanding to birding hotspots across the island. As a scientist, data collection is crucial and once confident in my species IDs, I used eBird to record my sightings.

When did you feel comfortable enough calling yourself a birder?

“One does not simply choose to become a birder, the birding life chooses you.” I would say I finally became comfortable when I slowly realized birding had become second nature to me. Everywhere I went and encountered a bird, the species name and behavior would automatically pop into my head. And of course, the true confirmation of birder status came with the fact that I started to convert all my friends, coworkers and family members into birders too, one step at a time.

Zoya Buckmire- #DayOfRoost

Graduate Student
University of Manitoba
Canada

Why is it important for us to know when to ‘roost’?

Mankind has long gleaned lessons from our avian neighbors, from the mechanics of flight to indications of habitat quality. But what about more subtle lessons, like when and where to roost? Choosing a conducive environment (a safe sheltered tree or your happy place), settling in on the evenings after a long day of foraging (or completing projects), and surrounding yourself with birds of a feather (pun intended) are all important for ensuring you get the best roost (and rest!) possible. Birds also take extra time to recharge and fuel up before strenuous activities like migration, and so should we before embarking on new projects in order to protect our mental health. This is especially important for those of us at the intersection of several minorities as we face up against imposter syndrome, oppressive systems, and our own goals and limitations. Taking time off is the best way to avoid burnout and provide balance in our increasingly hectic lives. Only with proper rest and recovery can we then soar to greater heights.

Scott Johnson- #FlyingTheCoop

Environmental Officer
BRON Ltd.
The Bahamas
Facebook: Scott Johnson (The Bahamian Naturalist)

What motivated you to take the leap to go after your passion?

When I was a child, I got a hold of a dinosaur book called “Dinosaurs” by the National Geographic Society and was fascinated by them. This later became a childhood obsession and my interest in dinosaurs evolved into an interest in birds and other animals. I continued to geek out on animals and wanted to become a biologist. However, upon going to the then College of The Bahamas at the time, it seemed as though there was no place in The Bahamas where I could become a field biologist. I did not want to become a vet or a medical doctor, but it looked as if those avenues were the only options for me. So, for a few years I was trying to convince myself to pursue one of those disciplines. Eventually, I became frustrated and turned to GOD and basically said to Him that I do not know how I was going to become a biologist or where I was going to work, but I am going to pursue this field no matter what. Soon after, one of my schoolmates told me about the Kirtland’s Research and Training Project that trains Bahamians in field biology and helps conservationists to learn more about the (then endangered) Kirtland’s Warbler. I applied and was accepted, and the rest in history.

What’s something you’ve always wanted to try or challenge yourself with?

As I continue to teach Bahamians, I realize that there are major gaps in Bahamian terrestrial research, and a lack of young people desiring to become terrestrial field scientists—like myself. As environmental work continues to grow in my country, the need for skilled field biologists is a necessity. I hope I can be one of those persons (wildlife trainers) who will lead this charge in a bigger capacity. So going for a Ph. D is in my future.

When is it time to pivot and “Fly The Coop”?

During certain times of the year, something inside birds triggers them to prepare for migration and reproduction. This trigger is not properly understood but we scientists know that it happens. When the season is right, I believe that that trigger will be squeezed. Until then, I am still training and gaining skills.

#AsTheCrowFlies- Leo Douglas

Past President of BirdsCaribbean
Assistant Clinical Professor
NYU, Liberal Studies
Twitter: @leo_r_douglas

What is birding like in Jamaica?

Birding in Jamaica is a particular privilege; the island is home to many island and regional Caribbean endemic species. It is also a key stopover site for many Neotropical migrants. Additionally, there are multiple ecological biomes from dry forest to cloud forest. Thus, the birding is always rich, varied, and geographically accessible.

Reflect on where you have gone birding and how it’s helped you pave relationships with people of different cultures.

I started birding in high school through a youth program organized by college-aged youth. Thus, from the get-go my journey with birds was inspired by youth and my passion has always been to work with youth in the outdoors, exploring the natural world.

How has your own culture shaped your relationship with birds and your birding journey?

Being from a small island has always given me a sense of the urgency around valuing and protecting birds and forests. Jamaican forest and species are highly restricted in range and our cultural associations with them are similarly unique and threatened. I came to the understanding, very early on, that bird and nature conservation on my island was ultimately up to Jamaicans. Culture and identity has ultimately driven the ways I see and value birds.

#LifelongJourney- Inés Lourdes Fernández

Wildlife Specialist
Empresa Flora y Fauna Santiago de Cuba
Cuba
Instagram: @lu861211

Comencé a dar mis primeros pasos en el fascinante mundo de las aves, hace unos años ya durante mi etapa universitaria con el grupo de ornitología del Centro Oriental de Ecosistema y Biodiversidad, (BIOECO) en Santiago de Cuba. Ahí supe que las aves iban a ser mi boleto de ida para conocer los secretos de la naturaleza y adentrarme más en la observación de ellas. Mis primeras aves observadas y estudiadas en esta etapa, fueron las rapaces migratorias, Águila pescadora, Halcón peregrino, así conocí de todo el proceso de migración.

Mi primer binocular lo obtuve gracias a Optics for the Tropics, durante el Festival de Aves Endémicas del Caribe en el 2018 y de inmediato agarré mi guía y me dirigí al área protegida más cercana a observar aves en compañía de mis colegas de trabajo. Al principio éramos dos y poco a poco hemos sumados más interesados. Hoy, no solo realizamos observaciones de aves sino también enseñamos a las comunidades, mediante la Educación Ambiental y la vinculación a actividades de investigación, el maravilloso mundo de las aves, así ayudan a su protección.

Hoy me considero una amante de las aves. Observarlas me ha permitido relacionarme y conectarme con otras personas que comparten esta pasión, intercambiar datos y opiniones, desarrollar habilidades y acceder a nuevas oportunidades como la fotografía.

Todavía me falta un mundo por aprender, pero poco a poco voy conociendo y sumando más amigos y colegas a la observación.

English translation

I took my first steps into the fascinating world of birds a few years ago, while at university with the ornithology group of El Centro Oriental de Ecosistemas y Biodiversidad (BIOECO) in Santiago de Cuba. From that point, I knew that birds were going to be my one-way ticket to learning the secrets of nature and diving deeper into observing them. The first birds I observed were migratory raptors: Osprey and Peregrine Falcon, and this is how I learned about the whole migration process.

My first binoculars were sponsored by Optics for the Tropics, during the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival in 2018. I immediately grabbed my guide and went to the nearest Protected Area to observe birds in the company of my colleagues. At first there were two of us and little by little, more people interested in learning about birds and nature joined us. Today we not only make bird observations but also teach communities, through Environmental Education and linking to research activities, the wonderful world of birds, thus helping their protection.

I consider myself a lover of birds. Observing them has allowed me to relate and connect with other people who share this passion, exchange data and opinions, develop skills, and access new opportunities, such as photography.

I still have a world to learn, but little by little I am getting to know more about birds and adding more friends and colleagues to my community.

It is our hope that by recognizing Black Birders Week we increase the visibility of Black Caribbean birders and naturalists and their contributions to conservation. We also hope that this will encourage other agencies and institutions to support their employees and members who are Black and to actively seek ways to make the workplace and outdoors more inclusive and welcoming.

To learn more about Black Birders Week and how you can join the celebration please visit: https://www.blackafinstem.com/bbw2022schedule

June 3, 2022

From the Nest – Day 96

Endemic Bird of the Day: St. Lucia Warbler

This eye-catching little bird is endemic to the island of St. Lucia and locally known as “Sucrier babad.” The St. Lucia Warbler (Setophaga delicata) is a common bird on the island, it is found in most forest types but more so in middle and upper level forests. It can be identified by its bluish-gray upperparts, two white wingbars, bright yellow throat and underparts, broad yellow eyebrow stripe and cheek patch. It has a black crescent below the eye and a narrow black stripe on the edge of the crown. The tail is gray with white outer feathers. Females differ from males by having less white in the tail, and less pronounced black edging to crown stripe.

The only other species occurring in St. Lucia with yellow underparts are the Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petchia) and the Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola). The Yellow Warbler has yellow upper parts and under tail coverts, more plain yellow face, and no white wing bars. It is more commonly found in drier scrub & mangrove forests. The Bananaquit has a yellow rump patch, white eyebrow stripe, down-curved bill, and a small square patch on its wing. It is found in most forest types.

The St. Lucia Warbler is an active bird and can thus be difficult to spot, as it flits from branch to branch, searching for insects and spiders. It is a small warbler measuring between 12–12.5 cm. When in the forest, listen out for its song—a loud trill, variable in pitch and speed, which often ends in “which-you.” The call is a single loud sweet chip.

St. Lucia Warblers typically breed from March to June, but the seasons can vary based on nest success, the weather, and other variables. They commonly build their nests in the fork of a shrub or tree, in a thickly vegetated location. Nest heights range from 0.2m-6m. Nests are small, cup-shaped, made with fine grasses, and lined with feathers. They normally lay between 2-4 eggs, which are flecked with reddish-brown spots at the broad end.

Major threats to the success of St. Lucia Warbler nests are the Shiny Cowbird which may parasitize their nests, the Carib Grackle, who rob nests and eat the eggs, and drought. Although currently listed as a species of Least Concern, the long-term survival of this single-island endemic and most of our wildlife, is threatened by loss of forest habitats to development and climate change, which will likely increase droughts. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the St. Lucia Warbler

Listen to the song of the St. Lucia Warbler

The song of the St. Lucia Warbler is highly varied, with rich, liquid notes in a trill often ascending or descending at the end.

Puzzle of the Day

The St. Lucia Warbler or *sucrier babad*, is one of the most common birds on the island of St. Lucia. (Photo by Frantz Delcroix- Macaulay Library- ML20078251)

St. Lucia Warbler. Although this bird not currently of conservation concern, one of the main threats to populations of St. Lucia Warblers is the loss of forest habitats to tourist developments. (Photo by Judd Patterson)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: There are many different warblers in the the Caribbean, as well as other small bird they might be confused with! Some warblers migrate and are only in the Caribbean for part of the year whilst others, like the St. Lucia Warbler are endemic! How much can you remember about warblers? Test your knowledge and see if you can pick our today’s bird in our Warbler Memory Matching Game!

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a St. Lucia Warbler in the wild!

May 31, 2022

From the Nest – Day 95

Endemic Bird of the Day: Jamaican Owl

The Jamaican Owl Pseudoscops grammicus and the Barn Owl Tyto alba, locally known as Patoos are probably the most misunderstood birds in Jamaica. Many people are afraid of them and will kill them on sight. These fears have their roots in local mythology. Some people think they are omens of death. Others think that at night the owls leave their skins, and turn into witches that fly around committing evil deeds. Therefore, they believe that if you find an owl, you should kill it, skin it, and put salt in the skin to prevent it from coming back.

In reality, the small and irresistibly cute little brown fluffy Jamaica Owls are uniquely Jamaican and ecologically important. Not only are they endemic to Jamaica, but there are no other species in the genus Pseudoscops anywhere else in the world! Their reddish brown plumage, with large jet-black eyes and distinctive ear tufts, make them unmistakable. The downy chicks are white and fluffy with huge eyes, like a baby Yoda.

During the day you might be lucky to spot an adult or a pair in a wetland, dry forest, montane forest, wooded pasture, or a garden. They may be perched on a branch or twig, in the center or edge of a large tree, such as an old West Indian Cedar Cedrella odorata, which is covered with bromeliads – anywhere where there are trees that are large enough to support their nests. Nests can be in cavities in trees, or under a bromeliad. Jamaican Owls lay two eggs but usually only rear one chick, which will hang around and be fed by its parents for almost a year.

At dusk falls, the adults prepare for the evening’s hunt by preening, stretching, and calling. The calls are deep and rasping – something between a silky “wow” and a bark. If you listen carefully you may hear them calling to each other. Unlike people, the male makes the higher pitched call. The juvenile’s begging calls are high-pitched and very loud. The parents respond by flying out of the roost trees to capture insects, lizards, tree frogs, mice, small birds, and even an occasional bat.

Although they are harassed in many places, Jamaican Owls are common in suitable habitats, especially mid-level wooded pastures, where every karst hilltop may support a pair or a family group of two adults and a juvenile. Owls play an important role in maintaining the ecological balance of the forests, and enrich the experience of visiting forests. They deserve to be better understood. This means more environmental education, better protection of habitats, and increased enforcement of the laws that protect the species. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Jamaican Owl

Listen to the calls of the Jamaican Owl

The calls of the Jamaican Owl include a low hoot, as well as a “wa-waaa-o” growling sound (see amazing video below).

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Time to get active and play our fun “Hide and Squeak” Jamaican Owl game! For this game you will need four people to play – one ‘Owl’ and at least three people to be ‘hunted’ as different types of animals that the Owl would eat. You will also need:

Something to act as a blindfold for the ‘owl’ (if you don’t have a blindfold you could us a scarf of cloth etc.)
A marker pen
Some name tags

How good are you at finding ‘prey’ only using your ears? You can play more than once, taking it in terns to be the ‘owl’!

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a Jamaican Owl in the wild! You will hear the ‘growling’ noise that these birds sometimes make.

Take a virtual camping trip in Jamaica and discover more about the Jamaican Owl in this colourful and fun ‘Zine’ made by Sarita Emmanuel for the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival in 2021.

May 28, 2022

From the Nest – Day 94

Endemic Bird of the Day: Bay-breasted Cuckoo

Imagine a half-meter long, dusky gray bird with reddish-brown breast, throat, and wing patch, peach-colored pantaloons and belly, and thick decurved bill. Got that? Now, add a glossy black tail comprising nearly two thirds the bird’s total length, each feather tipped with a bold white spot. Mother Nature is showing off with the Bay-breasted Cuckoo!

This bird has a loud, distinctive voice: Cu-aa! (its most common local name in the Dominican Republic), sometimes followed by a guttural accelerating u-ak-u-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak. Residents of Gonaïves, Haiti call it Tako Kabrit (“Goat Cuckoo”) because of its goat-like bawl “Greeee!”

Despite all this noise, the Bay-breasted Cuckoo is one of the hardest birds to spot on Hispaniola. It is uncommon, shy and secretive. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a glimpse of it, agilely hopping and gliding along branches,, hunting for insects, lizards, frogs, small mammals, even bird eggs and nestlings.

The Cúa has a Caribbean cousin, which it closely resembles in morphology and plumage: the Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo, endemic to Jamaica, which is much more common. Both species have a thick, down-curved bill. These large cuckoo species feed on similar prey, with similar foraging behaviors. Once, a Cúa was seen sallying at a lower branch, trying to capture a large, well-camouflaged lizard – which turned out to be a previously undiscovered chameleon-like species of Anolis!

The Cúa is the second most threatened Hispaniolan endemic bird. Its IUCN status is Endangered. Only two main nesting populations persist in the DR’s Sierra de Bahoruco and North slope of Cordillera Central. In the last 12 years, it has been seen in other areas; but these are likely a few survivors, now at risk of extinction due to the continued destruction of mature broadleaf and semi-deciduous middle elevation forests, their preferred habitat. Intensive farming, including avocado plantations, poses a serious threat to this species’ survival. Hunting is another factor putting pressure on the birds; some local people mistakenly believe that eating the bird will cure arthritis and other ailments.

Finally, in a tropical country where commercial ads (paint products, tours) sometimes display non-native birds like macaws and toucans, perhaps unaware that we have our own majestic and colorful birds like the Bay-breasted Cuckoo, it is great to see branding inspired by this spectacular species: Cúa Conservation Agency (audiovisual producers) and La Cúa Birding Tours (from colleague birding guide Iván Mota). Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Bay-breasted Cuckoo

Listen to the calls of the Bay-breasted Cuckoo

The calls of the Bay-breasted Cuckoo are a guttural accelerating, “u-ak-u-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak.” They also make a bleating sound a bit like a lamb or goat.

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Get active with your family and friends with our fun chick feeding game! We want you to imagine you are a busy Bay-breasted Cuckoo with a hungry brood of chicks to feed! It will take some speed and dexterity to help provide food for your baby birds. Download the instructions here.

We would love to see photos and/or videos of you and your family playing the game. You may email them to Aliya.Hosein@birdscaribbean.org

Please note that by submitting your photos and/or video you give BirdsCaribbean consent to use your photos and/or videos on our website and social media accounts.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Did you know that in 2020 Shika Shika released their album “A Guide to the Birdsong of Mexico, Central America, & the Caribbean” ? The project was a unique fusion of music and birdsong , the ten-track electronic music album, incorporated the songs and calls of endangered birds. Amongst the calls and songs of endemics from the region you can listen out for the sweet songs of our Caribbean birds ! You can still hear the tracks on Shika-Shika’s Bandcamp website. Read all about how Shika Shika managed to raise an amazing $30,000 USD for bird conservation in to our blog post.

New Album Blending Birdsong and Music Raises Money to Help Birds

May 26, 2022

BirdsCaribbean urges French authorities to protect Brown Pelicans on Guadeloupe

Sustained harassment of nesting Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) in Le Gosier, Guadeloupe, in recent years, has resulted in the abandonment of the largest colony of this species in the French Caribbean islands. BirdsCaribbean is greatly concerned by this unfortunate development and urges French authorities to take action to stop any harassment and ensure the birds return to breed in this important colony. (en français ci-dessous)

Brown Pelicans in the Caribbean rarely nest in urban settings, and yet this colony is just a few steps away from both a library and primary school. BirdsCaribbean regrets that the pelican colony in Le Gosier did not receive adequate consideration and protection from the local authorities of the town that proudly takes its name from the Brown Pelican. This indeed is a missed opportunity for education where, with the right will and incentives, the name-sake of the town can turn a human-wildlife ‘neighborhood dispute’ into a source of pride for the small town of Le Gosier.

A pair of Brown Pelicans cares for its three young chicks in the Le Gosier colony, during the 2013-2014 nesting period (Photo by Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles – Régis Gomès).

History of Brown Pelicans on Guadeloupe

Part of the pelican Le Gosier colony during the 2013-2014 breeding period (Photo: Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles – Régis Gomès). Note numerous chicks (white plumage with brown wings) on nests – a sign of a healthy and fully functional colony.

Brown Pelicans were extirpated from Guadeloupe in the 19th century following hunting and persecution. Low numbers nested in the archipelago in 1984 and 1996 but the species only resumed breeding permanently in 2007. This is the same year that a few nests with chicks were rediscovered at the Le Gosier colony. From a handful of nests in 2010-2011, this colony increased in size to reach a maximum of 117 nests in 2016-2017, covering a large area on the spectacular sea cliffs of Boulevard Amédée Clara. This made it one of the largest nesting colonies of Brown Pelicans in the Lesser Antilles. It hosted as many breeding pairs as the other three colonies known to have re-established in Guadeloupe combined, and represented the largest colony of this species in the French Caribbean islands. In fact, the town of Le Gosier takes its name from “gwan gosyé”, the traditional Créole name for the Brown Pelican. This majestic bird is also the town’s emblem and, as such, appears on numerous buildings and monuments.

For the first time since 2007, Brown Pelicans did not nest at the Le Gosier colony in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. This fact was brought to the attention of BirdsCaribbean in November, 2020 by the Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles (ASFA). Visits by rangers of Parc National de la Guadeloupe in December 2020, and by Association AMAZONA in January 2021, confirmed the abandonment of this breeding site. Visits by ASFA in early 2022 confirmed that Brown Pelicans did not renest in 2021-2022.

“When, in 2007, we announced that we had discovered a Brown Pelican colony in Le Gosier, we thought it would stimulate decision-makers to make the return of the Brown Pelican in Guadeloupe a success. The loss of this colony is a resounding defeat for the recovery of this species.” — Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles

Threats to the Caribbean Brown Pelican

Despite its familiar presence on our shores, the Caribbean Brown Pelican population is still considered at risk in the region. It is also listed as a strictly protected species under the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol, of which France is a signatory. In Guadeloupe, nesting Brown Pelicans are listed as Vulnerable on the Red List of Threatened Species in France (IUCN France 2021) and protected under the Arrêté du 17 février 1989. Under this arrêté, any form of destruction, removal, capture or use of this seabird or its nest is forbidden.

As early as 2014, ASFA alerted relevant French authorities of the potential human-wildlife conflicts that could arise from the growth of the colony, but no action was taken by the administration. Indeed, intentional disturbances directed at the nesting Brown Pelicans accelerated. ASFA shared with BirdsCaribbean that, over the years, people were observed deliberately and regularly throwing rocks at nests from both the top and bottom of the cliffs; demolition works directly above the colony repeatedly disturbed pelicans during nest initiation; and vegetation that supported nests was cut or degraded before or during the breeding season. Although the Arrêté du 17 février 1989 makes it unlawful to hurt or kill pelicans and their chicks or eggs, it does not protect them against disturbance (whether accidental or intentional), nor does it protect their breeding and resting sites from intentional destruction.

Estimated sizes of the Brown Pelican population in Guadeloupe between 2011 and 2021. Counts of fledgelings, and resulting estimates of productivity, were only carried out until 2018. (Data from Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles.)

The failure of France to curb these threats to a protected species partly results from the long-overdue revision of this arrêté, stuck in negotiations. BirdsCaribbean urges the French government to hasten the acceptance of the revision of Arrêté du 17 février 1989 to actually provide full protection to the Guadeloupean birds it seeks to protect. Furthermore, the Brown Pelican colony of Le Gosier did not receive the protection it needed from French authorities as pledged under the SPAW protocol, despite France being a signatory and ratifying country, and Guadeloupe hosting the offices of the Regional Activity Centre that oversees its implementation.

“The case of the Brown Pelican is a good example: France should make a priority of revising our weak national regulations. It could also easily compensate for the loss of breeding habitat for the Brown Pelican by protecting îlet Rousseau, a public land with strong potential not only for pelicans, but also for Magnificent Frigatebirds.” — Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles

Brown Pelicans breeding at the Le Gosier colony during the 2013-2014 nesting period. In the upper left corner, note the three big chicks sharing a nest – a sign of a healthy and fully functional colony. (Photo by Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles – Régis Gomès).

Next Steps

The Brown Pelican colony at Le Gosier was a jewel of Caribbean wildlife, one that was enjoyed by local people and visitors alike, but no longer – it only took only a few misplaced acts to destroy it.

BirdsCaribbean calls on the government and local administration to:

1) investigate and document what happened to the colony in 2020-2021;

2) put into place an action plan to avert a similar tragedy happening in 2022-2023 and the future;

3) monitor the areas where Brown Pelicans return and nest again, ensuring that they are not disturbed;

4) educate the local community to instill pride in the town’s name-sake, showing that it deserves our protection;

5) complete the revision of the Arrêté du 17 février 1989, and ensure that adequate legislation is in place to protect wildlife from disturbance and destruction.

En Francais

BirdsCaribbean est extrêmement préoccupée par l’abandon en 2020, 2021 et 2022 de la colonie de nidification de pélicans bruns du Gosier, en Guadeloupe, suite à des dérangements prolongés.

BirdsCaribbean est extrêmement préoccupée par les dérangements répétés de pélicans bruns (Pelecanus occidentalis) nicheurs ayant eu lieu au Gosier, en Guadeloupe, ces dernières années. Ces dérangements ont provoqué l’abandon de cette importante colonie de reproduction durant les saisons de reproduction 2020-2021 et 2021-2022. Les autorités responsables doivent agir pour arrêter et prévenir tout dérangement, et assurer le retour en nidification lors de la saison 2022-2023. Ceci aura des bénéfices économiques et pédagogiques pour la commune du Gosier. Dans les Caraïbes, les pélicans bruns nichent rarement dans des zones urbaines : malgré tout, la colonie ayant subi les dérangements n’est qu’à quelques pas de deux écoles et d’une médiathèque, dans une ville qui prend son nom de ces mêmes pélicans !

Photographie 1: Un couple de pélicans bruns s’occupe de ses trois jeunes poussins à la colonie du Gosier, pendant la saison de reproduction 2013-2014. (Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles – Régis Gomès).

Histoire des pélicans bruns en Guadeloupe

Pour la première fois depuis 2007, les pélicans bruns n’ont pas niché à la colonie du Gosier en 2020-2021 et 2021-2022, une information que l’Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles (ASFA) a partagé avec BirdsCaribbean dès novembre 2020. Des visites effectuées par des gardes du Parc National de la Guadeloupe en décembre 2020, et par l’Association AMAZONA en janvier 2021 ont confirmé l’abandon de ce site de nidification. Des visites de l’ASFA début 2022 ont montré que les pélicans n’avaient pas re-niché en 2021-2022.

Photographie 2: Une partie de la colonie de pélicans bruns du Gosier, pendant la saison de reproduction 2013-2014. (Photo: Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles - Régis Gomès). Noter les nombreux poussins (plumage blanc et ailes brunes) sur les nids, signe en bonne santé écologique. — Photographie 2: Une partie de la colonie de pélicans bruns du Gosier, pendant la saison de reproduction 2013-2014. (Photo: Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles – Régis Gomès). Noter les nombreux poussins (plumage blanc et ailes brunes) sur les nids, signe en bonne santé écologique.

Le pélican brun a été éradiqué de Guadeloupe au cours du XIXième siècle par la chasse et la persécution. Des effectifs limités ont niché sur l’archipel en 1984 et 1996 mais l’espèce n’a recommencé à nicher de façon permanente qu’en 2007. Cette même année, des nids avec des poussins étaient découverts à la colonie du Gosier. De quelques nids en 2010-2011, cette colonie a ensuite gagné en taille pour atteindre, à son maximum, 117 nids en 2016-2017, utilisant alors une grande partie des falaises spectaculaires du Boulevard Amédée Clara. Ceci en faisait l’une des colonies de nidification les plus grandes des Petites Antilles. Elle abritait autant de couples nicheurs que les trois autres colonies recensées en Guadeloupe combinées, et était alors la plus grande colonie de cette espèce dans les Antilles françaises. La ville du Gosier prend justement son nom du “gwan gosyé”, le nom créole du pélican brun. Cet oiseau majestueux est aussi l’emblème de la ville et, en conséquent, il apparaît sur de nombreux bâtiments et monuments.

“En annonçant, en 2007, que nous avions découvert une colonie de pélicans bruns, qui plus est, dans la ville du Gosier, nous pensions susciter une mobilisation des décideurs pour que ce retour de l’espèce en tant que nicheuse sur l’Archipel guadeloupéen soit un succès. L’abandon de la colonie sonne le glas d’une pleine reconquête de l’espèce.” —Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles

Menaces sur le pélican brun des Caraïbes

Malgré sa présence familière sur nos côtes, la population caribéenne du pélican brun est toujours considérée comme à risque dans la région. Elle est aussi listée comme strictement protégée au titre du protocole SPAW, protocole dont la France est signataire. En Guadeloupe, les pélicans bruns nicheurs sont listés comme Vulnérables sur la Liste Rouge des Espèces Menacées de France et sont protégés par l’Arrêté du 17 février 1989. En vertu de cet arrêté, toute forme de destruction, capture ou enlèvement de cet oiseau marin, de ses œufs ou de son nid est interdite.

Dès 2014, l’ASFA a alerté les autorités françaises compétentes des potentiels conflits qui pourraient découler de l’expansion de la colonie de nidification du Gosier, mais l’administration n’a pris aucune mesure. Au contraire, les dérangements intentionnels envers les pélicans bruns nicheurs se sont accélérés. L’ASFA a d’ailleurs informé BirdsCaribbean que, au fil des ans, des personnes ont été observées en train de jeter des pierres sur les nids, depuis le haut et le bas des falaises, de manière délibérée et régulière ; des travaux de démolition juste au-dessus de la colonie avaient dérangé les pélicans à plusieurs reprises au commencement de la nidification ; et la végétation sur laquelle les nids étaient construits avait été coupée ou dégradée avant ou pendant la saison de reproduction. L’Arrêté du 17 février 1989 rend illégal la destruction et la mutilation des pélicans, de leurs poussins et de leurs oeufs, mais il ne les protège pas des dérangements (accidentels ou intentionnels), et ne protège pas non plus leurs sites de reproduction et de repos de destructions intentionnelles.

Figure 1. Effectifs de population du pélican brun en Guadeloupe entre 2011 et 2021. Les comptages de jeunes à l’envol, et les estimations de productivité en découlant, n’ont pas pu être effectués après 2018. Données : Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles.

L’incapacité de la France à limiter ces menaces à l’encontre d’une espèce protégée est en partie le résultat de son incapacité à réviser l’Arrêté du 17 février 1989. BirdsCaribbean exhorte donc les autorités françaises à finaliser la révision de l’Arrêté du 17 février 1989 afin de véritablement offrir l’entière protection de la loi aux oiseaux de la Guadeloupe que cet arrêté prétend protéger. Par ailleurs, la colonie de pélicans bruns du Gosier n’a pas reçu la protection des autorités françaises, en directe opposition avec le protocole SPAW qu’elles ont pourtant signé et ratifié, et malgré le fait que les bureaux du Centre Régional d’Activité qui supervise la mise en application dudit protocole se trouvent en Guadeloupe .

“Cet échec est un bon exemple : la révision de la réglementation nationale devrait être la priorité de la France. Il serait aussi facilement réalisable de compenser les pertes survenues sur la colonie du Gosier en protégeant l’îlet Rousseau, un terrain public à fort potentiel non seulement pour les pélicans mais aussi pour les Frégates.” — Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles

Photographie 3: Des pélicans bruns en nidification à la colonie du Gosier, pendant la saison de reproduction 2013-2014. (Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles - Régis Gomès). Dans le coin en haut à gauche, noter les trois grands poussins dans un même nid, un signe d’une colonie en bonne santé écologique. — Photographie 3: Des pélicans bruns en nidification à la colonie du Gosier, pendant la saison de reproduction 2013-2014. (Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Faune des Antilles – Régis Gomès). Dans le coin en haut à gauche, noter les trois grands poussins dans un même nid, un signe d’une colonie en bonne santé écologique.

BirdsCaribbean regrette que la colonie du Gosier, qui est située face à la médiathèque et aux écoles du Boulevard Amédée Clara, n’ait pas reçu une considération appropriée de la part des autorités locales d’une ville qui emprunte fièrement son nom au pélican brun. Nous regrettons, par ailleurs, que cette opportunité pédagogique et économique ait étée négligée : avec des bonnes intentions et des soutiens adaptés, l’espèce qui prête son nom à la ville aurait pu transformer un “conflit de voisinage” entre humains et faune sauvage en une source de fierté pour la petite ville du Gosier.

Prochaines étapes

La colonie de pélicans bruns du Gosier était un joyau de la faune des Caraïbes, autant appréciée par les locaux que par les visiteurs, mais elle n’existe plus : il n’a fallu que quelques actes déplacés pour la détruire. Par conséquent, BirdsCaribbean demande au gouvernement français et aux administrations locales de

1) enquêter et documenter ce qui est arrivé à la colonie de pélicans bruns du Gosier en 2020-2021 ;

2) de mettre en place un plan d’action pour éviter qu’une tragédie similaire ait lieu en 2022-2023 et dans le futur ; 3) de suivre les zones où les pélicans bruns pourraient revenir et nicher, afin d’assurer leur protection ;

4) de développer des programmes pédagogiques à destination des communautés locales, afin d’inspirer de la fierté pour l’espèce qui prête son nom à la ville et de montrer qu’elle mérite notre protection ; et

5) de finaliser la révision de l’Arrêté du 17 février 1989 et de s’assurer qu’une législation appropriée soit en place pour protéger la faune sauvage des dérangements et des destructions.

En attendant de recevoir de vos nouvelles rapidement, je vous remercie pour votre assistance.

May 24, 2022

From the Nest – Day 93

Endemic Bird of the Day: Cuban Green Woodpecker

Under the canopy of the forest, the Cuban Green Woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus) is busy creating homes in the trunks and branches of trees – one peck at a time. Its olive-green upperparts are unique among Caribbean woodpeckers and, paired with yellow-greenish underparts streaked with black, it makes for the perfect camouflage! The disguise is given away by a head with white sides, a black line behind the eye, a red throat, and a flashy bright red crown that rises like a crest. The front half of this crown is black on females. Still, they may be really difficult to spot if it weren’t for their active and noisy behavior – constantly raising their red crest, calling, and inspecting tree branches for food. They feed mostly on insects and larvae but also eat small frogs, lizards, fruits, and have been seen preying on eggs and even feeding on nectar. It is common to see them foraging in pairs, or even in families teaching their young.

Cuban Green Woodpeckers are specially adapted to forest life. Their smaller size brings them agility, even thin branches will support them. With feet and tail specially designed to climb and move all along trees they can inspect horizontal branches even from below, turning and hopping around effortlessly. Their short and sharp beak is the perfect tool to build and maneuver in tight spaces. This, along with their small size allows them to make a nest cavity in smaller tree trunks and even in branches using both live and dead wood. By doing this, they avoid competition for nesting sites with other bigger woodpecker species on the island. This also enables them to occupy almost all types of forest habitat, from mountains to mangroves.

Cuban Green Woodpeckers breed between February and August. The male bores a nest cavity in a tree, the home for three to four white eggs. The couple takes turns incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks. They may be small but they fiercely defend their nest and territory against any intruder, especially other woodpeckers. Their voice is a strong “ta-há ta-há” or “nrwac-nrwac” repeated a couple of times. They also produce a distinctive sound with a short burst of three or four beak strikes on wood, which is very useful to communicate over long distances.

Endemic to Cuba, this bird can be observed across the whole territory. As it is the most common woodpecker in all Cuban forests, it is of great importance, allowing other endemic birds such as the Cuban Trogon or Cuban Pygmy Owl to also thrive and reproduce in these habitats using its abandoned nesting cavities. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Cuban Green Woodpecker

Listen to the calls of the Cuban Green Woodpecker

The calls of the Cuban Green Woodpecker include a strong “ta-há ta-há” repeated a couple of times and a rasping “gruhh.”

Puzzle of the Day

Female Cuban Green Woodpecker, they are typically found in pairs. The female has red on the back of her head, with the male showing a more extensive red crown. (Photo by Michael J Good)

Male Cuban Green Woodpecker. They are one of two woodpecker species that are endemic to Cuba, the other is the endangered Fernandina’s Flicker. (Photo by Bill Hebner)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Cuban Green Woodpeckers have feet and tails specially designed to climb and move all along trees; they can inspect branches, for insects to peck with their pointy beaks, while moving up and down. In our fun woodpecker craft activity you can make your own feeding Cuban Green Woodpecker and then explore their ‘pecking whist climbing’ behaviour. For this activity you will need:

The woodpecker template (provided in the activity instructions)
Cereal box or card sheet
A plastic straw
Rubber band
Coloring pencils, crayons or markers
Glue
Scissors

As this activity involved using scissors you should get an adult to help you.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a male Cuban Green Woodpecker foraging in the wild!

Find out more about the Cuban Green Woodpecker in this beautiful and fun ‘Zine’ made by Tara Razac during our Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival in 2021.

May 23, 2022

From the Nest – Day 92

Endemic Bird of the Day: Bahama Swallow

On the most northern islands of The Bahamas, this acrobatic bird can be seen flying low over the roads, fields, and other open habitats. Its ability to twist and turn at the last second is truly impressive – the fighter jets of the bird world. Is it just showing off? No, the Bahama Swallow (Tachycineta cyaneoviridis) is hunting, grabbing unlucky flying insects directly out of the air.

But if a Bahama Swallow will sit still long enough, the stunning beauty of this Bahamian endemic will blow you away. The deep metallic green on its crown and upper back fades into dark blue, and then into grayish-brown on its long wings and forked tail. These gorgeous colors contrast sharply with the purest of whites on the throat and belly, which continues under part of the wing. The white under the wing, along with a more deeply forked tail, can help distinguish it from its close relative, the Tree Swallow.

During the breeding season (March – July), this special bird can only be found on three islands in the Northern Bahamas – Grand Bahama, Andros, and Abaco. Along with New Providence, these islands are the only ones in the Bahamian archipelago that contain large areas of Caribbean pine. During the non-breeding season, a few birds may wander south to other islands in the Bahamas, to northern Cuba, and the Florida Keys. More study on the species’ movements are needed!

The swallow has a strong connection with this unique and magical pine forest habitat. The species is a secondary cavity-nester, meaning that it will only build a nest in a cavity (i.e., a hole of some kind), but it cannot create this cavity for itself. Luckily for the swallow, two woodpecker species — the Hairy Woodpecker and the West Indian Woodpecker — are very good at making nesting cavities in dead trees. After the woodpeckers are done with them, the swallow can jump in! But it is generally safer for swallows to use the cavities in the pine forest, usually made by the Hairy Woodpecker, where they are less exposed to competition and predation.

The Bahama Swallow is an Endangered species, and its survival depends on healthy pine forest and woodpeckers to continue to make nesting cavities. The largest threat to the swallow is habitat loss from development and natural disasters like hurricanes. For example, in 2019, Hurricane Dorian destroyed huge sections of pine forest habitat on Grand Bahama and northern Abaco, where swallow populations were already small. So protecting the pine forest on Abaco and Andros is more important than ever to conserve this special bird! Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Bahama Swallow

Listen to the song of the Bahama Swallow

The song of the Bahama Swallow is a jumble of liquid notes, they also have a “chet-chet” call which can be heard in this recording.

Puzzle of the Day

Bahama Swallow group perched in a tree — A flock of Bahama Swallows take a rest in a pine tree. *Bahama Swallows will make their nests in cavities in trees, using the needles of the Caribbean pine as nesting material.* (Photo by Walker Golder)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Bahama Swallows feed on insects, swooping through the air to catch them on the wing! Can you help this hungry Bahama Swallow find its way through our maze to to grab some tasty insect food? You can find the correct route here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Want to find out more about the Bahama Swallow and what it is like to study these beautiful little birds? Read all about the work of ecologist and ornithologist Maya Wilson. Maya’s graduate research was focused on understanding more about the status and breeding biology of this endangered island endemic. In her blog post below you can share a day in the field with Maya as well as learning more about the fascinating research she carried out in the Bahamas.

Bahama Swallows in the “Pine Islands”—Report from the Field

May 23, 2022

Global Big Day 2022: BirdsCaribbean Continues Record-breaking Streak!

May 19, 2022

From the Nest – Day 91

Endemic Bird of the Day: Puerto Rican Spindalis

If you need a source of inspiration to start your day with a smile, then look no further than the Puerto Rican Spindalis (Spindalis portoricensis)—Reina Mora in Spanish. At dawn, males sing a simple, yet sweet, song from the treetops. When spotted, the striking and colorful plumage of the males is enough to stop you in your tracks. He has a black head with two bold white stripes, contrasting with a fiery-orange neck collar and throat that turns bright yellow down the chest and belly. The back is green and the wings and tail are grayish-black. Females are mostly olive-green, with faint streaking on the chest and drab whitish stripes on the head. The lack of bright colors on the female’s plumage is actually an advantage during the nesting season, providing camouflage during incubation in the nest.

The Puerto Rican Spindalis builds a cup-shaped nest, somewhat similar to a dove’s nest, on a fork at the tip of a high branch, usually hidden by leaves, making it difficult to find. Females lay 2 to 4 light blue eggs with brownish speckling on the wide end. Chicks fledge about a month after egg-laying and remain with the parents for a few weeks.

Their diet consists of fruits and small arthropods (e.g.., insects, spiders, worms, etc.). Small fruits are eaten whole, digesting the pulp but not the seeds. The seeds are then dispersed throughout their forest and urban habitats, making the species an important seed disperser. Larger fruits are no match for its short, yet strong, beak that it uses to rip the skin and expose the nutritious pulp. Many other species of animals benefit from this to get a free meal.

The Puerto Rican Spindalis is a single-island endemic, restricted to the largest island of the Puerto Rican archipelago, where it is widely distributed from coastal forests to the highest peaks, at 1,338 meters. Normally, they forage in pairs in their fiercely defended territories, but sometimes may be seen in small flocks, likely consisting of the parents and their recently fledged young.

The Puerto Rican Spindalis is a member of the family Spindalidae, a group formed by four Caribbean endemic species: 1. Western Spindalis (S. zena) of The Bahamas, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Cozumel Island (off Mexico); 2. Jamaican Spindalis (S. nigricephala) restricted to Jamaica; 3. Hispaniolan Spindalis (S. dominicensis) of Hispaniola; and 4. Puerto Rican Spindalis.

Although the population size of this species has not been quantified, the population trend is believed to be stable and the Puerto Rican Spindalis is listed as “Least Concern” by the IUCN.

When you visit Puerto Rico, be sure to head out early in the morning to a forest or urban woodland park and, most likely, you’ll be rewarded with the wonderful sounds and stunning beauty of this ecologically important Puerto Rican endemic bird. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Puerto Rican Spindalis

Listen to the song of the Puerto Rican Spindalis

The high-pitched song of the Puerto Rican Spindalis is a repeated series of three notes, “seet-see-seee, seet-see seee, seet-see-seee”

Puzzle of the Day

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

Male Puerto Rican Spindalis. (Photo by Lucas Limota)

Female Puerto Rican Spindalis. (Photo by Simon Best)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: What facts can you remember about todays endemic bird – the Puerto Rican Spindalis? Test your knowledge by filling in the missing words in each of our Puerto Rican Spindalis facts! We have given you the correct words but can you put them into the right fact? You can re-read the information all about this bird above, or search on the BirdsCaribbean webpages for lots more information about the Puerto Rican Spindalis! Then, when you have completed all the sentences, you can check your answers here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy this video of a male Puerto Rican Spindalis in the wild! This colourful Caribbean endemic can be found in urban areas and university campuses, as well as the more traditional woodland and forested habitats!

Don’t forget that our joint conference with the American Ornithological Society is happening soon! We’ve teamed up with local hosts Para La Naturaleza and Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña to bring you an exciting conference you won’t want to miss. This is all taking place in San Juan from June 27 – July 2, so get ready to wing your way over to beautiful Puerto Rico! ⁠ The conference will bring together ornithologists, wildlife professionals, educators, students, and others to share information and learn about the latest research and innovative initiatives to conserve birds and their habitats.⁠ Read more about it by following the link below.

American Ornithological Society and BirdsCaribbean will be Meeting in Puerto Rico in 2022—Join Us!

May 18, 2022

Dive into the World of Seabirds with BirdCaribbean’s New Webinar Series

May 18, 2022

From the Nest – Day 90

Endemic Bird of the Day: Orangequit

This energetic, busybody darting around the canopy is hard to identify at first. Is it another little brown bird? It stops at a flower and the sunlight hits it just right, showing a shimmering blue bird. It’s an Orangequit (Euneornis campestris)! This bird is endemic to the island of Jamaica and is the only member of the genus Euneornis.

When you hear the name Orangequit, the image the mind produces is a small orange bird. Although it is in fact a small finch-like bird, measuring only 14 cm, its only orange coloration is a brick orange throat in males. The males are striking and distinctive from the females. They are almost entirely a shimmering slaty-glossy gray-blue. This coloration shifts along a spectrum from slate-gray to vivid blue, depending on the lighting, and can appear black in poor lighting.

The females have medium-brown back, wings, and tail, blue-gray crown, and gray underparts that become more brownish or yellowish toward the belly. Immatures resemble females but are browner where the female is gray. Immature males resemble adult females but often have small patches of colorful feathers – most commonly on the coverts, chest, or throat. Males take two years to develop their characteristic plumage.

Another key indicator is its distinctive bill which is fairly long but thick, sharp-tipped, and slightly decurved. This precision instrument is used to access nectar, blooms, seeds, and fruits as they are typically seen contorting on vegetation in order to achieve the best angle to feed. Those lucky enough to live in or adjacent to Orangequit habitat can attract them with cut fruit – they particularly enjoy slices of orange. They’re found in montane forests, tropical or subtropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded forests. Their call is a high, thin “tsit-tsit,” with the second note louder and higher in pitch, plus a thin, descending whistled “swee.”

Orangequits breed from April to June. Their nest is a very well concealed, deep, and roughly built cup – usually 6m above the ground, sometimes in bunches of seeds or in a large leaf. The females lay between two and four eggs that are white with reddish-brown and gray-brown markings.

Although listed as ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN, Orangequits are threatened by habitat loss through bauxite mining and conversion of Jamaica’s pristine forests for agriculture and coffee plantations. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Orangequit

Listen to the song of the Orangequit

The song of Orangequit is a series of thin high-pitched “tsit-tsit” notes.

Puzzle of the Day

Female Orangequit. The female of another Jamaican bird, the Jamaican Euphonia, is superficially similar. But she will have a stubbier bill and a greenish back (Photo by Dave Curtis).

Male Orangequits are a shimmering slaty-blue with a distinctive brick-orange throat, but they can appear to be completely black in poor lighting. (Photo by Eric Hynes)

Juvenile (female) Orangequit at Rockland’s Bird Sanctuary Jamaica. (Photo by Piet Grasmaijer, Macaulay Library ML116254561)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Orangequits love to eat nectar but they also enjoy juicy fruits! Why not try making this orange cup bird feeder? You can can fill it with pieces of fruit and perhaps a few seeds for your other backyard birds. Hang in your garden to keep your feathered friends well fed. Not in Jamaica – the home of these colourful little endemic birds? No problem, other fruit lovers that that live near you, such as orioles and many other types of wild birds, will love this feeder! Hang it out, fill it with food and see who comes to visit for lunch. Remember that this activity involves using scissors and knife, you will need an adult to help with making this.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: If you don’t have Orangequits that visit your garden you can still enjoy this video of a male Orangequit in the wild!

At the start of the pandemic backyards became the birding hotspots. Around the world people set up feeders and bird baths. The Caribbean was no exception to this trend. ⁠ In Jamaica when Stuart Reeves learned that he had to be quarantined at home for 14 days, he was struck with the same question so many were asking themselves, “What to do?” Read about how he used that time to get to know and photograph the birds that visited his backyard get some inspiration and insider tips on how to attract, observe, and photograph your backyard birds! You can make your own bird bath following these instructions from our Cuban Oriole post

Making the Most of Covid-19 Isolation: Backyard Birding in Jamaica with Tips for Attracting and Photographing Birds

May 12, 2022

Printing now! The Spanish Version of our Endemic Birds Coloring Book

It’s coming soon! And we are excited, as the printing presses are whirring.

BirdsCaribbean partners and citizens of all ages from across the Spanish-speaking islands can look forward to enjoying the Spanish language version of our popular Endemic Birds of the West Indies Coloring Book, which will soon be ready for ordering. Translations of the English text by Mark Yokoyama are by Juan Carlos Fernández-Ordóñez and Maydiel Cañizares, with the appealing illustrations by Christine Elder waiting to be colored.

Back and Front Covers of the Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book in Spanish.

“The book is at the press now,” confirmed Executive Director of BirdsCaribbean, Lisa Sorensen. “We are very grateful to all those who have contributed and supported this publication, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service International Programs, the Cape Cod Bird Club, and of course our members and generous donors.”

The coloring book is now available for free download. To receive hard copies, email info@BirdsCaribbean.org

The book contains all the same artistic and educational material as the English language one, with an additional section explaining the birds’ scientific names. It also gives reasons for and provides details of how and why different local names are often given to the same bird in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. For example, in Cuba the West Indian Whistling Duck is called the Yaguasa. In Puerto Rico it is known as the Chiriría, and in the Dominican Republic people call it the Yaguaza. This can be confusing! In the book, the scientific name is written in italics after the common name of each bird.

“We will be shipping hard copies to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic (and sending copies via courier to Cuba) as soon as the book is printed, hot off the press,” said Lisa Sorensen. “We are happy that this lovely book will be reaching a much wider audience, and we look forward to the feedback from our Spanish-speaking friends.”

Note: The French version of the coloring books will also be available soon!

How to obtain copies of Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book in Spanish

You can download the colouring book for free on our Resources page.

If you are an educator working for an NGO or government in the Caribbean and would like to receive one or more boxes of the coloring book, please contact info@birdscaribbean.org. To save on shipping costs, we are aiming to limit the number of shipments per country. We ask for help with distribution by a local institution to NGOs and governmental ministries for use at bird and nature education events.

Help us get these books to children across the islands!

We need your help to ship this book to the islands, as well as funding support to print the French version. If you would like to help, please click here. No donation is too small!!

About the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival – CEBF

The annual Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF), held from April 22 (Earth Day) to May 22 (International Biodiversity Day), seeks to increase awareness and appreciation of the region’s unique bird life. Every year, thousands of people across over twenty-five Caribbean islands participate in a range of activities organized by local non-governmental and environmental organizations. The theme of the 2022 festival is “Loving Birds is Human Nature.” BirdsCaribbean is hosting activities to celebrate at home, such as webinars, a short story and poetry competition, games, coloring sheets, and more. Virtual CEBF activities called From the Nest, including Endemic Bird of the Day, coloring pages, puzzles, videos, bird songs, and much more can be accessed at this link.

From the Nest – Day 89

Endemic Bird of the Day: Eastern Chat-Tanager

If you find yourself birding on the high elevation mountain forests of Cordillera Central, Sierra de Neiba, and Bahoruco Oriental, on the island of Hispaniola, keep an eye out for the elusive Eastern Chat-Tanager! It is a shy, ground-dwelling bird that can be hard to see, but easily heard singing at dawn.

The Eastern Chat-Tanager is a medium size bird, a bit smaller than a Mockingbird, with a long tail and strong long legs and feet. It is dark olive-brown above, with a white throat and grayish underparts, yellow eyering, and a spot of yellow at the bend of the wings, which is hardly seen. It often sings from a low perch within dense vegetation – an emphatic, clear whistling “chip-chip-swep-swep-swep” or “chirri-chirri-chirri-chip-chip-chip,” repeated many times.

Eastern Chat-Tanagers are usually seen in pairs, foraging on or near the ground, searching through the leaf litter. They feed primarily on insects and small invertebrates, and a small amount of fruit. This species is often observed flying short distances, close to the ground, across a narrow path or trail, from one patch of vegetation to an adjacent one.

Endemic to the island of Hispaniola, the Eastern Chat-Tanager is quite a unique bird. It belongs to the Caribbean endemic bird family, Calyptophilidae, from the Greek word Calyptophilus (“loving to hide”). There are three (3) recognized subspecies. Information on the Eastern Chat-Tanager is limited, due to its secretive nature and hard to navigate habitat. To date, only one nest has been described and published.

The Eastern Chat-Tanager is uncommon on Hispaniola with a limited distribution. Its conservation status is considered to be Near Threatened by the IUCN, due to habitat fragmentation and destruction—mostly from uncontrolled logging and the clearing of forests for agriculture. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Eastern Chat-Tanager

Listen to the song of the Eastern Chat-Tanager

The song of the Eastern Chat-Tanager is a whistled and sometimes variable “weet-weet-werp chip-cheep-sweet…” which can end with a short trill.

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Eastern Chat-Tanagers are shy and secretive birds. They spend a lot of their time looking for yummy worms and other tasty insects on the ground, amongst the dense forest vegetation. Their colours also make them blend in with their surroundings. All of this means that these birds are really hard to find in the forest! Can you spot all 15 hiding Eastern Chat-Tanagers? When you think you have found them all, check the answers here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: These birds are hard to spot but you can enjoy this short video below and get a glimpse of an Eastern Chat-Tanager in the wild!

The Eastern Chat-Tanager was one of several Caribbean endemic birds spotted by participants during our recent landbird monitoring workshop, held in the Dominican Republic! In February 2022 we brought in 26 participants and 8 workshop leaders representing a total of 16 countries to immerse themselves in landbird monitoring methods! We chose the scenic valley of Jarabacoa known for its stunning landscapes and birds. From the classroom to the forest, the workshop provided participants with the knowledge and confidence to train a monitoring team and institute a sustainable, local landbird monitoring program in their home countries using the Programa de América Latina para las Aves Silvestres (PROALAS) Manual and bird survey protocols. Find out more about this fantastic and exciting workshop, and our landbird monitoring program below.⁠

From the Classroom to the Forest: Non-stop Learning at BirdsCaribbean’s 2022 Landbird Monitoring Training Workshop in the Dominican Republic

May 9, 2022

From the Nest – Day 88

Endemic Bird of the Day: Cuban Oriole

The Cuban Oriole (Icterus melanopsis) can only be found and admired in the Cuban territory, including the main island, the Isle of Youth, and most of the adjacent cays. It was considered a subspecies of the Greater Antillean Oriole, but recently earned its distinction as a unique jewel of Caribbean avifauna. Both males and females are mostly black, with a bright yellow rump, thighs, shoulder patches, and undertail coverts. Juveniles are yellowish-green with a blackish throat.

The Cuban Oriole is commonly found in pairs and lives in a variety of habitats—from natural and secondary forest, to shrub vegetation, and rural and farm areas. Scientists believe that, like its cousin the Puerto Rican Oriole, both males and females sing complex and diverse musical notes. You can enjoy this melodious song in the form of long and short whistles early in the mornings. Fruits, insects, flowers, and nectar comprise its regular diet—this bird is not picky!

During the breeding season, from February to July, Cuban Orioles show off their engineering skills. Both parents build a most-elaborate nest in the form of a globular basket, with a side entrance, woven with fibers of palm fronds. It is suspended from the underside of branches and big leaves of trees. This provides a secure home for the chicks which will hatch from three greenish white eggs, speckled with lilac gray and olive markings.

Even though it is considered a common resident in Cuba, in some places, it is becoming hard to find and populations may be declining. More study is needed, but scientists believe the cause of this apparent decline is nest parasitism by the Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis). Additionally, its beautiful song makes it susceptible to being trapped and kept as a pet, an ongoing challenge for bird conservation in Cuba. We can all help to conserve this charismatic endemic, and many others, through education and advocacy for the protection of birds and their habitats. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Cuban Oriole

Listen to the song of the Cuban Oriole

The song of the Cuban Oriole is series of clear upslurred and down-slurred whistled notes.

Puzzle of the Day

Juvenile Cuban Oriole — Male and female Cuban orioles look very similar, but juveniles, as in this photo, are largely yellow-green. (Photo by Greg Lavaty)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: You can’t have a bird-friendly garden without a spot for the birds to drink from, bathe in or just cool themselves down on a hot day. Like humans, all birds need a reliable source of clean water. Follow our instructions and you can make your own bird bath using materials from around your house and yard. You will need, an old garbage bin lid, flower pot drip tray or serving tray;
rocks or pebbles; any size and color tomato cage and wire cutters. As this activity involves using wire cutters you will need to ask an adult to help you.

Once you have made your bird bath make sure that you follow our “Keeping your bird bath safe for the birds & you” tips. By frequently changing the water and keeping your bird bath clean you should be able to provide a place for the bird in your garden to enjoy and for you to enjoy the birds!

Enjoy the video below of Cuban Oriole enjoying a tasty meal of some flowers!

Find out how BirdsCaribbean has been increasing bird tourism capacity in Cuba through the Caribbean Birding Trail Guide training program. Cuba has 26 endemic birds, engaging with visitors to the Island to help them to understand the secret lives of these birds is a special skill. In October 2017 the Caribbean Birding Trail Interpretive Guide Training course taught 26 persons how to connect visitors with the cultural and natural resources of the island. Read more about it in this account from course participant, Mariana Pedraza.

Sharing a Passion for Birds: the Caribbean Birding Trail Guide Training in Cuba

May 7, 2022

Seabirds, Research, and Advocacy: Check out the latest BirdsCaribbean Seabird Working Group Newsletter!

May 6, 2022

From the Nest – Day 87

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2022 is “Loving Birds is Human Nature” Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.

Endemic Bird of the Day: Olive-capped Warbler

Hopping from pine tree to pine tree and crowned with…well, an olive-yellow colored cap, the Olive-capped Warbler is a lively little Caribbean endemic bird.This warbler is found only in pine woodlands where it feeds on insects and other tasty morsels of arthropods. It is restricted to two countries in the Caribbean: Cuba and The Bahamas. In the Bahamas it can be found on the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama while in Cuba it is restricted to the western and eastern parts of the island.

The Olive-capped Warbler has a yellow throat and breast, olive-yellow crown, slate-gray upper body, and two white wing bars. Also distinctive are the Olive-capped’s blotchy, black streaks on its sides and a plain face. It may sometimes be mistaken for either the Bahama Warbler or Yellow-throated Warbler because it is often difficult to spot its most distinctive feature – the olive-yellow crown – when it is perched high above in pine trees.

An interesting observation of this species is the relationship it has with its cousin, the Bahama Warbler. On Abaco, both species live in the same habitat and when the Bahama Warbler sings, its song excites the Olive-capped – sometimes leading to a chorus of responses to the Bahama Warbler’s song. It seems to be a big fan of the Bahama Warbler! Its song consists of a series of shrill whistled notes, descending in pitch and delivered fairly slowly, “wisi-wisi-wisi-wiseu-wiseu.” Call note is, “tsip-tsip-tsip,” repeated frequently.

The breeding season of the Olive-capped Warbler lasts from March to June. During this time, a cup-shaped nest is built and lined with soft feathers. Nests are usually located 2 to 15 meters above the ground in pine trees. Clutch size is two whitish, variably brown-spotted eggs.

Although listed as ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN, the population status of the Olive-capped Warbler is currently questionable. The pine forests of Abaco and Grand Bahama, where this bird lives, were severely damaged by Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 hurricane in 2019. Bird surveys done on both islands after the storm show that this species has not been seen on Grand Bahama since Dorian. However, when members of BirdsCaribbean visited Grand Bahama in February 2022 they reported that the pine forests are recovering nicely – many young pine trees are growing as well as the understory shrubs. It is hoped that over time, the forests will once again support a rich bird community, including the Olive-capped Warbler. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Olive-capped Warbler

Listen to the song of the Olive-capped Warbler

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The song Olive-capped Warbler is a shrill, descending “wisi-wisi-wisi-wiseu-wiseu”.

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Use the information above and the clues on the sheet to untangle our our word scramble – all about the Olive-capped Warbler, you’ll need to know about where is lives, what it eats and how it behaves. You can find all the answers to the clues here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: As well as living in the northern Bahamas this colourful gray and yellow Caribbean endemic can be found in parts of Cuba. Cuba is an fantastic location for seeing beautiful birds and hosts an amazing 28 cuban endemics. Find out all about our BirdsCaribbean bird tour to Cuba in 2016. Read about what birds did our group saw and which amazing places they managed to visit.

On the Caribbean Birding Trail in Cuba

Enjoy the video below of an Olive-capped Warbler in the wild in Cuba and listen to its song!

May 4, 2022

From the Nest – Day 86

Endemic Bird of the Day: Lesser Antillean Saltator

The Lesser Antillean Saltator, as its name indicates, is endemic to the Lesser Antilles region. It lives on only four islands in the World: Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, and Saint Lucia.

This bird is not well-known because it has a dull olive-green plumage that makes it difficult to observe in the forested habitat where it lives. Its head has a whitish eyebrow stripe, underparts are whitish streaked with olive-green, and it has a large blackish bill with a yellow tip and gape. It shows a heavy black mustache stripe. Males and females look alike. Juveniles have duller facial markings and breast streaks. This Saltator is the terror of bird banders because of its powerful beak—it can be very painful if not handled properly.

Lesser Antillean Saltators can be found in mangroves, dry forests, swamp forests, and in urban areas. But they prefer to forage in trees rather than on the ground for fruits, buds, flowers, and sometimes insects. If you’re lucky, you may catch a glimpse as it occasionally darts into gardens to feed on a bit of fruit – like papaya, guava, or mango.

One sure way to know if a Lesser Antillean Saltator is near is to listen for its distinct song—a series of harsh, loud notes that rise and fall and can be heard from very far away. Call notes include faint “tsi” and sharp “chink.”

The main breeding season is from April to July, similar to many other species in the Caribbean. The nest is built in the form of a cup using twigs and leaves. Clutch size; 2-3 light greenish-blue eggs with black lines concentrated at the blunt end of the egg. Both parents feed the chicks and remain with them for some time after they have fledged the nest.

The Lesser Antillean Saltator is listed as ‘Least Concern’ by the IUCN and is considered fairly common on the islands where it occurs. However, it prefers to live in dry forests and lower elevation shrubs which are being cleared for agriculture and, on some islands, fuelwood. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Lesser Antillean Saltator

Listen to the song of the Lesser Antillean Saltator

The song of the Lesser Antillean Saltator is a series of loud musical notes that rise and fall.

Puzzle of the Day

Lesser Antillean-Saltator feeds on a coconut in St Lucia. — Lesser Antillean Saltator feeds on a coconut in St Lucia. (Photo by Steve Buckingham)

Lesser Antillean Saltator in Guadeloupe. (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Breeding season for the Lesser Antillean Saltator is between February and August. This Caribbean endemic builds its nest as a deep cup made from twigs and leaves and will have two or three hungry chicks to feed once its egg hatch! These nestlings love to eat fruits as well as parts of flowers and plants. Can you help these Lesser Antillean Saltators find their way through our maze to fetch the delicious papaya to feed their chicks? You can find the correct route here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy the video below of a Lesser Antillean Saltator feeding! You can see this bird using its heavy black-and-yellow bill to pluck berries from this tree. Lesser Antillean Saltators feed mainly on plants matter, including fruits, buds, and some flowers and petals; they also sometimes eat insects.

May 4, 2022

Conservationist Spotlight: An Interview with Patricia Bradley

Patricia Bradley arrived on Grand Cayman in 1982 and began to put together comparative monthly records of bird sightings on all three islands. In the four decades since, she has authored several field guides and natural history books, and a British Ornithologists’ Union checklist. She is a founding and Life member of the Cayman Islands National Trust, chairing and serving on its Environmental Advisory Committee, and she has served many years on the Cayman Government’s National Conservation Council. She was instrumental in establishing the Cayman Islands’ Important Bird Areas, and developing the nature tourism project in the Sister Islands, including design of interpretative signage at lookouts on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Patricia’s contributions to conservation extend well beyond the Caymans. She has long been a member and supporter of BirdsCaribbean, including as a past co-chair of the Seabird Working Group (SWG), and co-edited the book ‘An Inventory of the Breeding Seabirds of the Caribbean’ in 2009.

Jennifer Wheeler: Hello Patricia! I understand this is your fortieth year in the Caribbean. When you arrived in the early 1980s, did you imagine you would become one of the most respected names in Caribbean ornithology?

Patricia Bradley: Well, I’m not sure I believe THAT. But, I do feel that I have had the opportunity to contribute and add to the efforts of bird conservation and habitats, when bird data was sparse in the 1980s. But so much remains to be done in the region to stem the loss of species, especially seabirds, whose breeding and foraging areas continue to decline. Cayman is now doing a great job.

JW: What brought you to the Caribbean? And did you come with a love of nature?

PB: I was born and lived in Ireland up until the age of 24. My parents brought me up outdoors and my mother was a very keen birder. At University, I studied Biology. After graduation, I stayed on to teach and participate in field projects. I began a PhD, but my husband was offered a job in Africa, so off we went to begin our international life together, and we never went back to Ireland.

JW: Where did you go?

PB: Our first station was in Malawi, where I worked on game counts and spent a year with the Locust Research Council tracking swarm development in the wetlands; then Botswana and more birds. In 1972, my husband went to work with the UN. First to Antigua, then the British Virgin Islands, and then the Turks and Caicos Islands where I set up the National Trust, and helped establish the large Ramsar Site that encompasses the Caicos wetlands. In each location, I gathered and submitted birding records to the British Ornithological Union as there was a dearth of information. People in Europe didn’t understand what a birding hotspot the Caribbean was!

Patricia talks to ecotourists at Booby Pond, Cayman Islands — Patricia talks to ecotourists at Booby Pond, Little Cayman. (Photo courtesy naturecayman.com)

In 1982, we reached the Cayman islands, and I began to compile a checklist of birds of the 3 islands. Cayman birds were little known both here and overseas. Over a 20 year period, aiming to put a monetary value on Cayman’s undervalued and underrated natural areas, I wrote field guides, set up forest and wetland signed trails on Little Cayman and Cayman Brac (linked to maps and a website – a first for the region), and invited bird tour leaders to put us on their route. Also raising awareness locally through the National Trust we had set up.

JW: So birding records led to field guides that led to a career in developing bird conservation projects in Cayman Islands and elsewhere in the Caribbean! In 2003, you and Robert Norton commenced An Inventory of the Breeding Seabirds of the Caribbean (Bradley and Norton 2009). Do you have a special interest in seabirds?

PB: Yes, seabirds are very important in my life. I find them especially beautiful, with their combination of freedom in the air and vulnerability on the ground. Rob and I were focused on sea level rise and the effects of tropical storms, which combined with habitat loss are major threats to seabirds. Also, my mentor, John Croxall (a foremost expert in seabird conservation globally), was working in the Antarctic on fisheries and albatross and he shared with me what the international community was doing for seabird protection.

Thinking about the plight of seabirds, especially given regional climate change threats, we realized that assessing seabird numbers across the Caribbean was essential. We needed a comprehensive snapshot of the state of things – recent population numbers, threats, and declines – so we could begin to understand the changes that were occurring. The Inventory of Breeding Caribbean Seabirds was finally finished in 2009, building on the works of both van Halewyn and Norton 1984; and Schreiber and Lee 2000.

JW: Talking about the 2009 book must be bittersweet due to the recent passing of Rob Norton.

PB: Absolutely. I lament the loss of this wonderful, dedicated, and courageous man. We go back to the early 1980s when I began sending him birding records from the Cayman Islands. Our friendship cemented when we met in Jamaica in 1985 and on Turks and Caicos in 1987, and continued until his death.

Bird field guide author Patricia Bradley was awarded the title of “Conservationist of the Year” in the 2016 Governor’s Conservation Awards. (Photo courtesy the Cayman Compass)

JW: Finding and persuading seabird specialists from each island to contribute must have been a challenge.

Patricia Bradley and Yves-Jacques Rey-Millet at the Birds of Cayman Islands Launch, 2013.

PB: The editing process was a huge challenge, with an embryonic internet! But it was also great fun as we worked with English, Dutch, French, and Spanish ornithologists, and got to know many of the corners where seabirds hang out! Thank goodness for Rob’s exhaustive understanding of the regions’ birds, and GIS data and maps brilliantly provided by William Mackin. The meetings of the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (now BirdsCaribbean) provided an essential structure and backbone for the work.

JW: Chapter 30 of the Inventory presents Conservation Issues and Proposals. Some of these have progressed nicely, some not at all. How are you feeling about the state of things?

PB: Yes, well, conservation activities often wax and wane, depending on opportunities, funding, and crises like hurricanes, social unrest, and of course, COVID-19. Unfortunately, the effects of climate change – rising seas, changes in ocean chemistry, and prey base – are an increasing threat to Caribbean seabirds. Reports estimate that many populations have decreased in the last 20 years. In the Cayman Islands, we have lost 50% of what was one of largest colonies of Red-footed Boobies in the region. Preliminary results indicate that food shortages contributed to decreased breeding success, plus cat predation.

That’s why the Seabird Working Group’s promotion of a region-wide census is so critical. Previously lack of continuity has been a major issue, with data collection dependent on one individual who either moved country or lost funding. I hope the 2023 census will change that, to go beyond the census to establish a regional monitoring database updated regularly, to allow a rapid response to threats to be addressed.

Booby Pond, Little Cayman. (Photo by Rhiannon Austin)

JW: Any signs of hope for seabirds?

PB: Of course! There is always hope. And there are waves of progress… More people got started in seabird conservation following the BirdsCaribbean seabird project from 2011 to 2013. I’m thinking about people like Hannah Madden and Juan-Carlos Fernandez-Ordonez. And Dr. Patrick Jodice’s engagement, which led to more seabird tracking research on frigatebirds, boobies, and petrels. The Bermuda Petrel story is extremely heartening. And support by the Darwin Initiative has helped several of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), including the Cayman Islands, to advance its seabird monitoring.

One exciting thing happening now is the use of National Capital Accountancy by the Cayman Islands Government, and 2 other OTs, to produce an economic valuation of ecological services provided by the national resources. We recommended this approach in the Inventory – calculating the concrete values of interconnected resources: marine, wetlands, forests, relating the ecological value of seabirds to fishing, coral reef health, nature tourism, etc. The Government intends to adopt this approach, presently in its infancy with only the mangrove asset value determined. It will have profound influence in recognizing and conserving natural resources as part of the financial balance sheet of the country, and incorporation into the legislation in Cayman, as well as providing a model for the region.

JW: What’s your advice for the BirdsCaribbean Seabird Working Group for the regional Caribbean Seabird Census push?

PB: Keep pushing! It’s not easy coordinating the efforts across a region as diverse as the Caribbean. I know this and it often takes lots of persuasion! Take advantage of the people that have become trained and confident in seabird monitoring to encourage and coach others to assist in surveys. This should help to forge a new generation who will continue the work. And figure out a way to fill some of the gaping holes – it’s shocking how little attention the seabirds on the offshore cays in Cuba and The Bahamas are receiving. We know costs are prohibitive with thousands of cays to census, but somehow we have to get creative to fund people to get out there! Additionally, the crisis that Caribbean seabirds are facing must be elevated at National levels so that monitoring becomes a Government responsibility, as has occurred in Cayman since 2016, and in the US islands for generations. However, where Government support and funds are not forthcoming, international NGOs and BirdsCaribbean will need to continue their search for funding to ensure that this brilliant initiative does not stall. It is the only way management plans for each species and site can go forward.

Jennifer Wheeler and Patricia Bradley at the 2007 International Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Jennifer Wheeler)

JW: Thank you so much for your time, it’s great to catch up. I can’t remember when you and I first met, but I definitely remember hanging out at the 2007 BirdsCaribbean conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Will I see you this summer at the upcoming conference in the same location?

PB: Alas, no, making that trip isn’t possible. But I will engage virtually! Keep me in the loop for remote attendance, especially the Seabird Working Group symposium and discussion!

Books by Patricia Bradley:

Birds of the Cayman Islands. 1995. By Patricia Bradley and Yves-Jacques Rey-Millet. World Publications.
The birds of the Cayman Islands. 2000. By Patricia Bradley. British Ornithologists’ Union.
An Inventory of Breeding Seabirds of the Caribbean. 2009. Edited By: Patricia E. Bradley and Robert L. Norton. Florida University Press.
A Photographic Guide to the Birds of the Cayman Islands. 2013. By Patricia E. Bradley and Yves-Jacques Rey-Millet. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Birds of Cuba: A Photographic Guide. 2020. By Arturo Kirkconnell, Patricia E. Bradley, and Yves-Jacques Rey-Millet. Cornell University Press.

May 3, 2022

From the Nest – Day 85

Endemic Bird of the Day: Green Mango

Today, we’re in search of a Green Mango – and we don’t mean the well-known tropical fruit! The Green Mango (Anthracothorax viridis) is one of two endemic hummingbird species that inhabit Puerto Rico – the other being the Puerto Rican Emerald (Chlorostilbon maugaeus). A total of five hummingbird species can be found on the island, but they are segregated by geographical areas, elevations, habitats and preferences for flower resources. The Green Mango is a forest specialist, look for it in montane habitats, forest edges, and shade coffee plantations of the central and western parts of the island.

The Green Mango is a large dark-green hummer (11-12 cm, 6-7 g) with a black, down-curved bill, and rounded tail. Its upperparts are glossy emerald-green, underparts metallic blue-green, and tail metallic blue-black. The sexes look alike; the only difference is the presence of a tiny white eye spot in adult females.

The Green Mango might be confused with the similar-sized Antillean Mango which also has a curved, black bill. However, they are easy to tell apart. The Antillean Mango is lighter green above. The male has black underparts, iridescent green throat, and dark purple tail. The female is whitish-gray below with whitish tail tips. Although both species overlap in habitats at mid-elevation, the Antillean Mango is mainly found in the coastal scrub, open habitats and gardens at lowlands.

Green Mangos feed on insects, spiders, and nectar; and are particularly fond of Heliconia flowers. They are “trapliners,” which means that they forage on widely dispersed flowers that last only one day. Thus, they rely on extended blooming periods of individual plants. This species is the primary pollinator of flowers with long-tube corollas, like those of native bromeliads and Heliconias. They aggressively defend territories of flowering plants with high sugar content in the nectar (often red and tubular-shaped flowers). Males are known to defend their feeding area, often an entire flowering tree!

The female builds a cup-shaped nest with woven plant fibers lined with lichen. She lays two white eggs and incubates and feeds the chicks with regurgitated food, mostly insects. The chicks leave the nest when they are about 20 days old.

The Green Mango is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is a restricted range species, however, and thus vulnerable to impacts from severe storms and hurricanes, which may damage its habitats and food sources. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Green Mango

Listen to the calls of the Green Mango

The calls of the Green Mango include a high-pitched twitter and can also include rattling or chattering notes.

Puzzle of the Day

Green Mango in flight. As well as eating nectar from flowers, Green Mangos eat insects, often caught in the air, above tree tops. (Photo by Ricardo Sanchez)

Green Mango. Males and females of this species look very similar to each other. Males will defend a territory around flowering trees, sometimes defending an entire tree! (Photo by Jose Santiago- from the Macaulay Library- ML98678841)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Green Mangos love to feed on nectar! Why not try making this hummingbird feeder? You can can fill it with home-made nectar, and hang in your garden to keep the hummingbirds well fed. Be sure to follow our nectar recipe carefully so that your hummingbirds get the correct levels of sugar in their food! Not in Puerto Rico – the home of these beautiful endemic hummingbirds? No problem, hummingbirds that live near you will love this feeder! Hang it out, fill it with nectar and see who comes to visit for lunch. Remember that this activity involves using scissors and an electric drill, so you will need an adult to help with making this.

Once you have made your hummingbird feeder make sure that you follow the “Hummingbirds Feeder Tips” given in the instructions, so that your feeder is hung in the right place for the birds and is kept safe and clean for them to feed from.

Even if you aren’t able to make this feeder or don’t live in a place where there are hummingbirds you can still enjoy this video of a Green Mango in the wild!

April 30, 2022

Help Inform Planning, Support, and Conservation Action for Caribbean Endemic Birds!

April 27, 2022

From the Nest – Day 84

Celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) with us! Our theme in 2022 is “Loving Birds is Human Nature” . Have fun learning about a new endemic bird every day. We have colouring pages, puzzles, activities, and more. Download for free and enjoy nature with your family at home.

Endemic Bird of the Day: Ring-tailed Pigeon

If you are hiking or camping in the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, you will likely see the Ring-tailed Pigeon flying gracefully across the valleys, awakening the forest with its resonating calls. The National Park, as well as Cockpit Country, are Protected Areas – providing a safe haven for this beautiful bird. One of Jamaica’s 29 endemic bird species, it is also the largest pigeon native to the Caribbean, measuring up to 48cm (approx. 19 inches) in length.

Living up to its name, the Ring-tail has a dark band or ring around the upper parts of its light gray tail. This is most visible in flight as it likes to flare its tail, especially as it approaches to land. The dark tail-band can sometimes be hard to spot when the bird is perched; but its large size and pinkish head and underparts, contrasting with the dark gray wings, are easy to identify. Look for its bright red eyes and short dark bill. The back of its neck reflects metallic bluish-green colors. You may hear it calling softly: “oooOOO-hooo,” or a throaty “croo-croo-croooo.”

The Ring-tail’s main habitat is the interior wet broadleaf forests along Jamaica’s spinal ridge. The wet limestone forest of the Cockpit Country and Blue and John Crow Mountains are where it is most at home, nesting in mid-canopy in tall trees between March and September. Ring-tails often descend to lower elevations in cooler months and move higher into the mountains during the summer.

The Ring-tail feeds exclusively on small fruits. Some of its favorite feeding trees include Jamaica’s native trumpet tree and hogberry. Some introduced berries, such as cheeseberry, wild raspberry and billberry may also be on its menu. Surprisingly, in 2021 it was seen going to ground and feeding on vegetables in farmers’ fields.

Illegal hunting is a concern for this species because of its large size, its flocking tendency and seemingly nonchalant demeanor. This, along with habitat loss from agriculture and mining are the main reasons the Ring-tailed Pigeon is considered vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Ring-tailed Pigeon

Listen to the calls of the Ring-tailed Pigeon

The calls of the Ring-tailed Pigeon are a soft repeated, “oooOOO-hooo, oooOOO-hooo.”

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Ring-tailed Pigeons love to make their homes in the humid broadleaf forests of Jamaica’s mountains. Sadly, numbers of Ring-tailed Pigeons are decreasing and this bird is considered to be a vulnerable. Read the text above, all about Ring-tailed Pigeons, carefully and find out what the threats to this beautiful bird are. Then take a look at this image and circle all the things you can see in it that would a danger to Ring-tailed Pigeons. Think about where these birds live and what they eat. Once you think you have found them all you can check your answers here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy the video below of Ring-tailed Pigeons in the wild!

April 26, 2022

From the Nest – Day 83

Endemic Bird of the Day: Broad-billed Tody

Who’s that beep-beeping in your Dominican yard?? It’s the Broad-billed Tody!

The Broad-billed Tody looks similar to the other todies of the Caribbean, with a bright green back and ruby red throat. However, Hispaniola is the only island with two todies to tease apart instead of one. Where to start? First look at the breast, the Broad-billed Tody has a gray-yellowish wash on the breast whereas the Narrow-billed Tody has a stark white breast. Next check the iris, the Broad-billed Tody has a dark iris contrasting the pale blue of the other species. Finally, look at the namesake bill, the Broad-billed Tody of course has a broader bill that is pale orange underneath whereas the Narrow-billed Tody has a narrower bill with a dusky underside.

If you’re still stumped, take a listen. The Broad-billed Tody gives a monotonous whistled terp-terp-terp-terp call, similar to that of a peeping chick, as well as a chatter call reminiscent of their Kingfisher cousins. The Narrow-billed Tody sounds drastically different, making a succinct staccato call and an insect-like chi-cui sound.

The Broad-billed Tody is the only one of the two species to do a wing flick display, which sounds like running your fingers through a comb. But if you get them really mad they’ll do a threatening fluff display where they’ll take their cotton candy pink flank feathers and fluff them over their wings. The angriest colorful cotton ball you’ve ever seen!

Broad-billed Todies are found throughout Hispaniola at lower elevations in humid tropical forest, dry forest, mangroves, and fragmented landscapes. As their Dominican name implies, the Barrancolí can be found creating nest burrows in dirt banks. And they’re not picky! They’ll take a pile of dirt behind your house or the slope from a recently made trail. They usually nest from April – July, laying 3-4 eggs. They are avid insectivores, constantly sallying from small perches to catch anything flying from mosquitos to butterflies. Interestingly, todies change their diet during the breeding season to include more local fruits and have been found foraging on as many as 27 different kinds!

Their adaptability has allowed them to thrive with increasing urbanization, but they’re still losing habitat to deforestation and face nest predation from invasive mammals like rats and mongoose. Although currently considered by the IUCN as Least Concern, we definitely want to keep an eye on these adorable fluffs. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Broad-billed Tody

Listen to the calls of the Broad-billed Tody

The Broad-billed Tody makes repeated and persistent “terp, terp, terp….” calls.

Puzzle of the Day

Broad-billed Tody perched — Broad-billed Todies are insectivores and you might see one sallying out from its perch to snatch its insect prey out of the air. (Photo by Dax Roman)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Can you find the words in our Broad-billed Tody word search? Remind yourself of some of the interesting facts about this endemic bird as you look for all 15 hidden words! Remember the words appear forwards and backwards, as are horizontal, vertical and diagonal! Need some help? Or want to check your answers? You can see where all the words were here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Read all about the problems that invasive mammals can cause to breeding Broad-billed and Narrow-billed Todies in the Dominican Republic. Holly Garrod explains from her first-hand experience, how species such as rats and mongooses could cause decreases in the populations of Todies by predating their nests. Find out more about Holly’s research on Todies in our blog post (link below).

The Mystery of the Missing Todies: Understanding the Impacts of Invasive Mammals

Enjoy the video below of a Broad-billed Tody in the wild! List out for the persistent and slightly disgruntled sounding calls that are typical of these colourful little birds.

April 25, 2022

From the Nest – Day 82

Endemic Bird of the Day: Cuban Bullfinch

You’re walking through a scrubby forest and suddenly you see a blur of black zip by and land in a thick shrub. You hear it calling, a series of short, repeated tsee notes. What could it be? Finally, it pops out – a small, chubby, black bird with a short, thick, curved bill and bright white band on the wing edge. It’s a Cuban Bullfinch!

Despite its name, the Cuban Bullfinch is not found only in Cuba, it is also found on Grand Cayman. The male of the Cuban subspecies, called Negrito, is shiny black while the female and juvenile are duller black with a smaller white wing patch. The Cayman subspecies, called Black Sparrow, has a slightly larger bill and the female is a paler slate-gray-black tinged with olive.

The Cuban Bullfinch is found all across Cuba, the Isle of Youth, and surrounding coastal cays, from sea level up to mid-elevations in different kinds of forests. It is usually absent from open areas and cultivated fields. On Grand Cayman, it lives in woodland, dry shrubland, buttonwood and mangrove edge, rough pasture and inland gardens.

It feeds on a great diversity of fruits, seeds, flower buds, and nectar. In fact, 72 plant species have been recorded in its diet! Small insects are also a tasty meal. During the breeding season, from March to August, Cuban Bullfinches are usually found in pairs. Leaves, grass, twigs, vines, roots, hair, and feathers are used to build a large globular nest with a side entrance. Females lay three to five greenish-white eggs with reddish-brown spots. Both parents feed the chicks.

The Cuban Bullfinch is among the greatest singers of the forest. Its song is a soft and melodious trill that descends and then ascends in pitch, ‘ti, ti, ti, ti, si-sssiiittt-sssiii.’ Although not studied, its song repertoire is said to vary in different parts of Cuba. Males sing most frequently in the breeding season, especially when determining territory boundaries, during flying displays, and nest construction. Although it is considered by IUCN as a “Least Concern” species, Cuban ornithologists have categorized the Cuban Bullfinch as “Near Threatened” in the “Red Book of Cuban Vertebrates” due to growing demand for wild caught birds in the live song and caged bird trade. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.

Colour in the Cuban Bullfinch

Listen to the song of the Cuban Bullfinch

The Cuban Bullfinch has a trilling and melodious ‘buzzy’ song that descends and then ascends in pitch at the end, ‘ti, ti, ti, ti, si-sssiiittt-sssiii.’

Puzzle of the Day

Cuban Bullfinch, female — Cuban Bullfinch female in Cuba. Females and juveniles are duller black and have a less prominent white wing patch. (Photo by Mario Olteanu)

Male Cuban Bullfinch, Grand-Cayman — Cuban Bullfinch male on Grand-Cayman. He is black with a greenish gloss and has a prominent white wing border. Note that the Cayman subspecies has a slightly larger and heavier bill than the Cuban subspecies. (Photo by Ray Robles)

Bullfinch, Grand-Cayman — Cuban Bullfinch female on Grand-Cayman. Her color is dull slate-black tinged with olive. (Photo by Ray Robles)

Activity of the Day

FOR KIDS: Get creative and try singing (or playing a musical instrument) like a bird! Be inspired by the lovely song of today’s bird the Cuban Bullfinch, or one of our other featured endemic birds or get outside and listen out for the sounds the birds are making and create your own birdsong! You can download our instructions here to help you make some melodious bird-inspired tunes.

We would love to hear your birdsong! Send us a recording of your performance to Aliya.Hosein@birdscaribbean.org

Please note that by submitting your video you give BirdsCaribbean consent to use your photos and/or videos on our website and social media accounts.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: Enjoy the video below of a Cuban Bullfinch! Filmed in Cuba, this striking black-and-white bird is taking a break from singing and is busy feeding on seeds.

Sadly, the song of the Cuban Bullfinch makes it, and other song birds in Cuba, vulnerable to the increasing threat from capture and illegal bird trafficking. Catching and keeping wild birds in cages is a common and widespread tradition in Cuba that dates back to the colonial days of Spanish rule. The birds, including migrants, residents, and endemics, were kept as pets in families and communities. In recent years, however, the trapping of wild birds has increased dramatically. BirdsCaribbean and its partners are deeply concerned by the number individual and range of species being trapped and have called on the Cuban Government to do much more to protect their resident and migratory wildlife. You can read more in our blog post below, which is also available in Spanish.

BirdsCaribbean Expresses Alarm at the Escalating Illegal Bird Trafficking Problem in Cuba

Endemic Bird of the Day: Jamaican Woodpecker

Colour in the Jamaican Woodpecker

Listen to the calls of the Jamaican Woodpecker

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

Endemic Bird of the Day: Yellow-shouldered Blackbird

Colour in the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird

Listen to the calls of the Yellow-shouldered Blackbird

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

Endemic Bird of the Day: Cuban Black Hawk

Colour in the Cuban Black Hawk

Listen to the calls of the Cuban Black Hawk

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

Day One: Back to School!

Day Two: BirdSleuth Trainees At Large

Bonus Day! Caribbean Waterbird Census Training

BirdSleuth Springs Into Action!

Testimonials

Gallery

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Endemic Bird of the Day: Thick-billed Vireo

Colour in the Thick-billed Vireo

Listen to the song of the Thick-billed Vireo

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

Endemic Bird of the Day: Puerto Rican Nightjar

Colour in the Puerto Rican Nightjar

Listen to the song of the Puerto Rican Nightjar

Puzzle of the Day

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Endemic Bird of the Day: Grenada Flycatcher

Colour in the Grenada Flycatcher

Listen to the calls of the Grenada Flycatcher

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Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

Ajhermae White- #InTheNest

Johnella Bradshaw- #LearningToTakeFlight

Shanna Challenger- #LearningToTakeFlight

Zoya Buckmire- #DayOfRoost

Scott Johnson- #FlyingTheCoop

#AsTheCrowFlies- Leo Douglas

#LifelongJourney- Inés Lourdes Fernández

Endemic Bird of the Day: St. Lucia Warbler

Colour in the St. Lucia Warbler

Listen to the song of the St. Lucia Warbler

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

Endemic Bird of the Day: Jamaican Owl

Colour in the Jamaican Owl

Listen to the calls of the Jamaican Owl

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

Endemic Bird of the Day: Bay-breasted Cuckoo

Colour in the Bay-breasted Cuckoo

Listen to the calls of the Bay-breasted Cuckoo

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

History of Brown Pelicans on Guadeloupe

Threats to the Caribbean Brown Pelican

Next Steps

En Francais

Histoire des pélicans bruns en Guadeloupe

Menaces sur le pélican brun des Caraïbes

Prochaines étapes

Endemic Bird of the Day: Cuban Green Woodpecker

Colour in the Cuban Green Woodpecker

Listen to the calls of the Cuban Green Woodpecker

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

Endemic Bird of the Day: Bahama Swallow

Colour in the Bahama Swallow

Listen to the song of the Bahama Swallow

Puzzle of the Day

Activity of the Day

Fundraising to help build capacity for Caribbean bird conservation

BirdsCaribbean Global Big Day (BCGBD) Teams

Tracking the Endemics on our GBD Teams

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