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: 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
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the St. Lucia 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
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
The 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!
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 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
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 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
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Jamaican Owl. This unmistakable bird, with black eyes, and a rufous overall coloration can be found in open woodland, forest edge, open parkland, and even gardens. (Photo by Matt Grube)
Jamaican Owl are generalist predators, the will eat insects, spiders, rodents, lizards and tree frogs. (Photo by Matt Grube)
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.
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: 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
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 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
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!
Bay-breasted Cuckoo are shy and often remain hidden in cover. They are listed and endangered with historical population declines and a restricted range. (Photo by Carlos Pedro, Macaulay Library- ML393609811)
Bay-breasted Cuckoo are striking looking birds, but hard to spot. Listen out for their distinctive calls- a forceful Cu-aa!, often followed by accelerating u-ak-u-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak ak-ak. (Photo by Dax Roman)
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.
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
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.
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.
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 2022-2023et 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.
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: 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
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 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
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Female 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:
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: 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
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Bahama 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
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!
Bahama Swallow swoops low to the ground, they hunt on the wing feeding on small flying insects such as flies and beetles. (Photo by Brendan Fogarty)
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.
Once again, on Saturday 14th May 2022 the Caribbean birding community showed up and showed out for Global Big Day! Global Big Day is an annual celebration of the birds around you. Birders and bird lovers across the globe spend the day observing and recording essential data about the birds they see. Some also take this opportunity to visit new birding spots, reconnect with colleagues, and tick lifers off their lists.
This year, globally, 7,724 species were recorded from 201 countries by 52,761 people!
Observers found 473 species in the West Indies—beating last year’s recordby a whopping 109 species! (see Figure 1). This was made possible by 461 eBird observers in the West Indies— increased by 96 persons from 2021. The total number of checklists submitted was an impressive 1,870— increased by 200! (see Figure 1). Way to go!!!
Figure 1: Global Big Day 2020, 2021, and 2022 comparisons showing that the total number of eBird Observers in the West Indies, total species seen, and total number of eBird checklists submitted all increased from 2020 to 2021 to 2022.
Including data from all eBirders, Cuba clinched the lead for most species seen—166 – congratulations! This was followed by The Bahamas at an impressive 141 species, Puerto Rico and Trinidad close behind with 135 and 134 species, respectively, Caribbean Netherlands swinging in at a nice 86, and Jamaica finishing sixth with a solid tally of 93 species. Read on for all the exciting details and final team stats…
Fundraising to help build capacity for Caribbean bird conservation
Once again many teams helped raise funds for bird conservation in the Caribbean. This year, those funds will help deserving Caribbean wildlife professionals and students to attend the AOS & BC Conference in Puerto Rico in June. Our Global Big Day was hugely successful on all fronts, with 15 teams participating, including 11 national teams! (up from 10 teams in 2021). Together, so far, we raised over $13, 900 US—nearly 3/4 to our goal of $20,000 – congrats and thank you to everyone for your participation and support!
We have been busy awarding travel scholarships to meet the needs of over 40 Caribbean nationals who applied for funding to attend the conference. We still need to reach our goal of $20K! If you have not had a chance to donate yet and would like to help, please visit: https://givebutter.com/BCGBD2022
BirdsCaribbean President Adrianne Tossas birding with her family on GBD – she finished in the mountains with 44 species!
BirdsCaribbean Global Big Day (BCGBD) Teams
How did all the BirdsCaribbean teams perform overall? The multinational Flying Pintails, led by Executive Director Lisa Sorenson, claimed the title for the most species observed: 496 (see Figure 3). The Bee Hummers Dream Team, the Cuban national team led by BC board member Maikel Cañizares, and President’s Perch, led by our past president Andrew Dobson came in second and third with 474 and 472 species seen, respectively. The Bee Hummers, named after the smallest bird in the world, made a big splash in two other categories with the most eBird observers (66), and most West Indies endemics (49). The Peeping Cuckoos, the Puerto Rican team led by our president Adrianne Tossas, claimed victory for most eBird checklists submitted (283).
Figure 2: Global Big Day results for our 15 BirdsCaribbean Teams, which included 11 national teams. The numbers in red show which team had the highest number for each category. A total of 1,078 species and 121 endemics were observed by all 15 teams combined.
Tracking the Endemics on our GBD Teams
It would not be a ‘big’ day of birding if none of our fabulous Caribbean endemics were recorded. We would expect Jamaica, Cuba or the Dominican Republic to win this category year after year since they have the highest number of endemics. In order to level the playing field, however, we calculate this as the highest proportion of the island’s endemic birds seen on Global Big Day. There were two winners of this title: Grenada Hook-billed Kites and Bajan Birders & Friends, recording the single-island endemic Grenada Dove and Barbados Bullfinch for their islands, respectively. The Peeping Cuckoos (Puerto Rico), Bee Hummers (Cuba), and One Love Jamaica (Jamaica) teams saw over 80% of their island endemics. (See Figure 4).
Figure 4: Percent of endemics seen (by proportion) on Global Big Day, 2022.
Hard-working team members – small was beautiful!
Once again smaller and/or more local teams also had their advantages. When the total number of species seen was divided by the number of people on the team, President’s Perch came in first, with an average of 26 species observed per person (see Figure 4). Bajan Birders & Friends were a close second with 22 species per person, followed by the the Far Flung Flock of Friends (18), Man-O-War Primary Eco-Club (17), Flying Pintails (16), Bahama Snipers (15), and TCI Royal Terns (15).
Figure 3: The average number of species seen observed per person for each of the 15 Global Big Day teams. Presidents Perch was the winner in this category with an average of 26 species/person. Bajan Birders & Friends came in second with 22, followed by the Far Flung Flock of Friends (18), Man-O-War EcoClub (17), Flying Pintails (16), Bahama Snipers (15), and the TCI Royal Terns (15).
MVB – Most Valuable Birders
2021 reigning champions for most birds seen – Holly Garrod and Josh Covill (on team Flying Pintails) returned to demolish the competition again. Birding together in icy-cold Montana weather for 16 hours, they recorded an incredible 155 species!
Holly Garrod and Josh Covill once again won the competition for most species seen—braving icy cold Montana weather and recording 155 species for the day – congrats!
We must salute the die-hard birders in the Caribbean as well. Special commendations go out to the following birders who had 20 or more West Indies Endemics on their GBD checklist on May 14th:
The Baracoa chapter of the Bee Hummers Team of Cuba. (Photo by Roberto Jovel.)
Adrian Cobas (Cuba)- 21
Rodolfo Castro Alvarez (Cuba)- 26
Ann Sutton (Jamaica)- 28
Veda Tate (Jamaica)- 28
Maikel Cañizares Morera (Cuba)- 21
Xochitl Ayón Güemes (Cuba)- 21
Thank You for a fantastic #GlobalBigDay and fundraiser
A huge thank you to our team leaders and everyone that participated in this year’s GBD! Thanks also to everyone that helped us raise funds and donated!!! Our hardworking teams got the word out to family, friends, and colleagues and thanks to you all, we have so far raised nearly US$14,000 for Caribbean bird conservation! Funds are being used used to cover travel and attendance costs for Caribbean wildlife students and professionals at the upcoming AOS & BC Conference, June 27-July 2, 2022, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Unfortunately our Cuban colleagues will be unable to attend the conference this June because it’s in the U.S., therefore all money raised by the Cuban team will go towards installing Motus stations in Cuba!
Most of us know how beneficial scientific conferences and meetings are in making professional connections, developing new collaborations, and learning about cutting-edge research and conservation initiatives. It is here, surrounded by like-minded individuals, where each of us is newly inspired and armed with new knowledge and tools to protect birds and their habitats.
To date, thanks to you, we have awarded 35 travel scholarships, but more funds are needed to assist remaining applications!
Help us to reach our fundraising goal and continue to develop the next generation of Caribbean conservationists by donating today! Visit givebutter.com/BCGBD2022 to make a contribution.
St Vincent crew at the end of Global Big Day, tired but happy! Mike and Lisa Sorenson, Joanne, Maeson, and Glenroy Gaymes and Jeff Gerbracht.
2022 BirdsCaribbean Global Big Day Teams
You can visit each birding team’s page profile on eBird to see maps of the team’s countries/ islands where birds were sighted and their checklists. You can also visit each team’s GiveButter page and donate to specific teams to help them reach their fundraising goal, or donate to the general campaign.
Cuban Vireo seen on Global Big Day, Cuba. (Photo by Roberto Jovel)
Enjoy the below photos captured by members of BirdsCaribbean’s various Global Big Day teams on May 14, 2022. Click on images to enlarge.
Saffron Finch Flock, Jamaica. (Photo by Wendy Lee)
Red-winged Blackbird, Grand Bahama. (Photo by Steven Oxley)
White-winged Dove, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Eliezer Nieves-Rodriguez)
Blue-winged Teal, Grand Bahama. (Photo by Steven Oxley)
American Wigeon, Texas, USA. (Photo by John Thomlinson)
Red-legged Thrush, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Eliezer Nieves-Rodriguez)
Cuban Parrot, The Bahamas. (Photo by Elijah Sands)
Cuban Parrots sit in a tree, The Bahamas. (Photo by Elijah Sands)
Cuban Emerald, The Bahamas. (Photo by Elijah Sands)
Black-whiskered Vireo, Cuba. (Photo by Roberto Jovel)
Cuban Green Woodpecker captured on Global Big Day in Cuba. (Photo by Roberto Jovel)
Killdeer, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Coral Avilés Santiago)
Scaly-breasted Munia, California, USA. (Photo by George Cummins)
Lesser Yellowlegs, Georgia, USA. (Photo by Yve Morrell)
Red-necked Phalarope, California, USA. (Photo by George Cummins)
Pied-billed Grebes, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Coral Avilés Santiago)
Eurasian Collared-Dove, Grand Bahama. (Photo by Steven Oxley)
Saffron Finch, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Coral Avilés Santiago)
Bahama Mockingbird, The Bahamas. (Photo by Elijah Sands)
Executive Director Lisa Sorenson was in St Vincent for this year’s GBD along with her husband Mike and Jeff Gerbracht. They had a fabulous day of birding with Forestry Officer Glenroy Gaymes, his wife Joanne, and son Maeson.
Maeson Gaymes in St Vincent, one of the youngest birders, getting ready to bird and hike the La Soufrierre Trail, St Vincent
Stilt Sandpiper, Georgia, USA. (Photo by Yve Morrell)
Bananaquit, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Amarilys Lebron)
Dark-eyed Junco (Pink-sided), Montana, USA. (Photo by Joshua Covill)
Wilson’s Plover chick, Grand Bahama. (Photo by Steven Oxley)
Australasian Darter, Australia. (Photo by James Lambert)
Sunrise at Jennings Valley, St Vincent – first stop of the day to see the St Vincent Parrot (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Wilson’s Plover, Grand Bahama. (Photo by Steven Oxley)
Bahama Swallow, The Bahamas. (Photo by Elijah Sands)
Cave Swallows, Cuba. (Photo by Roberto Jovel)
Glenroy Gaymes points the way to the Montreal Trail, St Vincent.
Cuban Parrot, The Bahamas. (Photo by Elijah Sands)
Black-necked Stilt, Grand Bahama. (Photo by Steven Oxley)
The Bahama Swallow feeds mainly on flies and beetles. (Photo by Elijah Sands)
Long-billed Dowitcher, Georgia, USA. (Photo by Yve Morrell)
Glenroy and Joanne Gaymes hiking up to Jennings Valley overlook at 6 AM (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Forest Kingfisher, Australia. (Photo by James Lambert)
Cattle Egret, Cuba. (Photo by Roberto Jovel)
Bahama Woodstar, Grand Bahama. (Photo by Steven Oxley)
Long-billed Dowitcher, Montana, USA. (Photo by Joshua Covill)
Green Heron, Grenada. (Photo by Zoya Buckmire)
Killdeer, Grand Bahama. (Photo by Steven Oxley)
Mark Hulme birding in Trinidad.
Turkey Vulture sits on a palm branch. (Photo by Roberto Jovel)
Scaly-breasted Munia, California, USA. (Photo by George Cummins)
Puerto Rican Spindalis, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Eliezer Nieves-Rodriguez)
Pigeon Guillemot, Washington, USA. (Photo by Mark Oberle)
Bahama Swallow, The Bahamas. (Photo by Elijah Sands)
Killdeer, Grand Bahama. (Photo by Steven Oxley)
Scaly-naped Pigeon, Grenada. (Photo by Zoya Buckmire)
Smooth-billed Ani. (Photo by Roberto Jovel)
Puerto Rican Spindalis, Puerto Rico. (Photo by Eric Torres Rivera)
Antillean Nighthawk, Grand Bahama. (Photo by Steven Oxley)
Black-necked Stilts, Grand Bahama. (Photo by Steven Oxley)
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: 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
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Puerto Rican 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.
This May, the core committee of the BirdsCaribbean Seabird Working Group (SWG) will begin a series of webinars to help conservation practitioners across the Caribbean prepare for engagement in a 2023 regional seabird census.
To accommodate varying levels of expertise, the series begins with the basics and will build in complexity as the weeks progress. The first webinar in the series is Caribbean Seabird Identification, scheduled to be held on May 31, from 4–5PM EDT. Noted seabird biologist and conservationist J. Christopher Haney will share stunning photos to help participants identify the 22 species of seabirds that nest on the Caribbean’s beaches, cliffs and mangroves.
“Even if you are a seasoned pro, we think you will find the webinar enjoyable,” shared Jennifer Wheeler, core member of the SWG. “Chris has many years of experience training seabird observers and presents in casual, conversational style. He will provide tips and tricks on ID, and there will also be time for Q&A segment at the end.”
Join us! Take advantage of this fun opportunity to gain, sharpen or test your identification skills and prepare for the upcoming Caribbean seabird census. Register here bit.ly/CaribSeabirdID
Caribbean Seabird Identification Webinar
The SWG webinars are designed to be interactive – with quizzes to test your new-found knowledge, and question and answer sessions at the end of each event. Participants will be able to meet renowned seabird specialists and learn from their knowledge and experience.
Topics for the webinars include design, preparation, logistics, and protocols of seabird surveys; data management; and other needed skills for monitoring seabirds. The SWG welcomes input on the topics you would like to be covered, let us know your ideas! Contact: Juliana Coffey (juliana@grenadinesbirds.com) and Hannah Madden (hannah.madden@cnsi.nl).
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: 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.
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Orangequit
The song of Orangequit is a series of thin high-pitched “tsit-tsit” notes.
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!
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
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 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!!
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: 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
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the 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
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!
Difficult to spot and endemic to the island of Hispaniola, the Eastern Chat-Tanager belongs to an endemic bird family of the Caribbean, Calyptophilidae, from the Greek work Calyptophilus (“Loving to hide”). These birds are shy ground-dwellers. (Photo by Lev Frid- Macaulay Library- ML396347981)
Eastern Chat-Tanager perched low in the forest vegetation. The main threats to this species are likely to be loss of forest habitats through logging and the clearing of wooded areas for agriculture. (Photo by Dax Roman)
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.
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: 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
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Cuban Oriole
The song of the Cuban Oriole is series of clear upslurred and down-slurred whistled notes.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Until recently considered Cuban Oriole was considered as a subspecies of Greater Antillean Oriole. But this is now treated as four species – with one each on the Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico (Photo by Neil Hilton)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.
BirdsCaribbean Seabird Working Group Newsletter – click on the image to view and download a PDF, OR read on your device as a full-screen flipbook (click below). For Spanish and French versions, click on the images below.
The annual BirdsCaribbean Seabird Working Group (SWG) newsletter is now available! Catch up on the latest research, conservation, restoration, and education projects happening across the Caribbean Basin – in English, Spanish, and French!
This issue outlines the outcomes of the 2021 Seabird Fest and presents plans for a 2023 regional seabird census – which includes an informative seabird webinar series, focused on the techniques required to survey seabirds in the Caribbean.
Review updates on recent and ongoing regional projects and publications, covering Least Terns, Red-billed Tropicbirds, and Brown Pelicans, among others. The newsletter also features a “seabirder spotlight” on Patricia Bradley, conservationist stalwart in the Cayman islands and the wider Caribbean region.
Learn about the Seabird Working Group’s co-chairs, who are working hard behind the scenes to ramp up activities and communications, and find out the many ways that you can connect with the Seabird WG and its members, including our Facebook group!
Interested in getting involved? Please take advantage of the many avenues for communication described in the newsletter and if you have seabird news to share, let us know! We would love to feature your work in the next issue!
P.P.S. We are keen to hear from you if you enjoyed our newsletter! Please let us know if you have any recommendations on how to improve future editions.
BirdsCaribbean Seabird Working Group Newsletter in Spanish – click on the image to view and download the PDF.BirdsCaribbean Seabird Working Group Newsletter in French – click on the image to view and download the PDF.
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
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the 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
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!
Olive-capped Warblers are found only in pine forests. They like to remain high up in the trees, meaning the olive cap, this species’ most distinctive feature, can be difficult to see! (Photo by Eladio Fernandez)Olive-capped Warbler seen in Cuba where it is found in both Western and Eastern areas of the island. This Caribbean endemic can be also be found on in the northern Bahamas (Grand Bahama, Great Abaco and Little Abaco), however, it has not been seen on Grand Bahama since Hurricane Dorian devastated the pine forest and killed all the trees in 2019. (Photo Allan Hopkins)
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.
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: 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
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Lesser Antillean Saltator
The song of the Lesser Antillean Saltator is a series of loud musical notes that rise and fall.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
Lesser Antillean 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.
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, 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!
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: 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
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 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
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!
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!
The Endemic and Threatened Species Working Group (ETSWG) is conducting a survey of conservation action on Caribbean endemics to better plan, support, and understand current conservation efforts to protect Caribbean endemic birds.
You don’t need to be a member of the ETSWG to take the survey! Anyone working on Caribbean endemics, in any capacity, is invited to complete the survey. Your valuable feedback will help the ETSWG better support conservation work on these amazing species!
The ETSWG includes academics, funders, practitioners, independent researchers, government agency and NGO staff, and amateur ornithologists, who all have an interest in conserving the Caribbean’s endemic and threatened bird species. The ETSWG meets online quarterly for members to update each other on their recent conservation and research activities, share information about opportunities such as funding, and support one another to address conservation challenges such as development activity. The Group also holds in-person meetings at the biannual BirdsCaribbean conferences – the last one was held in Guadeloupe in 2019 – and plans are underway to host another in-person meeting at the AOS-BC Conference in Puerto Rico this June!
ETSWG in-person meeting in Guadeloupe, 2019.
Why a survey?
We already know that human and resource capacity is a challenge for conservation across the region. We also know that while some Caribbean endemic species are getting excellent conservation and research focus, many others need more. To try to address these issues, the ETSWG is keen to develop activities that facilitate information sharing and support collaborations between researchers and practitioners. To help the Working Group develop future activities, the wider BirdsCaribbean community is asked to share what could be done to best address needs in Caribbean endemic bird conservation.
A local team member in the DR climbs a Ridgway’s Hawk nest tree in order to band nestlings before they fledge. (Photo by Nicholas Lormand)
Holly Garrod bands a Broad-billed Tody in the Dominican Republic for her M.Sc. thesis research.
The survey seeks to first get a sense of current conservation capacity within the region. Questions such as, “where are you located?” and “how much do you collaborate within the region?” aim to collect this information. The survey also asks about the threats to species, as this helps the group to understand the kinds of conservation needs across the region (e.g., training on policy engagement, invasive species management, etc.), as well as provides a horizon scan of emerging threats and which species may not be getting the conservation effort they need. In addition, the survey asks what activities you want to see the ETSWG provide to help your conservation efforts.
Share your ideas in the survey! Let us know what would help build your capacity – whether it’s training on species recovery planning or monitoring, hosting a database, mentoring, or more – and we’ll work on developing future activities to fit these needs.
BVI Conservation Department’s Atoya George in the field at Fallen Jerusalem. (Photo by Jost van Dyke Preservation Society)
Want to get involved?
Visit the ETSWG’s webpage to learn more about member activities and read summaries from previous meetings to get an idea of the issues monitored. The ETSWG listserv, a sub-group within the BirdsCaribbean listserv, shares announcements of meetings, funding opportunities, ideas and news about Caribbean endemics – sign up on the ETSWG webpage! The group also uses WhatsApp as an informal means to share information. Let us know if you’d like to be added to the group! Anyone on the BirdsCaribbean listserv with an interest in endemic and threatened bird species can request to join and new members are encouraged!
Blue-headed Hummingbird, endemic to Dominica and Martinique. (Photo by Paul Reillo)
The Guadeloupe Woodpecker is endemic to Guadeloupe. (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Cuban Black Hawk, endemic to Cuba. (Photo by Garry Donaldson)
Lesser Antillean Bullfinch, an endemic bird to the Lesser Antilles. (Photo by Ted Eubanks).
The Barbuda Warbler is endemic to the island of Barbuda, which was heavily damaged by the recent storms. (Photo by Ted Eubanks)
Hispaniola Woodpecker, endemic to the Dominican Republic was photographed by Michael Good in Puerto Plata, DR on his Global Big Day count.
West Indian Whistling Ducks are a threatened regional endemic, resident in the Portland Bight Protected Area in Jamaica. They have been declining in Jamaica due to loss of wetland habitat. (Photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Cuban Emerald, hummingbird endemic to The Bahamas and Cuba. (Photo by Garry Donaldson)
The endemic Bahama Warbler. (Photo by Martha Cartwright)
Cuban Bullfinch, another one of Cuba’s 27 endemic birds. (Photo by David Hill)
The beautiful Scaly-breasted Thrasher is endemic to the Lesser Antilles. (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
Black-crowned Palm Tanager, endemic to Hispaniola. (Photo by Dax Román E.)
Red-billed Streamertail – endemic in Jamaica. (Photo by Claude Fletcher)
The Purple-throated Carib is endemic to a handful of islands in the Lesser Antilles. (Photo by Barbara and Frank Lilievre)
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
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 Ring-tailed Pigeon
The calls of the Ring-tailed Pigeon are a soft repeated, “oooOOO-hooo, oooOOO-hooo.”
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!
Ring-tailed Pigeons feeds on small fruits. Some of its favorite feeding trees include Jamaica’s native Trumpet Tree and Hogberry. (Photo by Frantz Delcroix)
A small group of Ring-tailed Pigeons perched in a pine tree. Look for the banded tail, this feature is unique among pigeons in its range (Photo by Paul Jones)
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!
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: 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
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 Broad-billed Tody
The Broad-billed Tody makes repeated and persistent “terp, terp, terp….” calls.
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!
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)
Broad-billed Tody. Hispaniola is the only island with two todies the Narrow and Broad-billed. Don’t just look for the broader bill you can also tell the two apart by looking for the distinctive dark iris of the Broad-billed Tody and gray-yellowish color of the breast (not white like the Narrow-billed). (Photo by Tony Pe)
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).
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.
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: 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
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Cuban 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
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!
Cuban Bullfinch male in Cuba. Note the glossy black plumage and white wing border, usually showing prominently in males but not so much in this photo. (Photo by Greg Lavaty)Cuban Bullfinch female in Cuba. Females and juveniles are duller black and have a less prominent white wing patch. (Photo by Mario Olteanu)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)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.
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.
A brand new Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) competition is here! Sharpen your pencil, polish your pen, hit the keyboard—we are hosting a Story and Poetry Competition! Storytelling is one of the great Caribbean traditions. Only a few would call themselves storytellers but we know everyone has a story to tell. We are calling on the Caribbean community to write about a unique, but factual, experience that you have had with a bird or birds that reflects our theme, Loving Birds is Human Nature. Lee las guías de la competencia en Español aquí.
It could have happened in your backyard, nearby park, garden, wetland, forest or anywhere! It could be about the first time you really noticed a bird and got hooked on birding, or about how birds have changed your life in some way, or an unusual or special encounter that you had with a bird. We’re looking for uplifting stories that express our connection to birds and nature and what your experience revealed to you personally. Featured stories and poems will be published in an electronic booklet, shared on our blog and social media and there will be prizes!
Vervain Hummingbird feeding its chick. (Photo by Tony Pe)
Observing birds from a safe distance.
Prizes:
All winning poems and short stories will be published on the BirdsCaribbean website and awarded Amazon eGift cards. The top three poems and short stories will each receive gift cards in the amounts listed below (for a total of 6 prizes):
1st prize- $75
2nd prize- $50
3rd prize- $25
Need some help getting started?
Nature is often a source of inspiration for writers. If you can get outside to write a poem or true short story, by all means do! But even if you’re stuck indoors, tap into your memory to head back to a place and time where you had a memorable experience with birds in your backyard, neighborhood park, forests or wetlands.
Share this experience with us, through poetry or a true short story. It does not have to be profound but should allow readers an insight into your thoughts, feelings and surroundings. We hope to collect a variety of poems and stories about different birds throughout the region.
Judges will be looking for originality, voice, and a poem or story that holds the attention of the reader by making use of imagery.
Carib Grackle singing in a tree, Saint Lucia.
Important Dates:
Submission deadline for both poems and true short stories: Wednesday 25th May, 2022 at 11:59PM EST
Rules (General):
The competition is open to any Caribbean national, aged 16 or over at the time of entering.
*We welcome submissions to the contest from all the insular West Indies including: The Bahamas, Bermuda, Turks and Caicos Islands, the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands), the Lesser Antilles, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao.
Children and adults from other countries are most welcome to write and share their poems and short stories with us, to be included in the e-book, but only nationals from the countries/ islands listed above are eligible to be part of the contest.
2. Participants may enter ONE poem OR ONE true short story.
3. Works of fiction involving mythical creatures, alternate reality, superhuman powers etc., will be disqualified.
4. Submissions should be typed (Font: Arial, Font size: 12), single- spaced, titled and saved as a Word file.
6. Under no circumstances can poems and short stories be edited once submitted.
7. Submissions must not be published, self-published or published on a website or social media before Sunday, April 24, 2022.
8. The copyright of each submission remains with the author. However, by entering the competition, authors grant BirdsCaribbean permission to publish and/or broadcast their poems and true stories on the BirdsCaribbean website and social media and in an electronic booklet, produced by BirdsCaribbean.
Pair of Cuban Parakeets. (Photo by Sergey Uryadnikov)
Put pencil to paper and get creative!
Rules (Poems):
Poems may be in English, Spanish or French.
Poems can be written in any poetic style.
All poems must have a title.
Poems must be at least 10 lines and not exceed 30 lines in length (excluding title). Lines should not exceed 40 characters (including spaces between words).
Poems must be entrants’ original work. Plagiarism is a serious offense and will result in immediate disqualification.
Rules (True Short Stories):
Short stories may be in English, Spanish or French.
All stories must have a title.
Stories must be at least 450 words (1 page) and not exceed 1,000 words. Please check your word count. Submissions above the word limit will be disqualified.
Short stories must be entrants’ original work. Plagiarism is a serious offense and will result in immediate disqualification.
We will accept photos and artwork of birds, natural areas, and communities featured in both poems and short stories. They may be original work or participants must obtain permission to use the photos and/or artwork. However this is completely optional and will not be used during judging. Therefore they must be emailed as separate attachments.
Participants are also encouraged to share with us an audio recording of their poems and stories. The recordings are completely optional and will not be used during judging. All that is needed is a smartphone or laptop capable of recording audio.
All suitable submissions will be shared after the CEBF 2022 on the BirdsCaribbean website and social media accounts, in addition to an electronic booklet.
Use your laptop to help those creative juices flow.
Lesser Antillean Flycatcher on a fence.
Guidelines and Tips for Creating a Recording of Your Story or Poem (optional)
Instructions for content:
Have fun! Remember this is not a school project or work assignment.
Speak in your native language; if possible, please send us the English script (if English is not your first language).
First, introduce yourself: your name and where you’re from.
Then, let us know how birds inspire you.
Finally, recite your poem or short story.
Instructions for your audio recording:
You can use a smartphone or tablet to record your audio.
Record your audio in a quiet room
Please try to keep your recording under 10minutes.
Use headphones to listen to your audio recording. This will help you to hear any other noises the device picked up during the recording like mic pops, room noise or echo.
Audio recordings must be sent in one of the following formats: MP3, M4A or AAC
Recordings must NOT contain:
Copyrighted material (such as music tracks) without the necessary authorizations.
Material that is inappropriate, indecent, obscene or hateful.
Instructions for sending us your recording:
Email audio file, consent form (if needed), and English script (if needed) to Aliya.Hosein@birdscaribbean.org.
For adults, by submitting a recording you give BirdsCaribbean consent to use the file for purposes specified above.
For those under the adult age in your country, the minor’s audio recording must be accompanied with a consent form signed by a parent or guardian – download the form here.
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: Pearly-eyed Thrasher
Meet the “supertramp” of species—the Pearly-eyed Thrasher! This belligerent and highly intelligent bird is found throughout many islands in the Caribbean basin, including The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, many Lesser Antilles Islands, Bonaire and Curacao. They occupy a variety of forest and scrub habitats from seashore to mountain tops. They also live in urban areas, farms, and orchards where they take advantage of crops, fruit trees, and man-made structures for nesting. Like a popular Caribbean phrase, the Pearly-eyed Thrasher is a ‘sometime-ish’ bird—sometimes bold and vocal and other times shy and secretive.
Pearly-eyed Thrashers measure ~11-12 inches in length. They are medium to dark brown on top, and white with brown streaking below. They might be mistaken for a close cousin, the Scaly-breasted Thrasher, but can be distinguished by their large pale bill and conspicuous pearly-white iris, as well as subtle differences in streaking (the Scaly-breasted Thrasher is barred, not streaked, below). Males and females are similar in appearance, though females tend to be slightly larger. Juveniles resemble adults.
Pearly-eyed Thrashers are a classic example of an avian “supertramp” – a highly successful generalist species that is able to colonize and exploit all available habitats, sometimes to the detriment of other resident birds. They feed on fruits, insects, small vertebrates, and even carrion. This famously aggressive bird also preys on eggs and chicks of other birds. Although they prefer to nest in cavities in trees, rock crevices and man-made structures, they may also build open-cup stick nests in trees, palms and other vegetation. In Puerto Rico, Pearly-eyed Thrashers compete for nesting cavities with the Critically Endangered Puerto Rican Parrot.
Local names for these birds include Thrushie, Zorzal Pardo, Chucho, Truche, Grosse Give, Paw-Paw Bird, Sour-sop Bird and Mango Bird, the latter names for their deep love of these fruits.
Pearly-eyed Thrashers sing one to three-note whistled phrases all day and into the night in the breeding season. They also utter several rough, guttural calls, “craw-craw” and a harsh “chook-chook.”
According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Pearly-eyed Thrashers’ conservation status is listed as Least Concern. Their population sizes can fluctuate a lot, however, and they face predation by invasive species and habitat loss. Thus, they should be monitored, especially on small islands. Learn more about this species, including its range, photos, and calls here.
Colour in the Pearly-eyed Thrasher
Download our West Indies Endemic Bird colouring page. Use the photos below as your guide, or you can look up pictures of the bird online or in a bird field guide if you have one. Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Listen to the song of the Pearly-eyed Thrasher
The song of the Pearly-eyed Thrasher is made up of slow whistled notes with one to three phrases.
Puzzle of the Day
Click on the image below to do the puzzle. You can make the puzzle as easy or as hard as you like – for example, 6, 8, or 12 pieces for young children, all the way up to 1,024 pieces for those that are up for a challenge!
A Pearly-eyed Thrasher in the Dominican Republic. Across the Caribbean, this bird is known by more than 40 different local names in English, Spanish, Dutch, and French, including Creole and Patois! (Photo by Tony Pe)
A Pearly-eyed Thrasher seen perching in a Seagrape tree. It is similar to the Scaly-breasted Thrasher, but is larger with a longer yellowish to horn-colored (not black) bill, and has the distinctive white iris. (Photo by Francisco Alba)
Activity of the Day
FOR KIDS AND ADULTS: With lots more Caribbean endemic birds to enjoy and colour in during the coming weeks take a look at our colouring-in guide. This will give you some hints and tips on how to make your endemic birds look even more beautiful! Share your coloured-in page with us by posting it online and tagging us @BirdsCaribbean #CEBFfromthenest
Enjoy the video below of a Pearly-eyed Thrasher in the wild!
The following short story is an excerpt from “A Collection of Cultural Myths, Tales and Beliefs About Caribbean Birds” – a fascinating electronic compilation of stories, poems, and art that highlight the roles birds play in shaping our understanding of the natural world, social norms, and even beliefs about the afterlife. The ebook will be launched as part of our 2022 Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) celebrations, held from April 22–May 22.
Enjoy this short story by José Raúl (Jari) Montalvo Torres, titled Sweet Bird, which perfectly embodies the 2022 CEBF theme: “Loving Birds is Human Nature”.
Most of my life has been spent near or on the sea. I have always been amazed at the relationship between fish, man and bird. Ernest Hemingway used to fly a kite that looked like a bird when he was fishing to fool and catch marlin. I have never been as close to this than the time I will now tell you about.
It was a warm summer night in 1996 when we departed La Parguera harbor in southwest Puerto Rico, straight towards Mayagüez Bay. We sailed south through the buoys until we reached a distance of three miles from the coast. We started to head west, this would lead us two miles south of Margarita Reef, which is a safe distance to be in the nighttime. We continued this course, 270 degrees, parallel to the south coast until eventually we changed course north towards Mayagüez Bay.
Mayagüez can be seen in red, on the western coast of Puerto Rico.
I was a mechanic on this trip, aboard a research vessel belonging to the University of Puerto Rico. We were transporting a group of students from the Marine Science department that would be attending a class in Marine Ecology early next morning in the Mayagüez Bay.
After about one hour at sea, the electric generator started having problems. It eventually shut off completely and everything went dark. I moved to the upper deck to try to restart the generator. We needed to keep the freezers going to keep our perishables cold.
While I was trying to restart the generator, the swells were coming from the stern. The ship just surfed the waves creating a sensation of speed and movement. A nice feeling in the dark, in the quiet sea. The ship remained quiet and stable. After passing the Cabo Rojo lighthouse, the ship turned north on course towards its destination of Mayagüez Bay. Now, the swells were no longer coming from the stern. They came from the starboard side causing the ship to roll wildly. A not so pleasant feeling this time.
The rolling was getting stronger and the boat was becoming more inclined and my position more dangerous. I was unsuccessful starting the generator, so I decided to come down to the lower deck where I would be more secure. The ship had a crane on the top deck, and it was the crane’s strut that I used as a ladder to climb up or down from this deck. I put my hands on the “ladder” to hold as I went down. Just then, the crane swung to the side due to the angle of the ship. I was able to hang on to the crane for a short time but I had to let go.
I fell into the water and immediately pushed myself away from the hull to stay away from the propeller suction. I could feel the turbulence created by the propeller. It must have been luck that helped me stay safe. I was not injured in the fall. I was complete, still in one piece. I briefly contemplated how much worse this could have been.
Nobody saw my fall. I cried out and yelled people’s names, but nobody heard me. I could see how the ship was leaving me behind, a little bit further every second. I watched the stern light until it disappeared in the horizon, moving steadily north, still on route to Mayagüez.
At a distance I could see lights near Combate beach. Behind me, I could see the light from the lighthouse so clearly that I felt I could swim until I reached it. Yet, the feeling of loneliness and helplessness took over me. I swam every way I could to keep myself moving and calm. I swam front stroke, I swam sidestroke, I swam backstroke. I could see some lights on land and was able to align lights and use them as reference points. I noticed that the current was strong and against me, moving me away from where I wanted, and knew I should go. I wanted to swim. I felt lonely and scared.
Reassuring glow from a distant lighthouse.
I was never afraid of being unable to swim to shore, but I was afraid of darkness, afraid of the place I was floating. I was afraid that any moment I could be pulled down into the deep and be dismembered. I wanted to cry, scream, or walk over the water. Every minute pictures of my entire life kept running through my mind, until they kept being interrupted by fear.
I perceived sounds and smells. I could hear voices around me. Every minute seemed to be so long. Sometimes, I could see the stars reflected in the water. It felt like I was swimming in the universe. I felt part of it. I could hear the sound that the air makes coming out of a dolphin’s blowhole. Listening to this sound and trying to figure out where it was coming from, kept me busy for a while. I felt consoled when I thought that I was being escorted by wandering mammals, who could sense my fear. At different times I could feel a sweet voice, that without words kept telling me, reassuring me, that I would be safe, a promise of sorts, that “they” were going to help me.
With every minute the dawn was beginning to light up the sky. My fear was disappearing with the coming of day, and my faith and confidence that it would all be alright were growing. I kept searching for the feeling of peace that the sound of the dolphins gave me, but my escorts seemed to have disappeared.
I could see a bit of sky. I could see the last stars of the night leaving and telling me that there was a new day coming. Then, there was a silhouette above me. It was a bird, flying very high over my head…going around and around and around. It made me feel happy. Now I could look up instead of down. Daylight continued increasing and I could make out that my new friend was a male Frigatebird. I wanted to touch it, to reach it with my hands.
Magnificent Frigatebird (male) flying overhead. (Photo by Melissa McMasters)
That sweet voice, without words, was now more real to me with every passing minute. I did not feel fear anymore because, now, I was not alone. With every flight above my head, I could hear, feel that voice, hear that sweet voice going around and around with the Frigatebird. The voice without words stayed with me constantly, talking to me, reassuring me, telling me that it was going to help me.
Sunrise was close. I looked to the east where there was more light, where I could already see the shapes of mountains and coast. Far, very far away, I could hear the sound of a motorboat that had most likely left Combate harbor. I did not know their destination but, according to their course, they were going to pass far from me…maybe a mile away. It was almost impossible that on this course they would find me.
Magnificent Frigatebird (female) soaring overhead. (Photo by Tobias Verfuss)
This is when I noticed something strange. My Frigatebird friend decided to put on a show. The bird flew higher and higher, showing off in the air. Its movements were very defined and almost flirtatious. It went up so high over my head that I could hardly see it, but I could still feel the promise of hope it gave me, that it would not abandon me, that it had never abandoned me.
The sun lit up the mountains on the coast and I heard the sound again…a far away motorboat. The only boat. It seemed to have changed course. I could see two men putting something into the water that looked like bait…and they were coming towards me. The Frigatebird kept showing off movements over my head and I could see it trying to touch me with its beak every time it circled me. The boat was not approaching because of me, it was approaching because it thought the bird signaled fish. The fishermen wanted to troll the bait under the bird with the hope of catching something good. I could see the boat getting closer and closer.
Even at a distance I elevated my arms with the hope of being seen. I could hear their voices asking how could it be possible that a coconut has arms? And being answered “don’t get too close, it could be an undocumented immigrant”. I started screaming: “I am Jari Montalvo from Boquerón! A friend of Tano! A friend of Tali and Annie! I work in La Parguera! I fell in the water last night! Come close, come close!”
Motorboat on the open water.
It was a local fishing boat called Petrel (another seabird). The two fishermen who picked me up took me to Combate beach. They kept saying that they found me because the strange movements of the Frigatebird tempted them to change course. It was the bird that brought them to me.
The “sweet voice without words” that I heard that night, with the dolphins and the bird, kept me safe, kept me calm, and kept me hopeful. I felt this voice once more since then, when I was diagnosed with and successfully treated for cancer. The feeling of faith and hope stays alive in me forever.
It’s that time of year again! We’ll be hosting our annual celebration of Global Big Day—the biggest birding day of the year—on Saturday, May 14, 2022. This time, we are raising funds for travel scholarships to help Caribbean students and wildlife professionals attend the AOS-BC Conference in Puerto Rico this June*.
We are bringing back our popular teams competition from 2021, and celebrating together the energy, excitement, and camaraderie that’s associated with Global Big Day.
Last year was a resounding success, with people from 192 countries reporting 7,234 species in a single day—the biggest Global Big Day turnout ever! For BirdsCaribbean, our numbers were also impressive—15 teams with members from 36 countries reported a total of 1,348 species and raised over $20,000, and we had so much fun doing this. Let’s make this year even better!
What is Global Big Day (GBD)?
Twice a year, during peak migration times (once in spring and once in fall) birders around the world go out (often in small groups) and travel around an area trying to observe as many bird species as they can in a 24-hr period of time. The checklists that the global community collects and submit to eBird are hugely valuable for science and conservation!
This annual event raises the profile of birds and conservation issues, and gathers a snapshot of bird distribution around the globe—and we need your help to do it!
The “Join a Team” button can be found just below the header graphic.
Joining a team is easy! Sign up with your email or Facebook account, scroll through the list in the dropdown menu and select the team you’d like to join. If you’d like to create a new team, you can do so by clicking the words “create a new team” to the right of the blue button.
Once on a team, invite family, friends, colleagues, or members of your birding community to join your team and/or donate to your team. Learn more in this “how to” guide.
and/or . . .
Simply making a donation to one of the birding and fundraising teams.
and/or . . .
Committing to spending some time (or the entire day!) birding on Global Big Day (May 14), being sure to keep track of what you see and then entering that information into eBird.
You can bird from your backyard for as little as 10 minutes, or visit sites throughout the day to see as many birds as you can. By being on a team, your observations will contribute to that team’s total list for the day. Who will win top prizes this year for most species seen and most checklists submitted and most endemics seen?! Someone needs to contest the Bee Hummers Dream Team, who cleaned up last year!
This will be a fun event to fundraise for and get excited about! Be ready to go birdwatching for as much of the day as possible, knowing that all of your teammates, friends, and BirdsCaribbean community members are doing the same!
Everyone should plan to submit their observations to eBird (or eBird Caribbean if you’re in the islands). Then we’ll tally them up and see how we all did! We will send out more information about this as the event draws closer.
https://youtu.be/ErkKZZ1aKEw
Why this is Important
The insular Caribbean is a critical region for birds. There are 171 species that occur here and nowhere else in the world! In addition, the islands provide a winter home for numerous migrants—many stay 6 months or longer while others rely on the islands as stopover sites to rest and refuel during their long journeys north and south.
The development of a strong regional conservation community, through capacity-building training and career development opportunities at the island level for local people, is critical to ensure the sustainable preservation of island birds and their habitats.
How your Gift Will be Used
This Global Big Day fundraiser will fund travel scholarships for Caribbean wildlife students and professionals to attend our upcoming AOS & BC Conference, June 27-July 2, 2022, in San Juan, Puerto Rico*. These are dedicated persons who are on the ground, doing the everyday work to secure a future for birds and their habitats. Attending the conference is an invaluable opportunity for them to 1) build upon or gain new skills to address threats to bird conservation on their respective islands, and 2) network with the wider conservation community, share their work, and learn from others. For Caribbean students, this experience will help to kickstart their introduction into the ornithological and conservation community and they will benefit from mentorship opportunities.
Our plan is to raise funds to help cover travel costs that will allow deserving participants to attend, including covering registration, airfare and/or hotel costs as necessary.
As with everything in the Caribbean, we will be successful when our whole community pitches in, so let’s do this together! We need your help to do this!
Prizes will be awarded to
the team that raises the most funds
the team with the most creative name and stylish fundraising page
the team that sees the most bird species on Global Big Day
the “country/island team” that sees the highest proportion of their birds on Global Big Day (to control for differences in the number of species on each island!)
the team with the best “find” of the day (unusual, rare, plumage aberration, etc.)
the team with the best bird photo of the day (must be posted on eBird along with your list)
And others, TBD!
Safety
While COVID is decreasing in many islands and more and more people are getting vaccinated, it’s still important to be cautious. Be sure to choose birding locations that (1) comply with your municipality’s COVID-19 safety guidelines (i.e. social distancing, wearing a mask, and travel guidelines), and (2) comply with your personal safety preferences. And so whether you will be birding at local parks, reserves, wetlands, beaches, neighborhood or backyard, we will all be enjoying the opportunity to distract ourselves with some safe, fun birdwatching. Additionally, we will all be birdwatching “together” for a great cause that unites us!
*Note: Since our Cuban colleagues, very sadly, are unable to attend the conference this June because it’s in the U.S., any money the Cuban team raises will go towards installing Motus stations in Cuba – plans are in the works for this!
Scaly-naped Pigeon in St. Lucia (Jerome Foster)
Part of a group of Western and Semipalmated Sandpipers resting on Trinidad’s west coast during spring migration. (Photo by Jerome Foster)
Youth spotting birds for Global Big Day, Puerto Rico.
Greater Yellowlegs (Niels Larsen)
Red-billed Streamertail – endemic in Jamaica. (Photo by Claude Fletcher)
Maria Paulino (gray shirt) leading a group of urban birders in Santo Domino, Dominican Republic on Global Big Day, 2021.
A yellow warbler on a small island in the Portland Bight Protected Area, Jamaica. (Photo: Robin Moore)
Colorful and friendly, the Cuban Tody is one of Cuba’s most beloved endemic birds. (photo by Aslam Ibrahim)
Join BirdsCaribbean, the Caribbean Birding Trail and talented Cuban bird guide, Tania Piñeiro, on the adventure of a lifetime in January or March of 2023!
Cuba is well-known for its amazing landscapes, vibrant culture and unique biodiversity. According to the new Annotated Checklist of the Birds of Cuba: 2022 Edition, 398 birds have been recorded in Cuba, including 28 which are endemic to the island and 30 which are considered globally threatened. Due to its large land area and geographical position within the Caribbean, Cuba is also extraordinarily important for Neotropical migratory birds—more than 180 species pass through during migration or spend the winter on the island.
Our itinerary takes you to several of the best and most beautiful birding locations in Cuba, providing opportunities to see many of Cuba’s endemic species and subspecies as well as many migrants. Along the way, we will meet people in local communities, stay in Bed & Breakfast establishments (casas particulares) and eat in private restaurants (paladars), allowing you to experience Cuba’s rich culture, delicious food, friendly people, and generous hospitality. We will also have the opportunity to meet and have discussions with local ornithologists and conservationists that have been working with BirdsCaribbean for many years.
BirdsCaribbean is offering two tours in 2023: a 9-day trip in January and a 12-day trip in March.
Find detailed itineraries for our 2023 trips below!Traveling with us helps Caribbean birds as a portion of the proceeds from the trip supports our bird conservation programs and partners in Cuba and the Caribbean. See some of the world’s most beautiful and memorable birds, knowing you are helping ensure their welfare by supporting the people who study and protect them. Read testimonials and see photos from past trips in the gallery below. Purchase the Endemic Birds of Cuba Field Guide here. Check out the report and photos from our January 2016 trip here and from our July 2017 trip to Havana and Zapata Swamp here.Read more
For 48 long and terrifying hours, Hurricane Dorian–one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record–pummeled the northwest islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama in The Bahamas. The aftermath was absolute devastation to homes, communities and habitats for wildlife including some of The Bahamas’ charismatic species like the Bahama Parrot, Bahama Nuthatch, Bahama Warbler and Bahama Swallow. Martha Cartwright and several birding companions once again visited the East End of Grand Bahama (GB) Island two and a half years after Dorian. The group documents the continued recovery of the wetlands, pine forests, birds, and people. It was also the first birding trip without Erika Gates, who passed away in December 2021. Martha reflects on loss, growth, renewal, and her hopes for the future.
It was a nostalgic visit, filled with conflicting emotions, infused with memories, and ultimately, inspired by new seeds of hope in the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Dorian.
Dorian destroyed much of the north side and the east end of Grand Bahama in September 2019. One month later six members of Grand Bahama Island Birders (GBIB) went east to document the habitat destruction and count birds. I wrote a BirdsCaribbean blog about that trip with Bridget Davis, Erika Gates, Gena Granger, and Delores Kellman. We submitted eBird lists for five locations. After Hurricane Dorian, An Emotional Birding Trip on Grand Bahama – BirdsCaribbean
When it was time for a third survey in October 2021, our mentor, Erika Gates, was in Germany having treatment for cancer. We chose to wait for her return. Her enthusiastic and engaging love of birding and her knowledgeable guidance were the bedrock of our surveys. We did not know then that when she came home in November, she would not regain her strength nor her stamina. Erika passed away on December 14, 2021.
When Lisa Sorenson and Jennifer Wheeler of BirdsCaribbean visited for Erika’s Memorial Service on February 24, 2022, Delores and I decided to take them out East to see the five sites listed on our previous surveys. We were missing four of our original survey team. Gail Woon, a photographer and founder of Earth Care Bahamas, joined us. So, the makeup of “the team” had changed. Our route was different; due to COVID testing requirements for travel, we worked backwards, from Pelican Point to our original starting point, Owl’s Hole. Also, it was not the same time of the year. I took fewer pictures. Lisa did the recording for eBird. We did not wear masks when outside.
Simply put, it was not the same experience – but then, nothing ever is the same. If I found our first post-Dorian survey in October 2019 heart-breaking and difficult, I found this journey equally so – but for different reasons. I was missing Erika.
Bend in the Road Beach, low tide. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
Bend in the Road Beach after Hurricane Dorian, high tide. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
Large numbers of shorebirds on our southern shores are not a common sight. As usual, we found only a few Sanderlings and plovers. We were surprised and thrilled to discover an ephemeral wetland between the road and the beach, where we spotted Snowy Egrets, Great Egrets, Little Blue Herons, a Reddish Egret, and Yellowlegs. When I visited the site one month later, the water was gone and so were the birds.
Lisa and Jennifer enjoying Pelican Point Beach. (photo by Martha Cartwright)A storm battered utility pole finds new use. (photo by Martha Cartwright)Pelican Point is rebuilding; the church, homes, and even a restaurant mark the resilience of island people. “This is home,” residents will tell you, “We’re staying right here.” (photo by Martha Cartwright)
Buttonwood and Mangroves are growing well along the side of the track road, creating a sheltered habitat for the birds. They also created a challenge for us to see and count the birds. As Lisa and Delores walked ahead of the car, we saw many large wading birds and Yellowlegs fly off to a more secluded area of the wetlands. It was wonderful to know that birds were back in the area. Lisa scrambled up on my trusty old car for a better look.
Lisa and Delores walk through wetlands. (photo by Martha Cartwright)Lisa, on the hood of Martha’s car, counting waterbirds at the wetlands west of Statoil. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
2022: Lucayan National Park is open for visitors and birds. The trails through the bush and to the beach have been restored. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
2019: The elevation near the Lucayan National Park Visitors’ Center afforded us a view of the ocean. This is unprecedented in our lifetimes; usually the elevation of the dune blocked the view. The dune with its sea oats, trailing Morning Glory and other dune stabilizers had been washed away by the storm. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
Lisa and Delores walk through Lucayan National Park. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
The desolate moonscape, scarred by hurricane and fire, is now covered with low scrub bush, ferns, thatch palms, vines, and flowers. With the rains, the lower floor of forest started growing almost immediately.
Poisonwood – many new plants were growing – they provide great food for the birds.. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
Purple flower. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
However, endless miles of dead pine tree trunks throughout East Grand Bahama still dominate the upward gaze. Winds have blown off the top smaller branches, and now the trunks stand like toothpicks as stark reminders of Dorian’s wrath and its long-term effect on the habitat.
2022: Owl’s Hole. Note the recovery from the burnt ground in the 2019 photo (right) taken in the same location. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
2019: Owl’s Hole. Six Grand Bahama Island Birders carried out the first bird survey of the Eastern End of Grand Bahama Island one month after Hurricane Dorian. Left to right – Shelagh Paton-Ash, Delores Kellman, Gena Granger, Bridget David (recorder) and Erika Gates (our leader and driver). We’re smiling for the camera, but we were not a happy group. I’m behind the camera, just where I like to be. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
There is good news about the pines; look closely and you will find an abundance of seedlings reaching for the sunlight. In our lifetime, this is the third growth of the Caribbean pine on Grand Bahama. The first growth was harvested commercially from 1955 through the 1970s. (Source: The Bahamian Pine Forest – EcoTings Bahamas). East of the Bridge, the second growth was flooded with Dorian’s wave of sea water. Although fire does not kill the pine, seawater over the roots does. Known as a fast-growing pine, these Caribbean pines on East Grand Bahama will take decades to reach maturity. Erika wrote eloquently of the loss of the pine forests in our second blog, “Emotions Renewed.”
This year we were happy to spot Palm Warblers, Prairie Warblers, and Common Yellowthroats in the lower shrubs. Pine top dwellers? None. Who knows if or when the sounds of the Pine Warbler, the Bahama Warbler (endemic to the Bahamas; found only in GB and Abaco) and Olive-Capped Warblers (found only in Grand Bahama and Abaco, and a few areas in Cuba) will return to the pine forests of East Grand Bahama? Will we ever again hear the Bahama Nuthatch? I doubt it; this little bird has not been seen on Grand Bahama since Dorian. Bruce Purdy commented during the last Christmas Bird Count, “You now have an extinct bird on your Life List.”
2022: Lisa with young pine after 17 months of growth. Delores commented, “It is truly comforting to see the new growth of the Caribbean pine, and wildflowers, grasses, and shrubs thriving – bringing the forest back to life. Restoration is well on the way. I am relieved!” (photo by Martha Cartwright)
2020: Delores jumped out of the car, excited to point out more young pine trees—look closely and you’ll see them. She wrote, “It was somewhat depressing; especially seeing the death of the Caribbean pine forest. Don’t think I’ll be around when it comes back to life.”
Beyond Loss: Towards Growth and Renewal
The forces of Nature feel no remorse. Death comes. With the proper conditions, life continues. A seed does not debate whether to grow or not to grow. A bird does not ponder, Shall I have a family this year? If it can woo a mate, find a safe place for its nest, and forage enough food, it raises a family. The sun rises, the moon sets, the Earth tilts into its seasons.
It is we humans that fall so far from the natural rhythms of nature. In our falling away, we choose to fill our minds and hearts with emotions of anger, greed, and short-sighted self-interest. We harbor emotions that wreak havoc and destruction on our neighbors, our lands, our seas, and the air that sustains us. We are changing the Planet. In our naïveté, we thought that Life on Earth would consist of endless cycles of abundance. And yet, there is the underbelly of habitat destruction, air pollution, toxic chemicals, and global warming threatening the plants and animals with whom we share Earth.
Despite everything, I believe profoundly in the good-will and intelligence of human beings working together to find a healthy and sustainable path into the future. There are legions of people devoted to and working for the health of Planet Earth.
One such person was my friend, our GBIB mentor, Erika Gates. She cared, and she was effective in the world. She shared generously her knowledge, her skills, her finances, and her time with people and organizations. She nurtured hundreds of people, of all ages. She was tender and compassionate for all creatures. In sharing her love of life, through her books and articles, through her classes, with her eco-tourism businesses, during myriad conferences and on fieldtrips, she was a force of renewal.
I found myself deeply sad on this journey east. I am sure all five of us had our memories of times with Erika and felt her legacy. I still bird with her on my shoulder.
We just never know how much time we have left to live. So, while you can, choose, choose to care. Choose to make a difference. Donate to an organization helping the planet. Hug a child or plant a tree. Be kind. Teach. Help organize a local birding group. Share. Look in on your neighbor. Put out water for the birds.
Erika lived a large and beautiful life. I know she will continue to be an inspiration for all of us who had the good fortune to know her.
Addendum by Lisa Sorenson: Our dear friend, Erika Gates, passed away on 14 December 2022 – we wrote about her incredible life and contributions to bird conservation and BirdsCaribbean here. Thank you to, Martha, for this heartfelt article about our trip out east. Jennifer Wheeler and I were most grateful to be in Grand Bahama for Erika’s beautiful Memorial Service and to be able to spend time with her beloved husband, Ed Gates, other family members, and many friends. We appreciated the chance to bird at all the places we visited with Erika and to make the birding trip out east with Martha, Delores, and Gail. It was good to see how the pine forest, wetlands, and other habitats are recovering and to celebrate Erika’s life together. We shared many funny stories and happy memories about Erika. Her generous spirit, love of birds, and passion for conservation will live on in all of us.
Cuban Emerald at Lucayan National Park. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
Black-bellied Plover and Sanderlings at Pelican Point Beach. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
Martha, Lisa, Gail and Delores at Owl’s Hole. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
New pine trees and poisonwood growth. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Lisa and Delores at Lucayan National Park. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Wetlands west of Statoil. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Hurricane Dorian damage to pine trees. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
New understory growth amidst the dead Caribbean Pine trees. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Martha and Delores at Owl’s Hole. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Mangroves at Lucayan National Park. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Emerald Pond. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Sunrise on the drive out to East End, Grand Bahama. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Sanderings at Bend in the Road Beach. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
Replanting of native beach plants underway at Gold Rock Beach. (photo by Lisa Sorenson)
Lisa, Delores, Martha and Jennifer on an earlier walk to Princess Park, the last site that Erika restored before her passing with beautiful signage and trails.
Four Wilson’s Plovers on a rocky beach at Bend in the Road Beach. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
Wilson’s Plover at Bend in the Road Beach. (photo by Martha Cartwright)
Daniela Ventura, a Cuban student and dedicated ornithologist, describes her impressions and experiences at BirdsCaribbean’s first Landbird Monitoring Workshop in the Dominican Republic this past February.
Daniela in the field in the DR. This was her first trip abroad from her native Cuba.(Photo by Daniela Ventura).
“What do you do for a living?” is among the top-ten questions you will be asked throughout your life, whether it comes from a stranger—like the immigration officer at the airport—or from close friends and even family. “I am an ornithologist,” is a tricky answer because, for most people, counting birds may not sound like a real job. In these situations, where you’re often met with a blank stare or a judging look, it’s best to respond with your sweetest smile – knowing that few people understand the complexity of the skills needed for proper bird identification in the wild. In the case of close friends and family, you can invite them on a field trip to become an “ornithologist” for one day. Then, you’ll only need to sit back and enjoy watching their eyes, as they are mesmerized trying to figure out and make some sense of so many shapes, colors, sounds, and behaviors.
Counting birds is not easy. And even less so if you’re trying to do it scientifically and methodically, to make a real impact on our understanding of bird population dynamics and aid in conservation. This was the purpose of my trip to the Dominican Republic from February 16th-20th, 2022 – to attend the first Caribbean Landbird Monitoring Training Workshop. Bird lovers and conservationists from across the Caribbean gathered at the beautiful town of Jarabacoa to learn from experts how to count and monitor birds more efficiently and meaningfully. I consider myself lucky to have participated in this life-changing experience. In this blog, I will try to do this incredible training justice and translate into words the whirlwind of emotions, feelings, and events that come to my mind, when I recall those memorable and intense days. This is the account of “La Cubanita,” as the charming and welcoming Dominicans called me.
Adventure Awaits
Dominican Republic first impressions. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
My first memory of the Dominican Republic is dream-like. A foamy sea of golden clouds, tinged with orange and pink reflections, dotted at intervals by green-crowned mountains and river beds. Just as the sun was setting and the early stars appeared in the sky, I beheld the first lights of Santo Domingo. My heart was pumping fast. I couldn’t be happier. As a Cuban, I carry with me the Caribbean pride in my blood and soul. This, my first trip abroad, was taking me into the home of a sister island. I was ready to dive in and immerse myself with all my senses. I knew this would be a defining professional and personal experience.
What quirky turn of the road brought me here? I must say, I’ve found that the best things in life are the result of a perfect balance between perseverance and mere chance. Instead of worrying too much and asking oneself unhelpful questions like, “do I deserve this?” it’s better to be thankful, make the most of every opportunity, and be ready to do the same for others.
Santo Domingo lights to misty Jarabacoa mountains
A giant mural greets visitors upon arrival at the International Airport: “Las noches de Santo Domingo” (The nights of Santo Domingo). The welcome couldn’t have been more precise. My first contact with the city happened at dusk. I barely had time to make sense of the blurry city lights before the taxi hired to take me to the central mountains of the Dominican Republic whisked me away towards my destination. Three hours later, I arrived in Jarabacoa, “the land of waters,” named by the original inhabitants of the island. This name was also just right, as I was greeted by a cold drizzle and the humid air coming through my lungs. When I disembarked the taxi at Rancho Baiguate, almost everyone had already gone to bed. All but Maya Wilson, the tireless workshop organizer, who kindly welcomed me with a belated dinner, and my first taste of Dominican cuisine. For my hungry tummy, it felt like a kiss from home.
Maria Paulino and Ivan Mota, the local trainers, were also up late making the last arrangements for their early morning presentations. Maria’s big and warm smile swept away all the cold of the Jarabacoa night. This was the first time I experienced the world-famous hospitality and friendliness of the Dominican people. Over the next few days, I would have the huge privilege of enjoying such generosity on countless occasions.
The nights of Santo Domingo. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
The sound of the forest
I woke up very early the next morning. There was no use wasting time in bed, while there were so many things to see and learn. I dressed quickly, grabbed my binoculars, and stepped out of my room to greet the cloudy forest. It was cold outside, the leaves were heavy with dew. I took a few steps, and then it dawned on me – the forest looked familiar but SOUNDED so different. I was not able to recognize even one bird song. Even the common and widespread Red-legged Thrushes were speaking a totally distinct language. It felt so bizarre. Cuba and the Dominican Republic, both so close, and yet our shared birds were almost acting like different species. I had so much to see, and so much to learn. Still dazed by the discovery, I headed towards the conference facilities with my mind filled with expectations.
Rancho Baiguate in the morning, Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
Sunrise in the forest. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
Caribbean waves
The workshop had one major goal: to train participants in the use of the PROALAS protocol – a standardized set of survey methods for monitoring birds, specially designed for tropical habitats. Identifying birds in a Caribbean or Latin American rainforest can prove a hard pill to swallow for even the most experienced birder. But, before diving into the more difficult topics of the workshop, we had a lovely welcome session. The fantastic organizers, Maya Wilson, Holly Garrod, and Jeff Gerbracht did their best to make us feel at ease from the beginning.
Their jobs were made easier by two important elements. First, we were situated in the incredibly beautiful setting at Rancho Baiguate. We had the conference sessions at an outdoor facility next to the Rancho’s pool, and a few steps away from the Baiguate river and the cloud forest. It was easy to get distracted by the noisy Bananaquits and the purple shine of the Antillean Mangos.
During the first break, I skipped coffee and ran to the nearby trees to try my luck on lifers. I was extremely fortunate that the first bird I glimpsed was the stunning Black-crowned Palm Tanager, a Hispaniolan endemic! The bird kindly allowed me to enjoy its beautiful green-olive feathers and the black crown spotted with white that makes it look as if it has four eyes (“cuatrojos” in Spanish). I could have spent all day contemplating this fascinating bird, but a call from the conference room brought me back to reality. We had some PROALAS to learn.
PROALAS practice exercise (Pictured: Miguel Landestoy, Demonica Brown, David Walters, Holly Garrod, Ivan Mota, Laura Baboolal, Shanna Challenger, and Jilly Sarpong). (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
The second thing that made us feel at home from the start was the people. No matter where they were from in the Caribbean: the Dutch islands, the British, or the Spanish-speaking countries, it seemed as if the fact that all of us are bathed by the same warm and bright-blue Caribbean sea, magically turns us into a one-big family. After the initial presentations, we were all long-time friends. The shared passion for our birds and our unique ecosystems brings us together despite barriers of language or political systems.
The conference sessions started with an introduction given by Maya Wilson, the Landbird Monitoring Program Manager for BirdsCaribbean. I barely managed to keep seated quietly, because the excitement of being part of such a fascinating project was too much to handle for a ‘hatchling’ like me. While Maya was detailing the goals and scope of the program, my mind was racing, already picturing how much could be done across our islands with such a powerful tool, like PROALAS, to widen our knowledge of our resident and endemic birds. I was not alone in this. The discussions began just as soon as Maya finished her presentation. It was my first glimpse into the amazing community of conservationists gathered in the room.
I learned from the challenges that face birds and their habitats in small and tourism-driven islands like Aruba, Bonaire, or Trinidad and Tobago. I learned first-hand about the hard and successful work done in Antigua to get rid of some invasive species. I marveled at the community-based initiatives that organizations like Para La Naturaleza in Puerto Rico, and Grupo Jaragua and Grupo Acción Ecológica in the Dominican Republic are doing to increase awareness and engage local actors in conservation efforts. And that was just the beginning. Everyone had something to share and while sessions went by, the newly acquired tools made the debates richer and more stimulating for all.
But soon the talks delved into more detailed aspects of landbird monitoring. Entire sessions on the theory behind point counts and transects, survey design and bias minimization, distance estimation, and eBird as a tool for gathering scientific data, comprised most of the morning and afternoon classroom sessions. And of course, how could I forget the introductions into everyone’s favorite subject: statistics. Hopefully, you’ll notice my sarcasm in the last sentence. But I have to give credit to our outstanding teachers: Holly Garrod, Jeff Gerbracht, and especially to Ingrid Molina. Ingrid reminded us all that Costa Rica also shares some Caribbean waves and her special charm and her ease at teaching made it a lot easier for all of us, as we tried to grasp the essentials of occupancy models.
Class on Statistics. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
Field activity at Ebano Verde. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
Broad-billed Tody in a tree. (Photo by Zara Palmer).
Field Training or Boot Camp?
PROALAS is not a thing you can master just from a classroom. You will need field sessions and some hands-on practice to have a more complete understanding of how it works and how it can be effectively employed for addressing basic research or management objectives. Jarabacoa was the perfect setting for the workshop practice activities. It is home to incredible birds like the endemic Todies (two species!) and the Palmchat, with a variety of habitat encompassing recovered cattle pastures as well as well-preserved evergreen forests.
The morning and afternoon field trips were the most cherished moments of the day for me. They offered the chance to get to know my colleagues more closely and the opportunity to immerse myself in the stunning biodiversity of the Dominican Republic. To meet the first objective, I joined a different field group every time I could. I first hung out with the so-called ‘Latin team’ during the first bird ID training sessions. It was really chaotic for me trying to make sense of the different names we Cubans, Dominicans, and Puerto Ricans have for the same birds. Bijirita, Ciguita, Reinita – all of them just for warblers. Sometimes we have the same names, but use them for different species, like the name ‘Ruiseñor’, which is the Dominican name for the Northern Mockingbird, while for Cubans it refers to our endemic Cuban Solitaire.
This cultural chaos was just superficial, however. The Latin team felt like home. The large group from the DR consistently exhibited the well-deserved fame of incredibly gracious hosts. I won’t single anyone out because they all, students and trainers alike, left such a profound impact on me that I don’t want to miss out any names. I learned from them all, and their sympathy and good humor made my days in the Dominican Republic one of the most precious memories of my short life. And what to say about the Puerto Ricans! Just that the motto that states that Cuba and Puerto Rico are the two wings of the same bird couldn’t be more accurate and meaningful in this particular setting.
Team Latino (L-R: Daniela Ventura, Omar Monzón, Alcides Morales-Pérez, Coral Avilés, and Pablo Feliz). (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
Practice at Rancho Baiguate (L-R: Daniela Ventura, Tadzio Bervoets, Lauren Dombowsky, Kai Wulf, and Giancarlo Nunes). (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
The Latin team was surprised to see that I decided to spend some time with the Dutch Caribbean participants during the next morning’s field trip. I really enjoyed learning how culturally different we are despite being so geographically close. I also, at the cost of some personal embarrassment, realized there were islands which I had never heard of before, like Saba. Even though I felt bad about it, it was an invaluable lesson and represented personal growth. As a result, I updated my 2022 New Year’s resolutions: getting to know more of our Caribbean shared history, nature, and culture.
After a very productive training session establishing PROALAS point counts and transects, and my first time watching the Narrow-billed Tody, we were all back to Rancho Baiguate for more talks. The Latin team was waiting for me to rub my nose in the unique experience that I missed during their trip. They had an amazing opportunity to watch the Antillean Euphonia from a photographer’s perspective. I almost cried.
Before I move on, I must share two more highlights from our field trip experiences, both closely intertwined. First —and the other workshop participants won’t let me lie— never take Holly’s word regarding the trip’s difficulty level as a good standard measure. If Holly assures you that the field paths are going to be child’s play, be sure they WON’T and that you will enjoy, but also suffer every minute of it. And if Holly tells you that it will be a hard and strenuous trail to walk – run for your life, and NEVER, EVER go that way!
The Barbed Wire Deluxe Team can attest to this. Holly is made from another brew not yet understood by us, common folks, and her resistance and fieldwork aptitudes are simply admirable. We deduced that the many years working in the Jarabacoa mountains have made her immune to fatigue. Shanna Challenger, and her other team members, learned that lesson all too well, when, while trying to set some PROALAS point counts they had to jump, climb, and roll (sometimes all at once) to pass a barbed wire fence. Shanna’s witty mind, and contagious sense of humor, came up with the hilarious name of Barbed Wire Deluxe to baptize their team. She made all of us laugh at the joke; it made the event an unforgettable anecdote of the DR workshop.
The inspiration for Team Barbed Wire. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
Participants engage in point counts. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
Ébano Verde and bitter-sweet goodbyes
The days go fast when you’re having fun. During the daily hustle and bustle of setting PROALAS point counts, practicing distance estimation, enjoying the incredible bird diversity of Jarabacoa, and the constant discussions and idea-sharing moments, it was easy to forget what day of the week it was. But Sunday was swiftly approaching and with it, the last day of the workshop. When we thought all the surprises were exhausted, it turned out the organizers were just leaving the best for the end.
The trip to the Scientific Reserve of Ébano Verde, a rainforest paradise rising 800 feet above sea level, was the perfect choice for spending the last moments with our new friends. The stunning diversity of the mountains of the Dominican Republic left us all blown away. There, trees and ferns have a different shade of green. Birds seemed to be aware of that, and their songs were like an ode in celebration of beauty.
Hispaniolan Trogon. (Photo by Jose M. Pantaleon)
Now, I have a confession to make. In Ébano Verde, I felt my national pride quiver. I was lucky to admire the elegant and majestic Hispaniolan Trogon. This vision brought doubts in my mind as to which one was the prettiest: the Cuban Trogon or the Hispaniolan Trogon? This thought haunted me during the entire walk. I almost forgot my internal questioning when I had the chance to watch the other Tody, the Broad-billed, or admire the shiny blend of sky-blue and orange of the Antillean Euphonia, or marveled at the melodious song of the Rufous-Throated Solitaire.
I became easily distracted by birds, and for a moment I was separated from the group. Then, at a twist of the road, my eyes encountered a magical scene. There they were, the Dominicans, triggering with their constant jokes the boisterous laughter from the guys of the Dutch Caribbean. Somewhere close, the Puerto Ricans were showing some birds (and plants) to the girls from Grenada and The Bahamas. A little ahead in the same path were Holly, Ingrid, and Jeff doing some PROALAS point counts with the students from Antigua, Jamaica, and Cayman Islands. And then, the answer came as a realization. It didn’t matter which Trogon was the prettiest. This was not about a contest. All birds are equally important and deserve our utmost commitment to their conservation. That’s why we were there: to learn new skills that will empower us to make more accurate assessments of the health of their populations. To create a strong community of partners across our islands that can work together and spread knowledge and success stories in conservation.
The main lesson I learned during the workshop, I must admit, was not PROALAS-related. The main lesson was that, since birds don’t know or care about borders, countries, or nationalities, we, the “Humans of BirdsCaribbean,” must try to overcome these differences, in order to achieve our supreme goal: jointly working for the conservation of birds and their habitats.
Daniela Ventura is a Cuban ornithologist working in the Bird Ecology Group at the University of Havana. She became interested in birds during her first year in college, where she conducted undergraduate research on the Reddish Egret´s trophic behavior. She is currently a master’s student working on the movement ecology of resident Turkey Vultures. Daniela considers herself a molt nerd, so her future careergoal encompasses creating a permanent banding station at the National Botanical Garden in Havana to study molt patterns of Cuba’s resident birds.
Gallery
Counting birds. (Photo by Zara Palmer).
Baiguate River, Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic.
Up close views. (Photo by Zara Palmer).
Rancho Baiguate, Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
Waterfall at Ebano Verde. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
In the field with colleagues. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
PROALAS point counts. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
Ebano Verde. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
Rancho Baiguate, Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
Looking for Todies
Out in the field. (Photo by Zara Palmer).
Mobile photography in the field. (Photo by Zara Palmer).
Peering through the trees, birdwatching. (Photo by Zara Palmer).
Dominican Republic Landscapes.
Group Photo at Certificate Ceremony.
Winning team at Ebano Verde. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
Waterfall at Ebano Verde. (Photo by Daniela Ventura).
Acknowledgments: BirdsCaribbean is grateful to the US Fish and Wildlife Service for funding to develop our new Landbird Monitoring Program and hold this training workshop. We are also grateful to the US Forest Service International Programs, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and the Dutch Conservation Nature Alliance for additional funding support. Thanks also to Optics for the Tropics and Vortex Optics for providing binoculars for all participants, and to the friendly and helpful staff at Rancho Baiguate for hosting us. A special thank you to interpreter, Efrén Esquivel-Obregón, for his excellent and patient work with the group all week. Finally, we thank BirdsCaribbean members, partners, and donors for your support, which made this work possible.
It was one year ago that volcanic ash began billowing out of the La Soufrière volcano on the main island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines—the first time in 42 years. Vincentians were alerted to increased activity within the volcano and knew the eruption was imminent, but there was little that could prepare the community for the first massive eruption on April 9th and weeks of continued eruptions and ash fall that would ensue.
Communities in the north were forced to evacuate, moving south towards safety and away from the intense ash fall. The wildlife in the area attempted a similar trajectory. Unable to forage in the wild as normal, however, and disoriented by the ash fall, many wildlife species – including the vulnerable St. Vincent Parrot, the National bird – were in danger.
BirdsCaribbean jumped into action, joining concerned wildlife conservation organizations to create an emergency group* that quickly raised funds and provided much-needed assistance to the Forestry Department working on-the-ground in St. Vincent. Key partner, the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation (RSCF), provided critical help in getting all the supplies purchased by BirdsCaribbean, their organization, and our group to St. Vincent. Items included boots for all Forestry staff, binoculars, cutlasses, knives, backpacks, two-way radios, GPS units, Go Pro and Canon cameras, respirators, camping gear, ponchos, veterinary supplies, parrot food, chain saws, aviary wire, and many other tools and hardware to repair and enhance the parrot aviary.
To mark one year since the devastating eruptions, we caught up with Bradford Latham, Program Officer for Wildlife and Law Compliance and Enforcement in the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Forestry Department, to learn how the island, its people, and the wildlife are recovering.
Post-eruption clean-up exercise in Hermitage, St. Vincent, on April 2, 2021. (Photo by the St. Vincent Forestry Department).
Post-eruption assessment in Richmond, St. Vincent, on May 4, 2021. (Photo by the St. Vincent Forestry Department).
Post-eruption assessment in Richmond, St. Vincent, on May 2, 2021. (Photo by the St. Vincent Forestry Department).
Take us back to the first few days of the eruptions. What was that like?
“The 9th of April was a Friday and I was busy making preparations. I am in charge of the Nicholls Wildlife Complex at the St Vincent Botanical Gardens, where we do captive breeding, so I was installing water tanks at the aviaries, trying to ensure that I had extra water storage in place for the care of the birds in case of an eruption – which we were expecting. I had just completed that task when I learned that La Soufrière had erupted.”
Bradford recalls that people in the community were nervous but admits that the severity of the event was not fully grasped because the effects could not yet be seen. It wasn’t until the following morning, however, that the gravity of the situation began to unfold.
“On Saturday morning everything was gray. Everything was gloomy, and there was ash everywhere. Then, the water authority had to turn off their systems to prevent clogging – so that essential service was affected.”
“Thankfully, I had already gotten some assistance from the Graeme Hall Nature Sanctuary in Barbados to prepare and secure the captive birds at the Nicholls Wildlife Complex. We needed plastic sheeting to try to secure the birds and we also needed dried foods, because getting fresh fruit would have been a challenge – and it was indeed. So, the dried nuts and fruit, and other food that we quickly received from our international partners was really useful.”
St. Vincent Parrot at Nicholls Wildlife Complex, Botanical Gardens, St. Vincent. (Photo by Aliya Hosein).
Measuring the thickness of the ash fall in St. Vincent. (Photo by UWI Seismic Research Centre).
How did you cope with the situation? What were some of the short to medium-term solutions that were implemented by the Forestry Department and partners?
Volcanic Hazard Map sectioned into zones. (Image by NEMO St. Vincent and the Grenadines).
“The plight of the birds in the forest was of major concern, given the heavy ash fall that would have affected food availability for these species. An emergency group was formed, which comprised BirdsCaribbean, Rare Species Conservatory Foundation, Flora and Fauna International (FFI), UNDP Reef to Ridge Project, Houston Zoo, IWECo Project St. Vincent and the Grenadines, SCIENCE, and the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Environmental Fund (SVGEF). This group provided invaluable support to on-the-ground efforts and helped to plan what would be done if food was unable to be collected from the countryside – which was really destroyed.
We considered ideas to be able to help wildlife species, especially the St. Vincent Parrots, and we came up with a plan of creating feeding stations. We made platforms and sourced daily fresh fruits for the stations. We cleaned the fruits, cut them up, and went out on mornings and evenings to replenish the platforms in some of the major parrot habitats—especially near La Soufrière, such as Cumberland, Congo Valley, and Jennings.
We prioritized the areas that were most impacted. We concentrated our efforts within the orange and yellow zones, just off the red zone area, to provide some assistance of water and food to these wildlife species.
We started in April, in the weeks following the first eruptions, and continued through the month of April, May and up to June. Once the rains began to fall in June and certain trees began fruiting, like the mango and the plum rose, we curtailed the feeding assistance because we knew that there were now available food sources for the parrots and other wildlife species.”
Tell me about the Parrot Surveys conducted in September, 2021. Did you see many birds? Did you get a sense that they are faring well?
Sadly, this rescued St. Vincent Parrot did not survive its injuries from the volcanic eruption, including eyes crusted over with ash and respiratory problems. (Photo by the St. Vincent Forestry Department).
“After the volcanic eruptions, we decided to do a rapid assessment to get a better understanding of what was happening to the parrots because we hadn’t had a census or a check for parrots since 2010—there was a long lapse. I recall one time that the team was out clearing rivers and they came across a bird that was suffering and later died, as a result of ash inhalation. So we were preparing ourselves for the worst impact on wildlife.
We completed the assessment in one week, for the first time. All five major sectors of 20 watch points were done in one week, from Tuesday 17th September to Friday 22nd September, 2021. The team of over 60 participants monitored the different sectors and also areas what we call gap watches, where we know a smaller numbers of birds exist. A very rough estimate suggests that parrot numbers are in the high hundreds, indicating the birds are resilient and many managed to survive the volcano and its aftermath. However, we note that updated methodology and analyses are needed to better assess parrot numbers.
We also noticed that many of the birds that were near the Red Zones, the La Soufrière areas, successfully moved to safer areas. That’s what we picked up. Prior to the eruption, we used to have a lot of cases of parrot predation on crops in the northern part of the island. This is something that we are still going to be looking out for as the parrots seem to be moving back into those areas. Crop predation is a concern. So, we will be looking at the food sources that are available in the forest to try to understand why the parrots are moving towards farmland areas.”
St. Vincent Parrots in flight. (Photo by the Ministry of Agriculture, St. Vincent and the Grenadines).
Group photo of Forestry staff. (Photo by the St. Vincent Forestry Department).
St. Vincent Parrot Watch Points for the 2021 survey.
Forestry staff using a radio to report a parrot sighting. (Photo by the St. Vincent Forestry Department).
Forestry Department training on how to count parrots. (Photo by the St. Vincent Forestry Department).
Forestry staff using a radio to communicate with other census teams. (Photo by the St. Vincent Forestry Department).
Bradford Latham speaks to staff during the parrot-census training, August, 2021. (Photo by the St. Vincent Forestry Department).
Forestry staff, Terrance Roberts, on the look out for St. Vincent Parrots. (Photo by the St. Vincent Forestry Department).
How quickly has the forest been recovering and trees flowering and fruiting again for the birds?
“The recovery is really excellent in the areas within the yellow and green zones and even the orange zones. The greatest impact on habitat is the northern section, on the slopes of La Soufrière. The foliage was really heavily damaged but now we can see that it’s coming back, there’s a lot of greenery. So, it’s recovering well. We have been getting a lot of rain, and there’s still some danger of lahars (mud slides) and flash flooding. We conducted some coastal assessments, going out on the boat and taking some photos. One of the follow-up things that we would really like to do is go back again to see how things have changed, in terms of the recovery and vegetative growth in those areas.”
St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Forestry Director, Fitzgerald Providence, recently visited an area impacted from the volcanic eruptions. He shared photos of some of the vegetation now growing in the shade of the La Soufriere volcano and commented, “The process of regeneration is evident along the eastern slope of La Soufriere. What was described as destruction by some, shows evidence of how our island became a land so beautiful.” He noted, however, that the western slope was hardest hit with pyroclastic flows and that he planned to visit there soon.
Decimated landscape near La Soufrière in the aftermath of the volcanic eruptions. (Photo by Bradford Latham).
Begonia flowers blooming and other plants growing back on the bare volcanic soil on the eastern slope of La Soufrière. (Photo by Fitzgerald Providence).
New growth and plants recovering on the eastern slope of La Soufrière. (Photo by Fitzgerald Providence).
What do you think can be done currently to help the situation on the ground? What are some of the things that the Forestry Department needs right now, as far as support?
“One area that we need support in is research methodology. We’ve had some general training but it would be good to be able to develop something that is specific to a particular species. To know when might be the best time to go looking and where to be looking for this species, knowing the nest type, and the behavior. For example, there’s not much known about the Whistling Warbler, an Endangered songbird endemic to St. Vincent; it will be good for us to look at doing more research on this species. Also, we have other endemic species such as the endemic tree frog and the whistling frog that may have been impacted by the eruption. The uniqueness of endemic species is important to the country, so it would be good to know how well they are doing and learn about their populations. These are the areas that we would really like assistance in, training and capacity building, to better monitor and manage these endemic species that we have. We would also like assistance for our environmental education program – learning how to prepare a blog, for example, and taking better photos in the field.”
Are you optimistic that the on-island bird population will return to pre-eruption numbers in the near future?
“The parrots are resilient. We have seen areas where numbers were few – especially areas that we recorded as gap watches – and we have recorded higher numbers in those gaps. I believe that eventually the numbers will really recover.
The methodology that we’re using to monitor the parrots needs to improve, however. It is scientific, but there are gaps that we really need to improve in order to get a better estimate of the parrot’s population size and monitor this over time.
These are areas that we are hoping to build upon in the near future, so that we may not be reporting a higher number than what it actually is on the ground. Or vice versa, that we may be reporting numbers that are lower than what is actually represented in the wild. We have a young staff and the training and capacity building is something that is really needed.”
Youth learning how to count St. Vincent Parrots. (Photo by the Forestry Department).
Speaking at an outdoor field exercise in August 2021, organized by the Forestry Department to raise awareness about and provide training in parrot census activities, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labor of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Hon. Saboto Caesar, acknowledged and thanked Forestry workers and international conservation partners for their continued dedication to protecting the island’s national bird, especially in the wake of varied natural disasters in recent years that have adversely affected the birds and their habitat.
“The Amazona guildingii, the national bird of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, is very dear to us. Recently, we had 32 eruptions of La Soufriere and we are all aware of the negative impact this has had on the habitat of the national bird. We also had Hurricane Tomas on October 30, 2010, that destroyed a significant percentage of the habitat of the national bird. I want to thank all the international agencies and to thank the hard working staff of the Forestry Department for the excellent work that they continue to do. I also want to encourage all the farmers and all forest users to respect the laws of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
Continued Work to Conserve St Vincent’s Forest Birds
BirdsCaribbean Executive Director, Dr. Lisa Sorenson, RSCF, and other partners, continue to monitor updates and maintain contact with key members of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Forestry Department with a view to providing continued assistance, where needed. Dr. Sorenson welcomed the reports of resilience outlined in the most recent parrot survey and will continue work with the team at the Forestry Department to ensure the St. Vincent Parrot, and other vulnerable endemics, such as the Whistling Warbler and Forest Thrush are able to be adequately monitored and supported in the wild.
Starting in May 2022, ornithologists from Florida International University will be working with the Forestry Department to establish improved standard methods of censusing St. Vincent Parrots and train the staff in these methods to enable long-term monitoring of the species. This will allow better assessment of the short and long-term impacts of natural events like volcanic eruptions and hurricanes on parrot population size and density, as well as monitor human-caused population changes from deforestation, poaching, and other threats to the parrot.
Also in May 2022, pending funding, a team of ornithologists from BirdsCaribbean and Antioch University will work with the Forestry Dept on a pilot study to establish population monitoring for the endangeredWhistling Warbler, using ARUs (Autonomous Recording Units) with the goal of creating a Conservation Action Plan. The project will also provide training in monitoring land birds to Forestry staff using methodology from our new Landbird Monitoring Program, as well as build capacity for outreach and education and community engagement in bird conservation in St Vincent.
Acknowledgements: Once again, we thank the many generous members of our community who donated to help with the recovery effort for birds in St Vincent impacted by the April 2021 explosive eruptions of La Soufrière Volcano. If you would like to donate to help with our continued work with the Forestry Department and local communities, please click here and designate “St Vincent Volcano Recovery” as the specific purpose for your donation. Thank you!
*The “emergency group” that came together to assist with funding support and recovery of the St Vincent Parrot and other wildlife consisted of the following organizations: BirdsCaribbean, Rare Species Conservatory Foundation, Fauna and Flora International, Caribaea Initiative, Houston Zoo, Grenada Dove Conservation Programme, UNDP Reef to Ridge Project, Houston Zoo, IWECo Project St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Vortex Optics, and the Farallon Islands Foundation. We thank our amazing local partners SCIENCE Initiative, the St. Vincent & the Grenadines Environment Fund, and the Forestry Department for your support and hard work.
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.
