Resources
Welcome to our resource library. Below you will find links to downloadable educational materials, our own peer-reviewed scientific journal, photo resources, and much more. If you have specific needs and don’t see what you are looking for on this page, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Online Galleries
Caribbean birds come in all shapes and sizes and are a spectacle of color. Browse these photo albums of our Caribbean birds, their habitats and the people who are helping to conserve them. You can also contribute photos of Caribbean birds to our Flickr pools.
at Flickr
Journal of Caribbean Ornithology
The Journal of Caribbean Ornithology is a refereed scientific journal, produced by the non-profit society BirdsCaribbean. The journal has now served as an important resource for ornithological research in the Caribbean for over 35 years. JCO welcomes manuscripts covering the biology, ecology, behavior, life history, and conservation of Caribbean birds and their habitats. We also publish first-time avian records, novel behavioral observations, natural history studies, conservation management plans, and on-the-ground advocacy work. Submission categories include Research Articles, Research Notes, Reviews, Conservation Reports, and Perspectives & Opinions.
The journal is committed to working with and giving voice to the entire Caribbean ornithological community, as well as those beyond the region that equally share their passion for Caribbean birds, their habitats, and the peoples and cultures that share these islands. JCO takes pride in their mission to extend help and developmental resources to young, first-time, and/or underserved or disadvantaged authors. Many of our authors are burgeoning students and researchers, are not native English speakers, and have limited access to resources for conducting their work and then developing it for publication. JCO recognizes these obstacles, but will not allow them to be a barrier to publishing good work. The latest edition and archives are accessible for free on the journal’s website: Journal of Caribbean Ornithology.
BirdsCaribbean eBooks
Heritage Plants
Native plants and trees are amongst the most important parts of the natural history and culture of the Caribbean. They are also immensely important to birds and other wildlife. In a region that supporting irreplaceable biodiversity and dense human development, the cultivation of native trees and plants is an important way we can share our islands with native plants and animals. This book, created as part of the regional celebration of International Migratory Bird Day 2015, showcases a number of key native plants and trees that are perfect for backyard gardens, neighborhood landscaping and other habitat restoration projects big and small. Created by BirdsCaribbean, this book focuses on plants and trees that are particularly beneficial to native and migratory birds in the Caribbean.
Download the book for free. (PDF, 24 pages, English)\
Partrimonio Vegetal, descarga gratis en español. (PDF, 24 páginas, Español)
Caribbean Waterbirds
The Caribbean is home to a wide variety of waterbirds, both year-round residents and seasonal migrants. These birds are an important part of Caribbean culture and ecology. In this free ebook, released in conjunction with the eighth-annual Caribbean Waterbird Census, six authors investigate the fascinating world of Caribbean waterbirds and wetlands. Download the book for free. (PDF, 25 pages, English) Download the book for free. (PDF, 25 pages, Spanish) Download the book for free. (PDF, 25 pages, French)
Caribbean Waterbirds EBook-bird names in 3 languages plus scientific Caribbean Waterbirds EBook-bird names in 3 languages plus scientific-SPA
Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book
Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book features 50 birds that are found only in the region. The 64-page book is beautifully illustrated by Christine Elder, with text by Mark Yokoyama. Each page features a bird in its habitat, a map showing where it lives, and facts about the bird. Fold-out covers show what every bird looks like in colour. The book offers children of all ages the opportunity to learn interesting facts while learning the techniques of colouring the birds’ vibrant plumage. Fun activities and a glossary are included at the back. The book, created by BirdsCaribbean, is available for purchase and for free download below. Colouring pages, natural history information, puzzles, and other free activities on the 50 birds plus additional endemics can also be accessed on our Caribbean Endemic Birds From the Nest Library page. Colouring book covers, including front, back, colouring tips, and fold-in colouring key (PDF) – click here for free download in English. Colouring book pages, including background information, West Indies map, colouring pages, activities, and glossary (PDF, 64 pages) – click here for free download in English.
The Spanish language version of the colouring book is available for free download below. It has also been printed in Spanish and is available in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic (email info@BirdsCaribbean.org to find out more). Translations of the English text by Mark Yokoyama are by Juan Carlos Fernández-Ordóñez and Maydiel Cañizares. Colouring book covers, including front, back, colouring tips, and fold-in colouring key (PDF) – click here for free download in Spanish. Colouring book pages, including background information, West Indies map, colouring pages, activities, and glossary (PDF, 64 pages) – click here for free download in Spanish.
Since the completion of the colouring book, additional Endemic Bird of the Day coloring pages have been completed, thanks to Josmar Esteban Marquez. To date a total of 131 of 180 Caribbean endemic birds have been completed. Species profiles, activity sheets, puzzles, and coloring pages are available for free download for all 131 species at this link.
Stay tuned for the French edition, which will be available soon!
Migratory Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book
Migratory Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book features 39 migratory birds that spend the winter in and/or pass through the region on migration. The book is beautifully illustrated by John Thompson with text by Farah Gopaul-Fuller, Ann Haynes-Sutton, Lisa Sorenson, Jeff Gerbracht, Andrew Dobson, and Lynn Gape. Each page features a bird in its habitat, a map showing where it lives, and fun facts about the bird. Coloured illustrations from Birds of the West Indies by Herb Raffaele et al are featured on the inside covers to show how the birds should be coloured in.
The book also contains information on migratory birds to answer the following questions:
- What are migratory birds
- Why do birds migrate
- How far do they migrate
- How do they find their way
- How do birds prepare to migrate
- What risks that they face on migration
- Do all our migrants stay for the winter
- Why are there fewer migratory birds than there used to be
- How can you help migratory birds
Educational Resources
World Migratory Bird Day
Water: Sustaining Bird Lifeis the theme in 2023 for World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) . We celebrate WMBD in the Caribbean in the fall (September-October). Visit the WMBD site to access a collection of educational resources related to migratory birds. Educational tools include fact sheets, activities, games, presentations, and more. Materials are available in English, Spanish, and French. All are available for free online: World Migratory Bird Day resources.
BirdSleuth Caribbean
Birds are engaging and a fun and a wonderful way to get youth interested in nature, science, and inquiry-based learning. Through our BirdSleuth Caribbean program we are training teachers in the Caribbean to involve young people in the natural world and build their science skills. The program uses the innovative BirdSleuth International curriculum developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and adapted for the Caribbean context. BirdSleuth is an inquiry-based science curriculum that engages kids in scientific study and real data collection through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s exciting citizen science projects, such as eBird. The curriculum is available in English, Spanish and French. Find out more about the program on our BirdSleuth Caribbean page and access the curriculum here, including posters, activities, games, presentations, and more.
Wondrous West Indian Wetlands
Wondrous West Indian Wetlands: Teachers’ Resource Book, is a 276-page teacher’s manual containing comprehensive background information and educational activities relating to the ecology and conservation of Caribbean wetlands. These fun and informative activities and lesson plans include many fun and creative ways to teach the importance of wetland habitats both in the classroom and the field. The book and other educational materials are being distributed in conjunction with two-day Wetlands Education Training Workshops throughout the region. Learn more about the West Indian Whistling-Duck and Wetlands Conservation Project here. The curriculum is available in English, Spanish and French. You can download the English curriculum here. The French curriculum is available here. You can download the Spanish curriculum here.
Media Resources
Look Sharp!
Promote Your Organization with Great Photography Vibrant photos are a wonderful way non-profits and other conservation and education organizations to attract volunteers, sponsors and attendees to their events and activities. In this eBook, we show you how to work with photographers, take better photos yourself and use your photos to maximum effect. Don’t let another event go by without having fantastic photos to show people what your organization is doing and inspire them to get involved. This eBook was created to accompany a workshop at the 20th International Meeting of BirdsCaribbean. Click here for free download (PDF, 26 pages) Find more media resources for members here.
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