BirdsCaribbean

Forget protein maxing, we are Parrot Maxing🦜.

The countdown ⏳️ is on for the BirdsCaribbean 25th International Conference!
We are deep in prep mode, and the upcoming Caribbean Parrot Conservation Summit has us focusing on the ultimate gains—community support, habitat protection🌳, and saving our endemic parrots.

Swipe ⏩️ through to load up on these absolute units of information. No fillers, just pure Caribbean parrot facts to optimize your knowledge before the big event.

Which fact hit hardest? Drop a comment below!



Wild Bahamas Bahamas Forestry Wild Caribbean Cayman Parrot Sanctuary Cayman Islands Department of Environment Sociedad Cubana de Zoología Grupo Jaragua Grupo Accion Ecologica Fundación Amigos De El Yunque Fundación Científica ARA MACAO SOH CONSERVACION Action pour la Sauvegarde de l'Ecologie en Haiti-ACSEH Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña Para la Naturaleza Science SVG Forestry Department National Environment & Planning Agency Seven Oaks Sanctuary for Wildlife, Jamaica Rare Species Conservatory Foundation Rare Saint Lucia National Trust Trinidad and Tobago Bird Observatory and Research Centre- TTBO Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club WildDominique World Parrot Trust SoCal Parrot

The World Cup ⚽️ hype has officially taken over the BirdsCaribbean “office”!

Naturally, the communications team spent part of their weekly meeting debating a vital question🤔: “If Caribbean birds played football, what would they be doing at the World Cup?”

Swipe left 👆🏽 to see which regional favorites made the starting lineup and more. (Trust us, you aren’t getting past our keeper🤭) And let us know who we left out!



Wild Bahamas Science and Perspective Bahamas Forestry Wildlife Jamaica STEAM MA Société Ecologique D’haiti Action pour la Sauvegarde de l'Ecologie en Haiti-ACSEH BirdLife Jamaica Rocklands Bird Sanctuary SOH CONSERVACION Sociedad Cubana de Zoología Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña Roots & Shoots Puerto Rico Conservation Opportunity Cayman Birding Cabo Rojo and Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuges Surfrider Puerto Rico Fundación Amigos De El Yunque Fundación Científica ARA MACAO Bonaire Bird Photography Tours Stenapa St Eustatius Montserrat National Trust Parc national de la Guadeloupe Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club SusGren (Grenadines NGO) Saint Lucia National Trust Science SVG St. Kitts, Nevis, and Statia Birding

There isn’t a better time than now to lean into your FOMO. 😬

The BirdsCaribbean 25th International Conference is less than two months away and trust us, you don’t want to miss the conservation (in) action ❗️

Swipe👆🏽to see what we have in store for you!

This conference has been designed with ✨️YOU✨️ in mind – incorporating a healthy mix of sound science, social events, and ample opportunities to explore the beauty of our host island. Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹 is undoubtedly a Caribbean island paradise, rich in culture, history and birdlife. In fact, the Amerindian name given to Trinidad, Iëre, translates directly to land of the hummingbirds. Come experience this paradise for yourself and help shape the future of Caribbean conservation!

Spaces are filling up fast. Visit ➡️: bit.ly/BCTT26Register



Wild Caribbean Wild Bahamas Science and Perspective BirdLife Jamaica Birding the Islands The Birds of Barbados Aruba Conservation Foundation Curacao Nature Conservation Bonaire Bird Photography Tours STINAPA Bonaire Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance Nature Foundation Sint Maarten Saint Lucia National Trust SusGren (Grenadines NGO) Montserrat National Trust Trinidad & Tobago Field Naturalists' Club Gaea Conservation Network Inc Grenada Sustainable Development Trust Fund Inc. Science SVG Forestry Services St. Vincent and the Grenadines Caribaea Initiative Caribbean Birding Trail Shorebird Conservation Society Grupo Accion Ecologica Turks & Caicos National Trust St. Croix Environmental Association Conserving Caribbean Shorebirds and Their Habitats- PR 2019 Trinidad and Tobago Bird Observatory and Research Centre- TTBO

This pint-sized Grenadian songster is Endemic Bird of the Day 178! 🦩🦉🦜
https://bit.ly/GrenadaWren


Small but full of personality, the Grenada Wren is a little bird with a big voice 📣. Found only on the island of Grenada 🇬🇩, this wren is often heard before it's seen, filling the air with a bubbly, melodious song. It has a warm brown back🤎, finely streaked with darker markings, a pale eyebrow stripe, and a lightly speckled chest. With its compact size and energetic movements, it’s a delight to spot darting through dense undergrowth, foraging for food.

Grenada Wrens are masters of adaptation, thriving in 📍 forests, scrublands, and even gardens. They primarily feast on insects 🐞 and small invertebrates, using their sharp beaks to pick through leaf litter and bark. During the breeding season, they build dome-shaped nests hidden in vegetation, where the female lays a clutch of tiny eggs. Both parents take part in feeding their chicks, ensuring the next generation of these charismatic birds takes flight.

Despite their adaptability, Grenada Wrens face growing threats😔. Habitat loss 🪓 due to deforestation and development is reducing their available nesting and feeding areas. Climate change also poses risks, as shifting weather patterns could disrupt their food supply and breeding cycles💞. While they are not currently considered endangered, continued habitat destruction could put them at risk in the future.

Helping the Grenada Wren is simple! Protecting natural areas, planting native trees🌱, reducing pesticide use, and keeping cats 🐈️ indoors can all support their survival. Even in urban areas, creating green spaces and maintaining backyard gardens with native plants can provide important refuge.

Whether you're hiking in Grenada’s forests or enjoying a morning coffee in your backyard, keep an ear out for their cheerful calls—it’s a reminder of the island’s unique and irreplaceable wildlife. 💚

Thanks to Kendon James for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration.⁠
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📸 Yann Muzika ML631393238 and David Hollie ML603349501

BIG NEWS: Early Bird Registration has been EXTENDED to June 3rd! 🎉

You still have time to secure your spot and snag significant savings for the BirdsCaribbean 25th International Conference in beautiful Trinidad & Tobago, July 23-27, 2026! 🦜🇹🇹🌴

And remember—this conference is not just for scientists and researchers. Birders, nature lovers, photographers, students, conservationists, eco-tourism professionals, and anyone passionate about birds and the Caribbean are warmly welcome. 😃

Join us for an unforgettable week of learning, networking, birding, field trips, Caribbean culture, and conservation action.

Register here 👉🏽: bit.ly/BCTT26Register

This year’s theme, “Birds, People, Prosperity: Harnessing the Caribbean’s Natural Advantage,” challenges the outdated “development vs. environment” narrative. It’s a call to proudly own, protect, and advance the natural assets that power our sustainable future.



Wild Caribbean Wild Bahamas Bahamas National Trust Bahamas Forestry Bermuda Audubon Society Wildlife Jamaica National Environment & Planning Agency Jamaica Environment Trust Grupo Jaragua Grupo Accion Ecologica Virgin Islands Audubon Society SOH CONSERVACION Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambientales Para la Naturaleza Parc national de la Guadeloupe Environmental Awareness Group Anguilla National Trust Montserrat National Trust Nature Foundation Sint Maarten Les Fruits de Mer Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) SusGren (Grenadines NGO) Saint Lucia National Trust Science SVG Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies

A Cuban gem is Endemic Bird of the Day 177! 🦩🦉🦜
https://bit.ly/CubanVireo


As one of Cuba's endemic jewels💎, the Cuban Vireo is widely distributed throughout the island and is considered one of the most common species on the island🇨🇺. Its coloration is not very conspicuous, with mainly grayish olive green on the back, and pale yellowish💛 underneath. Males and females look the same. Its eyes are large and dark, and appear to be larger because of the ring of light-colored feathers around the eye. For this reason, in some parts of Cuba it is known as “ojón” which translates to “big-eyed.”👀 Because of the sound it makes when singing🎶, it is also popularly known in Cuba as “juanchiví.”

The species favors wooded areas🌳, but it can also be found in thickets. It inhabits all types of forests, natural, secondary, coffee and pine plantations. Usually flying short distances within the vegetation, where it roosts 💤 and forages mostly lower down in the vegetation (1-3m). Occasionally, it mixes in mixed flocks with other Cuban endemic species such as Yellow- headed and Oriente Warblers. It feeds mainly on insects, arachnids🕷️, fruits and small reptiles.

Like other vireos, the nest is cup-shaped and the breeding season begins in March and ends in August💞. The species usually lays three white eggs with small brown or purplish spots.

It is not globally threatened. To keep this "endemic jewel" shining for years to come, we need to make sure its habitats remain healthy and connected. You can plant native plants 🌱 and berries in your garden to give them a safe place to eat and seek shelter. By spreading the word about the Ojón's funny "Juanchiví" song and supporting local environmental organizations, you also help this big-eyed bird stay a common sight for everyone to enjoy for years to come! 😊

Thanks to Alieny González Alfonso for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration.⁠
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📸 Roberto Jovel and Aslam Ibrahim Castellón Maure

The mysterious Western Chat-Tanager is Endemic Bird of the Day 176! 🦩🦉🦜
https://bit.ly/WesternChatTanager


Way up in the misty mountains ⛰️ of Hispaniola lives a bird called the Western Chat-Tanager. Imagine a bird kind of like a Mockingbird, just a bit smaller and more mysterious! 😶‍🌫️This shy little bird is part of the Caribbean endemic bird family, Calyptophilidae, from the Greek word Calyptophilus which means “loves to hide.” And do they take that seriously!

They live in broadleaf forests and dense thickets which no doubt helps them to stay hidden. Even scientists have a tough time finding them in these habitats! 👀 Our tip is to keep your eyesight low. Western Chat-Tanagers usually hang out in pairs, poking through fallen leaves looking for their next meal. They make a “chip-chip” sound while foraging. Their favorite foods are insects🪱, small invertebrates and a little bit of fruit now and then.

How will you know you’re looking at the elusive Western Chat-Tanager and not the Eastern Chat-Tanager?! 🤔 One big clue is that it has 🚫 no white eyering, but it does have a small yellow patch between its eye and beak. The upperparts of the Western Chat-Tanager are dark brown🤎. The breast and throat are white shading into the grey-brown belly and flanks. Its tail is long, rounded, and has a chestnut tint. On the other hand, the Eastern Chat-Tanager has dark brown upperparts and a white eyering but no yellow face patch. Its tail is shorter and more squared off.

During the breeding season💞, May to July, they build a large and unusual cup-shaped nest with an overhanging dome and a front entrance. They use small woody stems, vines, moss, and lichens for the outer part and line the inside with stems and pieces of leaves. Clutch size is 2 pale blue eggs 🪺 with brown spots.

Both parents help feed their chicks. The dad doesn’t bring food very often, but the mom shows up with food every 15 to 20 minutes when she’s not keeping the chicks warm. The mom also cleans 🧹 up after the chicks by carrying away their faecal pellets (p**p). Meanwhile, the dad watches nearby and sings often, usually from a perch within 10 meters of the nest.

The conservation status of the Western Chat-Tanager is considered to be Vulnerable by the IUCN, due to widespread 🪓 clearing of forests particularly in Haiti. The Dominican Republic has several protected areas. One of these places is the Sierra de Bahoruco, a big mountain range where the Western Chat-Tanager can be found. That’s why it’s so important to support environmental groups that work hard to protect these wild places from pollution and deforestation so amazing birds like the Western Chat-Tanager can have a safe home to live and hide.💚

Thanks to Aliya Hosein and Holly Garrod for the text and Arnaldo Toledo for the lovely illustration.

📸 Amiel Hopkins (ML614076998) and Dax Roman