Banded Birds and Their Journeys

As August ushered in peak migration season, we observed an unusually high number of banded shorebirds passing through—three of which were equipped with GPS trackers. These tracking efforts, led by ornithologist, help monitor bird movements, reveal migration routes, uncover behavioral patterns, and support global conservation initiatives. Platforms like bandedbirds.org allow us to follow the journeys of these carefree world travelers in real time.

Whimbrel FF6 photograph by Michael St. John

Our first tagged bird was a Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus), with the tag FF6, recovered on August 7th by Mike St. John at Long Pond, St. Andrew.

Whimbrel FK7 photograph by Michael St. John

At the same location on 30th, Eagle eyed Mike saw another Whimbrel (FK7) with a GPS tracker. While we don't have information on this specific bird's banding location or journey, its presence here is a wonderful start to our sightings for the month.

Willet HO4 with GPS tracker photograph by Michael St. John

The next exciting sighting also occurred at Long Pond, this time a Willet with a GPS tracker, HO4, seen by Mike St. John on August 22nd.

Willet HO5 photographed by Qunicy Clarke

A few days later, Quncy Clarke spotted a second Willet, HO5, at Inch Marlow in Christ Church. Thanks to Nathan Senner, we learned that both birds were tagged in Massachusetts, USA, in June as part of a Massachusetts Audubon project.

We also had a repeat visitor! A Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), tagged 2=T, was seen for the second consecutive year at Inch Marlow, Christ Church. This bird has made quite a journey.

Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), tagged 2=T

• Captured and tagged: May 27th, 2018, at Mispillion Harbor, Back Beach, Delaware, USA.
• First Resighting: August 19th, 2023, at Long Beach, Christ Church, Barbados.
• Latest Resighting: August 14th, 2025, at Inch Marlow, Christ Church, Barbados.

Our final observation was of a Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla), tagged N20, which was spotted at River Bay, St. Lucy. 

Semipalmated Sandpiper tagged N20

• Captured and tagged: May 13th, 2024, at Fortescue, Raybins Beach, New Jersey, USA. 
• First and only resighting to date: July River Bay, August 26, 2025

Each of these sightings offers a vital clue in understanding the migratory journeys of these vulnerable species. By tracking their movements, we aim to identify and address the challenges they face along their flight paths—and ultimately help reverse their population decline.

You can play a part in this important work. If you spot a banded bird, please report it to bandedbirds.org or share the sighting with us at Birds of Barbados.

Thank you and continue to enjoy your birding!

A Rare Sighting: The Cuban Martin Visits Barbados

Male Cuban Martin

On August 27, 2025, while the air in Barbados was filled with the sounds of CARIFESTA XV, thanks to the electrifying performance by the Cuban group Rumba Allstars, a different kind of cultural exchange was taking place in the skies. Without any fanfare, a rare and unexpected visitor arrived on the island: a Cuban Martin (Progne cryptoleuca).  This iconic bird, a species endemic to Cuba, was spotted at Spring Hall, St. Lucy, mingling with a flock of its more familiar Caribbean Martin (Progne dominicensis) cousins. While they share a similar shape and behavior, a closer look reveals the distinct features of this special guest. Unlike our local Caribbean Martins, the males of the Cuban Martin species are completely glossy blue-black, with subtle hints of white on their lower underparts. The females and juveniles, on the other hand, are much less iridescent, with a muted gray-brown breast and flanks contrasting with their white underparts.

This sighting is a fantastic reminder of the incredible biodiversity of the Caribbean region.

Two New Species for the Island and the Region

The digital camera has fundamentally transformed modern ornithology and birding. This crucial role was underscored by the recent addition of two new bird species to the island and region's avian checklist, directly facilitated by photographic documentation. These two additions took the island's count to 286 species. (Clements)

A photograph by Michael St. John of the island and region's first Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

Our first bird, a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Calidris acuminate), was also a first for the West Indies. It was discovered by Michael St. John on June 11, 2025, at a private site in St. Lucy. Initially misidentified as a Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) —a species commonly seen on the island—the bird’s true identity was later confirmed by renowned birder and co-author of the Lynx Field Guide to the Birds of the West Indies, Anthony Levesque of Guadeloupe, after he spotted a photo on eBird. This medium-sized shorebird is native to the Old World, breeds in eastern Siberia, and winters mainly in Australasia, following migration routes that span the Pacific. How it ended up in the Caribbean, gracing our beautiful island, remains an unsolved mystery.

The juvenile female Pallid Harrier, seen and photographed by Dr. John Webster
 in 2014, correctly identified in 2025

The second new bird proved to be even more remarkable. First sighted and photographed by Dr. John Webster on December 26, 2014, it was initially identified on eBird as a Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus). Years later, the identification came into question when Paul Buckley (author of Birds of Barbados- an annotated checklist) noted its unusual appearance and sought further expertise. He sent John's images to the renowned Finnish ornithologist and field guide author Dick Forsman (author of The Raptors of Europe and the Middle East: A Handbook of Field Identification). Upon examining the photographs, Dick Forsman definitively identified it as a juvenile female Pallid Harrier (Circus macrourus). This species of raptor is native to eastern Europe and Central Asia, with its wintering grounds primarily in Africa and South Asia. Its confirmed presence in Barbados made not just a first for the island and the region but all of the Americas. 

These two remarkable sightings underscore how digital photography, paired with expert insight, is reshaping our understanding of bird vagrancy—not only in Barbados, but across the globe. They also highlight the value of contributing rich data to our eBird.org checklists, including detailed descriptions, photos, and audio. Once again, Barbados shines as a hotspot for exceptionally rare bird species, which can change a casual birding outing into an unforgettable adventure.

Stay safe and enjoy your birding!

The Yearly Return of the Black Swifts

A Black Swift at Bell Point, St. Philip

April and May are spring migration months.  This annual journey to breeding grounds in North America can be clearly seen as the number of migratory birds on the island steadily declines. There are some exceptions to the norm, as is the case with Black Swifts (Cypseloides niger).  These birds, instead of heading north, fly to breeding sites in the West Indies.  One such nesting site can be found on the east coast of our island, nestled in a hard-to-reach sea cave in the sea cliffs of Bell Point, St. Philip.  Black Swifts are listed as “Vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. This is because the species is undergoing a rapid decline throughout its North American range. The reasons for the decline are uncertain, but one of the biggest dangers to migratory birds, animals in general is the loss of habitat.  It is even more so a problem for bird species like Black Swifts, which are known to have a high nest-site loyalty (Collins and Foerster 1995), which means that these birds will return to the same site for nesting every breeding cycle. That is why I am encouraged by the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan, drafted by the Coastal Zone Management Unit.  Some of the directives within the plan can inadvertently protect the sea caves at Bell Point, thus protecting the nesting site of this vulnerable species, and trust me, migratory birds need all the help they can get.   So if you’re out and about in the Skeet’s Bay Area, or along the East Coast Road, or gazing over the vista at Melvin’s Hill, St. Joseph, you just may see them, these masters of flight – the Black Swifts. 

Global Big Day 2025 A Record-Breaking Event

A Grey kingbird, photographed during the GBD

The local birding community came together in full force for Global Big Day 2025 (GBD25)! While we missed two of our most experienced birders, it was inspiring to witness the enthusiasm and dedication of our two first-year participants. By the end of the day, we recorded an impressive 59 species—likely a record for this time of year.

All local birders were part of our dedicated team, Bajan Birders & Friends, which proudly participates in  BirdsCaribbean's annual Global Big Day fundraiser. This year, we shattered all previous team records! We saw peaks across multiple categories:

• Team members: 15 participants—the most we've ever had.
• Countries represented: 4, broadening our reach.
• Checklists submitted: 104 from these four countries.
• Species observed: 251—soaring past last year’s record of 221.
• Funds raised: $840—a new high for our team!

The outstanding effort from everyone made this year's event truly special. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you for an incredible day of birding, on behalf of both our team and BirdsCaribbean.

Team Members

• Barbados: Julian Moore, John Webster, Michael St. John, Quincy Clarke, Ocean Campbell, Macrae Hoyos
• UK: John Lepley (Birded in Barbados)
• Trinidad & Tobago: Jerome Foster (Contributed from St. Lucia)
• United States : Bert Alm (Florida) (Contributed from Puerto Rico)
• United States: Andrew Farnsworth (New York), Karen Sullivan (Ohio), Judd Patterson (Colorado)
• Canada: Janet Spiers (Ontario), Corinna Chaudhary (Ottawa), Keith Miles (Alberta)

Local Trip Report | Bajan Birders & Friends Trip Reports

An incredible effort from everyone this year—let’s keep the momentum going for future birding adventures!

PS: Lookout for a post from the rookies on their first Global Big Day

Come Bird with Our Team for Birds Caribbean Global Big Day fundraiser

May is Global Big Day month, culminating this year on Saturday, May 10th! Our local birding team, The Bajan Birders & Friends, is proud to once again participate in BirdsCaribbean's annual Global Big Day fundraiser. This inspiring initiative connects passionate local birders with fellow enthusiasts who have visited our beautiful island and share a love for all things avian. 

Table for BirdsCaribbean.org

Last year, our ten-member team, with members birding from three different countries, collectively identified an impressive 216 species—the 6th highest total—and, more importantly, raised over $300 to support crucial regional bird conservation efforts.

This year, we're aiming even higher! We hope to see more birds, grow our team, and raise even more funds. Our ambitious goal for 2025 is to surpass 225 species, climb into the top 5, and raise over $400. We can achieve these milestones and make an even greater impact with your support. Join us and be part of this remarkable effort!

To team up and rep Bajan Birders & Friends 

• Head over to this Givebutter link, 
• Log in by clicking the “sign-in” link at the bottom of the pop-up window, or make a profile if you don’t already have one (you likely have an account if you were on a team in the past—it’s easy to reset your password if you have forgotten it). 
• Hit the “Join an existing team” button and choose Bajan Birders & Friends.

To Donate:

• Simply click the DONATE button at the top of the fundraising page, and you can specify if you want your donation to go to the general campaign or to a particular team, e.g Bajan Birders & Friends (all funds go to the same cause, but teams do compete to raise the most funds).

Weekend Birding Blitz

An image of an adult Black-crowned Night-heron by Quincy Clark during last weekend's birding blitz

Last weekend (January 25th-26th) saw a flurry of birding activity across the island. Ten birders, mostly visitors, submitted over 40 checklists to eBird, contributing significantly to our island's 2025 bird list.

The highlight of the weekend was undoubtedly the addition of three new species:

• Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea): A stunning discovery by Ed Massiah near Gays St. Peter.
• American Wigeon (Mareca americana): Two of them along with several other duck species, were discovered in a flooded cane field near the Mount Gay Distillery in St. Lucy by the dynamic duo of experienced birder Quincy Clark and first-year birder Ocean Campbell—both of whom are already tallying impressive counts of 70 and 61 species respectively in their Big Year campaigns; 
• Western Sandpipers (Calidris mauri): Observed by visiting birder Ian Alkins at the Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge (WSR).

What an exhilarating start to the new year! I can’t wait to see how things unfold month by month. If every weekend turns out to be like this one, we might be in for a record-breaking 2025. How wonderful that would be! 

I hope you also had a good weekend of birding, If you did or not, I hope you continue to enjoy your birding. 

The Barbados Birds and Birding Report - November, December

Glossy Ibis no longer consider a rare species

After a bustling October, November and December brought a sense of normalcy with three new yearbirds in November and one in December, wrapping up 2024 with a total of 122 species recorded in Barbados. The three November birds, all mega-rarities, included a Gadwall (Mareca strepera) spotted in St. Lucy, an Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens), and a Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla), the latter being a first for the island. December's sole yearbird was a Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus).  The Glossy Ibis ( Plegadis falcinellus) has been a regular feature in this report for several months. Consequently, its status on the island has been upgraded from rare to locally common. Therefore, it will no longer be individually highlighted in this report.

Looking Ahead to January

January is usually very quiet in terms of rare bird arrivals, so don't expect much. However, we have a few birders doing a big year, along with the additional eyes from our new local birders, who completed the tour guide training, plus the start of the tourist season and we are seeing more visitor birding. If there's something to be seen, we will see it. Here is a recap of those rare bird sightings from the previous months, organized parish by parish.

(* denotes birds that remained from previous months)

St. Lucy

• Red Knot (Calidris canutus)(1) a bird seen and photographed by Michael St. John on November 11 and 19th;

  

  Hudsonian Godwit

• Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) - one bird at North Point on November 14th, last seen on 16th;

  

  Gadwall 

• Gadwall (Mareca strepera) - the duck was seen first seen by Mike St. John on 15th, it relocated to another location in the parish and remain into the new year;
• Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) - long stay bird
• Common Swift (Apus apus) - discovered by Niels Larsen at Harrison's Point on the 26th. Identity confirmed by Ed Massiah;

Western House Martin

• Western House Martin (Delichon urbicum) (8) was first seen in a mixed flock of swallows on the 23rd at Harrison's Point. (see)

Lesser Black-backed Gull

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)—This bird was seen and photographed at North Point during the October Big Day, but the juvenile bird was spotted at multiple locations around the island thought November and into December, being last seen on December 6th in St. Philip. 
• Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) (2) - two birds seen at North Point on the 5th.  

St. Andrew

Prothonotary Warbler

• Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) this warbler was recorded at Turners Hall Woods by Julian and Jason Moore on December 14th;

St. Philip

• Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) first seen by John Webster on December 28th. This bird moves between this location and Oistins, in Christ Church;
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) this bird was first seen in October but was last seen in this parish on December 6th;

Christ Church

• Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) - seen at Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge during the October Big Day Islandwide birding event;

  

  Gull-billed Tern

• Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) suddenly appeared at WSR on November 16th
• Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) - heard by Ed Massiah at Graeme Hall Swamp;
• Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla) - A new species for the island, first seen on November 14th and last seen on December 7th;
• Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) seen at Woodboure Shorebird Refuge throughout November and December and into the new year .
• Bridled Tern (Onychoprion anaethetus) (5) - seen by Quncy Clarke at Oistins on November 17th;

  

  Lesser Black-backed Gull

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) this bird made it round at different location around the island and was seen at the Oistins ice pier on the 16th of November;
• Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) first recorded in St. Philip but was frequently seen on the ice pier at Oistins;

  

  Northern Parula

• Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) this wood warbler was a surprised find at the Graeme Hall Swamp by Julian Moore and Ocean Campbell.

St. Michael

• Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra) (4) seen offshore by a visitor cruising into the island.

Feel free to contact me, Julian Moore @ 100birdsbarbados@gmail.com, John Webster @ barbadosbirds@gmail.com, or Ed Massiah @ ebmassiah@hotmail.com to report any rare bird sightings, or if you need assistance identifying a bird, we would be happy to help.  A new tool to help with your local bird identification is our Facebook Group, The Birds of Barbados. Click here to join   

The Barbados Birds and Birding Report - October

American Wigeon, one of the year birds

October was a bustling month for birds and birding in Barbados. On October 12th, World Migratory Bird Day, we participated in the October Big Day and recorded a record number of species (see here). From the 21st to the 25th, at Walkers Reserve, Birds Caribbean conducted a Bird Guide Certification workshop, introducing a few locals to birding, eBird, and bird guiding. As usual for October, local birders spent many days at Harrison's Point and came away with a few rarities. With all this activity,  eleven species were added to the 2024 checklist, bringing the year's tally to one hundred and seventeen species.
These were the yearbirds during October:   

• Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) - Harrison's Point and few other locations;
• Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) - two birds in St. Philip 
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) - multiple sighing 
• Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata) - three birds at Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge;
• Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) seen once at Harrison's Point;
• Common Swift (Apus apus) was also seen at Harrison's Point;
• Western House Martin (Delichon urbicum) another from Harrison's Point;
• Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) - also seen at Harrisson's Point; 
• Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) - St. Philip;
• American Wigeon (Mareca Americana) - at North Point, St. Lucy.

Looking Forward to November

I don't have to guess about birds and birding in November since we're already past the middle of the month. I can tell you that rare birds continue to pour in, but you'll hear all about that next month.

October's Rarebird Alerts

The number of rare bird sightings this last month was astonishing, it highlighted the island's incredible ability to attract these "unusual" species not only from North America but also from across the Atlantic. Here is a breakdown of the other rare sightings for the month, organized parish by parish.

(* denotes birds that remained from previous months)

St. Lucy

Glossy Ibis

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)*(7)  - at the usual location at a privately owned wetland.  This species has been removed from the island rarebird list on ebird and hence will no longer appear on this list.
• Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) -bird seen in the in the Checker Hall area;
• Ruff (Calidris pugnax) (1) - showed nicely at North Point for a couple of days;

  

  Chimney Swift

• Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) - first seen at Harrison's Point on the 14th by J. Moore in a mixed flock of swallows;
• Common Swift (Apus apus) - discovered by Niels Larsen at Harrison's Point on the 26th. Identity confirmed by Ed Massiah;

  

  Western House Martin

   
• Western House Martin (Delichon urbicum) (8) was first seen in a mixed flock of swallows on the 23rd at Harrison's Point. (see)
• Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) - a bird calling from the power line just in front of the isolation center at Harrison's Point, was seen briefly by Ed Massiah on the 19th. This would be the third record of the species on the island;

  

  Lesser Black-backed Gull

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)—This bird was seen and photographed at North Point during the October Big Day, but the juvenile bird was spotted at multiple locations around the island for a week or so. 

  

  Tricolored Herons at North Point

• Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) (2) - two birds seen at North Point on the 5th.  

St. Peter

• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) seen around the Six Men's area. Most likely the same bird that was seen at various coastal locations across the island
• Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) (3) brought excitement to the members of the Bird Guide Certification workshop during an early morning field trip to Cherry Tree Hill;
• Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) (4), four seen late afternoon in the Oxford area;

St. Joseph

• Red Knot (Calidris canutus) was seen by some of the members of the Bird Guide Certification workshop  at Bathsheba on the 20th; 

White-tailed Hawk

• White-tailed Hawk (Geranoaetus albicaudatus)* - A bird seen and described by a nonbirder this bird in the location where this bird was last seen at Cambridge. This bird was first seen at the end of April and later found regularly at a pond in St. John. It then relocated to the East Coast, hills of Cambridge, St. Joseph. 

St. Philip

• Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) (7) - seven birds were photographed by Reg Wilson and posted on Facebook on October 3rd;
• Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) briefly seen by John Webster at a private location; 
• Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica)(2) - seen by John Webster at a private location on the 8th;
• Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) - this was the first record of this species for the month;
• Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) - seen on the 15th;
• Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) seen at Green Point by Mike St. John. This was the first sighting of this large gull for the month.

Christ Church

• Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) - seen at Woodbourne Shorebird Refuge during the October Big Day islandwide birding event;

Two of the five Least Terns at Inch Marlow

• Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) (5) - these birds spent a few days on the beach at Inch Marlow
• Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) was and is regularly seen at Woodboure Shorebird Refuge.

St. Michael

Audouin's Gull

• Audouin's Gull (Ichthyaetus audouinii)* This bird was first seen on June 20th and remained throughout October.

St. Thomas

• Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) - this roosting bird was seen by Beny Wilson, one of the facilitators for the Bird Guide Certification workshop,   while on tour at Earthworks Pottery, Edgehill.

St. James

Common Nighthawk

• Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) - I saw and photographed this bird while driving along the Ronald Mapp by Landcaster on the 14th. It was busy hawking for insects with hundreds of bats.

Feel free to contact me, Julian Moore @ 100birdsbarbados@gmail.com, John Webster @ barbadosbirds@gmail.com, or Ed Massiah @ ebmassiah@hotmail.com to report any rare bird sightings, or if you need assistance identifying a bird, we would be happy to help.  A new tool to help with your local bird identification is our Facebook Group, The Birds of Barbados. Click here to join   

Record October Big Day for Barbados

A Grey Kingbird during the October Big Day, emphasizing the theme of WMBD - "Protect Insects, Protect Birds"

On October 12th, World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD), birdwatchers from every continent united for an extraordinary celebration of nature. In just 24 hours, over three-quarters of a million birders in 201 countries contributed to the most successful October Big Day ever, breaking the world record with over 7,800 species documented. Our island played a vital role in this global event, shattering our previous record for bird species seen on a single day. Local birders scoured Barbados, recording an astonishing 72 species – six more than the previous best year of 2020. (Click to see the Day's ebird Trip Report)
One of the highlights of the day was the impressive counts of several migrating shorebirds. Like the globally threatened Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) with over 100 individuals recorded.

Other notable shorebird sightings included:

• Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus): 168 individuals were counted.
• White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis): 136 of these birds were observed.
• Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres): A total of 115 Ruddy Turnstones were spotted.

One clutch of Black-bellied Whistling-Duck ducklings

The day also brought a heartwarming surprise – over 42 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck ducklings were recorded at a single location.

I had the privilege of leading a field trip with a group of young scientists from McGill University to North Point, St. Lucy. While excited to share my knowledge of local birds and how to identify them, I was disheartened to see a billboard announcing the erection of one or more wind turbines on this beautiful and unique landscape. I do hope a thorough environmental assessment is conducted, as this area is a hotspot for biodiversity. It serves as a prime nesting area for the Grassland Yellow-Finch (Sicalis luteola), a protected bird under the Barbados Wild Birds Protection Act.

Students from McGill during a field trip at North Point, St. Lucy

Despite this concern, our field trip was a success. We observed 18 species, including the globally threatened Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla), and two rare visitors – the Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) and the Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus).

This day highlighted the rich avian life that Barbados boasts, both native and migratory. It's a reminder that we must protect these precious creatures and their habitats, remembering the theme of World Migratory Bird Day - Protect Insects, Protect Birds.

Safe and enjoy your birding adventures!

World Migratory Bird Day 2024: Protect Insects, Protect Birds

Yellow Warbler with a Caterpillar

Saturday, October 12th is World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD).  It is a global awareness-raising campaign celebrated annually to highlight the importance of migratory birds and the need for international cooperation to conserve them. In 2024, the theme was "Protect Insects, Protect Birds".   The campaign emphasized insects' critical role in migratory birds' survival.  Insects are a primary food source for many bird species, especially during breeding and migration periods. The decline in insect populations due to factors such as habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change poses a significant threat to migratory birds.  Insects provide essential nutrients for birds, especially during breeding and migration, they play a role in maintaining healthy ecosystems that support bird migration and are vital components of food webs and help regulate plant populations.  By protecting insects, we can help ensure the survival of migratory birds and maintain the balance of our ecosystems.  On World Migratory Bird Day birders from all over the world take part in this campaign that seeks to draw attention to the ply of birds. It is called the October Big Day.

October Big Day

 Last year's October Big Day, a staggering 36,332 people from 191 countries spent part or all of the day seeking out and recording birds in their local areas. The collective effort resulted in an impressive 83,735 checklists submitted to eBird.org, showcasing the incredible diversity of birds across the planet. In Barbados, the Big Day resulted in an underwhelming 38 species recorded.  Local birders are determined to do much better this year! We are preparing to hit the ground running on Saturday morning aiming to significantly increase the number of species recorded and contribute more significantly to the global day of birding. You can help. 

Here is how to participate

• Get an eBird account: eBird is a worldwide bird checklist program used by millions of birders. It’s what allows us to compile everyone’s contributions into a single massive October Big Day list—while at the same time gathering data to help scientists better understand birds. Sign up here. It’s 100% free from start to finish.
• Watch Birds on 12 Oct: It’s that simple. You don’t need to be a bird expert or go out all day long, even 10 minutes of birding from home counts. October Big Day runs from midnight to midnight in your local time zone. You can report what you find from anywhere in the world.
• Enter what you see and hear in eBird: You can enter your observations via our website or download the free eBird Mobile app to make submitting lists even easier. Please enter your checklists no later than 15 Oct to be included in the results announcement.
• Watch the results roll in: During the day, follow along with bird reports from more than 180 countries in real time on our October Big Day page.

So whether you are here on the island or overseas, a veteran birder or a newbie get out birding on Saturday, October 12th, World Migratory Bird Day. Submit your sightings to ebird.org and become part of this global celebration of birds and remember "Protect Insects, Protect Birds". 

Enjoy your birding!!