American and Caribbean Coot

Yes, I am aware that since 2016, the bird that was once known as Caribbean Coot (formerly Fulica caribaea), is no more.  For scientific reasons, it has been merged into one species, called American Coot. To separate them we referred to the once Caribbean Coot as American Coot–Fulica americana (white shielded), this is because of the all-white face shield, and American Coot - Fulica americana (Red-shielded), because of the red the shows to the top of the bird's shield.  Both species are considered rare on our island, but the red shield is the rarer of the two. For most of last year Walker's Reserve, St. Andrew hosted a few of these birds but I only now noticed that the rarer “red shield” was also in the mix.  It provided for a good comparison between these not so long ago separate species of coot.

Here are the example of the two Coots:

American Coot (Red-shielded)

American Coot (white shield) formerly Caribbean Coot

Rare Birds Update: The first for 2020

At the end of the first weekend of 2020, which is really just 5 days into the new year, over 60 species has been recorded already on the island.  Thanks in part to an island wide bird count by John Webster on the 2nd, refer to as the  Christmas Bird Count in birding circles.  He tallied 45 species. Next, my effort to secure as many birds as possible, as early in the year as possible, for my 2020 Big Year challenge, resulted in me making an extra effort to get out birding.  At the 5th I had already recorded 58 species, a list of which you can see here.  We also had a few visiting birders whose observations also helped in the final tally.

A few rare birds remain with us into 2020. Here is the list parish by parish:

St. Lucy

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)  : This bird was with us since August 2019.

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus): 6 birds were seen in December but have relocated to another area in the north.

Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) a juvenile was spotted for the first time late last month and was last seen on the weekend.

St. Andrew

American Coot (White Shield) (Fulica americana(caribaea)): Once known as Caribbean Coot, while rare, has nested on the island before. Even though Barbados records one or two of these birds yearly for a few months, the wetlands at Walkers Reserved has attracted a few that stayed there for most of 2019 and now into 2020.

American Coot (Red Shield) (Fulica Americana) This variation of this bird is very rare to this part of the Caribbean. Two was seen among the White shielded on 4^th at Walkers

American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) two of these warblers were recorded at Turners Hall Woods on the 4^th

Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) One record at Turners Hall Woods on the 4^th

St. George

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)  This large heron was seen at one of the irrigation ponds at Redland

St. Philip

Ruff (Calidris pugnax) two bird shorebirds are still with us in 2020

Christ Church

Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) was seen on the last day of 2019 among the Mangroves at the Graeme Hall Swamp. Efforts to relocate it thus far was unsuccessful.

St. Michael

Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) - at Pile Bay, rare for this time of year.

Feel free to contact me - 100birdsbarbados@gmail.com to report any rare bird sightings, or if you need assistance identifying a bird.