THE Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival, observed annually between April 22 (Earth Day) and May 22 (International Day for Biological Diversity), is focusing this year on bird conservation.

The theme: “Connecting People to Bird Conservation — 20 Ways to Conserve Birds”, focuses on ways that ordinary citizens can support nature conservation in meaningful ways.

One of the ways, according to the Society for the Conservation and Study of Birds is to stop the illegal capture and trade in native birds:

“One important way to support Caribbean bird conservation is to not buy illegally-caged birds. The capture and sale of wild-caught birds is illegal!” the society warns.

“Report the capture and sale of wild birds to the authorities. Caribbean parrots and parakeets have been particularly hard-hit by the illegal pet trade, and all surviving species are still captured for sale.”

Data from BirdLife International show that 56 species of birds found in the Caribbean are at risk of global extinction, 11 of which are in danger of imminent extinction.

“Birds are a part of our every day lives. We see them in our backyards and parks and enjoy them, but we take them for granted!” says Dr Lisa Sorenson, president of the bird consevation society.

Sorenson remarked that “with an impressive 31 per cent of the approximately 565 bird species of the Caribbean islands found nowhere else on the planet, in addition to the exceptionally high deforestation experienced engaging Caribbean people from all walks of life in bird conservation could not be more important.”

At the launch of the Festival, regional coordinator of the CEBF based in Puerto Rico Sheylda Díaz-Méndez noted that the remedy had to begin with involving ordinary Caribbean citizens in nature conservation. Relatively few Caribbean nationals work professionally in wildlife conservation, said Díaz-Méndez. “It is important that a broad cross section of our collective societies are well educated and mobilized to address the conservation crisis at multiple levels.”

Executive Director of the Bahamas National Trust Eric Carey, who is also one of the region’s leading conservationists, noted that with greater awareness, there was a plethora of relatively simple activities through which people could support native bird conservation.

Activities such as planting native trees and shrubs, avoiding and properly disposing of toxic chemicals, not buying illegally captured birds, recycling, using cloth grocery bags and reusable bottles, and supporting forest restoration programmes were some of the means to which he pointed.

Those methods, he said, would not only contribute to bird conservation, but also to the preservation of the biological systems on which human health and our economies depend.

Accordign to the trio, other strategies that can be used are:

Sorenson: “Plant a pimento tree for both yourselves and the birds to enjoy.”

Carey: “Remind young children that birds eat harmful insects, pollinate flowers and spread seeds and therefore capturing or killing them is bad for everyone.”

Díaz-Méndez: “Become a member of a local conservation organization and obtain a field guide to the birds of your country.”

The countries taking part in the month-long festival are: Antigua, Anguilla, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Martin, Saint Andre (Columbia), St Croix (US Virgin Islands), Turks and Caicos Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago. The initiative is supported across the region by a variety of organisations including schools, churches, environmental NGOs, government conservation departments, private sector organisations, universities, and concerned groups and individuals.

The Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB) is the largest single regional organization devoted to wildlife conservation in the Caribbean. It is a non-profit organization whose goals are to promote the scientific study and conservation of Caribbean birds and their habitats, and to promote greater public awareness of the bird life of the region.

— Society for the Conservation and Study of Birds