Image: A new endemic bird is featured every day, on the Birds Caribbean website. Image by Christine Elder.
~ It’s moved online! ~
School has been out, and many of us are spending more time online. You can use this time to learn about the beautiful birds, found across the Caribbean – maybe you’ll be able to recognise some of them!
The Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival (CEBF) is celebrated every year, organised by Birds Caribbean. Since we’re all dealing with the new coronavirus COVID-19, people just can’t move around freely this year, so the activities have been moved online! Birds Caribbean is posting all sorts of fun and informative puzzles and activities, as well as colouring pages – all for free, so that everyone can enjoy nature, right from their own homes.
The online version of the festival is called “From the Nest”. The festival brings people of all ages together, from all across the Caribbean. Normally, partners host activities like birding walks, presentations and art contests. The goal is to raise awareness about the 171 unique birds that live only in the Caribbean, and threats to their survival. The festival is celebrated through May, and into June.
“Due to the challenges of COVID-19 and restrictions on citizens’ movements across the islands, our partners are unable to organise their usual wonderful, vibrant events. At Birds Caribbean, we have created a “virtual festival” with online discussions and activities that are both fun and educational. Our partners have been playing their part,” said Executive Director of Birds Caribbean, Lisa Sorenson.
Colouring pages from the recently published Endemic Birds of the West Indies Colouring Book are making their debut online. A new bird is presented each day on Birds Caribbean’s website, with details, puzzles, eBooks, and activities to keep children, teens and adults busy.
Christine Elder, the artist who made the fine bird drawings, recently streamed a live hands-on workshop on sketching hummingbirds, which attracted budding artists of all ages. Birds Caribbean partners are also doing their own CEBF projects on their social media pages.
