"There is no wildlife on the island, and few birds. I’ve seen a kind of small bird that is blood red and one that is light green with gold highlights. Up above in the thickets are snakes and lizards but no four-footed animals.” ~Zimmerman the elder July 1792
When reading any historical account of the Caribbean, I am drawn to anything that can reveal even the smallest titbits about nature during an earlier era. Extant histories of human endeavour in the region are often sadly incomplete, but they are rich tapestries of detail compared to the records of wild plants and animals.
The quote that opens this article was taken from a letter translated and republished in Eric Ayisi’s book St. Eustatius: The Treasure Island of the Caribbean. Over the course of several pages, Zimmerman the elder describes the geography, local economy and everyday customs of the island. A few of his sentiments could fit into a contemporary account of Caribbean life: “You can drink terribly here, and sometimes I think well of that.”
The birds, however, are a bit of a puzzle. Personally, I have yet to spot a blood red bird on Statia. Perhaps it was a Scarlet Tanager, and if so, perhaps these migratory visitors were more common in the Lesser Antilles then. Today they are considered very rare.
Zimmerman’s light green bird with gold highlights is also a minor mystery. The Yellow Warbler seems like a likely candidate. The male, yellow with orange streaks on its breast, is close to this description. After all, what were “light green” and “gold” exactly in the 18th century? Besides, one can drink terribly here.
(Please see photo of Yellow Warbler – light green and gold in the right light, perhaps?)
As far as Statia’s birdlife, the omissions seem more glaring. What of doves and hummingbirds, the Magnificent Frigatebird and the Red-billed Tropicbird? Had all the doves been hunted and eaten by the end of Statia’s most prosperous century?
The mention of lizards and snakes is perhaps more interesting. These animals are often overlooked by casual observers from previous centuries. In some cases, like the Red-bellied Racer or Lesser Antillean Iguana, these species are rarely seen today. Zimmerman’s comment could indicate that some reptiles were more common during his era.
At the end of the day, it would be a mistake to invest too much confidence in any offhand comments about wildlife on Statia in the colonial era. Put together, though, many small observations can give us hints of what the nature of the island was like and how it may have changed since then.
By Mark Yokoyama
