Times of the Islands Spring 2022

Over 700 of the earth’s bird species are found in the
Caribbean. Of these, 171 are endemic—found only in
the area. The larger islands of Hispaniola, Jamaica, and
Cuba each support over 30 endemic bird species and the
Lucayan Archipelago just 8 endemic bird species. TCI
has no endemic species of bird, but one of the Lucayan
endemics, the Bahama Woodstar (our “hummingbird”) is
a familiar resident species. TCI is thus never going to
“compete” as a birdwatching destination with the likes of
many other Caribbean countries which draw birdwatchers
from around the world.
That said, over 200 bird species have been recorded
in the Turks & Caicos Islands. There is a good range of
species, some accessible sites, and many species can be
approached quite closely as there is no tradition of hunting.
With few birdwatchers and sparse historic records
there are opportunities to get away from the crowds—
which can be difficult in some hot spots in popular
regions—and make your own discoveries.
From a birdwatching point of view, TCI is both
under-watched and under-recorded. There are few resident
or visiting birdwatchers and birders. Additionally,
there is no bird club or strong network of recording
and sharing sightings. The online citizen science portal
eBird (www.eBird.org) has helped, as anyone can log
their sightings which are then reviewed by a network of
regional experts. The sightings can then be viewed by
anyone.
To be able to look after our birds, to conserve them,
we need to know what species occur here, how many of
each and where they are. This is where birdwatchers can
contribute their sightings and records as data to support
the science of conservation. Once these questions
are answered, then conservation planning—protecting
the important areas—can be implemented as part of
the National Development Plan and the moral and legal
imperatives to protect the world’s wonderful bird species
can be met.
So then, what is TCI important for? What do we know
and what more do we need to find out? Given the country’s
ongoing rapid development and the needs of the
humans living here, on what and where should we spend
our political, social, and financial capital protecting?
The Piping Plover Charadrius melodus is a federally
protected species in both USA and Canada. It is also an
incredibly cute little ball of fluff that spends its summers
and winters on beaches around 1,000 miles apart.
Like other beach-living species, it suffers from increased
development and human recreational use of beaches
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