Dominica participates in 10th edition of the Caribbean Endemic Birds Festival

The Caribbean Endemic Birds Festival (CEBF) has been celebrated annually across the region since 2002, and the festival usually runs from Earth Day (22nd April) to World Biodiversity Day (22nd May). This will be the eighth consecutive year that Dominica will participate in this Bird Festival , the purpose of which is to raise public awareness and appreciation of our region’s exceptionally rich and threatened bird life. The Caribbean’s celebrated endemic birds are used as flagship species for conservation throughout the region.

The theme chosen by the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds for this year’s festival is “Go Wild… Go Birding”. This is to highlight our focus on reaching out to youths and adults alike in learning about birds, birding and bird conservation, while enjoying the outdoors.

Hon. Matthew Walter, Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, will officially launch the 2011 CEBF on 21st April, the day before Earth Day, and activities for this year’s Festival will include:-
•    Presentations on local birds and birding field trips with schools and a Pre-School;
•    Radio Quizzes on the island’s four radio stations;
•    a television programme;
•    the re-broadcast of a PBS documentary entitled “Hummingbirds: Magic in the Air” and featuring one of our local hummingbird species
•    live radio discussions on the subject of birds and the Festival on all four major local radio stations;
•    interviews;
•    a public lecture on the theme Go Wild… Go Birding, and this will be presented in partnership with the University of the West Indies Open Campus on 12th May;
•    publishing of a newspaper article;
•    a Caribbean Waterfowls Identification Workshop with the Layou Improvement Committee on 20th May,

•    a boat trip to Pointe des Foux on Dominica’s south coast to view colonies of nesting seabirds and roosting Yellow-crowned Night Herons on 21st May

The Dwivayèz, DABEx and Pyé Cho Hiking Clubs will again Go Birding While Hiking with the Division on 14th May, in the Morne Diablotin National Park. And for the third consecutive year, Dominicans who can imitate the vocalization of birds will show off their talents and skills imitating the calls and sweet songs of selected Dominican birds in the Whistle Like A Bird Contest; this is to be held at the Alliance Française Auditorium on 19th May.

The Forestry, Wildlife and Parks invites the general public to participate in this year’s Caribbean Endemic Birds Festival by testing their knowledge of birds during the 8 radio quizzes (on different days on the radio stations), joining the live radio discussions, and attending the public lecture at UWI.

CEBF 2011 in Dominica is co-ordinated by the Forestry, Wildlife & Parks Division of the Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry and sponsored by the Forestry, Wildlife & Parks Division and the Rare Species Conservatory Foundation of Florida, USA.

For further information contact the Forestry, Wildlife & Parks Division at 266- 5856 or 266-5852, or email us at [email protected]

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2 Comments

  1. Mango Sweet
    April 20, 2011

    @ Tiny. Is that all that could come from your Tiny brain? But then why should we be surprised? That said, though, I think it’s a good programme by the Foresty & Wildlfe Division. So, let us listen to the birds in the early mornings as we lay in bed. Or go out in our back yards and look for some birds. Or even enjoy their singing as we hike the trails. Keep up the good work.

    I am looking to win one of the Quiz prizes and the come and Whistle Like a Bird too. Think I will do like a malfini and a gwo bek LOL

  2. tiny
    April 19, 2011

    seriously..are there birds in dominica? thought domiinicans ate them out

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