birding...

Lesser Antillian Bullfinch Loxigilla noctis ©Derrick Knight

The island of Barbados is a holiday destination better known for its sun, sea, sugarcane and beautiful white sand beaches rather than its birding, but even so there is much to interest a birder accidentally stranded here. Over 230 species have been recorded - more than any other Lesser Antillean island. The island offers relaxed birding and most of its 25 or so resident breeders can be seen in just one morning`s birding, or if preferred spread leisurely over a week between swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing. Unlike most of its neighbours the island has no compelling endemics so is rarely included on a Lesser Antillean birding itinerary, but it has been argued that Barbados`s unique form of Lesser Antillean Bullfinch (where the males resemble the females) might justify separation.

Barbados is a coral island that was pushed up between 600,000-700,000 years ago. Lying 150km east of its much older volcanic neighbours; its isolation, youth and non-mountainous topography are the main reasons for its limited avifauna.

The island has been well-watched for several decades and has scored some notable firsts for the Americas e.g. Garganey, Black-headed Gull, Little Bittern, Alpine Swift, Collared Pratincole, Whiskered Tern, Common Cuckoo, Little Egret. Currently Barbados is the only place in Western Hemisphere where Little Egret is known to breed. Many vagrants turn up annually, but it is the trans-Atlantic vagrants that are of the greatest regional significance.

Most of the resident species are widespread and common and can be seen virtually anywhere e.g. Carib Grackle, Lesser Antillean Bullfinch, Antillean Crested Hummingbird, Green-throated Carib, Scaly-naped Pigeon, Zenaida Dove, Common Ground Dove, Gray Kingbird, Caribbean Elaenia, Shiny Cowbird, Bananaquit, Black-faced Grassquit and Yellow Warbler. Caribbean Martin and Black-whiskered Vireo are mainly summer visitors. Audubon`s Shearwaters breed at one locality. Other more local breeders include Eared Dove and Grassland Yellow-Finch, which was introduced from South America in about 1900.

The island has limited natural wetland habitats, but the most important site is Graeme Hall Swamp, a natural mangrove swamp that has recently become a Ramsar site. Be warned however that most of the other wetlands are small artificial swamps, created for the sole purpose of shooting migrant shorebirds from mid-July to mid-October though this fact is little known outside of Barbados. The main species shot are yellowlegs, dowitchers, plovers, pectoral, whimbrels and stilt sandpipers. This custom dates back to the time of slavery, when the plantation owners had nothing else to do after the sugarcane was cut than sit in their swamps, drink fine Barbados rum and shoot. On the plus side, some of these swamps provide good habitat for birds year-round and some owners are interested in nature, and actively discourage shooting of rare or protected species. During the shooting season when these swamps are strictly off-limits, there are still good opportunities to see shorebirds at Chancery Lane Swamp, near south point and at virtually any other grassy field after rain. A walk along the north coast can be particularly productive. Common shorebirds include White-rumped, Pectoral, Stilt and Solitary Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Yellowleg, American Golden Plover, Whimbrel, and Hudsonian Godwits that pass directly over the island, but rarely land.