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The Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB) Working Groups (including Monitoring, Migratory Birds, Waterbirds and Seabirds) have been working since 2003 to identify gaps in regional monitoring strategies for birds. These include weaknesses in every step of the monitoring process, from the availability of trained field biologists to the use of the results of monitoring in regional and national policy and conservation and protected area management. The overall goal of this project is to initiate and promote a coordinated regional bird monitoring network as a means to improve science-based conservation planning and adaptive management of birds and habitats in the region. The emphasis is on providing practical training in simple, standard protocols for monitoring landbirds, waterbirds, seabirds and shorebirds (and their habitats) and promoting the formation of a coordinated regional monitoring network so that information can be shared and used to support local and regional conservation efforts.

The project is collaboratively developing a strategy for building capacity and has begun to implement it, starting with a regional Bird Monitoring Training Workshop held in Nassau, Bahamas, February 19-23, 2009. The objective of the training workshop was to provide persons from across the Caribbean with equipment, materials, training and skills to apply basic bird monitoring protocols, so that they can:

• Design and implement a long-term bird monitoring programme in their own country

• Train and mentor others

• Form the basis of a regional monitoring network.

The workshop format included three tracks:

• Background material – introduction to the major considerations for designing, implementing and applying results of monitoring programmes.

• SCSCB protocols, field trips and analysis – simple approaches to monitoring landbirds, seabirds, herons and egrets, waterbirds and habitats, and analysing the results.

• Clinics and participant presentations – an opportunity for participants to get personal guidance and advice on their projects from experts in the field.

Twenty-six participants from eighteen West Indian islands and two Caribbean rim countries took part in the five-day Workshop held at the Bahamas National Trust Headquarters in Nassau. The participants included Executive Directors of NGOs in charge of protected areas, ornithologists, and conservation biologists employed to governments and NGOs, protected area wardens and volunteers. All shared a common interest in learning monitoring methodologies and how to use the results from monitoring to more effectively conserve and manage migratory and resident bird species. The eight facilitators included Floyd Hayes (Professor, Pacific College, California), Frank Rivera-Milán (US Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC), Geoff Welch (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, UK), Jeff Gerbracht (Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, New York), John Alexander (Executive Director, Klamath Bird Observatory, Oregon), Arne Lesterhuis (Wetlands International, Buenos Aires), Ann Haynes-Sutton (Monitoring Coordinator, SCSCB, Jamaica) and Lisa Sorenson (President, SCSCB, Boston).

The workshop included a complete introduction to designing, implementing, analyzing and reporting basic bird monitoring programmes in the region. With the assistance of the team of facilitators and other experts in the field, SCSCB is developing simple standard protocols for monitoring landbirds, wetland birds, seabirds and shorebirds and their habitats. These were presented and tested during field sessions at the workshop. The participants committed to share their experiences and train others in their islands. To facilitate this process all the materials from the workshop are available online, and a training manual “Caribbean Birdwatch - How to design and implement a bird monitoring programme in the Caribbean” is in preparation and will be available soon. At the end of the workshop participants and presenters agreed that the workshop had been an overwhelming success and pledged to continue to work to promote its objectives.

Other products of the project include a capacity building strategy for bird monitoring in the region, a database summarizing on-going bird monitoring programmes in the region, follow-up projects, and further training and strengthening of SCSCB’s Monitoring Working Group at SCSCB’s biennial Meeting in Antigua (July 14-18, 2009). Project news and the training workshop materials are available online at SCSCB’s website (www.scscb.org) and a new workspace on ConserveOnline: Caribbean Birdwatch: SCSCB-WHMSI Bird Monitoring Program (http://conserveonline.org/workspaces/caribbeanbirdwatch).

A few comments made by workshop participants

The workshop met my objectives and sparked my enthusiasm to return and commence monitoring programs to be managed by my organization.

The wealth of information provided, including all the presentations and field protocols, was excellent.

The workshop clarified my perception of the importance of monitoring. I also learned the importance of asking specific questions to inform conservation management, setting goals and objectives for my monitoring program, and then making sure that my methods answer my questions.

I learned a lot, and am inspired to design and carry out new monitoring programs.

I will use what I learned this week to improve ongoing monitoring, share with others who monitor, develop new monitoring projects, and increase volunteer participation.

The field exercises were excellent!

Networking was great and having an idea pool like this will greatly benefit monitoring and conservation.

I intend to use what I learned about monitoring to capture more information for better analysis and ultimately better management and decision-making.

Other Websites Related to the Workshop:

This page was last updated on Friday January 29, 2010.