Provo learning about the plight of migratory birds and how to identify them
(Photograph courtesy of Roxann Wake-Forbes)
The BirdSleuth program, developed by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, is a curriculum resource that promotes science and conservation education among the youth by encouraging student participation in citizen science, providing educational resources on topics such as bird diversity and identification, habitat, and migration, and encouraging local investigations and conservation actions. Lessons are filled with fun activities teaching students how to make use of their binoculars, create their very own bird journals and how to do a bird count after which the data can be entered into eBird, A real-time, online checklist program, encouraging citizen science reports and recordings. The program also provides training to teachers. Since 2006, the resource has been broadly distributed and evaluated within the United States, and more recently, the program has expanded and materials adapted for Latin American and Caribbean audiences.
The intention of the project is to increase active engagement and commitment to conservation of high priority migratory birds and their winter habitats (and the native species that share them). A pilot Caribbean BirdSleuth program was developed and tested by four Caribbean partners in a pilot program during the 2013 and 2014. The results showed that the program increased awareness of the plight of migratory birds and their habitats and increased engagement in conservation by students and teachers.
According to BirdsCaribbean (the largest single bird conservation organization in the Greater Caribbean region), the BirdSleuth curriculum coupled with citizen science participation, has shown to improve science literacy and connects people to their local environment. This is particularly important for today, as many children do not have opportunities to go outside and connect with nature in meaningful ways. The curriculum will teach children throughout the Caribbean how to empathise with and identify their local birds and introduce them to conservation needs so that they can participate in citizen science and conservation action projects.
Often going unnoticed, migratory birds are among the most beautiful, apparent, and significant wildlife that one can catch a glimpse of in the TCI. They are symbolic gauges of the seasons, provide a myriad of economic and environmental services, and are indicators of healthy habitats. The Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs (DEMA) believes that connecting children with their local birds in their local protected areas and threatened habitats, including wetlands, will encourage them to get involved with conservation and prime them with the knowledge and passion to protect biodiversity in the TCI. The activities in the curriculum are suitable for formal (schools) and informal settings (e.g., summer camps, afterschool programs and science clubs), as the program will promote student environmental stewardship through establishing a network of conservation educators and teachers who will be trained in the use of the curricula, including bird identification skills, inquiry-based learning, and citizen science activities (bird monitoring and conservation).
For more information about the BirdSleuth program, please visit www.birdsleuth.org or ‘Like’ BirdSleuth on Facebook. For more information about participating in future BirdSleuth training activities in the TCI, please contact the Department at