Our “feathered friends” are an important indicator of environmental health.

Story & Photos By Dolly Prosper, DECR Environmental Officer: Terrestrial Ecologist

Humans have always been fascinated with our avian neighbours. Throughout history, the relationship between humans and birds has been multifaceted, encompassing utility, symbolism, and mutual benefit. The genesis of our intricate bond was due to caloric fulfilment (a.k.a.”food”) provided by birds for the continuity of the proto-humans, but evidence suggested that early humans also observed birds for survival cues, such as finding water and tracking the seasons.

The tropical seabird the brown Noddy (Anous stolidus) forages by swooping over the water and dipping down to catch small fish and aquatic insects.

Although we cannot pinpoint the exact date birds became more than “just food,” we do know that Palaeolithic Qesem cave-dwelling hominid from 420 to 200 ka (kilo annum; 1,000 years ago) had collections of their non-nutritious “integumentary appendages” (feathers). This provides evidence that fascination with birds persisted for many ages and will for many more to come.

As humans journeyed through the rise and fall of countless civilizations and societies, survival was not the name of the game anymore. Many creatures joined us on this journey—amongst them birds—and began to play more significant roles in the cultural, economic, and ecological contexts of the world. 

In “Selecting Indicator Species to Monitor Ecological Integrity: A Review,” Carignan and Villard (2002) stated that birds are an important indicator of environmental health. This is due to them being easily detected, identified, and efficiently censused over large areas, as well as their presence, abundance, and reproductive success being influenced by their surrounding habitats. 

Globally there are over 11,000 species of birds. However, nearly half of all species are in decline and 1,409 species (or one in eight species) are now threatened with extinction. Although this does paint a gloomy picture, there is a shred of optimistic hope as 6% have increasing populations. In the Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI), we have roughly 210 species flying in our skies with only 12 species being globally threatened. Also, despite the size of TCI, we hold 1% or more of the global population of several bird species. 

The West Indian whistling duck (Dendrocygna arborea) is both elusive and listed as “Near Threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Birds play essential roles in various ecosystems. They are usually overshadowed by charismatic insect species like the bumblebee (Bombus spp.), butterflies, and moths (Lepidoptera spp.) but birds are vital for pollination. For instance, the bananaquit (Coereba flaveola) and Bahama woodstar (Nesophlox evelynae) are key pollinators for numerous plant species such as the pineland golden trumpet (Angadenia berteroi), wild allamanda (Pentalinon luteum), Euphorbia gymnonota, and E. tithymaloides. As they siphon a plant’s nectar from its flowers, the birds could collect a substantial amount of pollen with their slender beaks and they are off to a new batch of flowers. 

As you can imagine, pollination isn’t the function that makes birds essential—they are also engineers of their habitat. Species like the white crown pigeon (Patagioenas leucocephala), pearly-eyed thrasher (Margarops fuscatus), and Bahama mockingbird (Mimus gundlachii) can be seen feeding on the fruits of the poisonwood tree (Metopium toxiferum), love-vine (Cuscuta americana), and the like. The seeds of the fruits are hardy enough to withstand the fluids of the birds’ stomachs and pass through their cloaca relatively unscathed. Thus, they are likely to be dispersed far from the parent plant, ensuring the regeneration of their habitat.

The osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is often seen soaring in Turks & Caicos skies. Their diet is almost exclusively fish from the open ocean.

Like many species, birds are also key in the nutrient cycle and like all creatures, it involves their poop. For example, seabirds such as the Audubon’s shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri) and the osprey (Pandion haliaetus) feed on fish in the open ocean and then return to islands to roost. Their droppings (called “guano”), derived from their fish diet, concentrate nitrogen and phosphorus-rich nutrients from a wider ocean region onto the comparably small area of the bird islands they roost on. There have been studies that show the relationship between seabirds and coral reefs, as the birds provide nutrients to reefs that accelerate coral growth and recovery.

Finally, birds are excellent pest control. Species like the Antillean nighthawk (Chordeiles gundlachii) are hyper-energetic, gravity-defying aerialists of the Lucayan archipelago, making quick work of all the flying insects that comes into their sight. However, predatory birds, such as barn owl (Tyto alba), American kestrel (Falco sparverius) and Merlin (Falco columbarius) help maintain the balance of animal populations by controlling rodents and even other smaller birds.

This curious young American kestrel (Falco sparverius) is a predatory bird that helps control rodents.

Despite their importance, the Turks & Caicos Islands face similar conservation challenges as other regions, including habitat loss, climate change, and human encroachment. Efforts to protect bird habitats are crucial for maintaining biodiversity. Initiatives such as the establishment of protected areas, conservation programs, and public education campaigns aim to safeguard the Islands’ avian populations. Local and international collaborations enhance these efforts, ensuring a coordinated approach to conservation.

Addressing threats to bird populations requires ongoing commitment and innovation. Climate change, in particular, poses a significant challenge, with rising sea levels and changing weather patterns affecting habitats. Conservation strategies must adapt to these changes, incorporating resilience and sustainability. Community engagement through citizen science programs such as eBird, iNaturalist, and Caribbean Birding Trails are vital in fostering a culture of conservation, ensuring that the importance of birds is recognized and valued.